One of the most frequently asked questions we see is, “What are the best game design schools?”
If you are considering a degree in video game design, game art, game development, game animation or video game programming, then the game design schools listed below are the top game design colleges (offering a bachelor’s degree in game design) to consider.
How Do I Choose The Best Game Design School For Me?
Each year the US News and World Report releases their rankings for colleges and universities. Unfortunately, video game design schools are not yet routinely listed as a category. Because there isn’t a category for “The Best Game Design Schools“, The Princeton Review, in association with GamePro magazine, releases their top game design school rankings annually.
There are a handful of video game design schools which consistently rank well on the coveted Princeton Review of top undergraduate and graduate schools for video game design.
Each of these universities and colleges offer video game art & design degree programs which are held in high regard among the top video game design studios, and among video game industry professionals.
Graduates from the best game design schools can expect to land a game designer job with relative ease, as these schools have created bachelor degree programs to give their students a balance of theory and real world application.
Graduates will leave these programs will real world game design and programming skills which they can apply immediately in the field of video games design and development.
Read Our Other Articles About Video Game Design Schools, Careers and Software
- Read our article about Video Game Design Software Overview
- You need to know What Is A Video Game Software Development Kit?
- Click here to learn What Are The Top Video Game Design Careers?
- Also learn about What Are The Different Types Of Video Game Design Jobs?
- Click here to find out How To Get A Job As A Video Game Programmer
Video Game Design at USC
With the tremendously explosive growth of the video game industry (and this trend is expected to continue for several more years), more high school graduates and career seekers are considering degrees in video game art & design, video game programming, and game development.
Competition for admissions to these game design colleges is expected to become more difficult, and so will competition for game designer jobs after graduation.
Only those who have earned a game design degree from a reputable school, and those who have successfully completed game design projects can expect to be considered for jobs by top game design studios.
The Best Game Design Schools – Undergraduate (Bachelor’s Degree)
Quickly listed in order, they are:
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
- University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
- DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA)
- The Art Institute of Vancouver (Vancouver, British Columbia)
- Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
- Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
- Champlain College (Burlington, VT)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
- Becker College (Worcester, MA)
Best Game Design Schools – Undergraduate Honorable Mention
In no particular ranking order, these are the schools which made it to the honorable mention list for best game design schools – undergraduate:
- Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA),
- North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC),
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY),
- Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
- Shawnee State University (Portsmouth, OH)
Best Game Design Schools – Graduate (Master’s Degree)
Listed in order are the top graduate programs for best game design schools as reviewed by the reputable Princeton Review, in association with GamePro magazine.
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
- University of Central Florida (Orlanda, FL)
- Southern Methodist University (Plano, TX)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
- Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
- University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
- Parsons The New School for Design (New York, NY)
- The University of Texas at Dallas (Dallas, TX)
Best Game Design Schools – Graduate Honorable Mention
Listed in particular order are the honorable mention graduate programs for best game design schools, as reviewed by The Princeton Review with GamePro magazine:
- Academy of Art University (San Francisco, CA),
- DePaul University (Chicago, IL),
- DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA),
- Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA),
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
More Articles About Video Game Design
- Read our article about Video Game Design Software Overview
- You need to know What Is A Video Game Software Development Kit?
- Click here to learn What Are The Top Video Game Design Careers?
- Also learn about What Are The Different Types Of Video Game Design Jobs?
- Click here to find out How To Get A Job As A Video Game Programmer
What Do You Study At The Best Game Design Schools?
The best game design schools have designed their bachelor’s degree programs to include a broad curriculum across the spectrum of the video game design industry.
Video Game Artists.
Game artists study topics in video game art and design, which are essential for aspiring game artists to learn the foundations of color theory, as well as to practice with hands on skills using top art software such as Adobe Photoshop, or Bryce. Students pursuing degrees in game art will also require extensive study and practice with 3D software programs like the industry standard 3ds Max by Autodesk, or Maya (also by Autodesk).
Students will study how to design 3D characters and animate them, as well as how to create landscapes and 3D worlds which immerse the gamer in the storyline of the game. The best game design schools will combine theory and hands on practice to prepare students for real world careers in the video game industry.
Video Game Programmers.
Game programmers will study about best practices in software development and application coding. The standard programming languages are studied, with particular emphasis on C++ as the game programming software of choice in the video game industry.
Programmers will get plenty of hands on experience working on coding and tweaking game physics engines or artificial intelligence programming. Students will learn how to work with game level editors, and they will even learn how to create game design tools for use by the other members of a game design project team.
The Bottom Line About The Best Game Design Schools
The best game design schools all have one thing in common: a highly regarded reputation in the video game industry. The only way for game design degree programs to get a strong reputation with game professionals, is to earn it. And the way game schools earn a positive reputation is by consistently churning out good quality graduates with the skills, talents, experience and professionalism to thrive in the fast-paced, highly stressful and competitive world of video game design.
While many colleges and universities are jumping on the game design industry bandwagon, because they don’t want to miss an opportunity to make money… Other game schools have been in place for years with a focus on creating the next generation of top video game design professionals. The best game design schools have earned their place among the elite.
Tag: best game design schools
Incoming search terms:
- best game design schools (124)
- best game design schools in the world (42)
- game design universities (23)
- best schools for game design (15)
- video game design schools (15)
- vancouver university game design bachelors degree (15)
- top game design schools (14)
- top game programming schools (13)
- video game design schools in massachusetts (10)
- video game design (8)
My question is with the idea of game art schools like USC and the Academy. I am enrolled in Westwood college for game art and I was wondering on your opinion of the school such as their bachelor’s in science or game art.
@Toby – if game art is the thing that makes you happiest, then remember first and foremost is the foundation in art. A solid foundation in art can be applied beyond video game art and into many other industries. Creative types (and Art Directors) are not impressed with video game degrees as much as a solid foundation from a good art school degree. Of course it helps to have hands on experience working with art for video games, but the concepts are similar whether it is art for television, movies, commercials, special effects, print graphics, etc.
The Game Art degree from Westwood looks like it is a hybrid type of program attempting to balance a foundation in art while also giving a foundation in video game design basics. The degree will be as good as YOU make it! Take time to network and build relationships with your Instructors and your fellow classmates. Learn as much as you can beyond the classes for your degree. I think it would be wise to look for an emphasis in art to go along with this degree. Ask your guidance counselor if you can take extra art classes to earn an emphasis with your major, or to earn a minor, or to earn a certificate.
Best wishes to you Toby! Work hard. Network with people. Prove your skills. Be a team player. You will find great success in the video game art industry!