| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | New York |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pennsylvania |
| 3 | Rochester Institute of Technology | New York |
| 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts |
| 5 | Drexel University | Pennsylvania |
| 6 | Northeastern University | Massachusetts |
| 7 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | New York |
| 8 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Massachusetts |
| 9 | Champlain College | Vermont |
| 10 | The New School | New York |
| 11 | Cornell University | New York |
| 12 | University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| 13 | George Mason University | Virginia |
| 14 | American University | DC |
| 15 | Quinnipiac University | Connecticut |
| 16 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | New Jersey |
| 17 | Maryland Institute College of Art | Maryland |
| 18 | Stony Brook University | New York |
| 19 | University of Connecticut | Connecticut |
| 20 | Marist University | New York |
| 21 | Stevens Institute of Technology | New Jersey |
| 22 | University at Buffalo | New York |
| 23 | Fairleigh Dickinson University | New Jersey |
| 24 | University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Maryland |
| 25 | Fashion Institute of Technology | New York |
Our 2026 rankings of the top game design programs on the East Coast. For reference, we define the East Coast as New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
New York University’s (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts (NYU Tisch) houses NYU Game Center, which consists of the Game Design BFA, MFA, and minor programs. Single courses are available for students enrolled in most majors. Course examples include 3D Game Studio-Unity; Game Design I-II; Game Development-Team Studio; and Code Lab.
All degree-seeking students have the opportunity to participate in workshops, tournaments, and playtests; professional game conferences such as PRACTICE—Game Design in Detail; The Game Center Incubator; and study abroad experiences at any one of NYU’s 14 global academic centers in Abu Dhabi, Ghana, Buenos Aires, Shanghai, Madrid, London, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, Paris, Sydney, Washington D.C., Prague, Berlin, and Florence. Students also have opportunities to intern at places such as Disney, Riot Games, and Blizzard Entertainment.
The Game Design BFA culminates with a capstone project. The MFA culminates with a thesis. Capstone and thesis projects can be completed individually or with a group. MFA projects will be presented at the NYU Game Center Spring Show. Across programs, graduates have been hired at places such as Tencent Games, Microsoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Rockstar Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Google, Disney, Ubisoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Riot Games, Nickelodeon, Amazon, Nintendo, and Ubisoft.
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is home to the Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology Network (IDeATe), which houses a 45-unit Game Design minor (GDM) that complements a number of undergraduate programs. Although the minor is open to students from any major, popular combinations include the Electronic and Time Based Media (ETB) BFA/GDM; Art BFA/GDM; Computer Science (CS) BS/Computer Graphics concentration/GDM; Bachelor of CS and Arts (BCSA)/GDM; and Music and Technology BS/GDM.
At the graduate level, the IDeATe houses a Master of Entertainment Technology (MET) that highlights an Immersion Semester, which features courses such as Building Virtual Worlds and Visual Story. At the end of this 14-week experience, students will have a completed marketable product or prototype. In addition, the CMU MET culminates with a final project with sponsors such as Electronic Arts (EA), NASA, MTV, Disney, Google, NVIDIA, and Microsoft.
Features across all programs include dedicated fabrication and physical computing labs; access to a soft technologies studio; workshops; collaborative classrooms with access to a black box studio; internship opportunities; and study abroad experiences in places such as Nantes, France. The CMU IDeATe Game Design minor culminates with the production of an industry-ready video game.
CMU IDeATe graduates are routinely hired at places such as Rockstar Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Google, Xbox Game Studios, Apple, Riot Games, Pixar, Epic Systems, Nickelodeon, NVIDIA, Disney, Amazon, ESPN, Netflix, IBM, Meta, Oracle, and 2K Games.
In 2016, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) became the world’s first university to publish a video game on the Xbox One gaming platform. The school is also home to Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences (GCCIS), which houses the School of Interactive Games and Media (IGM). Degree paths include the BS and MS in Game Design and Development (GDD); an accelerated BS/MS; and minors in Game Design and Game Development. RIT’s College of Art and Design’s School of Design also has a STEM-designated 3D Digital Design BFA with specializations in Game Arts and 3D Visualization.
