| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh |
| 2 | Drexel University | Philadelphia |
| 3 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia |
| 4 | Moore College of Art and Design | Philadelphia |
| 5 | Pennsylvania Western University Edinboro | Edinboro |
Our 2025 ranking of the top game design school programs in Pennsylvania. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a partnership between CMU’s School of Computer Science (CS) and the College of Fine Arts. Established in 1998, the ETC houses a professional graduate program for interactive entertainment. Leading to a Master of Entertainment Technology (MET), this terminal degree program is also provided in collaboration with CMU’s Integrative Design, Arts, and Technology Network (IDeATe).
The IDeATe curriculum is delivered across 15 different academic departments at CMU. IDeATe programs are housed in a making facility in CMU’s Hunt Library (HL). The building opened in 1961 through a gift by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hunt. The HL is CMU’s largest library, and the IDeATe houses 10 undergraduate minors that fuse technology and the arts. This includes a Game Design minor.
Both the MET and ETC IDeATe programs take place in collaborative classrooms, with access to a black box studio; dedicated physical computing and fabrication labs; and a soft technologies studio. Students in both programs have access to workshops; internship opportunities; and winter, spring, or summer study abroad experiences in places such as Nantes, France.
Open to all majors, the ETC IDeATe Game Design minor also has an endless number of major/minor combo options. Popular combo options for game designers include the CS BS/Game Design; Art BFA/Game Design; Bachelor of Computer Science and Arts (BCSA)/Game Design; and the Music and Technology BS/Game Design. The CMU ETC also allows students across all departments to enroll in individual courses, without enrolling in a minor.
The Game Design minor requires a minimum of 45 credit hours across computing and game design. Course examples include Intermediate Studio - Creative Coding; Fundamentals of Computing for Creative Practice; Little Games/Big Stories - Indie Roleplaying Game Studio; Introduction to 3D Animation Pipeline; Story and Sound; Digital Realities - Introducing Immersive Technologies for Arts and Culture; Computer Game Programming; Game Design, Prototyping, and Production; Distributed Game Studio - Game Art Pipeline; Dynamic Motion and Game Experience; and Reality Computing Studio.
The CMU IDeATe Game Design minor culminates with a final project consisting of an original video game created in collaboration with a faculty mentor.
The CMU Master of Entertainment Technology is a collaborative, project-based program that emphasizes coursework in area such as visual stories, building virtual worlds, acting, and entertainment technology. The program also highlights professional development through the Resumes, Interviews and Networking Oh My! course, and semester-long co-op experiences. The course features resume reviews, interviewing skills development, and networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals.
Electives in game design, themed entertainment, interactive storytelling, and leadership complement the curriculum. Elective examples include Game Design, Prototyping and Production; Dark Ride Design; Creative Storytelling for Emerging Technologies; Role Playing Writing Workshop; IDEATE Storytelling Through Effects Animation; Introduction to Maya; Technical Animation; Advanced Game Studio; IDeATe Special Topics in Animation-Bipedal Rigging for Animation Production; and Advanced Look Development - The Two Worlds of Texture.
The CMU MET program culminates with a final project by graduate student teams, faculty supervisors, and client representatives. Past project sponsors have included Electronic Arts (EA), NASA, Walt Disney Imagineering, Google, Xbox 360, Microsoft, Amazon, Games for Change, Viacom, Oracle, Walt Disney Internet Group, Intel, WMS Gaming, MTV, Fox Sports, Verizon, GM, Sun Microsystems, 2K Games, The Field Museum, CAT, The Franklin Institute, E-Line Media, Meta, Nvidia, and the Field Museum.
Graduates of Met and Game Design programs at Carnegie Mellon University are prepared to pursue roles in areas such as game design and development, film and video, animation, software development, and advertising. CMU graduates are routinely hired by companies and studios such as 2K Games, Epic Systems, Nvidia, Sony, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, ESPN, Apple, Oracle, IBM, VMware, and Meta.
