| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Central Florida | Orlando |
| 2 | Full Sail University | Winter Park |
| 3 | Ringling College of Art and Design | Sarasota |
| 4 | University of Florida | Gainesville |
| 5 | University of Miami | Coral Gables |
For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
University of Central Florida (UCF) is home to the College of Sciences. Within the college is the Nicholson School of Communication and Media (NSCM), which houses a Digital Media BA program with tracks in Game Design, and Web and Interactive Media. At the graduate level, the NSCM provides an Interactive Entertainment MS through UCF’s Florida Interactive Academy (FIEA).
Students in all FIEA and NSCM Programs at University of Central Florida will work, learn, and collaborate in the Communication and Media Building which houses 112,000 square feet of state-of-the-art studio and classroom space. This includes Studio 500—one of the largest soundstages and motion capture studios on the east coast. Study abroad opportunities and career development resources are also available to all students.
The Digital Media BA program at UCF has basic core and advanced level core requirements. Students in both tracks will complete all requirements, which consists of 51 credit hours in games and games-related courses. Examples include Game Design; Casual Game Production; Modeling for Realtime Systems I-II; Game Design Tools and Plugins; Creative industries; Evolution of Video Games; Physical Computing; Game Optimization and Performance; Digital Sculpting; and Game Level Design.
The Digital Media BA program culminates with the Game Design Capstone completed across two workshop courses. For this final project, students will work in teams to design, produce, and testing games using iterative design techniques and professional tools.
The Interactive Entertainment MS at University of Central Florida’s FIEA is a 30 credit hour program that focuses on game design, 3D artistry, teamwork, programming, problem-solving, and project management. Throughout the program, students will work in teams with industry mentors across courses that cover technical art, level design, 3D animation and modeling, prototyping, game design, motion capture, technical design, software engineering, pre-production, post-production, and legal and ethical issues.
All students may specialize in Art, Production, or Programming. Each specialization requires nine credit hours. Courses for the Art specialization include Digital Asset Creation; Advanced Digital Asset Creation; and Digital Asset Portfolio Development. Production specialization courses include Production Design I-II, and Media Distribution. Students in the Programming Specialization will take Game Programming Fundamentals; Advanced Game Programming; and Applied Programming Mechanics.
Students in all specializations will complete the 12 credit hour MS core consisting of Production for Media; Rapid Prototype Production; Experimentation, Application, and Innovation in Games; and Preproduction and Prototyping. Course examples across specializations include Digital Asset Creation; Production and Design; and Advanced Game Programming.
All Interactive Entertainment students will complete the Game Design Practicum or Digital Venture Practicum. The Game Design Practicum is an internship/full-time job. For the Digital Venture Practicum, students will build a start-up. The program culminates with the Capstone/Interactive Entertainment Project, where students will work in teams of 15-20 to develop their own games and interactive projects. Many FIEA students publish their games through avenues such as Xbox or Steam, resulting in their first published title.
Graduates of the Digital Media BA and Interactive Entertainment MS programs at University of Central Florida are prepared to pursue careers in all areas of game design and development, interactivity, visualization, simulation, and entertainment.
Program alumni have been hired by more than 300 companies. Examples include Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Cartoon Network, Walt Disney Imagineering, Epic Games, Nintendo, Rockstar Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Iron Galaxy Studios, Electronic Arts (EA), Marvel, Gameloft, Apple, Universal, Sony, Zynga, Google, Lockheed Martin, WB Games, Unity Technologies, and Blur Studio.
University of Central Florida was founded in 1963 as Florida Technological University (FTU). Roughly five years later, the school opened with just under 2,000 students. Today, University of Central Florida serves approximately 69,820 students, making it the largest university by enrollment in the state of Florida, and one of the top 10 largest universities in the U.S.
More than 13,130 faculty, adjuncts, and staff members deliver nearly 600 degree programs across 13 colleges and dozens of departments. University of Central Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Full Sail University has a full suite of game design programs that function like today’s production studios. Options include the AAS and BS degrees in Game Art, Game Design, and Game Development; a BS in Game Business and Esports; a BS in Simulation and Visualization; an Interactive Technology BS completion program with concentrations in Game Design, Game Development, and Simulation and Visualization; and an MS and certificate in Game Design.
With the exception of the Simulation and Visualization BS which is available on campus only, all programs can be completed on campus or online.