All students may participate in Creative Industry Day. This networking event welcomes reps from places such as Epic Games, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Students also have the opportunity to complete up to two paid blocks of cooperative education experiences with places such as Epic Games, Cartoon Network, Electronic Arts (EA), Microsoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), and Google.
Other program highlights include lectures, workshops, seminars, and demonstrations by industry professionals; access to state-of-the-art production facilities and the Digital Games Hub; independent study; and the opportunity to develop and commercialize student games at RIT’s MAGIC Spell Studios.
Undergraduate programs culminate with a final project and capstone show. Students in the GDD MS program will complete a capstone project including the 700-level Capstone Design and Capstone Development courses.
Graduates of the GDD and 3D Digital Design programs at RIT can be found at places such as Tencent Games, Disney, Lockheed Martin, Rockstar Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft, Epic Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Riot Games, Apple, Electronic Arts (EA), Insomniac Games, and Nickelodeon.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is home to MIT Game Lab. This research and development hub supports several formal interdisciplinary programs for students interested in studying game design. The lab also helps students create their own path of study, along with opportunities to collaborate, build games, and work with MIT partners such as Meta, the Singapore Government, ElevatePro, and MassDigi.
Program options for game designers include BS and MS degrees in Comparative Media Studies (CMS) with a strong focus in games; BS and MS degrees in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE); the Brain and Cognitive Science BS; and the Business BS with a customized focus area developed in collaboration with the MIT Game Lab. Because all programs are interdisciplinary, students will explore areas such as game design, virtual worlds, and interactive writing.
Course examples include Creating Videogames; Critical Worldbuilding; Game Studies; Interactive Narrative; Game Design Methods; Virtual Reality and Immersive Media Production; Design and Development of Games for Learning; Transmedia Storytelling - Modern Sci-Fi; Games and Culture; Imagination, Computation, and Expression Studio; Designing Interaction; and Digital Media in Japan and Korea. The culminating experience for undergraduates is a capstone project and presentation. Graduates will complete a master’s thesis.
Graduates of Game Design programs at MIT have been hired at places such as Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Warner Bros. Discovery, Bungie, Microsoft, Amazon, Harmonix Music Systems, Toyz Electronics, Learning Games Network (LGN), and Spry Fox.
Drexel University (Drexel) is home to the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design (Westphal). One of the nation’s largest media arts and design colleges, Westphal highlights immersive studio-based curriculums; courses led by industry professionals; and access to state-of-the-art facilities. Examples include the 1200 square feet Animation Capture and Effects Lab (ACE-Lab); the URBN Center, which features shared making spaces, innovative labs, and studios; the Immersive Research Lab (IRL) for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), immersive media projects; screening rooms; and a theme-park caliber motion simulation platform.
Westphal and Drexel’s College for Computing and Informatics (CCI) provide multiple paths to study game design. Options include the Game Design and Production BS; Digital Media MS; Digital Media PhD; Game Design and Production BS/Digital Media MS; a Virtual Reality and Immersive Media minor; a graduate Digital Media minor; BA and BS degrees in Computer Science (BAC, BSCS); and the 24-credit hour CS minor. The BA/BS programs provide optional tracks in Game Development and Design; Artificial Intelligence; and Numeric and Symbolic Computation. All tracks explore games, including topics that cover 2D and 3D Games (Game Development and Design); Creating Virtual Worlds (Numeric and Symbolic Computation); and Game Playing and Logic Programming (Artificial Intelligence).
All programs are hands-on, with mandatory co-op experiences that provide the opportunity to gain up to 18 months of real work experience in the games industry. Co-op experiences can be completed in the U.S. or overseas in places such as Hong Kong, London, Ghana, Spain, and Greece. All students also have access to additional facilities such as the Entrepreneurial Game Studio (EGS), and the Center for Games, Artificial Intelligence, and Media Systems (GAIMS Center).
Westphal and CCI games programs culminate with a full-year capstone project. Graduates can be found at places such as Lockheed Martin, Disney Interactive, Rockstar Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Pixar, Electronic Arts (EA), Gameloft, NCSoft Corporation, Xbox Game Studios, DreamWorks, Insomniac Games, Microsoft, Digital Domain, Nickelodeon, Zynga, NBCUniversal, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Obsidian Entertainment, Gearbox Software, NetherRealm Studios, and BioWare.