Carnegie Mellon University was founded on November 15, 1900 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The school opened as Carnegie Technical Schools. Today, CMU is a private global research university that provides over 200 programs to more than 14,500 students from 126 countries.
In addition to the main campus in Pennsylvania, Carnegie has campuses in Silicon Valley and Doha, Qatar. Housed across seven colleges and schools, the academic programs at CMU are also provided at locations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico, and Portugal. Carnegie Mellon University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Drexel University (Drexel) houses one of the nation’s largest cooperative education programs. Founded in 1919, the program was among the first of its kind. Student in Drexel’s mandatory co-op program can gain up to 18 months of work experience in their chosen field—all before graduation. Co-op experiences can be completed at local and national companies or overseas in places such as Greece, London, Ghana, Hong Kong, and Spain.
A leader in technology, in 1983, Drexel became the first university to require all entering students to have microcomputers, and in 2000 it became the first university to operate fully wireless campus—indoors and out. In addition, the school launched the first mobile Web portal service for students in 2002, and the first university portal app (DrexelOne Mobile) in 2011. DrexelOne was offered across all platforms.
Drexel University is also home to one of the nation’s largest media arts and design colleges—the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), and the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), Westphal provides more than 50 undergraduate majors, graduate programs, minors, STEM-designated programs, and accelerated degree programs. Options span the entertainment, visual art, design, performing arts, and media disciplines.
In addition to the co-op program, students in all Westphal Media Arts and Design programs benefit from an immersive studio-based curriculum; courses led by accomplished industry professionals; and access to state-of-the-art production facilities and studios. Examples include the 1200 square feet Animation Capture and Effects Lab (ACE-Lab); computer labs outfitted with advanced graphics workstations; the Immersive Research Lab (IRL) for augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), immersive media projects; screening rooms; the URBN Center, which features an open floorplan, shared making spaces, and innovative labs and studios; and a theme-park quality motion simulation platform.
Westphal programs for game designers include the Game Design and Production BS; Digital Media MS; Digital Media PhD; Game Design and Production BS/Digital Media MS; Digital Media and Virtual Production BS/Digital Media MS; the undergraduate Virtual Reality and Immersive Media minor; and the graduate Digital Media minor.
All programs are hands-on and studio-based, with small class sizes that allow for individual instruction. Across all programs, students will also develop skills in computer programming; motion capture; computer graphics; scripting and storytelling; real-time visualization (virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive media); and animation.
The College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) at Drexel University has several additional options for designers seeking programs that combine the full computer science curriculum with game design studies. Options include a BA or BS in Computer Science (BAC, BSCS), or the 24-credit hour CS minor. The BA/BS programs provide an optional track in Game Programming and Development.
Like all Westphal programs, College of Computing and Informatics programs provide a hands-on curriculum combined with valuable co-op experiences. Across programs, students have access to all of the labs, studios, and facilities mentioned earlier, as well as the Entrepreneurial Game Studio (EGS), and the Center for Games, Artificial Intelligence, and Media Systems (GAIMS Center). All programs culminate with a full-year capstone project.
Graduates of the Westphal and College of Computing Game Design programs are prepared to pursue advanced roles in PC game design, serious games, console game design, game art, mobile game design, and simulation and job training, among others. More than 80% of Drexel gaming graduates and nearly 90% of dual degree graduates are currently working in an area directly related to game design and development.
Drexel Westphal and CCI alumni have been hired at places such as Rockstar Games, Electronic Arts (EA), Gameloft, Pixar, Microsoft Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Disney Imagineering, Lockheed, Xbox Game Studios, Blizzard Entertainment, Digital Domain, Disney Interactive, Razorfish, NCSoft Corporation, Zynga, BioWare, and Comcast Corporation.
Drexel University was founded in 1891 by philanthropist and financier Anthony J. Drexel. Known as Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry, the school’s first graduating class was just 70 students. Today, Drexel University is an R1 Doctoral University that serves approximately 21,705 students enrolled in more than 200 degree programs across 15 colleges and schools.
