| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah |
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta |
| 3 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw |
| 4 | Georgia State University | Atlanta |
| 5 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro |
For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Located in Savannah’s National Historic Landmark District, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) provides more degrees and specializations than any other art and design school in the U.S. This fully accredited, nonprofit institution also houses six galleries that focus on fashion, film, educational events, and special collections.
For students interested in studying games, Savannah College of Art and Design provides nearly a dozen options leading to a BA, BFA, MA, MFA, or minor. Students can complete all programs in person at the Atlanta or Savannah campus. With the exception of the BFA, all programs may also be completed online via SCADnow. Courses stream online in real time or students may access the courses on their own schedule.
Undergraduate programs include BA and BFA degrees in Game Development. Minors include Concept Design for Animation and Games, Game Development, Game UX, Visual Effects (VFX), Concept Art for Games, Character Technical Direction, and Themed Entertainment Design. Each minor requires 25 credit hours. At the graduate level, students can earn an MA or MFA in Interactive Design and Game Development (IDGD)
Across all programs, students have opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships with local and national studios. Students will also work individually and in teams to complete projects on campus and in state-of-the-art customized facilities within the SCAD Digital Media Center and Montgomery Hall.
Launched in the Fall of 2009, the SCAD Digital Media Center is a 60,000 square feet facility that houses SCAD Film Studios, an in-house theater, a green screen lab, and a real-world studio environment. The Center sits in the former home of the Atlanta TV Station WXIA. Montgomery Hall has more than 130,000 square feet of space including studio classrooms; 800+ computers; stop-motion sets; a green-screen stage; motion-capture technology; and AR/VR labs.
Other program benefits include quarterly meetings with industry professionals from studios such as Electronic Arts (EA), Zynga, and Activision Blizzard. During these meetings, SCAD game design students have the opportunity to interview and present their portfolios.
The Game Development BA is a 180 credit hour program, including 50 credits in the major. To enhance the degree, students may select 20 credits of free electives. Course examples include Digital Communication; Programming; Game Design; Game Art; Game Tech; Digital Design Aesthetics; and Game Development Studio I.
Like the BA, the SCAD Game Development BFA requires 180 credit hours, but students will complete 75 credits in the major. To enhance the degree, students may select 25 credits of free electives. In addition to all of the courses listed for the BA program, BFA students will select from courses such as Physical Computing; Information Architecture; and Interactive Web Design. BFA students will also complete the Game Development Portfolio course, Game Development Studio II; and Game Development Postproduction.
The IDGD MA at SCAD requires 45 credit hours of study. The MFA requires 90. Both programs provide two concentration options including Game Development or Interactive Design. Students in the Game Development concentration will take courses such as Game Art - Virtual World Building; Game Design - Immersive Level Design; Game Tech - Real-Time Particles and Effects; Game Art - Art Direction and Look Development; and Game Design-Professional Production Pipeline. Students also have the option to take one 700-level game design course or other area such as animation, interaction design, visual effects, motion media design, or sequential art.
Students in the Interactive Design concentration will take courses such as Human Experience Prototyping; Human-Centered Interactive Design; Innovative Systems for Digital Convergence; Physical Computing for Immersive Environments; User Interface Design for Virtual Communities; and Physical Computing for Tangible Interfaces.
Interactive Design Students also have the option to complete a 700-level course in game design or other area such as animation, industrial design, motion media design, service design, or design management.
All SCAD IDGD MFA students will complete the Evidence-Based Design Interactivity and Gaming course, along with three thesis studio courses including Thesis Studio I - Research and Ideation; Thesis Studio II - Production and Prototyping; and Thesis Studio III - Validation and Documentation. This Thesis Studio is the culminating experience for the program.
All IDGD MA students will complete the Interactive Design and Game Development MA Final Project. For this culminating experience, students will produce an industry-level project from research and conceptualization to implementation. All projects will incorporate everything the student has learned throughout the program.
Graduates of the Game Design and Development programs at Savannah College of Art and Design are prepared to pursue careers in all areas of game design and development, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), animation, film and video, software development, education, research, advertising, and more.
Program alumni are routinely hired places such as Electronic Arts (EA), Apple, Epic Games, Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, Gearbox Software, Microsoft, Adobe, YouTube, Meta, Zynga, Sucker Punch Productions, Firaxis Games, and Bethesda.
Savannah College of Art and Design opened its doors in the renovated Savannah Volunteer Guards Armory in September 1979. The school launched with one classroom and an administration building (Poetter Hall), 11 faculty, and just 71 students. Today, SCAD serves more than 17,500 students across campuses in Atlanta, Savannah, and Lacoste, France. Programs include more than 100 degrees and 75+ minors and certificates.
