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Studies & Degrees in Creation, Design and Multimedia Engineering

Multimedia engineering is the branch of computing that deals with interactive digital content: video games, apps, websites, 3D graphics, virtual reality, video and sound. It joins two things that are usually taught apart. One is engineering, with programming, mathematics and systems. The other is design, with image, narrative and user experience. The Universitat de València describes the degree as a multidisciplinary approach that combines a solid technological base with narrative and organisational ability, so that graduates can design and develop multimedia products.

In our directory the subject appears as "Creation, Design and Multimedia Engineering". In Spain the usual degree name is Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia. In other countries similar content is taught under names such as multimedia arts, interactive media or digital design, often with less engineering.

What students learn

Programmes start with the common ground of an engineering degree and add media subjects year by year. Typical content includes:

  • programming, mathematics and computer systems
  • computer graphics, 3D modelling and animation
  • video game design and programming
  • human-computer interaction and interface design
  • audio and video production, postproduction and visual effects
  • virtual and augmented reality
  • project work, external placements and a final degree project

At La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, the first year is shared with the other engineering degrees. From the second year, students can choose a specialisation in video games or one of three other routes: human-computer interaction, audiovisual production and broadcasting engineering.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree (grado) in Spain. The Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia has 240 ECTS credits and lasts four years. At the Universitat de València the credits are divided into 66 of basic training, 120 compulsory, 30 optional, 12 of external placements and 12 for the final degree project. Optional subjects can also be taken from computer engineering, telematics engineering and audiovisual communication.
  • Associate degree in the United States. Community colleges teach the creative side in two years. Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, offers degrees in graphic design and multimedia arts within its Visual Communications programme, which has 96 credits and takes a minimum of two full years. Its multimedia arts students take courses in photography, motion graphics and animation, and filmmaking. This is an arts qualification, not an engineering degree.
  • Master's degrees and short courses. Graduates in computing, design or audiovisual communication can specialise later with a master's degree or shorter courses in areas such as video games, user experience or visual effects. Content and length vary by school.

Where to study it

Our directory lists three schools for this subject: two in Spain and one in the United States. In Spain they are La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona and a private technology training centre in Málaga. In the United States it is Chemeketa Community College.

La Salle-URL teaches its Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia on campus in Barcelona, in Catalan, Spanish and English, with 65 places. According to the school, it is the only official bachelor's degree in multimedia engineering in Catalonia.

Two public universities in the Valencian Community teach the same degree. The Universitat de València offers 50 places and teaches in Spanish and Valencian. The Universidad de Alicante offers 95 places and teaches in Spanish, Valencian and English.

Admission to a Spanish grado follows the general university access rules. Language matters as well. The Universidad de Alicante requires students from non-Spanish-speaking countries to prove a level equivalent to B2 in Spanish, and all its students must prove level B1 in a foreign language to obtain the degree. At Chemeketa, Visual Communications is a limited-enrolment programme and students must begin in the fall term.

Careers

Graduates work as video game programmers and designers, web and app developers, interface and user-experience designers, 3D and visual-effects artists, and technical staff in audiovisual production and broadcasting. Employers include game studios, software companies, agencies, broadcasters and the digital departments of other firms. Many also work freelance.

Official figures for the United States give an idea of the size of two related occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 220,100 jobs for web developers and digital designers in 2025 and projects growth of 5% between 2025 and 2035. For special effects artists and animators it counts 51,900 jobs and projects little or no change over the same period.

Frequently asked questions

Is multimedia engineering an engineering degree or a design degree?

In Spain it is an engineering degree. The Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia belongs to the Engineering and Architecture branch and combines programming and systems with design, narrative and media production.

How long does the degree take?

The Spanish Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia has 240 ECTS credits over four years. A two-year associate degree, such as those at Chemeketa Community College, covers the creative side only.

Can I study multimedia engineering in English in Spain?

Partly. La Salle-URL teaches in Catalan, Spanish and English, and the Universidad de Alicante in Spanish, Valencian and English. Neither lists the degree as taught only in English.

Can I specialise in video games?

Yes. At La Salle-URL students can choose a specialisation in video games from the second year, covering design, programming and animation.