Northeastern University (Northeastern) provides several paths to study game design. At the undergraduate level, the school houses BFA degrees in Game Design, and Game Art and Animation; a Computer Science and Game Development BS; and minors in Game Art, and Game Design. Graduate level programs include a STEM-designated Game Science and Design MS—the only program of its kind in the U.S.); and certificates in Game Science and Game Experience Design.
All programs are interdisciplinary, with opportunities to complete a paid or unpaid co-op. Northeastern currently partners with more than 20,000 employers around the world. Examples include Greenbrier Games, Hasbro, Demiurge Studios, Harmonix Music Systems, and Splash Damage. Across programs, students also have access to The Games Studio, where they can work on productions and be credited on up to four titles, and the Center for Design, which is a space for interdisciplinary design research and collaborative projects.
Other program highlights include access to additional state-of-the-art labs, studios, and maker spaces; workshops; visiting artists and guest lecturers; and participation in exhibitions. Programs culminate with a final project (game) or other related work. Graduates have landed positions at places such as Epic Games, Disney, Blizzard Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios, Boeing, Riot Games, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Microsoft, Amazon, Zynga, Google, Cognizant, Harmonix Music Systems, Ubisoft, Adobe, Lucid Motors, Qualcomm, ESPN, Greenbrier Games, Demiurge Studios, Splash Damage, Arc Games, and Digital Eclipse.
The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) houses the Games and Experiential Media (GEM) Department. At the undergraduate level, GEM has a Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences (GSAS) BS with six concentrations including Electronic Arts; Computer Science; Writing; Cognitive Science; Music; and Management. At the graduate level, the department houses the Critical Game Design (CGDS) MS and PhD programs. As part of HASS, all options are Houdini Certified, with access to The Center of Excellence in Digital Game Development.
Funded by NYSTAR (Empire State Development Division of Science, Technology and Innovation), the center hosts the Game Developers Conference (GDC); STEAM educational programs; GameFest; lectures and technical workshops; a games incubator known as the Level Upstate Mentorship Program; game jams and hackathons; and research in fields such as game AI, virtual reality, wargaming, and historical simulations.
Other program highlights include interdisciplinary curriculums that allow students to explore areas such as 3D animation, music and audio for games, programming, experimental game design, software engineering, and digital arts; professional internships; research projects and game prototypes; and the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (NTU Singapore).
GEM and other RPI alumni have been hired at places such as Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, Electronic Arts (EA), DreamWorks Animation, Epic Games, Boeing, Disney, Hasbro, Apple, Gearbox Software, Lockheed Martin, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Adobe, Google, RTX, Amazon, IBM, Dell, HP, Red Hat, and Meta.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is home to the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDigi). Established in 2011, this education, entrepreneurship, and workforce development center features the Summer Innovation Program (SIP), which helps student teams complete, market, and prepare to launch an original game. Other MassDigi highlights include the Reverse Internship/Sabbatical featuring team projects; Live Code, which allows students to work on real games; the Virtual Production Laboratory; and the Education Working Group.
Degree programs for WPI students are part of the School of Arts and Sciences. Options include the project-based and highly collaborative Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) BA, BS, MS, BS/MS, and minor; the Interactive Media and Game Design MFA; and an interdisciplinary Computational Media PhD that focuses on art and gameplay. Students in all programs have opportunities to complete a co-op experience or professional internship, and participate in game jams, the Game Developers Conference (GDC), and the annual PAX East Game Festival, among others.
Programs culminate with a final project and portfolio. Graduates are often hired at places such as Riot Games, Lockheed Martin, Activision Blizzard, Rockstar Games, Xbox Game Studios, Epic Systems, Harmonix Music Systems, Bethesda, RTX, Twitch, Owlchemy Labs, Larian Studios, Amazon, and Google.