Savannah College of Art and Design is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), and the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB).
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) provides a number of unique paths to study game design. For example, the school has an undergraduate certificate (Scenarios, Models, and Military Games) that explores the use of gaming, models, and scenarios in the analysis of national security issues. Course highlights include Scenario Writing and Pathgaming; Simulation and Military Gaming; Technology and Military Organization; and Modeling, Simulation, and Military Gaming.
Housed in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts’ Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, this 12 credit hour program is open to all Georgia Tech students with a bachelor’s degree.
Also housed in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts is the School of Literature, Media, and Communication. In partnership with the College of Computing’s School of Interactive Computing the school provides a Computational Media BS (BSCM); MS and PhD degrees in Digital Media; a dual BS Computational Media/MS Digital Media; and Computing and Media minor.
Students in all programs have access to the GVU Center Game Studio at Georgia Tech; the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT); and international campuses in the world’s largest games industry—China. Internships, workshops, and participation in student organizations are also part of the programs.
The Georgia Tech BSCM launched in 2004 with just one student. Today, the program serves more than 300 students, making it one of Georgia Tech’s fastest growing programs. Students in this program have the option to focus in Media-Games; Intelligence-Games; or People-Games. Across options, course examples include Video Game Design and Programming; Digital Video Special Effects; Game AI; Constructing the Moving Image; Experimental Digital Art; Game Design as a Cultural Practice; Computer Animation; Game Studio; Interactive Narrative; Graphic and Visual Design; Science, Technology, and Performance; and Principles and Applications of Computer Audio.
Georgia Tech’s Computing and Media minor is a 19 credit hour program, with nine credit hours at the 3000 level or higher. Students will take required courses such as Data Structures and Algorithms for Applications; Computer Graphics; and Objects and Design. Electives allow students to focus in games. Examples include Video Game Design and Programming; Digital Video Special Effects; and Information Visualization.
Across all graduate level programs, courses may include Special Topics in Game Design; Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Principles of Interactive Design; Experimental Media; Interactive Fiction; Pro-Seminar; and Project Studio. MS students also have access to 11 specialization areas. Many provide additional coursework in games.
Examples include Computer Graphics, with courses such as Video Game Design, Computer Animation, Video Game Design and Programming, and Foundations in Computer Graphics; Artificial Intelligence (formerly Interactive Intelligence), which consists of courses such as Game AI, Computer Vision, AI Storytelling in Virtual Worlds, Advanced Game AI, and Modeling and Design; and Human-Computer Interaction, which includes courses such as Video Game Design, Mixed Reality Experience Design, Game AI, Principles of Design, Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing, and Cognitive Modeling.
Graduates of the Computational Media, Digital Media, and Computing and Media programs at Georgia Institute of Technology are prepared to pursue careers in areas such as game design and development; interactive design and game simulation; film and animation; visual effects; AI and robotics; 3D modeling; the broader simulation and visualization industry; special effects; and software design and development.
Some of the top hiring companies for Georgia Tech alumni include Electronic Arts (EA), Boeing, Apple, Google Interactive, Microsoft, Amazon, NBC Universal, TNT Sports, Delta Airlines, Cox Communications, and Ogilvy.
Georgia Institute of Technology was established in 1885. When it opened, the school had one degree—the Mechanical Engineering BS, with 129 students enrolled. Today, Georgia Tech serves approximately 53,365 students enrolled in 180 degree programs and minors across six distinct colleges, 28 schools, and Georgia Tech Online. Campuses include Atlanta, Georgia Tech-Europe in France, and Georgia Tech-Shenzhen in China.
Georgia Institute of Technology is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Kennesaw State University (KSU) is home to College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE), which houses the Department of Software Engineering and Game Design and Development (SWEGD). Programs within the department are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Options include a BS in Computer Game Design and Development (BSCGDD); a CGDD minor; and the Software Engineering MS (MSSWE).
For exceptional students, the SWEGD Department also provides a Double Owl Pathway giving students the opportunity to earn a BS/MS at an accelerated pace. All students have the opportunity to publish games in the KSU Game Studio and participate in the KSU Game Narrative Lab.
Other SWEGD Department highlights include paid and unpaid co-op education opportunities and computing internships; participation in events such as the Global Game Jam Hackathon, the Computing Showcase (C-Day), the International Programming Competition; the Raspberry Pi Workshop; guest speakers; networking events that attract major companies and studios; and research assistantships. Recent networking participants include Microsoft, Cox Communications, and software company Infor.
