Best Video Game Design Programs

Table Of Content

• Frequently Asked Questions about Video Game Design Programs
• College Planning in Your Inbox
• Top Side Hustles for College Students to Make Fast Cash in 2024
• Otis College of Art and Design
• Hampshire College
• On ice and in class: Quinnipiac students shine as synchronized ice skaters
• Maryland Institute College of Art

Today, University of Arizona serves approximately 51,135 students, making it one of the state’s largest post-secondary institutions. UArizona offers more than 300 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in 150+ areas of study. Programs are offered across 20 colleges and nearly two dozen specialized schools. Course examples across programs include Game Programming, Multimedia Systems, Game Design, Machine Learning, Programming Languages, 3D Modeling, and Operating Systems.

Frequently Asked Questions about Video Game Design Programs

Two three-credit courses are dedicated to the Game Design BFA Thesis + Exhibition. This solo project will represent the student’s best work at the CIA Game Design Show. Instead of the Engaged Practice component of the program, which provides the opportunity to work with CIA partners, students may complete an internship with a game production studio, animation studio, or other company.

College Planning in Your Inbox

This includes BA degrees in Applied Computing and Game Development; BS degrees in Computer Science and Game Development; and MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science. Course examples across programs include Game Programming; 3D Modeling; Game Design; Multimedia Systems; Programming Languages; Machine Learning; and Operating Systems. Across all programs, students have access to the AU Game Center, which explores the use of games in recreation, the media, health, education, the community, politics, and policy.

Top Side Hustles for College Students to Make Fast Cash in 2024

PhD students may select up to 15 credit hours from other schools, and they may also choose electives in games and other related areas. For students who would like to major in a different area, WPI has an IMGD minor that provides the opportunity to design a focus. This 18-credit hour option allows students to select from courses that explore game design, animation, game studies, audio arts, social impact of games, visual art, technical development, and creative writing.

Housed in Viterbi School of Engineering, the new Technical Game Art (TGA) Minor is part of the Information Technology Program (ITP). Students in the program will complete 16 units of study, several projects, and courses such as 3D Character Modeling for Games, Technical Character Animation for Games, and 3D Modeling, Animation, and Visual Effects (VFX). Elective examples include Accelerated Programming in Python, and 3D Computer Animation. At Ferris State, all students in the Digital Animation and Game Design program are required to complete an internship to get real-world experience and make connections to help them professionally after they graduate. Ferris State also offers a Peer Mentor Program where sophomore, junior, and senior Digital Animation and Game Design majors serve as role models and help first-year students succeed academically. LCAD's BFA in Game Art focuses on getting students ready for the gaming workforce.

Hampshire College

Established in 2005, the program consists of a Games and Interactive Media BA, a Game Design and Development minor, a Media and Information MA (MI MA), and a Serious Games MA certificate. Georgia Tech’s Computing & Media minor requires 19 credit hours of study, including nine credit hours at the 3000 level or higher. Examples of required courses include Computer Graphics; Objects and Design; and Data Structures and Algorithms for Applications.

Graduates of RIT's game design and development programs have gone on to work at top gaming companies including Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Vicarious Visions, and Nickelodeon. But one of the first steps to having a career in video game design is getting a game design degree! Below you'll find the top 20 undergraduate schools to study game design in the United States.

The University of Pennsylvania offers an undergraduate degree in Digital Media Design. The University of Pennsylvania is one of the eight Ivy League schools in the United States, so although admissions are competitive, you can be confident you are receiving an excellent education. Students in the program are required to spend at least one summer working in the multimedia industry. Better known as UCLA, this public university has many top 5 programs across the board. This is including its Design Media Arts program, which gives students the opportunity to study game design topics such as motion, drawing, typography, interactivity and much, much more. The School of Media, Culture, & Design offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art & Design designed to teach students everything that incorporates a game.

Maryland Institute College of Art

University of California, Santa Cruz is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Established in 1965, University of California, Santa Cruz serves approximately 18,980 students, enrolled in more than 130 programs across 10 colleges and the Graduate Division. Program alumni have been hired by major studios such as Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment. Students at USC have access to more than 600 graduate and professional programs across 23 schools and divisions.

Digital Arts Program Recognized Among Best for Game Design by The Princeton Review - Stetson Today - Stetson University

Digital Arts Program Recognized Among Best for Game Design by The Princeton Review - Stetson Today.

Posted: Wed, 20 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

What’s also nice is that NYU offers financial assistance programs to students, and connects them to potential internships and jobs all throughout their studies. This is one of the most accessible colleges for gaming, you don’t need to know much about game design going in to benefit from it. Finally, there is a wide variety of electives, making this a wonderful way to learn the ins and outs of game design. Game design and development are separate specialties, but there is often some crossover.

This enables undergraduate students, including game design students, to balance classroom theory with practical, hands-on experience prior to graduation. Students have had co-op experiences in Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, London, Spain, and many other places. Southern Methodist University (SMU) was founded in 1911 by what is now The United Methodist Church. The school serves nearly 12,400 students enrolled in more than 200 programs in seven schools. Programs for aspiring game designers are offered in Lyle School of Engineering and Meadows School of the Arts.

See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. It is important to consider if a school has a learning format that suits your schedule. If you prefer to study from home because of a job or other personal reasons, you should consider an online learning format. You can also consider how far away from home, the size of the college, and what kind of extracurricular activities you want to do. All of this can be learned with a little research, as well as by taking time to visit the colleges you’re applying to. You’ll also learn about the gaming industry itself—from the history of how it started to how it got where it is today.