| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arizona | Tucson |
| 2 | University of Advancing Technology | Tempe |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | Phoenix |
| 4 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Prescott |
For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
University of Arizona (U of A or Arizona) provides a STEM-designated BS in Game Design and Development (BSGDD) that can be completed on campus or online beginning Fall 2025. The program is housed in the School of Information (iSchool), which is Arizona’s only iSchool and a member of the iSchools consortium. This international organization of over 120 universities focuses on teaching and research in areas such as human-computer interaction (HCI), information access and organization, bibliometrics, and information integrity.
The iSchool at Arizona focuses on cross-disciplinary studies in a hands-on, collaborative learning environment with internship opportunities at places such as Intel, Amazon, Mayo Clinic, Pitney Bowes, Lunewave, CyVerse, Genentech, Lum.ai, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All iSchool students also have opportunities to study abroad in places such as Rome and Orvieto, Italy through courses such as Visual Content Creation in the Information Age, and Digital Storytelling and Culture.
In addition to the Game Design and Development BS, the Arizona iSchool provides more than a dozen undergraduate majors, minors, and certificates, as well as 10 master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs. Other game programs include the Games and Behavior BA (BA GB); a Certificate in Games and Simulation; and minors in GDD and Games and Behavior.
In addition to everything the iSchool has to offer, students in all programs benefit from access to state-of-the-art production facilities; courses taught by accomplished industry professionals; and participation on the Global Game Jam (GGJ) and the U of A Game Development Club.
The Game Design and Development BS and minor explore games for areas such as entertainment, simulations, visualization, education, and healthcare. Across programs, students will take major courses and major technical electives such as Introduction to Game Design; Ethics in a Digital World; Game Development; Programming for Informatics Applications; Introduction to Human Computer Interaction; Advanced Game Development; Computational Thinking and Doing; Algorithms for Games; Statistical Foundations of the Information Age; 3D Modeling for Games; and Virtual Reality.
BS students may take five elective courses and minor students can take three. Examples include Serious STEM Games; Computing and the Arts; Narrative Practices in Digital Games; Introduction to Creative Coding; Advanced Game Development; Technology of Sound; Designing for Video Game Genres; Neural Networks; and Gamification in Society. The BS requires 120 units to graduate. The minor requires 18 units.
Graduates of the Game Design and Development programs at University of Arizona go on to establish careers in areas such as game design, game development, serious games, UI/UX design, film and animation, digital marketing, simulations and visualization, and the broad technology field.
The Games and Behavior BA and minor at University of Arizona explore game design for entertainment, education, and research; gamification in society; human behavior in games; games for health and wellness; games for job training; and games for social support. Course examples across programs include Introduction to Game Design; Quantitative Methods for the Digital Marketplace; Gamification in Society; eSports Industries; Ethics in a Digital World; and Collaborating in Online Communities.
To enhance the degree, BA students may choose four elective courses. Minor students will select all required units (18) from a set list of courses. BA elective examples include Disruptive Technologies; Digital Engagement; Digital Games and Society; eSports Casting and Development; Digital Storytelling and Culture; Information, Multimedia Design and Moving Image; Computing and the Arts; Narrative Practices in Digital Games; Technology of Sound; Serious STEM Games; Introduction to Human Computer Interaction (HCI); Digital Commerce; and Legal Aspects of Game Industries.
The Games and Behavior BA at University of Arizona requires 120 units to graduate. Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared to pursue titles such as Video Game Designer; Software Quality Assurance Analyst; Game Designer/Manager; Concept Artist; Gaming Market Research Manager; Art Director; Gamification Design Consultant; Digital Marketing Specialist; Game Tester; Multimedia Specialist; Web Designer; Consumer Insights Manager; Graphic Designer; and UX/UI Designer.
