| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University | West Lafayette |
| 2 | Indiana University Bloomington | Bloomington |
| 3 | Indiana University Indianapolis | Indianapolis |
For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Purdue University is home to Purdue Polytechnic Institute, which houses the Department of Computer Graphics Technology (CGT) and the Game Design Programs. Degree options include a CGT BS with a major in Game Development and Design; a CGT MS; and a Technology PhD. Purdue also houses Purdue Global, which provides more than 175 online degree programs to approximately 33,500 students around the world.
Through Purdue Global and Purdue University’s School of Business and Information Technology, online students can earn a BS in Information Technology with a concentration in Game Development. Consisting of 15 credit hours, the concentration includes the Game Design and Mechanics; Game Programming; and Game Art and Animation courses.
Examples of required courses in the Information Technology major include Software Development Using C#; Human-Computer Interaction; Software Development Using Python; Website Development; and Technology Infrastructure. The BS program requires 180 credit hours to graduate. The culminating experience for the program is the Information Technology Internship or Capstone in Information technology, student’s choice. Graduates are prepared to pursue roles across the information technology sector, and the game design industry.
The CGT BS with a Game Development and Design major is an ABET-accredited, STEM-designated program that explores game design, programming, rendering, animation, and visualization. Students in this program will engage in immersive, collaborative projects with peers and professors. Past projects have focused on areas such as games utilization in entertainment; information visualization; and sustainable energy, medicine, and therapy.
The Game Design and Development major requires 54 credit hours, with 39 credit hours focused on games. Course examples include Game Development I: Core Skills and Technologies; Game Development II: Design and Psychology; Computer Graphics Programming; User Experience Design Studio; Game Development Practicum; and Computer Graphics Professional Practices I and II. Students will complete a professional portfolio across several courses.
CGT BS graduates are prepared to pursue roles such as Game Design Scripter, Animator, Technical Artist, and Cinematic Lead. Potential employers include Electronic Arts (EA), Riot Games, Zynga, and Volition.
The CGT MS at Purdue University’s Purdue Polytechnic has nearly 100 students enrolled. The program provides four primary focus areas including Games, Animation, Information Visualization, and UX Design. Graduate students may also customize a plan of study to meet their professional goals. Some students elect to incorporate elements of computational art and computer graphics in to custom plans.
Other CGT MS features include small class sizes; research opportunities; and the chance to work on real-world projects. Graduates of the program are prepared to pursue leadership roles across industries. Program alumni are Game Developers, UX Designers, Technical Directors, and Data Analysts. Potential employers include DreamWorks, Salesforce, Google, and Deloitte.
The Technology PhD Program at Purdue University allows a minimum of 30 credit hours to be taken in a custom specialization from coursework across six schools and departments. Students will also select 27 credit hours from any Purdue college or school other than Purdue Polytechnic. Students interested in games typically select Computer Graphics Technology, which includes Game Studies, Computer Animation, Data Visualization, User Experience (UX) Design, Human-Computer Interaction, and Digital Enterprise Systems.
All Technology PhD students will complete a dissertation to graduate. Program alumni are prepared to pursue academic, research, and leadership roles across industries. Graduates are Designers, Educators, Artists, Researchers, and Entrepreneurs.
Purdue University is Indiana’s only land-grant university. Established in 1869, the school has campuses and centers across the state, as well as Purdue University Global and Purdue University Online. The main campus in West Lafayette, Indiana serves approximately 52,210 students, making it the second largest university in the state. Students at this location come from all 50 states and nearly 130 countries. The school provides more than 400 programs across 13 colleges and schools.
Approximately 11% of all students at Purdue University in West Lafayette attend Purdue Polytechnic Institute, which provides 30 BS programs and more than 20 graduate degrees. Purdue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington) provides several paths to study game design. Programs are housed in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, and the College of Arts and Sciences. Established in 2000 as the School of Informatics, the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering was the first school of its kind. Within the school is the Department of Computer Science (est. 1971), which serves 950 students enrolled in 11 programs at all degree levels.
Students seeking an undergraduate degree in games can earn a BS in Computer Science (CSCIBS) with a Game Development specialization. The school also houses a unique minor in Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI), which includes courses such as Game Development; Game Programming; and Game Art and Sound. A flexible Computer Science BA is also conferred granted through IU Bloomington’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Also housed in the College of Arts and Sciences is The Media School. This multidisciplinary division attracts students seeking careers in game programming, animation, graphic design for multimedia, sound production, and music composition. Specific program options for game designers include the Game Design BS and Minor; the Media BA; and a New Media and Interactive Storytelling certificate.