Drexel University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The school’s academic programs in art, design, and media are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) houses the Center for Human Modeling and Simulation (HMS) traces its roots back to 1975, when the Computer Graphics Research Lab of the Computer and Information Science (CIS) Department began conducting research on human body modeling and simulation. Funded by NASA, government entities such as the Army and the Air Force, and industry grants, today’s Center for HMS focuses on rendering, animation, and computer graphics modeling research.
The center also houses one of the few programs of its kind at a four-year research university. Launched in 2004, the Master of Engineering (MSE) in Computer Graphics and Game Technology (CGGT) is a multidisciplinary program designed for recent graduates and industry professionals seeking career advancement. Because the HMS is housed in the CIS Department, which is part the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, students will take at least four computer science, systems, and technology courses.
Other requirements include one creative art and design course; one graphics elective; one business and entrepreneurship course; and one technical elective. Course examples for the program include Game Design and Development; Physically-Based Animation; Interactive Computer Graphics; Applied Machine Learning; Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics and Animation; Enabling Technologies; and Physically-Based Rendering.
Other CGGT MSE program features access to the SIG Center for Computer Graphics, which features a state-of-the-art motion capture studio, high-performance NVidia GPU processors, ViDi Center for Digital Visualization Center, and AR/VR systems (Vive, Oculus, and HoloLens); opportunities to collaborate with students from other creative departments; and an accelerated one-year curriculum for students with a computer science or engineering degree.
The UPenn CGGT MSE program culminates with the Game Design Practicum or Master’s Thesis—student’s choice. Graduates are prepared to pursue advanced roles in the game design, entertainment, technology, design, and advertising industries, among others. Program alumni have been hired at major companies and studios such as Disney Animation Studios, Electronic Arts (EA), Pixar, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, DreamWorks Animation, Zynga, and Crystal Dynamics.
University of Pennsylvaniahas an additional option for students interested in an interdisciplinary program that explores games, animation, computer graphics, interactive technologies, and virtual reality environment design. Launched in 1998, and also housed in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Digital Media Design (DMD) major combines coursework from the CIS Department, UPenn School of Design, and Annenberg School and Fine Arts. A programming-intensive DMD minor is also available.
Leading to a Bachelor’s in Engineering and Science (BSE), the DMD program consists of courses such as Interactive Computer Graphics; Advanced Rendering; Programming Languages and Techniques I-II; Automata, Computability, and Complexity; 3D Computer Modeling; Computer Animation; Advanced Computer Graphics; Introduction to Algorithms; and Mixed Media Animation.
Graduates of the UPenn DMD BSE program are prepared to pursue roles in games, animation, virtual reality, computer graphics, interactive technology, and many other fields. Program alumni are frequently hired at major companies and studios such as Pixar, Electronic Arts (EA), DreamWorks Microsoft, Google, and Disney Animation.
Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, University of Pennsylvania is the fifth oldest university in the U.S. With nearly 5,000 professors, the school serves approximately 28,710 students enrolled in more than 400 programs across 12 schools. UPenn also houses more than 170 research centers and institutes, along with nine business divisions. University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Moore College of Art and Design (Moore or Moore College) is the only art and design college in the U.S. to provide a $1,000 paid internship for every single student. Students have interned at places such as Twitch, Quadratron Games, Viastat, ARG! Cartoon Animation, Brazen Animation, KiwiCo, and Duolingo. Many of these internships lead to offers for full-time employment.
For students seeking game design degree, Moore College has an Animation and Game Arts BFA that provides access to state-of-the-art facilities such as animation labs, Mac studios, editing bays, stop-motion studios, a gaming lounge, and a green screen studio. Students in the program also benefit from features a hands-on, project-based curriculum; participation in “AniJams” with fellow students and alumni; and the opportunity to enhance the degree by adding a minor such as Comics, Creative Writing, Film and Digital Cinema, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, or Illustration.
