Top Game Design School and College in Tennessee - 2025 College Rankings

The College of Business and Technology at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) houses the School of Marketing and Media. Within the school is the Digital Media (DIGM) Department. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the department provides courses taught by industry professionals; access to state-of-the-art labs, production facilities, and equipment; and the chance to participate in a number of immersive, hands-on studio projects. 

Students in the DIGM Department also have opportunities to collaborate during the entire four years of study to produce games, animations, and other related works. 

Specific program options for game designers include the Digital Media BS (DIGM BS), the DIGM minor, and the DIGM MFA. The DIGM BS has four concentration options including Digital Game Design; Digital Visual Effects; Digital Animation; and Digital Visualization. The Digital Game Design concentration has two pathways including Asset Development and Design. 

Asset Development students will take courses such as 3D Rendering and Lighting; Hi-Fidelity Modeling for Entertainment; and Reality Capture for Modeling. Design pathway students will take Game Design; Procedural Modeling and Effects Simulation; Interaction for Game Design; Introduction to Computer Science; and Technical Direction. Students in both pathways will take the Game Play and Testing course. With a required 20 credit hours of guided electives, the Digital Game Design concentration allows students to develop skills in additional areas of game design and development. 

The culminating experience for the DIGM BS is the Portfolio Development for Digital Media course, leading to a professional portfolio of the student’s best work. 

The 24 credit hour DIGM minor allows students to develop skills in all four DIGM BS specialization areas. Courses include Principles of Visual Effects and Motion Graphics; Principles of Digital Game Design; Principles of Digital Animation; Principles of Visualization; and Topics in Digital Media History. For the remaining credits, students can take additional credits in guided electives to create an emphasis area. 

Upon completion of the DIGM minor at ETSU, students are prepared to pursue entry-level roles in game design, digital animation, visual effects, motion graphics, and visualization. 

Designed for students with bachelor’s degrees in game design, animation, visual effects (VFX), and other related areas, the DIGM MFA at East Tennessee State University allows students to select their own specialization and work in teams on digital media projects for internal and external clients. Of the 60 required credits for this terminal degree program, six are dedicated to experimenting with new technologies (Experimental Media I-II); 12 are dedicated to the Group Studio in Digital Media; 12 for the Solo Studio in Digital Media; 45 credits for core requirements; and 12 dedicated to the Culminating Experience (DIGM 5970). 

MFA projects will be reviewed by faculty and peers. Graduates are prepared to pursue leadership roles in areas such as entertainment, games, education, and research. 

Graduates of the Digital Media Programs at East Tennessee University have been hired at places such as  Luma Pictures, CBS, Red Storm Entertainment (a Ubisoft studio), and Deck Nine Games.

Digital Media Program alumni have been credited on films and games such as Lord of the Rings; Ice Age: Continental Drift; Thor; Avatar; World of Warcraft; The Avengers; Halo 5; The Peanuts Movie; Kung Fu Panda III; The Last Jedi; The Walking Dead; Guitar Hero; The Incredible Hulk; and TMNT II. 

East Tennessee State University was established in 1911 as East Tennessee State Normal School. The school serves approximately 14,000 students enrolled in more than 140 academic programs across eleven colleges and schools. East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).