| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemson University | Clemson and Charleston |
| 2 | University of South Carolina | Columbia |
For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
Clemson University has a number of paths to study game design in the school’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences (CECAS). All programs are cross-disciplinary and collaborative, allowing students to develop skills in multiple areas of games, computer science, and even audio engineering. Programs also provide experiential learning opportunities such as internships and study abroad experiences.
Each year, nearly 1,300 students participate in the study abroad program in locations such as Japan, Spain, the UK, and Germany. In addition, Clemson’s University Professional Internship and Co-op (UPIC) program provides more than 900 paid, on-campus internships each year.
The CECAS School of Computing houses the Division of Visual Computing. Within the Division is the Digital Production Arts (DPA) Program. Provided in collaboration with the Departments of Art and Performing Art, the DPA Program focuses on developing technical and creative skills through advanced studios, workshops, and immersive projects.
Specific program options related to games include the DPA MFA, MS, and minor. MFA and MS students have the option to study at the main campus in Clemson or the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center (ZFGEC) in Charleston, South Carolina. MFA students may attend traditional face-to-face classes or via real-time streaming to and from the main campus. DPA MFA students are not required to travel between campuses.
The DPA MFA requires 60 credit hours of study with 12 devoted to group production work in the Digital Production Studio. Six credit hours are devoted to the Graduate Research Studio, which allows students to work on a solo or team project. The remaining credits are a combination of core courses, electives, and the Master’s Thesis course (DPA 8910).
The DPA MS requires 30 credit hours and it has thesis and non-thesis options. The curriculum consists of core courses (12 credit hours); technical courses (12-18 credit hours); and six credits of technical electives.
Course examples across programs include Game Theory; Technical Foundations in Digital Production I-II; 2D Game Engine Construction; Visual Narrative; Algorithms and Techniques; Rendering and Shading; Technical Character Animation; Special Effects Compositing; 3D Game Programming; Audio Engineering I-II; Advanced 3D Modeling; Virtual Reality Systems; Visual Foundations of Digital Production; Human and Computer Interaction; Artificial Intelligence (AI); Physically Based Effects; and Visualization.
In addition to the DPA program, the School of Computing houses the ABET-accredited Computer Science BA and BS (CS-BS, BA-CS); the Computer Information Systems BS (BS-CIS); and a fast-track Computer Science Bachelor’s/Master’s (BS/MS).
Undergraduate students will complete a common core which explores fundamental concepts and programming languages such as C, C++, and Java. Electives allow all students to study games. Examples include 2D Game Engine Construction; Virtual Reality; Human and Computer Interaction; Distributed and Cluster Computing; Eye-Tracking Methodology; and Cloud Computing.
MS students will select a concentration from six options. Visual Computing, Software Engineering, and Human Centered Computing are popular options for game designers. Students may select additional games courses from electives.
All Computer Science students may also add the DPA minor, which provides access to courses such as Advanced 3D Modeling; Visual Foundations of Digital Production I-II; Computer Graphics Images; 2D Dimensional Animation; Special Topics in Digital Production Arts; Film; and Digital Imaging.
Other Computer Science and DPA highlights include visits from professionals working at major studios such as DreamWorks; 24/7 access to four dedicated instructional computer labs and state-of-the-art production studios and facilities with specialized equipment; high-tech classrooms and collaboration spaces; and participation in the SIGGRAPH Conference.
Graduates of the DPA and Computer Science programs at Clemson University are prepared to pursue advanced roles across the game design and development industry, as well as fields such as animation, visual effects, and live-action films; simulation and visualization; aerospace; software design and engineering; AI engineering; augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR; education; and advertising.
Companies that have hired Clemson DPA and CS graduates include Microsoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Boeing, Sledgehammer Games, Apple, Lockheed Martin, Google, Blur Studio, IBM, Delta Air Lines, VMware, IBM, CrowdStrike, BMW, Michelin, Meta, GE, and Savannah River National Lab.
Founded in 1889, Clemson University opened in 1893 as Clemson Agricultural College. On the first day of classes, the college welcomed 446 students. Today, Clemson is a public institution that serves approximately 29,080 students enrolled in more than 80 majors, 90+ minors, and over 130 graduate programs across nine colleges. Clemson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
University of South Carolina (USC) is the flagship university of the state of South Carolina. Within the school is the College of Arts and Sciences. The largest college at UofSC, Arts and Sciences houses the School of Visual Art and Design (SVAD), which provides a Media Arts BA and minor. The 18 credit hour Media Arts minor explores media arts production and digital media arts fundamentals. Students may select more than half of the courses from areas of interest such as video game design, sound production, or screenwriting.
The SVAD Media Arts BA is a multidisciplinary program with two concentration options: Media Production and Media Studies. Both areas attract students interested in areas such as video game design, animation, film production, and comics studies. Course examples for the program include Video Game Design; Animation; Sound Art; Manga and Anime; Digital Compositing; Narrative; Screenwriting; Mobile Platforms; Digital Media Arts Fundamentals; Moving Image-Experimental; and Special Topics in Media Arts. All SVAD classes are held in an 85,000-square-foot facility known as McMaster College. The facility was designed specifically for learning and production in the visual arts.
Other program benefits include a mandatory School of Visual Art and Design Internship; the creation of a marketable final project; and a final professional portfolio. The internship takes place in a professional environment within the design, media, and visual arts fields.
Graduates of the SVAD Media Arts program at University of South Carolina are prepared to pursue positions across industries such as games for entertainment, animation and film, advertising and marketing, and television production. Program alumni have been hired at companies and studios such as Marvel, Blizzard Entertainment, Nickelodeon, HBO Films, IBM, Netflix, CBS Television, lD Software, and Kodansha USA.
The Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing at USC has several additional program options for game designers seeking a degree with heavy computer science coursework. Housed in the college’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering are the BS, MS, and PhD programs in Computer Science (CS) and Computer Engineering; and minors in CS and Applied Computing.
The CS and Computer Engineering prorgams at USC are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Across programs, students will explore the algorithms, techniques, and theories for building software, including fields such as video games, artificial intelligence (AI), computer forensics, scientific computing, networks, enterprise computing, and web applications.
All CS and Computer Engineering students may complete an internship, co-op, externship, study abroad experience, or several of these. Degree-seeking students may add the Media Arts minor, select several courses from CS electives, and add courses from another major to study games. Course requirements across CS programs include Software Engineering; Computer Architecture; Programming Languages Structures; UNIX/Linux Fundamentals; Robotic Applications and Design; Algorithmic Design I-II; Advanced Programming Techniques; Digital Logic Design; and Professional Issues in Computer Science and Engineering.
The culminating experience for the CS and Computer Engineering prorgams is a Capstone Computing Project, and professional portfolio of the student’s best work. Program alumni work in areas such as game design and development, software engineering, game programming, mobile app development, and UI/UX design.
Some of the top employers of USC graduates are Disney, Amazon, Boeing, IBM, Oracle, Techtronic Industries, the U.S. Navy, Ford, Lockheed Martin, Cisco Systems, EY, Textron, and United Technologies.
University of South Carolina was established in 1801 as South Carolina College. One of the nation’s oldest public universities and part of the eight-campus University of South Carolina system, USC serves approximately 36,650 students enrolled in more than 350 degree programs across 16 colleges and schools. University of South Carolina is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