Students in all Media School programs have the opportunity to select elective courses from the Luddy School; Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design; and Jacobs School of Music. Media BA students may pursue a concentration such as Media Technologies, Games and Culture; Interactive and Digital Media; or Media Science. Students may also pursue a Media specialization such as Game Art, Game Production, or Game Audio. Concentrations consist of five courses. Specializations require at least three courses.
Course examples across concentrations include Game Experience Design; Animation for Digital Media; Story Lab; Game Art and Sound; Narrative Design; Game Technology; Game Production; Games, Culture, and Society; Digital Media; and Media Technologies and Culture.
Course examples across specializations include The Videogame Industry: Systems and Management; Game Experience Design; Sound for Games and Playable Media; Game Art and Sound; Introduction to Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) and Computer Music; Game Character Art; Game Analytics; Game Production; and Game Environment Art.
Game Design BS students at Indiana University Bloomington have the option to select courses from focal areas to create a specialization. Areas include Design: Games and Mind; Art; Design: Game Design Theory; Programming; Sound; and Management, Advertising, and Public Relations. The program begins with a mix of seminars and hands-on production classes.
Upper division Game Design students will work their way through a three-semester, three-course Game Workshop Sequence. Courses include Game Workshop I: Prototype; Game Workshop II: Demo; and Game Workshop III: Publish. Modeled after game studios, the sequence culminates with an industry-ready published game.
Students in all IU Bloomington Computer Science, Game Design, and Media Programs have access to GameDev@IU. This student-run organization provides hands-on experience for student game designers. Features include workshops; the opportunity to collaborate on game design projects; and participation in game jams. Game design students can also gain valuable hands-on experience through the Indiana University Bloomington Internship Program. Students have interned everywhere from Google to General Motors.
Graduates of the Computer Science, Game Design, and Media programs at Indiana University Bloomington are prepared to pursue titles such as Game Designer, Animator, Game Artist, World Designer, Game Developer, Creative Director, Game Programmer, and Software Developer. Potential employer’s include Electronic Arts (EA), Blizzard Entertainment, Ubisoft, and Zynga.
Established in 1820, Indiana University Bloomington was one of the first public universities west of the Allegheny Mountains and one of the first universities to admit women. The flagship campus of Indiana University’s seven campuses, IU Bloomington serves approximately 44,675 of the systems approximately 84,450 students. Indiana University Bloomington is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The School of Informatics and Computing (SoIC) at Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) provides several paths to study games. Programs include the Media Arts and Science (MAS) BS, and minors in Game Design and Development, and 3D Graphics and Animation.
The MAS BS is a customizable program that provides the opportunity to specialize in Game Design and Development, 3D Graphics and Animation, Digital Storytelling, Web Design and Development, or Video Production and Sound Design. The curriculum for the program includes courses that explore emerging technology in games and visual effects (VFX). The Game Design and Development specialization builds on this and explores character animation, programming, storytelling, and of course, game design and development.
Course examples include Advanced Game Design and Development; Game On! A History of Video Games; Game Design Psychology: Theory and Prototyping; Game Testing and Evaluation; and Introduction to Gameplay Scripting. Recommended courses outside of GDD specialization requirements include Game Production; Creature and Character Design for Videogames, Comics, Film, and Animation; and Virtual World Design and Development.
Graduates of the MAS BS program at Indiana University Indianapolis have been recruited by major studios and companies around the world. Examples include Moving Picture Company (MPC), Sony Pictures Imageworks, Pixar, Blizzard Entertainment, Digital Domain, Google-owned Owlchemy Labs, Treyarch (owned by Activision), and HTC Corporation.
In the Game Design and Development minor at IU Indianapolis, students will learn to create 2D and 3D games using Unity and Unreal 4. The 3D Graphics and Animation minor prepares students for careers in game design and development and 3D simulation through coursework in rendering, animation, and computer graphics (CG). Students in both programs will complete 15-16 credit hours of study.
Upon completion of the IU Indianapolis Game Design and Development minor, students are prepared to pursue positions such as Video Game Designer, Level Designer, Unity 3D Game Developer, Creative Director, Unreal 4 Game Developer, World Designer, and Sound Designer for Games. 3D Graphics and Animation graduates are prepared to pursue positions such as Motion Graphics Artist, Creative Director, 2D/3D Design Artist, Medical Animator, and 3D Animator.
Indiana University Indianapolis will officially begin as IU Indianapolis on July 1, 2024, ending its 52-year partnership as IUPUI. The school currently serves 27,960 students enrolled in more than 550 academic programs across 17 degree-granting schools. Indiana University Indianapolis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