In addition to gaining production experience in a real-world studio environment on the Full Sail University campus, all games, interactive technology, and simulation and visualization students have opportunities to work off campus at local and national studios through the school’s internship program. Courses for the program are also project-based and immersive providing additional opportunities to gain hands-on experience.
Course examples across undergraduate options include Creative Presentation; Motion Capture; Game Animation I-II; Art Creation for Games; Prototyping and the User Experience; Game Mechanics I-II; Advanced Game Characters; Data Visualization and Modeling Engine Development; Systems Design; Prototyping and Content Creation; Scripting for Game Designers I-III; Programming I-II; Game Architecture; 3D Content Creation; Game Systems Integration; Artificial Intelligence (AI); Game Production Tools; Computer Graphics; Software Engineering; Game Balancing; Applied Human-Computer Interaction; Digital Logic; Game Engine Development; and Professional Writing.
All undergraduate programs culminate with the project and portfolio. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in all areas of game design and development, animated films, live-action film, simulation, and visualization, among others.
The Game Design MS at Full Sail University provides the opportunity for students to customize a track to match their career goals. All students will explore all roles in the production pipeline as well as game effects; test simulation; video game development for computers, networks, and console; animation; and narrative design. Course examples include game design, producing, research, and publishing. Course examples for the program include Game Production Tools; Methods and the User Experience; Game Design; Asset Management; Game Usability and Testing; Advanced Production Techniques; and Quality Assurance.
The Full Sail Game Design MS culminates with the Thesis Portfolio course, where students will produce a publishable thesis paper and participate in a research presentation. Graduates are prepared to pursue leadership roles in game design and development, animation and film, software development, simulation, visualization, graphic design, and advertising, to name a few.
Full Sail University graduates have been hired at studios such as Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Pixar, Nickelodeon, Disney, Universal Studios, ESPN, Miramax, MTV, and Bunim Murray. Alumni have worked on games such as Fortnite; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II; Destiny 2; Horizon Forbidden West; Apex Legends; and Overwatch 2.
More than 350 Full Sail graduates were also credited on 30+ projects nominated in over 20 categories at the 2023 Game Awards. Thirty-five Full Sail graduates contributed to nine winning projects in 15 categories including Best Narrative and Best Game Direction for Alan Wake 2; Innovation in Accessibility for Forza Motorsport; Best Score and Music for Final Fantasy XVI; Best Ongoing Game and Best Community Support for Cyberpunk 2077; and Best Audio Design, Hi-Fi Rush.
Full Sail University launched in 1979 as a recording studio in Dayton, Ohio that provided workshops. Today, the school sits on a 210-acre campus less than 20 miles from downtown Orlando and Universal Studios. Serving approximately 21,000 students, Full Sail provides graduate certificates and degree programs at all levels. Full Sail University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).
Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) is the only freestanding art and design school in the state of Florida. For students interested games, the school has BFAs in Game Art and Virtual Reality Development. Students in both programs have opportunities to gain hands-on industry experience working on real world projects through RCAD’s experiential learning initiative—INDEX.
INDEX activities take place in the classroom, the Design Center, studio labs, the Maker Space, and through the ART Network. INDEX also highlights client competitions, immersive experiences, internships, elective courses, and volunteering. All students also benefit from industry critiques by successful visiting artists and participation in the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.
The Game Art BFA program at Ringling College of Art and Design follows the studio model of teaching, which emphasizes learning by doing. Students in this 120 credit hour program will work on team projects to develop collaborative, technical, and communication skills. Students will create works in state-of-the-art facilities equipped with the latest software used by both AAA and indie studios. Examples include Houdini, Adobe Substance Suite, Unreal Engine, Maya, and ZBrush.
Of the 120 credit hours required to complete the Game Art BFA, 48 are in the major. Course examples include History of Game Art; Digital Painting for Game Art; Game Design I-III; Color and Perspective Drawing; 2D and 3D Design; Visual Development for Games I-II; Programming for Artists; 3D for Games I-IV; Development of Art and Ideas; and 3D Modeling.
The Game Art BFA culminates with the Game Thesis Project completed across four courses including Game Thesis Preproduction; Game Thesis Project 1A; Game Thesis Project 1B; and Game Thesis Project II. The Thesis totals 15 credit hours.