The Games and Simulation certificate is a flexible 12 unit undergraduate program. All students will complete Introduction to Game Design. The remaining courses will come from electives—student’s choice. Students have access to all electives for the BA and BS programs. Other examples include Monetizing Independent Gaming; Simulation Design and Development for Complex Problem Solving; Legal Aspects of Game Industries; and Diversity and Bias in Games.
University of Arizona has an additional program option housed in the College of Humanities- Department of Public and Applied Humanities. Leading to a BA in Applied Humanities with a Game Studies emphasis, the curriculum for the program includes courses such as Introduction to Game Design; Narrative Practices in Digital Games; Video Game Studies: Critical/Cultural Approaches; Computing and the Arts; Video Games as Artifacts-Appreciating Interactive Multimedia Entertainment; Global Video Game Cultures and Their Origins; Game Development; Simulation Design and Development for Complex Problem Solving; Gamification in Society.
The BA program also requires an internship and the production of a professional portfolio. The culminating experience for Game Studies is the Senior Capstone (project). Graduates are prepared to pursue positions in the areas such as global games, serious games, digital humanities, game and media journalism, digital culture studies, and new media policy.
Across all University of Arizona iSchool and other related programs, graduates have been hired at places such as Microsoft, Epic Systems, Apple, Lockheed Martin, Cisco Systems, Intel, Amazon, Boeing, Raytheon, Ball Aerospace, L3 Communications, Medtronic, HP, Lucent Technologies, and Texas Instruments.
University of Arizona is the state’s first university. Established in 1885, this land-grant institution opened with just a few students. Today, UA serves approximately 56,545 students, making it one of the state’s largest post-secondary institutions. UArizona provides more than 300 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in 150+ areas of study across 21 colleges and nearly two dozen specialized schools. University of Arizona is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is one of the nation’s few 100% STEM-based universities. The school also houses one of the nation’s only fully accredited Game Design Program (GDP), with degrees across the entire discipline.
Launched in 1995, the UAT GDP consists of BA degrees in Game Design(GD BA) and Game Art and Animation (GAA BA); a Game Programming BS; and the Game Production and Management MS (GPM MS). Programs are provided on campus, online, and in hybrid format. The on-campus programs incorporate a mandatory 15-week internship at a professional studio, company, or non-profit.
Students in the GD BA program will work with programmers and artists to create original games for multiple platforms while working their way through the entire game production pipeline. Course examples include Critical Game Studies; Level Design; Game Scripting for Designers; Monetization and Design Strategies; Game Systems Design; and Deployment Strategies and Project Constraints.
The Game Art and Animation BA explores 2D/3D art and animation for mobile, PC, console, virtual reality, and online platforms. Students in this program also have the opportunity to work their way through the entire game production pipeline while creating original games. Course examples include Game Art and Animation Fundamentals; 3D Modeling Characters and Vehicles; Introduction to Game Art and Animation; Materials, Shaders and Lighting; UI Design and Animation; and 3D Modeling Environments and FX.
In addition to original games, all GAA BA students will complete a professional portfolio and the Student Innovation Project.
The Game Programming BS focuses on C++ programming, gameplay interaction, C# programming, scripting, data handling, artificial intelligence, and networking. The program also explores the use of game engines, application programming interfaces (APIs), and industry standard middleware. BS students will develop games in a production studio environment alongside designers and artists.
Course examples include Programming for Game Engines; Mobile Game Programming; Applied Game AI Concepts; Gameplay Programming Concepts; Programming Roleplaying Games; and Programming Strategy Games.
The Game Production and Management MS consists of four nine-credit modules. In addition to the required Game Design and GPM modules, students may select two additional modules that align with their goals. Examples include Digital Maker; Robotics and Kinematics; Technology Leadership; App Development; Data Cloud A.I.; and Technology Startup. The UAT MS may be completed in one to two years.
Graduates of the Game Design Program at University of Advancing Technology are prepared to pursue advanced roles in games for entertainment, serious games, simulation training, digital advertising, animation and film, law enforcement, architecture, television production, science and medicine, aerospace, visualizations, defense, and more.
