An independent guide to game design degrees in the United States
Rochester Institute of Technology · School of Interactive Games and Media
Master of Science in Game Design and Development
A two-year, 33-credit, on-campus cohort MS in Rochester with portfolio-based admission; second-year teams build a game engine and software title as the capstone.
Dedicated MS in Game Design and Development.
Source: academiccatalog.rit.edu · verified October 12, 2026We list dedicated game degrees and officially named game concentrations at institutionally accredited US schools. Eligibility rules
First-year courses cover game development processes, game design, and gameplay and prototyping; the second year centers on a two-course team capstone (design and development) culminating in a defense and public presentation, plus advanced electives such as game engine design, level design and AI for gameplay.
No hardware or software requirement published on the pages we checked.
Portfolio required
Admission is through a portfolio review; requirements are listed on the Graduate Admissions website.
Official portfolio instructions
Source: academiccatalog.rit.edu · verified October 12, 2026We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances. How to prepare a game design portfolio
Priority deadline
Rolling admission · for Fall (year not printed)
Source: academiccatalog.rit.edu · verified October 12, 2026| Category | Amount | Basis and year |
|---|---|---|
| All students — Graduate, 12-18 credit hours (2 semesters)From the school-wide rate table for this level | $64,542 | per academic year · 2026-2027Source: rit.edu · verified October 12, 2026 |
| Graduate, per credit hour rate (1 to 11 credits)From the school-wide rate table for this level | $2,690 | per credit · academic year not printedEstimated tuition$88,770 = 33 credits × $2,690 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: rit.edu · verified October 12, 2026 |
Program-specific funding: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
None verified for this program. Game design degrees do not require one specific specialized accreditation.
Not verified for this program.
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Same degree level and primary field. Listed for discovery, not ranked.
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