| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Connecticut | Storrs |
| 2 | Quinnipiac University | Hamden |
For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
University of Connecticut (UConn) is home to the School of Fine Arts. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), the SFA houses the Department of Digital Media Design (DMD). Serving more than 375 students, the DMD features a collaborative learning environment; hands-on projects; and workshops and mentoring by visiting artists.
The department also provides access to state-of-the-art production facilities and studios such as the Cintiq Lab, Motion Capture Studio, and the VR/Gaming Studio; participation in clubs such as League of Legends Club, the Gaming Club, and the Game Development Club; and 100+ internship opportunities each year at companies in Connecticut and across the U.S. DMD students have interned at major studios and companies such as Pixar, Disney, HBO, ESPN, and Adobe.
UConn DMD degree options include the BA, BFA, and MFA, and an online DMD graduate certificate. Students in all programs may take the generalist path or select a concentration from one of seven areas. Examples include Game Design, 3D Animation, Motion Design & Animation, Web/Interactive Media Design, and Digital Film/Video Production.
The Game Design concentration at UConn explores game development for entertainment, science, education, and other areas. This may include digital games, geocaching, card games, amusement park experiences, casino games, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), or board games.
Courses for the program are led by full-time instructors who are professionals in the industry. Course examples include Fundamentals of Programming for Game & Web; 3D Virtual World & Simulations; Game Scripting; Digital Game Design; Critical Perspectives on Digital Media; and History of Computer Graphics.
Undergraduates will complete the Portfolio and Professional Development courses and a Senior Project. Graduate students will complete the MFA Thesis Project consisting of six credits, and they will participate in the MFA Degree Exhibition, worth three credits.
Approximately 90% of University of Connecticut DMD alumni are employed in the industry within one year of graduation. UConn DMD graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as Game Designer, Video Game Artist, Serious Games Designer, Gameplay Programmer, Producer, and Esports Manager. UConn DMD alumni have been hired at companies and studios such as Epic Games, Disney, Viacom, ESPN, Adobe, HBO, The Game Agency, NBC Universal, Blur Studio, NBC Sports, Deck Nine Games, Owlchemy Labs, Preview Labs, and World Walker Games.
Founded in 1881, University of Connecticut opened as Storrs Agricultural School with just three faculty members and 13 male students. Today, UConn employs more than 18,000 faculty and staff members that serve 32,150 students. The school consists of a main campus at Storrs, and four regional campuses including Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury.
UConn provides eight undergraduate degrees with 123 majors; 17 graduate degrees including 95 research and professional practice fields of study; and six professional degree programs across 14 colleges and schools. University of Connecticut is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Quinnipiac University (QU) provides two paths to study games: the Game Design and Development (GDD) BA and the GDD minor. The GDD BA is a 120-126 credit program that consists of six team projects (Game Lab I-VI: Team Projects). Upon completion of this six-course sequence, student teams will present a working game and provide documentation of their design and development process.
Other program benefits include the option to take courses in a related area such as computer science or graphic interactive design. The program also encourages students to pursue a minor or double major, as well as experiential learning opportunities. This allows students to complete an internship, study abroad, or participate in an academic/professional product collaboration.
In addition, Quinnipiac University GDD BA students add a concentration in an area such as Game Studies, Technology, Programming, Art, Game Studies, Audio or Design Process. All consist of game courses in relation to the concentration area. For example, the Art concentration consists of Game Art I-III, while the Technology concentration includes courses such as Game Lab III: (Unreal) and Game Design Tools and Processes. BA core course examples include Introduction to Game Design; Introduction to Game Development; Creativity and Computation; Introduction to Visual Design for Games; and Professionalism Practice for Game Design.
Other course examples include Drawing for Games and Animation; Board Game Design; Acting and Directing for Game Design; Game Art I-III; VR/AR Development for Games; Advanced Topics in Game Development; Object-Oriented Design and Programming; Digital Music Composition for Games; Interactive Storytelling and Narrative; Games, Learning & Society; The Business of Games; and eSports Management.
The GDD minor consists of 18 credit hours. Required courses include Introduction to Game Design; Creativity and Computation; and Introduction to Game Development. To reach 18 credits, students can select courses from a predetermined list. Examples include Game Art I-III; VR/AR Development for Games; Game Design Tools and Processes; and Game Lab: Team Projects (I-IV).
Graduates of the Game Design and Development program at Quinnipiac University are prepared to pursue advance roles across the games industry. Program alumni have gone on to establish careers at places such as Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Rockstar Games, Sesame Street Workshop, Bethesda Softworks, Hi-Rez Studios, Grover Gaming, F84 Studios, Hellosaurus, Black Rocket Productions, Cool Math Games, and SphereGen Technologies.
Founded in 1929 as the Connecticut College of Commerce, Quinnipiac University serves approximately 8,700 students across three campuses in Hamden and North Haven, Connecticut. QU provides nearly 200 programs across eight professional schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