The Virtual Reality Development BFA at Ringling College of Art and Design is a 120 credit hour program that focuses on the creation, design, and analyzing of immersive experiences. This includes mastering story structures; utilizing game engine technology in the creation of immersive experiences; innovating VR ideas; navigating the production pipeline for 3D VR; and utilizing specific software for creating 3D databases. Through projects and coursework, students will also master the art of communication, develop collaboration skills, and become well-versed in professional practices.
Of the 120 credit hours for the Virtual Reality Development program, 51 credits are dedicated to the major. Course examples include Introduction to Virtual Reality; 2D and 3D Design; Concept Development for Virtual Worlds; Immersive Media Design I-IV; 3D Technical Art; Iterative Design; Visual Scripting; Programming for Immersive Media; and Visual Development: UI/UX Design.
Open electives totaling 12 credit hours allow students to enhance the degree by specializing in an area of interest. Students may also select six credit hours of general electives and 12 elective credits in art and design history.
The RCAD Virtual Reality Development BFA culminates with the VR Thesis/Capstone completed across three courses: VR Thesis Preproduction, VR Capstone Project I, and VR Capstone Project II. This culminating experience totals 15 credit hours.
Graduates of the Game Art and Virtual Reality Development BFA programs are prepared to pursue careers in game art, design, development, and programming; virtual reality design, development, and programming; and user interface/user experience (UI/UX) design; architecture; military and law enforcement; education and training; advertising and marketing; art and design; healthcare and fitness; sports; tourism and travel; wellness; and automotive.
The Game Art BFA attracts recruiters from major studios such as Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, Riot Games, and Bungie. RCAD Game Art graduates have been hired at these and other major companies and studios such as Electronic Arts (EA), Rockstar Games, Microsoft, Hasbro, Netflix, Bethesda, Naughty Dog, and Meta.
Virtual Reality Development graduates have the opportunity to work at places such as Epic Games, ILM Immersive (Lucasfilm’s storytelling studio), Microsoft, General Motors (GM), Meta, Kinetic Vision, Baobab Studios, 3D Forensic, Immersive Health Group, Vu Studios, Halon Entertainment, AECOM, and Mote Marine Labs.
Founded in 1931, Ringling College of Art and Design is a private, not-for-profit college that began as a collaboration between circus baron John Ringling and Dr. Ludd M. Spivey—then president of Southern College. The school launched as a remote branch of Southern College named The School of Fine and Applied Art of the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum. Around 75 students and 13 faculty members arrived for the school’s first class.
Today, Ringling College of Art and Design sits on a 48-acre campus that serves approximately 1,670 students enrolled in 11 different majors leading to a BFA degree, two majors leading to a BA, and 10 minors. In addition, RCAD recently launched an undergraduate Artificial Intelligence (AI) certificate. This is the first program of its kind at an art and design college.
Ringling College of Art and Design is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
University of Florida (UF) is home to the College of the Arts (COTA). Established in 1925 through the School of Architecture, COTA houses the Digital Worlds Institute; the Schools of Art and Art History, Music, and Theatre and Dance; and the Center for Arts in Medicine. These academic units are accredited by National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD); the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM); the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST); and the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).
The Digital Worlds Institute houses the interdisciplinary Digital Arts and Sciences (DAS) program leading to a DAS BA (BADAS); DAS Masters (MiDAS); or DAS minor. The BADAS and 15 credit hour DAS minor can be completed on campus or 100% online through UF Online. Course examples across pathways include Introduction to Digital Technologies; Game Development; Principles of Digital Visualization; Game Content Creation; Creating Mobile Games; Foundations of Digital Culture; Game Design and Production; 3D Animation Techniques; Interaction & Usability; Game Systems Development; and Digital Storytelling.
The BADAS program requires 120 credit hours of study and successful completion of the DAS project. This is the culminating experience for the program.
The UF MiDAS is a one-year accelerated program that explores game engines and development; software and hardware integration; design and interactivity; digital compositing; emerging technologies such as VR/AR; digital storytelling; audio; UI//UX; and proposals, project management, and production pipelines. This professional degree culminates with an industry-standard project and portfolio.
All Digital Worlds students benefit from the DAS Mentorship Program; access to LUMA at Digital World Studios; guest speakers and lecturers; participation in the internship program; and Portfolio Open House events.