The Division of Communication and Creative Media (CCM) at Champlain College is home to the Game Studio Experience. An Unreal Academic partner and modeled after some of the nation’s top game studios, the Experience brings together seven programs including the Game Art BFA, and BS degrees in Game Design, Game Business and Publishing, Game Production Management, Game Programming, Game Sound Design, and Interactive Narrative for Games and Digital Media. Minors in Interactive Narrative, Game Sound Design, and Real-Time 3D Modeling are also available.
All students will begin building playable games with peers across programs on day one. Other program highlights include an Upside-Down Curriculum, which includes professional portfolio and resume building activities in the very first semester; immersive, interdisciplinary courses; internships at places such as Xbox Game Studios and Wired Magazine; and study abroad experiences through the Montreal Filmmaking Summer Program and faculty-led travel courses featuring locations such as China, the UK, South Africa, Italy, Argentina, and Brazil.
Programs culminate eight market-ready games to be presented at the annual the Game Studio Senior Show. Graduates go on to establish careers at places such as Riot Games, Electronic Arts (EA), Unity, Blizzard Entertainment, Insomniac Games, Sega, Ubisoft Montreal, ZeniMax Media, Sony PlayStation, to name just a few.
Parsons School of Design (Parsons) is The New School’s largest academic unit. Within Parsons is a STEM-Designated Design and Technology (DT) program with BFA and MFA options. The BFA program has two pathways including Game Design and Creative Technology. The MFA provides opportunities to work on projects with external partners such as Sony PlayStation, IBM, and Samsung. Graduate students also benefit from the Cloud Salon webinar series, which features guest speakers from places such as Meta Reality Labs.
Students in both programs have opportunities to visit or work on projects with Atari, Nickelodeon, Apple, and MTV, to name a few. Other DT program benefits include access to state-of-the-art production facilities; collaborative projects with students across all New School majors; Professional internships; and study abroad experiences in places such as London, Florence, and Paris.
The Parsons DT BFA and MFA programs culminate with a thesis project. Graduates are often hired at places such as Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Ubisoft, Twitch, Google, HBO, Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Amazon, Fjord, MTV, IDEO, Bose Corporation, Meta, Gensler, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
The Game Design Initiative at Cornell University (GDIAC) was the first program of its kind at an Ivy League School. Established in 2001, the initiative is housed in Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Sciences’ (CIS) Department of Computer Science. This interdisciplinary program consists of a Game Design minor open to students across all majors at Cornell. However, the minor is ideal for students in the Computer Science BS (CS BS) program, which also consists of course such as Algorithmic Game Theory; Advanced Topics in Computer Game Architecture; Machine Learning; and Cloud Computing.
Program highlights include project-based learning; curriculum that emphasizes gameplay design, software development, game analytics, and project management; the option to select courses from other departments—examples include Game Studies and Japan and History and Theory of Digital Art; and depending on the major, professional internships and participation in Cornell’s study abroad (SA) program, including locations such as China, India, Paris, Ghana, the UK, Denmark, and Madrid.
The GDIAC Game Design minor culminates with an individual or group project (console, mobile, PC, VR/AR). Final projects may be entered into the annual GDIAC Showcase. Cornell Games and CS graduates can be found at places such as Tencent Games, Nintendo, Riot Games, NASA, Apple, Microsoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Lockheed Martin, Amazon, Blizzard Entertainment, Google, PlayStation, Valve Corporation, Bethesda, Naughty Dog, Zynga, Oracle, TikTok, Meta, IBM, Dell, Hulu, and Snapchat.
The School of Engineering and Applied Science at University of Pennsylvania (Penn) provides two paths to study games including the Bachelors in Engineering and Science (BSE) Digital Media Design (DMD) program and the Master of Engineering (MSE) in Computer Graphics and Game Technology (CGGT).
Launched in 2004, the CGGT MSE is one of the few programs of its kind at a four-year research university. This multidisciplinary program provides access to the SIG Center for Computer Graphics, which houses a state-of-the-art motion capture studio; ViDi Center for Digital Visualization Center; AR/VR systems; and high-performance NVidia GPU processors.
Other program benefits include opportunities to collaborate with students from other creative departments at Penn; an accelerated one-year curriculum for students with a computer science or engineering degree; workshops, visiting artists and designers; and professional internships. The UPenn CGGT MSE program culminates with the Game Design Practicum or Master’s Thesis—student’s choice.