The BSCGDD is a 120 credit hour program that can be completed on campus, online or in a hybrid format. The program explores traditional and emerging areas such as massively multiplayer games (MMOG), human-computer interaction (HCI), game theory, 2D and 3D graphics, artificial intelligence (AI), online games, software engineering, modeling, simulation, and digital media.
BS students may customize a track or select from the following: Computer Science; Educational Serious; Media Production; Simulations Informatics; Creative Content; and Planning Management. With many overlapping courses, all tracks allow students to study games through electives.
Courses examples include Fundamentals of Game Design; Digital Media and Interaction; Fundamentals of Digital Game Development; Artificial Intelligence for Games; Computer Graphics and Multimedia; Educational Game Design; Software Testing Q&A; and Introduction to Mobile Immersive Games; Algorithm Analysis; User Centered Design; Program Problem Solving; Online Learning Content and Environment; Software Engineering; Data Modeling and Simulations; and Data Structures.
All tracks culminate with a final project and portfolio. Graduates of the BSCGDD program at Kennesaw State University are prepared to pursue roles across the broad technology industry, game design and development, engineering, digital advertising, education, research, and many other fields.
The Software Engineering MS at Kennesaw State University is a 30 credit hour program designed for students with an extensive background in computing. Required courses include Requirements Engineering; Software Project Planning and Management; Software Architecture; and Software Testing and Verification. MSSWE students will also complete one course covering the entire software development lifecycle. Options include Software Engineering (SWE 6623) or Emerging Software Engineering Processes (SWE 6733).
Electives allow students to study games. Examples include Game Design and Development; User Interaction Engineering; Modeling and Simulation; Design Patterns; Introduction to Systems Engineering; Real Time Systems; Human Factors; Embedded Systems; and Independent Study. Students may also complete the Graduate Internship as an elective. This option requires 150+ hours per semester with an approved company, studio, agency, or firm.
The Software Engineering MS at KSU culminates with the Software Engineering Capstone or Master’s Thesis—student’s choice. Graduates are prepared to pursue advancement opportunities in their current career or leadership roles across industries.
In any given year, more than 7,100 companies recruit from Kennesaw State University. CCSE alumni have been hired at places such as Amazon, Microsoft, Deloitte, Delta Airlines, General Motors (GM), and Accenture.
Serving more than 47,000 students, Kennesaw State University is the third largest university in Georgia. Founded in 1963 as Kennesaw Junior College, this Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2) provides more than 190 degree and certificate programs across 11 colleges and two campuses. Kennesaw State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Georgia State University (GSU) houses the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Home to more than 15,000 students, 500 faculty, and 300 staff members, the CAS is the largest college at GSU’s Atlanta campus. Within the CAS is the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII), which focuses on media arts training, industry collaboration, and media entrepreneurship. With major educational partners including the Georgia Film Academy (GFA), the CMII houses an array of state-of-the-art immersive media spaces, starting with one of the world’s most advanced motion capture systems. GSU houses one of just nine of these systems, and the first commercial installation.
Other spaces include a 1,900 square feet production studio; the CMII VR Demo Lab; the 480 square feet experimental VR/AR/MR Cave; the Esports Lab; a Digital Post-Production Suite with six collaborative workstations, editing rooms, and a full-sized recording studio; an 1,100 square feet high-tech screening room; and the Media Entrepreneurship Center at CMII. This space houses individual workstations for creating and collaborating.
The CMII also provides two paths to study game design: the Game Design BA and Game Development BS. Across programs students have opportunities to participate in Playtest—an immersive weekly, hourlong gathering that explores game concepts, mechanics, and experiences. Programs also highlight lectures, seminars, workshops, along with optional participation in the Georgia Game Developers Association or the Innovative Media Club.
All CMII Games students have opportunities to study abroad in locations such as Tokyo, Korea, or the UK, and complete an internship at places such as Turner Studios, Hi-Rez Studios, or KontrolFreek.
The Game Design BA at GSU focuses on preparing students for careers in animation, film production, virtual special effects, graphic design, and television production. Coursework covers storyboarding, game conceptualization, rendering, leveling, and design platforms such as Unreal, Blender, and Unity. In the major, students will take Game Design I-II; 3D Animation and Motion Graphics; and 3D Modeling and Graphics. In addition, students will have the opportunity to select four classes from game design pipeline specializations. Examples include Game Engine Pipeline; Motion Capture Pipeline; Visual Effects for Games; Playtesting for Games; Level Design for Games; and Designing Story Experiences. The Senior Game Design Portfolio course is also required.
The Game Design BA culminates with the Capstone Experience courses Game Design Studio I-II, and Game Studies.