Graduates of the BADAS, DAS minor, and MiDAS programs at University of Florida are prepared to pursue titles such as Game Designer, Digital Storyteller, Technical Animator, Level Designer, Software Engineer, Game Artist, Motion Graphics Animator, Visual Effects (VFX) Artist, and Character Modeler. Program alumni have been hired at places such as DreamWorks and Microsoft. Some graduates also go on to teach or launch their own studios or freelance businesses.
University of Florida was founded in 1858 as Gainesville Academy. The school opened with just over 100 students. Today, this public land-grant institution serves approximately 69,465 students across campuses in Gainesville, Jacksonville, and Orlando, Florida. More than 300 programs are provided across 16 colleges and schools. University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
University of Miami (UM) is home to the New Experience Research and Design Lab (NERDLab). Housed in the School of Communication, this academic game development lab provides opportunities to create games, gain real world-experience, network, and build a portfolio.
UM’s School of Communication also houses the XR Studio—a state-of-the-art facility for immersive content creation; the Emerging Media Lab where students can create rapid prototypes of games, AR/VR and interactive installations; the Virtual Experience Simulation Lab (VESL); the User Experience Lab; the Video Game Club; an Esports Team and Program; and the Video Game Collections at the Richter Library.
In addition to state-of-the-art facilities and labs, the School of Communication houses the Department of Interactive Media, which provides several paths to study game design. Options include the Bachelor of Science in Communication (BSC) in Immersive Media; and Interactive Media BSC; and an Interactive Media MFA.
Game Design and Interactive Media minors are also available. Both programs require 15 credit hours with access to courses such as Designing Games for Impact; Building Virtual Worlds; 2D Character Design; Introduction to Creative Coding; Advanced 3D Character Design and Motion Capture; and Interaction Design.
The Immersive Media BSC at University of Miami is a joint program between the Departments of Interactive Media, Computer Science, and Computer Engineering. Students in this program will choose between the Designer and Developer tracks. Course examples include Immersive Storytelling; Building Virtual Worlds; Python Programming for Everyone; Augmented Reality; Writing for Interactive Media; Human-Centered Design; Intro to Creative Coding; Algorithms; Advanced 3D Character Design and Motion Capture; and Computer Programming I-II. Students will select four electives from a list of more than 20 options.
Examples include Immersive Experience and Virtual Reality; Designing Games for Impact; Android Programming; Game Studies; Physical Computing; and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence. The Immersive Media Practicum is a mandatory component of the Immersive Media BSC program.
The Interactive Media BSC is a hands-on, customizable program that allows students to select courses that align with their goals. Students in this program have access to the same courses as students in the Immersive Media program. Students in this program will complete two portfolio reviews in the sophomore and senior years. The Interactive Media Practicum can be taken as an elective.
The Interactive Media MFA program at University of Miami is a terminal degree that focuses on advanced studies in emerging technologies. Students in this program may design their own focus area or choose a specialization in Game Design; Information Design and Visualization; Interaction Design; or Interactive Storytelling. Courses for the program and all specializations are advanced 600-level versions of the undergraduate courses.
All UM Interactive Media MFA students will take core and other required courses such as Prototyping; Introduction to Creative Coding; Prototyping; and Collaborative Innovation Laboratory. Course examples across specializations include Immersive Storytelling; Building Virtual Worlds; Game Development Studio; Human-Centered Design; Advanced 3D Character Design; Front End Fundamentals; and Designing Playful Experiences.
The Interactive Media MFA program at University of Miami culminates with a Capstone Project. graduates of the MFA and BSC programs in UM’s School of Communication are prepared to pursue careers in game design and development, animation and film, digital advertising, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, user interface and user experience design (UI/UX), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), software design, software programming, education, consulting, and research.
UM alumni have been hired at places such as Disney, Apex Legends, Warner Bros. Discovery, Google, NBCUniversal, Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon, ABC, Ford Motor Company, ESPN, Procter & Gamble (P&G).
University of Miami opened in 1925 with 646 full-time students enrolled in programs across the College of Liberal Arts, the School of Music, and the Evening Division. Today, this private research university serves more than 19,000 students enrolled in nearly 350 majors and programs across 12 colleges and schools. The school also sits on three campuses in Coral Gables (main), Virginia Key, and downtown Miami.
University of Miami is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The school is also a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). Just 3% of four-year institutions in the nation are invited to join the AAU.