The BSE DMD is an interdisciplinary major that highlights courses such as Interactive Computer Animation; Computer Graphics; Advanced Rendering; Programming Languages and Techniques I-II; 3D Computer Modeling; Advanced Computer Graphics; and Mixed Media Animation. Students have access to everything the CGGT MSE program has to offer. The program culminates with a design project.
Graduates of the BSE DMD and CGGT MSE programs at Penn go on to establish careers at places such as Disney, Electronic Arts (EA), Google, Pixar, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, DreamWorks, and Zynga.
George Mason University (GMU or Mason) provides multiple paths to study games. Options include the Computer Game Design BFA, MA, and minor; a BS in Applied Computer Science (BS ACS) with a Computer Game Design concentration; and a Sport and Computer Game Design minor. All students have access to the Virginia Serious Game Institute (VSGI) and opportunities to study at GMU’s Korea campus. In addition to hosting the Korea-U.S.-Japan eSports Tournament in 2025, GMU Korea highlights immersion programs; the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and the Incheon Global Campus (IGC) shared facilities.
The VSGI focuses on research projects in areas such as EdTech Game platform development, cyber-game education, mobile and wearable game technologies, and AR/VR diagnostic and training solutions. The institute also provides opportunities to complete a paid internship with a GMU partner or other company. Students have interned with Bethesda, PBS Kids, Spark Plug Games, The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), and Catilli Games, which specializes in STEM games for children (K-12).
Programs culminate with a Game Design Capstone. Graduates can be found at places such as Epic Games, Amazon, Electronic Arts (EA), Pixar, Bethesda, Microsoft, 2K Games, PBS Kids, Big Huge Games, and Booz Allen.
American University (AU) provides multiple paths to study games. Options include the Game Design MA; Games and Interactive Media MFA; Computer Science MS with a Game and Computational Media specialization; an MA in Literature, Culture and Technology with a Game Development track; and a Game Design certificate. The school also houses the AU Game Center, which highlights games research; academic and experiential learning programs; access to 2,758 square feet of production, teaching, and meeting space; and The Game Studio (GS). In addition to workshops, The GS provides opportunities for students to work on real-world game projects with local studios, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Across programs, students also benefit from 24/7 access to the Open Editing Lab and the Visual Illusions Lab; opportunities to participate in events such as the Global Game Jam, MAGfest, Games+, and Indie Arcade at SAAM; and access to other facilities and resources such as the AU Center for Innovation (AUCI), the Institute for Immersive Designs, Experiences, Applications, and Stories (Institute for IDEAS), the Library Makerspace, and the Design and Build Lab (DaBL).
Programs culminate with a final project, portfolio, and presentation. Graduates can be found at places such as Riot Games, Lockheed Martin, Ubisoft, Epic Games, Disney, Electronic Arts (EA), Boeing, ESPN, Activision Blizzard, CBS Interactive, Google, NBCUniversal, Amazon, IBM, Adobe, CNN, and Meta.
With two paths to study game design, Quinnipiac University (QU) is recognized as an Unreal Academic Partner. Program options include the Game Design and Development (GDD) BA, and a GDD minor that provides opportunities to take electives such as VR/AR Development for Games; Interactive Storytelling and Narrative; Game Art Pipeline; The Business of Games; and Game Lab: Team Projects (I-IV). GDD BA students can choose from seven concentrations, add any minor, and/or create their own double major. Concentration examples include Game Design; Management/Production; Programming; and Spatial Technology.
Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the BA program also provides opportunities to work in multidisciplinary teams (across concentrations) to create game prototypes, beginning in the sophomore year. Degree seeking students in all concentrations may participate in the QU in LA program, which consists of a semester-long internship in California. Past participating studios include Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts (EA), and Meta.
Other program benefits include access to the state-of-the-art facilities such as the Center for Game Development (CGD), motion capture lab, eSports room at Rocky Top, and the new AR/VR space, lab, and lounge; the option to take courses in related areas such as Computer Science or Graphic and Interactive Design; and the culminating Senior Project and Seminar (capstone experience).