All Moore College programs begin with the First-Year Foundation Experience. This includes courses such as 2D and 3D Design; Animation I; Visual Thinking; Creative Design; and Color Theory. After the Foundation Year, students will enter their chosen major.
Throughout the remainder of the program, students will take courses such as Game Art and Design Studio; History of Animation and Game Arts; 2D Character and Environment; 3D Modeling; Surface Design for Games; Digital Sculpting for Games and Animation; Storyboarding; Game Strategies Studio; Time-Based Media Projects; Design for Tabletop Games; Animated Short Film; Contemporary Interactive Culture Seminar; and Professional Development.
In the final year of the Moore College Animation and Game Art BFA program, students will complete the internship requirement and Senior Studio course. The program culminates with the Senior Thesis. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in game art and design, animation, live-action film, interactivity, and digital advertising, among others.
Around 97% of Moore College BFA alumni are employed or in graduate school within one year of graduating. Examples of companies that have hired Moore graduates include Nickelodeon, Twitch, Tyco Toys, Penguin Group, Brazen Animation, the Smithsonian Institution, Duolingo, KingsIsle Entertainment, mock5 design, Studio Yotta, Kodable, Flight Safety International, Quad, Deux Wave, the Philadelphia Zoo, Dynamite Entertainment, Super Signs, and Carter’s.
Founded in 1848, Moore College of Art and Design is the nation’s first and only historically all-women’s visual arts college. Moore is also a private, nonprofit college that serves approximately 400 students enrolled 25 BFA and minor programs. Moore College of Art and Design is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Pennsylvania Western University Edinboro (PennWest Edinboro) is home to the College of Science and Health Professions. Within the college is the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, which has two paths to study animation. For students seeking a degree, the department has an Applied Computing BS (AC BS) with a Game Programming concentration. For students seeking a shorter program, the department has a Game Programming minor.
The AC BS requires 120 credit hours and the Game Programming minor requires 21 credits. The BS program explores areas such as programming, software development, operating systems, computer architecture, and machine learning. Examples of required major courses include Computer Programming I; Computer Architecture and Assembly Language; Object Oriented Programming; Principles of Responsible Computing; Analysis of Algorithms; Technical Writing; and Web Programming I.
The Applied Computing major also requires two art courses and two elective courses. Examples of art courses include 3D Dynamics and Simulations; Motion Design; 3D Modeling and Rigging; and Digital Storytelling. Elective examples include Applications of Machine Learning and Deep Learning; Python; Web Programming II; Technical Computing Using Java; and Special Topics in Computer Science.
The Game Programming concentration consists of five advanced courses totaling 15 credit hours. Course titles include 2D Game Programming; Computer Graphics; Mobile Application Development; 3D Game Programming; and Artificial Intelligence.
Besides a variety of in-demand game design, development, and programming courses, AC BS students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and software such as the 2D Cintiq Lab and Maya; the Animation Club; and the internship program, which provides opportunities to work at local, regional, and national production studios.
The AC BS with a Game Programming concentration culminates with a final project, completed across two courses including Senior Project I: Software Engineering and Senior Project II.
The Game Programming minor at PennWest Edinboro explores video game programming, computer programming, and software creation. An ideal option for students interested in coding and game creation, the minor highlights courses such as 2D and 3D Game Programming; Object Oriented Programming; Mobile Application Development; Computer Graphics; and Computer Programming I.
By the end of the Game Programming minor, students will have completed at least two video game projects.
Graduates of the Games programs at Pennsylvania Western University Edinboro are prepared to pursue advanced roles across the games industry as well as the broader entertainment and technology industries. PennWest Edinboro alumni have been hired by companies and studios such as Blizzard Entertainment, NASA, Disney, Lockheed Martin, DreamWorks, Pixar, Nickelodeon, and General Electric.
Pennsylvania Western University Edinboro was founded in 1857 as a private training school for teachers. Today, PennWest Edinboro is part of a three-campus system that serves approximately 10,205 students enrolled in more than 120 programs leading to a degree or certificate. Programs are provided across three colleges. Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
