An independent guide to game design degrees in the United States
Colleges and universities with at least one verified game design, game development, game programming, game art, game-focused interactive media or game studies degree. Each holds a current institutional accreditation recorded in the U.S. Department of Education's accreditation database (DAPIP).
58 schools · page 1 of 3
Game design and game development degrees first, then related fields (programming, art, interactive media, game studies); alphabetical by school within each group. Not a ranking. What we list
San Francisco, CAPrivate for-profitAccredited: WSCUC
Academy of Art University in San Francisco offers game degrees through its School of Game Development: BFAs in Game Design and Game Art, a BS in Game Programming, and MA and MFA degrees in Game Development, each available online and on campus. Undergraduate admission is inclusive with no portfolio required; graduate applicants submit a portfolio/reel for class placement.
Washington, DCPrivate nonprofitAccredited: MSCHE
American University's Game Center offers two graduate game degrees in Washington, DC: a 36-credit MA in Game Design, administered jointly by the School of Communication and the Department of Computer Science, and a 54-credit MFA in Games and Interactive Media in the School of Communication.
Russellville, ARPublicAccredited: HLC
Arkansas Tech University in Russellville offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game & Interactive Media Design through its Department of Art. The 120-hour program combines art foundations with game development, 3D modeling and animation courses and a two-semester senior game project.
Boise, IDPublicAccredited: NWCCU
Boise State University's Department of Games, Interactive Media, and Mobile Technology (GIMM), in the College of Arts and Sciences, offers a 120-credit BS covering game design and development, interactive media and mobile development. The department also offers minors in interactive animation and in interactive film and mixed reality.
Peoria, ILPrivate nonprofitAccredited: HLC
Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois offers BA or BS majors in Game Design and Game Art and an MS in Game Development (with an optional Game Programming concentration) through its Department of Interactive Media, Computer Game Technology concentrations in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems, and a Music for Video Games major in the Department of Music.
Provo, UTPrivate nonprofitAccredited: NWCCU
Brigham Young University's Center for Animation brings together the Animation BFA in the Design Department and the BS in Computer Science with an Animation and Games Emphasis in the Computer Science Department. Both programs are limited enrollment, with admission by portfolio review after pre-major courses, and students collaborate each year on an animated film and a game.
Chico, CAPublicAccredited: WSCUC
Chico State's Computer Animation and Game Development (CAGD) program in the College of Communication and Education offers a 120-unit B.S. in Computer Animation and Game Development with options in animation production and game development, plus related minors.
Pittsburgh, PAPrivate nonprofitAccredited: MSCHE
Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), a joint venture of the School of Computer Science and the College of Fine Arts, offers the two-year Master of Entertainment Technology (MET). The university's undergraduate game offering is a Game Design minor rather than a degree.
Burlington, VTPrivate nonprofitAccredited: NECHE
Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, offers seven on-campus game majors that share a team-based Game Studio Experience, and its online division, Champlain College Online, offers online bachelor's degrees in Game Development and Interactive Game Design.
Chicago, ILPrivate nonprofitAccredited: HLC
Columbia College Chicago offers a BA in Game and Interactive Media Design in its School of Design, with Game Design, Game Programming, Software Development and UX/UI concentrations, and a Game Art concentration within the BA in Animation and Computer Graphics in its School of Film and Television. Admission is test-free with no application fee; game applicants submit concentration-specific portfolio materials.
Chicago, ILPrivate nonprofitAccredited: HLC
DePaul University in Chicago offers game degrees through the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media: a BS and an MFA in Game Design, a BS and an MS in Game Programming, and game-focused concentrations in the BFA in Animation, the BS in Computer Science and the BS in Computer Science + Animation. The MS in Game Programming and the BS in Computer Science are listed as available in person or online.
Redmond, WAPrivate for-profitAccredited: ACCSC
DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, Washington, offers three campus bachelor's degrees in game design and game programming (BA in Game Design, BS in Computer Science and Game Design, BS in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation) built around yearly team game projects, plus an online MS in Game Development.
Philadelphia, PAPrivate nonprofitAccredited: MSCHE
Drexel University in Philadelphia offers a Bachelor of Science in Game Design & Production through the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The program runs on a quarter calendar with four-year (one co-op) and five-year (three co-op) plans.
Ypsilanti, MIPublicAccredited: HLC
Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti offers a Bachelor of Science in Simulation, Animation and Gaming (SAG) through its School of Art and Design. The program combines traditional art, creative writing and story development with 3D modeling, rigging, animation, lighting and camera work, and courses aimed at game and animation skills.
Big Rapids, MIPublicAccredited: HLC
Ferris State University offers a Bachelor of Applied Science in Digital Animation and Game Design with Game Development, 3D Animation and General concentrations; classes are held at the Big Rapids campus or in Grand Rapids, with some online or mixed-delivery classes.
Fitchburg, MAPublicAccredited: NECHE
Fitchburg State University, a public university in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, offers an on-campus BS in Game Design in its Communications Media Department and a Game Programming concentration within its BS in Computer Science.
Winter Park, FLPrivate for-profitAccredited: ACCSC
Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, offers game degrees on campus and online, including bachelor's degrees in Game Development and Game Art, bachelor's completion programs with Game Design, Game Development and Game Art concentrations, and a Master of Science in Game Design. Programs follow a monthly course sequence, and tuition includes a program-specific hardware and software package.
Atlanta, GAPublicAccredited: SACSCOC
Georgia Tech's Bachelor of Science in Computational Media is offered jointly by the College of Computing, the School of Literature, Media, and Communication and the School of Music. Three official thread combinations include a Games thread: Media-Games, People-Games and Artificial Intelligence-Games.
Phoenix, AZPrivate for-profitAccredited: HLC
Grand Canyon University in Phoenix offers two game bachelor's degrees, each available on campus and online: a Bachelor of Science in Game Development (College of Engineering and Technology) and a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design (College of Arts and Media). Design and programming students share a four-course Game Creation sequence.
Harrisburg, PAPrivate nonprofitAccredited: MSCHE
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology offers an on-campus Bachelor of Science in Game Design in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The major's 50 semester hours of core courses cover game design, prototyping, game art and animation, level and narrative design, and two capstone Game Studio courses.