QU GDD graduates can be found at places such as Tencent Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Riot Games, Disney, Rockstar Games, Nickelodeon, Take-Two Interactive, Amazon, ESPN, Avalanche Studios Group, Sesame Street Workshop, Hi-Rez Studios, Bethesda, Floor 84 Studio (F84), and Cool Math Games.
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is home Hillier College of Architecture and Design and the Ying Yu College of Computing. Together, these colleges manage a formal Game Development Program consisting of degrees, tracks, minors, and certificates. Options include the Digital Design BA (BADD), MS (MSDD), and MFA (MFADD); BS degrees in Computer Science (BS CS) and Information Technology (BSIT) with Game Programming and Game Production tracks; a Game Development minor with Game Programming, Game Production, and Virtual and Augmented Reality (XR) tracks; and an online Game Design and Interactivity certificate.
The BADD program has Game Design, Entertainment, and Interactive/Production tracks. The Game Design track is also open to all MSDD and MFADD students. Graduate students also have the option to design their own program through courses from the Game Design and Interactivity; Animation; and UI/UX certificate programs.
Across programs, other highlights include access to the NJIT Makerspace (New Jersey’s largest), the MIXRLab, and dedicated digital design studios; internship opportunities with NJIT partners; and study abroad experiences. Programs culminate with a final project consisting of an original game or other work. Graduates have secured roles at places such as Riot Games, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Bungie, Blizzard Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, NVIDIA, Apple, and Meta.
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) provides BFA degrees in Game Design, Interactive Arts (IA), and Creative Media Production (CMP)/Game Design, and Studio minors in Game Design and Interactive Arts. Minor programs are open to all majors. Across programs, students have access to the MICA Game Lab; the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) MICA (Film Centre (JHU-MICA Film); the Center for Design Practice; and state-of-the-art production facilities in the Dolphin Design Center.
Students also benefit from partnerships with the Institute of Play (a New York-based organization for the research and development of games as teaching tools), and local game studios such as Firaxis Games and Big Huge Games. Other program highlights include teaching assistantships; summer and semester-long study abroad experiences; the opportunity to participate in Come Out and Play (an annual international festival for innovative street games and play); visiting artists and lecturers; and optional internships with MICA partners such as Bethesda, Sparkypants Studios, and IndieCade.
Programs culminate with a final project and presentation. MICA Games alumni have been hired at places such as DreamWorks, Electronic Arts (EA), Nickelodeon, Bethesda, Sony PlayStation, Cartoon Network, Insomniac Games, Sega, Pixar, Google, Apple, Big Huge Games, Sparkypants Studios, Firaxis Games, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and Landor.
The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University (SBU) houses the Department of Computer Science (CS). Within the department is a Game Programming specialization for students in the Computer Science BS, MS and BS/MS programs. SBU’s College of Arts and Sciences houses the Department of Art, which offers a flexible 21 credit hour Digital Arts (DA) minor. Course highlights for the DA include 2D Game Programming; 3D Game Programming; Design of Computer Games; and Topics in Game Studies. DA students also have the option to complete an internship and final project.
DA and Game Programming students have access to state-of-the-art production facilities such as a Virtual Production Studio; the Teaching and Learning Lab (TLL); and an Esports Room/Lounge outfitted with competitive Alienware PCs. Students in the Game Programming specialization also have opportunities to work in teams to create several original games and compete in the Stony Brook University Game Programming Competition. This annual event attracts accomplished designers from places such as Rockstar Games, Nickelodeon, Apple, Riot Games, Hi-Rez Studios, Microsoft, and Twitch. Past competition participants have been hired to work on games such as Neverwinter Nights, The Sims, Geometry Wars, and Skylanders.
For the culminating experience, Game Programming students can choose between the following courses: Research in Computer Science, Internship in Computer Science, or Senior Honors Research Project on a game programming topic. Graduates of the DA and CS/Game Programming programs at SBU can be found at places such as Riot Games, Nickelodeon, Tencent Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, Disney, Ubisoft, Apple, IBM, Take-Two Interactive, NBCUniversal, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Disney Resort, Cisco, Oracle, VMWare, Avalanche Studios, ESPN, and Arkadium Games.
