Programming, but art?

[iambreezybee]

I have a high, passionate interest in game, and because of this, I like programming and art (And almost every job a game developer can have.). However, you can only get one Bachelor's degree. I wanted to ask that even if you get your Bachelor's degree concerning arts, could you still join a company as a programmer? I've heard that what really matters is showing you know how to program very well. If I prove myself as a programmer to a company, would they still hire a person with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts? (By the way, would a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts be a good degree for someone who wants to get into the game industry?). I ask this in case I decide to become a programmer. If you think I should just make up my mind whether I should be just a programmer or artist, please tell me.

-Thanks for your time!

[yaustar]

If you think I should just make up my mind whether I should be just a programmer or artist, please tell me.

You should, it doesn't help that you are dividing your time into orthogonal areas of interest. "Jack of all trades, master of none".

I wanted to ask that even if you get your Bachelor's degree concerning arts, could you still join a company as a programmer?

You could, although you may struggle getting interviews just out of University with a non-related degree unless your portfolio is killer.

(By the way, would a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts be a good degree for someone who wants to get into the game industry?).

For an artist, yes.

[EvilLlama]

Do most game companies give their employees a chance to take different positions? Ie if someone was a programmer for a certain project, did their job well, but still had a killer art portfolio would they be able to apply for an art position at the same company for the next project? Or would they have to quit their job and start from scratch as an artist somewhere else? If they did the latter, could having their previous programming job on their resume hurt their chances of getting an art position at another company?

[Claxon]

It never hurts to have experience, only the lack of it will cost you. Yes it is possible (and quite common) for people to move from one position into another. Programmer to artist is not terribly common due to their differences, but you can get an edge. You can talk to the artists, you know or can find out about the tools they use & their methodologies, and just generally let them know you're interested in an art role.

[iambreezybee]

Thanks for your help! I understand that it's helpful to know the job characteristics of coworkers, but I'll still devote full time the study of what I want to do.