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 3 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
Savannah, GAPrivate nonprofitAccredited: SACSCOC
Savannah College of Art and Design offers a BA and a BFA in game development and an MA and an MFA in interactive design and game development through its School of Creative Technology; each degree is listed for Atlanta, Savannah and SCADnow online. SCAD accepts applications year-round with quarterly start terms.
Portsmouth, OHPublicAccredited: HLC
Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio offers two coordinated campus game degrees: a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game & Simulation Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Game Programming in the Department of Engineering Technology. Students from both degrees work together in Senior Studio.
Dallas, TXPrivate nonprofitAccredited: SACSCOC
Southern Methodist University offers game development degrees through SMU Guildhall in Dallas: the Master of Interactive Technology in Digital Game Development, a two-year full-time program with art creation, level design, production and programming specializations, and a Bachelor of Arts in Game Development launched in fall 2026.
Richardson, TXPublicAccredited: SACSCOC
The University of Texas at Dallas offers game degrees through the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology: a 120-credit Bachelor of Arts in Animation and Games and a 54-credit Master of Fine Arts in Game Development, both on the Richardson campus.
Tempe, AZPrivate for-profitAccredited: HLC
University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona, offers a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design, a Bachelor of Arts in Game Art and Animation, a Bachelor of Science in Game Programming and a Master of Science in Game Production and Management, on campus and through UAT Online. Tuition is a flat rate per semester.
Tucson, AZPublicAccredited: WSCUC
The University of Arizona in Tucson offers game degrees through its College of Information Science: a BS in Game Development on the main campus and through Arizona Online, and a main-campus BA in Game Design. The College of Humanities also offers a BA in Applied Humanities with a Game Studies emphasis through Arizona Online.
Irvine, CAPublicAccredited: WSCUC
UC Irvine's Department of Informatics in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences offers a B.S. in Game Design and Interactive Media. The Informatics Ph.D. is a broader doctorate without a named game track.
Santa Cruz, CAPublicAccredited: WSCUC
UC Santa Cruz offers a B.S. in Computer Science: Computer Game Design administered by the Computational Media Department in Baskin Engineering and a B.A. in Art & Design: Games + Playable Media in the Arts Division. The Games and Playable Media M.S. is not accepting applications, and the Computational Media M.S. and Ph.D. are broader degrees without a named game track.
Orlando, FLPublicAccredited: HLC
The University of Central Florida offers game degrees through the Nicholson School of Communication and Media: a BA in Digital Media with a Game Design track and the MS in Interactive Entertainment taught at the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) at UCF Downtown in Orlando.
San Jose, CAPrivate for-profitAccredited: WSCUC
The University of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California (founded in 1887 as Cogswell Polytechnical College) offers a BA in Game Design, a BS in Game Engineering and a BA in Game Art through its Game Design and Development area, each available on campus or 100% online. The university's website shows it accepting applications.
Los Angeles, CAPrivate nonprofitAccredited: WSCUC
USC Games is a joint program of the School of Cinematic Arts' Interactive Media & Games Division and the Viterbi School of Engineering's Department of Computer Science. It lists bachelor's degrees in game development and interaction design, game art and computer science (games), and master's degrees in game design and development, interactive media and computer science with a game development specialization.
Salt Lake City, UTPublicAccredited: NWCCU
The University of Utah offers game degrees through its Division of Games (formerly Entertainment Arts & Engineering), which became a stand-alone academic department in July 2023. Programs include a BS in Games, a BS in Computer Science with an Entertainment Arts and Engineering emphasis offered with the School of Computing, and the Master of Entertainment Arts and Engineering with five tracks.
Menomonie, WIPublicAccredited: HLC
University of Wisconsin-Stout (UW-Stout Polytechnic) in Menomonie offers three on-campus undergraduate game pathways: a B.F.A. in Game Design & Development - Art, a B.S. in Computer Science with a Game Design & Development concentration, and a B.S. in Game & Media Studies. Its hybrid M.F.A. in Design lists Game Design & Development among its focus areas.
Orem, UTPublicAccredited: NWCCU
Utah Valley University's Digital Media Department in the Smith College of Engineering and Technology offers a BS in Animation and Game Development with 2D Animation, 3D Animation and Visual Effects, and Game and XR Development tracks. Students are admitted to a track through a portfolio review after completing first-year courses.
Saint Louis, MOPrivate nonprofitAccredited: HLC
Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, offers a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design and Development through the Media Arts Department of its School of Communications, available only at the St. Louis main campus. The program is team-focused and portfolio-oriented, and Webster is an Unreal Engine Academic Partner for the program.
Morgantown, WVPublicAccredited: HLC
West Virginia University's School of Art and Design, in the College of Creative Arts and Media, offers an on-campus BA in Game Design and Interactive Media in Morgantown and a 30-credit online MA in Game Design. An accelerated BA/MA pathway links the two.
New Castle, DEPrivate nonprofitAccredited: MSCHE
Wilmington University offers a 120-credit BS in Game Design and Development through its College of Business and Technology, with Game Art Production and Interactive Programming concentrations. The program is listed in traditional classroom and online formats at the New Castle and Brandywine locations and online.
Worcester, MAPrivate nonprofitAccredited: NECHE
Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Interactive Media & Game Development (IMGD) department offers a BS (IMGD Technology) and a BA (IMGD Art, with optional concentrations), an MS and an MFA, all on campus in Worcester, Massachusetts, plus a PhD in Computational Media. Coursework runs in WPI's seven-week terms with team projects and a senior Major Qualifying Project.