The School of Fine Arts (SFA) at University of Connecticut (UConn) houses the Department of Digital Media Design (DMD). Program options include the liberal arts DMD BA; and DMD BFA and MFA degrees with a Game Design focus. Students in the flexible DMD BA program can take courses from other departments and focus areas; add a minor; complete a double major; or customize a dual degree. Formal concentrations for the program include Digital Culture and Digital Media Business Strategies. Both concentrations consist of courses such as Introduction to Digital Game Design; Motion and Design Animation; Game Design; 3D Animation; Web/Interactive Media Design; and Film and Video Editing.
All programs highlight collaborative, hands-on projects; access to state-of-the-art production facilities such as the VR/Gaming Studio, Cintiq Lab, and Motion Capture Studio; co-ops and internships at places such as Pixar, Adobe, HBO, Disney, and ESPN; mentoring by visiting artists; and participation in the Gaming and Game Development Clubs. DMD MFA students also have the option to apply to the DMD Departmental Teaching Assistantship or work as a Graduate Assistant with the interdisciplinary research unit known as Greenhouse Studios.
The culminating experience for the DMD BA is the Senior Thesis, worth six credits. DMD BFA students will complete the Senior Project and participate in the BFA Senior Exhibition to graduate. The DMD MFA culminates with the MFA Thesis Project and participation in the MFA Exhibition in the Benton Museum of Art.
UConn DMD alumni have been hired at places such as Epic Games, LEGO, Pixar, Google, NBCUniversal, HBO, Adobe, Owlchemy Labs, Deck Nine Games, ESPN, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Madison Square Garden, Bit Fry Game Studios, IBM, Worldwalker Games, NBC Sports, PreviewLabs, and Verizon.
Marist University (formerly Marist College) houses a Games and Emerging Media BS (GEM BS) with concentrations in Technical Development and Programming, and Design, Writing, and Culture. A 22 credit hour GEM minor is also available for students in other programs such as Computer Science (CS), Studio Art, and Digital Media.
Jointly managed by the School of Communication and the Arts, and the School of Computer Science and Mathematics, the core GEM BS program explores game design, storytelling, programming, game writing, art, the business of games, and UI/UX. Students can enhance the core and concentrations with electives such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Storytelling Across Media; and 3D Modeling.
Other program highlights include participation in the Play Innovation Lab; access to state-of-the-art game prototyping and computer labs; collaborative project-based courses that cover building prototypes, creating VR/AR experiences, and designing apps, mobile games, and board games; partnerships with places such as IBM; Cloud Computing initiatives; and the option to combine courses from different programs to customize an individualized path. Examples include GEM + Creative Writing, GEM + Advertising, GEM + Business, GEM + Graphic Design, and GEM + Psychology.
All GEM students will complete The Game Studio course, which focuses on producing marketable titles in a real game design studio environment. Students will graduate with a professional portfolio of their best work. Program alumni have secured roles at places such as Rockstar Games, Nintendo, Epic Games, Cartoon Network, Ubisoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Disney, Electronic Arts (EA), Microsoft, IBM, Blizzard Entertainment, NBCUniversal, Paramount+, Roblox, ESPN, and MLB.TV Media Center.
The School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Stevens Institute of Technology (Stevens) houses a Visual Arts and Technology BA (VAT BA) program with concentrations in Game Design; Moving Image; Creative Computation; and Design. All options emphasize hands-on projects in a studio environment and immersive coursework in games. Other VAT BA program highlights include internships at places such as NBCUniversal and IBM; immersive workshops; participation in the Stevens Game Development Club; and access to state-of-the-art production facilities such as the Visual Arts Studio, MakerCenter, and Virtual Arts Lab.
The VAT BA program at Stevens culminates with a capstone project and presentation at the annual student-cultivated exhibition held at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City. Graduates of the VAT and other technology programs at Stevens can be found at places such as Epic Games, Lockheed Martin, Nintendo, Disney, Adobe, Google, Microsoft, Apple, NBCUniversal, Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery, RTX, Samsung, Meta, L3Harris Technologies, PepsiCo, Mastercard, Capital One, BMW, and Audible.