Program alumni have been hired at places such as the Electronic Arts (EA), the U.S. Department of Defense, Nickelodeon, Microsoft, Blizzard Entertainment, Google, Bethesda Softworks, Intel, American Gaming Systems (AGS), Twitch, the Game Show Network (owned by Sony Pictures Television), and Gearbox Publishing.
Founded in 1983 as the CAD Institute, University of Advancing Technology is a private, family-owned institution that serves around 1,000 students from the U.S. and overseas. The school provides nearly 25 degree programs in areas from business and innovation to cybersecurity and virtual reality. Programs lead to the associate, bachelor, or master’s degree. University of Advancing Technology is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Grand Canyon University (GCU) is home to the College of Engineering and Technology. Within the college is an ABET-accredited Computer Science (CS) BS program with a Game and Simulation Development emphasis. This 128 credit hour program explores programming, mathematical modeling and simulation, storyboard creation, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, along with the process, production, and publishing of games for mobile operating systems.
The program highlights hands-on projects; access to state-of-the-art production facilities; more than a dozen lab-based courses; coding assignments; professional internships; and participation in GCU’s study abroad program. Course and lab examples include Game Design and Game Play Lecture Lab; Computer Programming; Principles of Programming Languages and Lecture Lab; Calculus for Science and Engineering; AI in Games and Simulations Lecture Lab; Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Mobile Game Development Lecture and Lab; and Principles of Modeling and Simulation Lecture and Lab.
The Computer Science program at Grand Canyon University culminates with a capstone project. Students will work in teams to conceptualize, design, produce, and present a project in their chosen area. Graduates go on to establish careers in areas such as game design and development, game programming, game or app design, software development, serious games, and software engineering. GCU alumni have been hired at places such as Autodesk, IBM, Raytheon, and Openforce.
Grand Canyon University was chartered in 1949 as Grand Canyon College. This private, Christian university opened with just 100 students and 16 faculty members. Today, GCU serves approximately 125,000 students enrolled in approximately 350 programs across nine colleges. Programs are provided on campus and online. Roughly half of GCU’s online student’s study at the graduate level. Grand Canyon University has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1968.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Embry-Riddle) provides a BS in Simulation Science, Games, and Animation (SSGA). Program features include courses that combine STEM elements with art and design components; access to the state-of-the-art SSGA Lab outfitted with VR workstations, Wacom tablets, and specialized content creation software; and project-based production courses that allow students to work in teams to design virtual worlds, animations, simulations, user experiences, and more.
Course examples for this 125 credit hour program include Computer Science I-II; Games Systems 4-Mixed Reality; World Building; Psychology of Gaming; 3D Animation; Game Engine Architecture; Set and Environment Design; Game Design Workshop; Character Design and Production; Interactive Media I-II; Digital Illustration; Simulation I-Systems Modeling; User Interface Design; and Artificial Intelligence.
SSGA BS students will also complete a final project across two courses including Capstone I and Lab, and Capstone II and Lab.
Graduates are prepared to pursue advanced roles in game design, programming, and development; Animated film production; virtual training; aviation and aerospace; software development; military and intelligence; research and education; high-tech manufacturing; consulting; and healthcare.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University SSGA graduates and other alumni have been hired at places such as Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), Blizzard Entertainment, Disney Imagineering, Boeing, Microsoft, the Department of Defense (DOD) Modeling and Simulation Office, ForgeFX Simulations, Super League Gaming, Mass Virtual, Win Reality Training Platform (baseball and softball), Iridium Satellite Communications, and Police Training Simulations.
Founded in 1925 as the Embry-Riddle Company, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University serves approximately 21,100 students across campuses in Prescott, Arizona; Daytona Beach, Florida; and Embry-Riddle Online Worldwide Campus. The school provides more than 100 degrees at all levels in aviation; applied science; business; computers and technology; engineering; security, intelligence and safety; and space. Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