The Game Development BS at Georgia State University prepares students for careers in programming, coding, software-intensive game development and production, animation, motion graphics, web development, postproduction, social media analytics, and application development. Students may specialize in VR, AR and Visual Effects; Advanced Animation; or Entrepreneurship, Production and Marketing.
Coursework covers programming for games (with a focus on C#/C++, Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender, etc.), industry-level game engines, animation, immersive design, and virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR). Course examples include Programming for Games I-II; Principles of Story Design; 3D Modeling and Graphics; Game Development I-II; Visual Effects for Games; Game Design I-II; Level Design for Games; Artificial Intelligence for Games; Advanced Game Engine Pipeline; and Mobile Game Development.
The culminating experience for the GSU Game Development BS is the development of launch-ready game and professional project portfolio. Graduates of the Games and other programs at GSU have been hired at places such as Epic Games, Speegs Media, Hi-Rez Studios, iiRcade, Red Hat, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, Cox Communications, and Blue Mammoth Games. Some Games graduates have gone on to launch their own studios such as Actor Capture, which works with FOX, BET, and Warner Bros. Studios.
Georgia State University was founded in 1913 as the Georgia Institute of Technology's Evening School of Commerce. Today, the school serves 52,000 students making it one of the largest universities in the state. Programs include more than 250 degrees in more than 100 fields of study. The academic offerings at GSU are delivered across six campuses that house 12 degree-granting colleges and schools.
Georgia State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Georgia Southern University (Georgia Southern) is home to the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. Within the college is the Computer Science (CS) Department, which houses one of the first BS CS programs in Georgia to receive accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Students in this program 124 credit hour program have the option to complete several electives in one of five disciplines to earn a certificate.
Options include Game Programming; Software Engineering; Network and Computer Security; Big Data and Analytics; and Broadband and Mobile Systems. Students that choose Game Programming will learn how to create, code, and animate computer and video games. Additional electives allow students to enhance the degree.
Students in the Game Programming discipline will complete course CSCI 4439-Game Programming and Handheld/Ubiquitous Computing. Other course options include Computer Graphics; Animation; Selected Topics in Computer Science; and Human Computer Interaction. Examples of CS major requirements include Algorithm Design and Analysis; Survey of Programming Languages; Computer Architecture; and Introduction to Software Engineering.
Other BSCS program features include access to state-of-the-art production labs and equipment. workshops; field trips to computing and engineering firms; mentorship opportunities; paid research jobs at Georgia Southern; participation in clubs such as the Aurora Game Development Club and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM); and networking events.
Students may complete the Georgia Southern BSCS program at the Statesboro campus, the Armstrong campus in Savannah, Georgia or both. The program culminates with the Computer Science Capstone or Senior Design I-II. Both options allow students work in teams to create a game, software, or other project under the direction of faculty and/or external clients.
Graduates are prepared to pursue roles in game design and development, the broad technology industry, film and animation, artificial intelligence, simulations, visualization, digital advertising, research, education, and consulting. General Motors (GM), IBM, Verizon, HP, Gulfstream Aerospace, and Morris Technology are just a few companies that have hired Georgia Southern BS CS graduates. Sample titles include Video Game Developer, Web Developer, Software Developer, Quality Assurance Analyst/Tester, Computer Programmer, and Network Architect.
For students seeking an accelerated program, Georgia Southern University has two certificate options including Video Game Design and Development, and Digital Game Artist. The Video Game Design and Development certificate is an online program that consists of 500 course hours completed over 12 months. This open enrollment program is self-paced and includes Unity Game Engine Foundation; General Game Modeling and Texturing; C# Programming Primer for Unity Game Development; Advanced Unity Game Development I-II; and Mathematics for Game Development.
Throughout the program, students will develop three complete games including a 3D arcade game, a first-person adventure game, and a custom game of their own. Projects will become part of the student’s professional portfolio.
The Digital Game Artist certificate is an online, open-enrollment program that requires 600 course hours completed over 18 months. The program includes 3D Modeling I-III; Elements of Visual Design; Texture Maps and Digital Painting; Elements of Digital Design; Digital Lighting and Game Engines; 3D Sculpture; Character Design and Animation; and Sub-D Modeling. The program culminates with the Final Practical and Portfolio capstone course.
Provided by Continuing and Professional Education, in partnership with ed2go, both certificate programs prepare students for immediate employment in game design and development, animation and film, simulation training, digital advertising, and many other fields.
Serving approximately 27,505 students, Georgia Southern University is the largest center of higher education south of Atlanta. Established in 1906, this public institution provides more than 150 accredited programs across 10 colleges and schools, and three campuses (Statesboro, Savannah, and Hinesville, Georgia). Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