University at Buffalo (UB) is home to the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Within the college is the Department of Media Study (DMS), which houses several paths to study games. Options include the Media Study BA with a Production concentration; a Game Studies (GS) certificate; the Media Study minor; and an MFA in Media Arts Production (MAP MFA). Graduate students can add the GS certificate or create their own focus area from the required 21 credit hours in Production. Available courses include Game Design; Programming in the Digital Arts; Advanced Game Design; Experimental Moving Image; Game Development; Virtual Worlds; Game Programming; Animation; Games, Gender and Culture; Interactive Storytelling; Virtual Reality; and Production Management.
All students benefit from UB’s partnership with Buffalo Game Space (BGS), which hosts game jams and training workshops; participation in the on-campus Strategists and Role Players Association, which hosts UBCon; access to state-of-the-art computer labs, smart classrooms, and production studios; more than 700 study abroad options across seven continents; directed and independent study; participation in the UB DMS Student Showcase; and internship opportunities at places such as MTV, Fireant Studio, NYC-TV, and TriCoast Studios.
Programs culminate with a final project and presentation. CAS graduates have been hired at places such as Rockstar Games, Lockheed Martin, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Warner Bros. Games, Zynga, Apple, Mattel, Google, Microsoft, Pure Imagination Studios, Buffalo Games, Method Studios, and Xerox Corp.
Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) provides several paths to study game design. Options include the Computer Science BS with a Game Development concentration; a Film and Animation BA with a Video Game Animation concentration; MA and MFA degrees in Animation with a Video Games concentration; an accelerated BA/MFA in Animation; the 3D Video Game Animation minor; and a Game Development certificate. All programs feature hands-on coursework and projects; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; and professional internships at places such as DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, MTV, and NBCUniversal.
Programs culminate with a final project and presentation. Graduates can be found at places such as Disney, Cartoon Network, Marvel, DreamWorks, MTV, NBCUniversal, Nickelodeon, HBO, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Warner Bros., Paramount, Augenblick Studios, High 5 Games, Viacom, Tribe Pictures, Pixel Light Digital Media, and Steamroller Studios.
The College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), houses the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE) Department. Within the department is a Computer Science BS (CS BS) program with a Game Development track. UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences houses the Visual Arts BA and BFA programs with an optional concentration in Animation.
The CS BS program is game-focused with opportunities build several games each year; participate in UMBC’s annual Digital Entertainment Conference; and join organizations such as Hack UMBC; the Game Development Club, and the System Administration and Software Development Club. Students in the Visual Arts BA and BFA programs may participate in the conference, participate in on-campus games organizations, and complete the Team-based Game Development course or other capstone course. Across all programs, students have access to state-of-the-art production facilities and internship opportunities.
The CS BS program culminates with the Capstone Games Project. In addition to developing an industry-ready game, BS capstone students will focus on developing project management and team leadership skills. Graduates of the Games and Visual Arts programs at UMBC have secured roles at places such as Epic Games, RTX, Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Google, Northrop Grumman, Zynga, Apple, Microsoft, Big Huge Games, Amazon, Meta, Firaxis Games, IBM, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL), ZeniMax Media, AMD, and Abbott.
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) has an Animation, Interactive Media, and Game Design BFA program that explores programming, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), animation, storyboarding, compositing, visual effects, camera and lighting, modeling, rigging, and sound editing. The school also has a Game UX/UI Design minor that focuses on developing games, mobile apps, and interactive websites.
The Game Design BFA takes place in an environment designed to replicate professional production pipelines. Courses taught by Industry professionals are supplemented with guest speaker and industry events, workshops, seminars, and field trips to studios. The culminating experience for the FIT BFA is the senior project, consisting of an individual short or interactive work—with soundtrack. Final projects will be presented at the School of Art and Design’s Graduating Student Exhibition.
FIT Game Design graduates have been hired at places such as Electronic Arts (EA), Pixar, Epic Games, Lucasfilm, HBO, Sony Pictures Imageworks, MPC, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Disney, LEGO, Marvel, Activision Blizzard, Weta FX, ESPN, Warner Bros., Framestore, Psyop, and The Mill.
