Best Schools For Video Game Design 2024

Many schools for video game design around the globe specialize in training students to become professional video game designers. These schools emphasize game programming, and they focus on different tools to educate students.

However, the important tool they use is computer education, to educate students and prepare them for careers in gaming, modeling, training, visualization industries, and simulation.

In recent times, the video game industry has been on the rise and in demand. A video game designer can earn six-digit figures depending on their location, and their salaries are not stable because they vary. However, the average salary of a video game designer could be $70,000 with extra tips depending on how long they have been working in the industry and their skills.

A student aspiring to be a good video game designer is required to participate more in computer science with a strong concentration in graphics design. In this overview, we will provide you with the best schools for video game design, and everything you need to know about them.

WHAT DOES A VIDEO GAME DESIGNER DO?

Video game designers are creative in creating their video games, including the sounds, characters, obstacles, levels and settings, and narrative. They make the game more interactive and interesting, with skills in technical aspects. A good video game designer with perfect experience looks for perfect plots, development, characters, and settings for the games.

Video game designers think broadly about transforming our everyday lives into playable games and making it very easy and challenging at the same time, depending on the mode of the game. A video game designer creates perfect aesthetics suitable for gaming. Designers explore to become perfect in creating the game settings, visuals, or characters.

A video game designer creates a good character and what the game is being focused on to come up with a better storyboard of the game.

TOP 12 BEST SCHOOLS FOR VIDEO GAME DESIGN

The following are some of the best schools for video game design:

1. FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY

Full Sail University is a private university located in Winter Park. They offer graduate programs and bachelor’s degrees for various undergraduate programs. Whether it is music, art and design, web and technology, filmmaking, or business behind entertainment, but especially for video game

Full Sail University is one of the best schools for video game design. They offer bachelor’s degree programs. Students who are studying video game design are to partake in courses like game balancing, prototyping, discrete mathematics, game systems integration, game design production, and design and development analysis.

Full Sail University has both on-campus and online classes. There is a 32-month bachelor’s program served online and a 20-month bachelor’s degree served on campus. Video game design is a unique program at Full Sail University that most students have a passion for. Full Sail University tuition fees for video game design is $36,000 (USD) per year.

2. CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ARTS

Source: cia.edu

Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) is one of the best schools for video game design. It is a private college in Ohio focused on video game design. CIA tuition fees per year are $44,680 (USD) per year with a class size of 600 students.

They explore games through the creation and development of 2D video games. Students who are interested in becoming video game designers are to participate in courses like Digital lighting, Intro to 3D Modeling, 3D texture, Four classes in video game production, Game testing and level design, serious game designs, and Mapping. To be a video game designer, you will be required to have transcripts, an application form, and a portfolio.

3. DIGIPEN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DigiPen Institute of Technology (DIT) is one of the best schools for video game design. It is a private institution located in Redmond, Washington. DIT tuition fees for video game students are $34,900 per year.

DIgipen serves both master’s degrees and bachelor’s degrees in video game design, sound, computer science, and digital art. They also have summer classes for online courses students, students in grades k-12, and year-long high school programs.

Their Video game students are meant to cover topics such as dynamics, aesthetics, game analysis, character design and play-testing, game mechanisms, 2D and 3D level design, and game history. Students must participate in technical classes like mathematics and computer science and also in art classes like animation, drawing, and modeling. Students who have a passion for studying video game design are required to at least have a B in compulsory courses.

4. COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO

Columbia College is one of the best schools for video game design. It is a media arts, liberal arts, and business private college located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Columbia College Chicago has a school size of 5,928 students, and students pay tuition fees of $27,786 (USD) per year.

At Columbia College Chicago, students have various choices in different fields of concentration, and in-game arts, sound, and development. The main goal of studying video game design as a course is the senior capstone project. That is, a student is required in their senior year to form a team to work together to create a working game and gain more insight into what it feels like to create a game and bring it into production in the industry.

Columbia College in Chicago gives students the importance of focusing their attention also in sound design to make their game design best for the field. Students must complete their courses in the media core and interactive arts before they can begin their gaming courses.

5. HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE

Source: hampshire.edu

Hampshire College is another best schools for video game design. It is a private liberal arts college, and this is one of the best colleges located in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Hampshire College pays tuition fees for undergraduates of $54,452 (USD) per year, it has a total enrollment of 508 undergraduate students.

One thing that makes Columbia College different in game design and development is that students have free will to design their course of study and build a perfect portfolio.

Hampshire has two different labs for the students to make use of which are the game lab and game library.

6. CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE

Chaplain College is a private college founded in 1978 and located in Burlington, Vermont. It is one of the best schools for video game design.

Chaplain College serves both online and also gives students certificates both in degree programs and master courses and also on-campus undergraduate.

What makes Chaplain College’s game design different is that they allow students to partake in only compulsory classes that are relevant to them. These classes are development and introduction to game design and game history with their first year in the video game design program and this gives students to start focusing on their internship and portfolio. Students are meant to focus on Game programming, game production management, and game art and animation.

7. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Michigan State University is a public university founded in 1855, located in East Lansing, Michigan. It is one of the best schools for video game design.

Michigan State University focuses its attention on little design and development. it’s mainly focused on students studying studio art, computer science, and media and information. It is a two-year program for interested students.

Michigan State University only focuses on compulsory courses for game design. Before students finish their courses, they can build a stronger portfolio. Students are required to participate in a game design studio and participate in game design to complete this program.

Michigan State University tuition fees for local students are $14,750 (USD) per year, for domestic tuition fees are $40,562 (USD) per year.

8. CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Cornell University is one of the best schools for video game design. It is a private university that offers undergraduate and graduate programs, and it is located in Ithaca, NY.

Cornell University does not offer a bachelor’s degree in game design. They only serve a bachelor’s degree in computer science cause that is where they focus their specialization, and it has a joint club in the University named Game Design Initiative at Cornell (GDIC). The school also focuses on video game design. Their main focused courses in the technical field include Game analytics, project management, software development, and technical game design.

9. GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Georgia Tech is one of the best schools for video game design. It is a public college that offers a variety of technological programs. Georgia Tech offers a bachelor’s degree in computational science and offers an M.S. and Ph.D. in Digital.

The bachelor’s degree being served is a connection between two different colleges, which are Ivan Allen College of liberal arts and the College of Computing. Georgia Tech Institute is located in Atlanta, Georgia. The institute was founded in 1855.

There are different studios and labs. The institute created and made available for the students to use, such as Adam lab, augmented reality game studio, experimental game lab, and entertainment intelligence laboratory.

10. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, TISCH SCHOOL OF ARTS

New York University, Tisch School of Arts is one of the best schools for video games, located in New York, the university was founded on August 17, 1965.

NYU Tisch made video game design so convenient for students studying the course, that the college designed a game program named the BFA program. This BFA program enabled students to start participating in courses like Game 101, which talks more about the history of video games and also about the industry.

Students can participate more in courses that are relevant to their education, because they have a target that they must round up for them to begin writing a research paper, creating their games, and curating their exhibition.

To achieve a degree in video game design at New York University Tisch School of Arts, you need to create a portfolio. The portfolio requirements include personal statements, creative projects (games, videos, websites), and a 1-page critical analysis. After creating the portfolio, you visit nyugamecenter.slideroom.com to apply for this program.

11. NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Northeastern University (NU) is one of the best schools for video game design. It is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1898.

Northeastern University offers an M.S. degree in computer science and issues a certificate in game analytics. Nu also have game design available for minor who are interested as well. Northeastern University gives students the privilege to choose from three various departments (BFA in game design and digital arts, BFA in games, and BFA in game development and computer science).

Bachelor of Science students participate in science-relatedence-related courses, while BFA students only participate in classes that are relevant to graphics design and art studies.

12. PARSONS THE NEW SCHOOL FOR DESIGN

Pearson’s The New School for Design gives students two opportunities in different fields of choice. Students can participate in creative technology or participate in game design. It is one of the best schools for video game design.

Pearsons School is a private institution that serves BFA in technology and design. The institution is located in New York. The new school tuition fee for full-time undergraduate students is $50,800 (USD) per year. The new school offers programs including technology, art, and media.

WHAT DEGREE SHOULD I GET FOR VIDEO GAME DESIGN?

Aspiring students interested in video game designing can begin their journey by considering a Bachelor’s degree in software engineering. This degree will enable them to get the most experience, skills, and techniques required for the video game industry.

WHAT COUNTRY IS BEST FOR VIDEO GAME DESIGN?

Undoubtedly, the USA is one of the best countries for video game design. The country features some of the best schools for video game design, and these schools offer one of the best programs required in that field.

ARE GAME DESIGNERS IN HIGH DEMAND?

Yes! Game designers are in high demand all over the world, with the ability to earn six-digit figures annually. It is also a career path that yields experience in other jobs.

CONCLUSION

To become a professional video game designer is not impossible to achieve. However, to become one, you should consider enrolling in one of the best schools for video games, and get equipped with the relevant skills and knowledge. We hope this overview is helpful to your search.

REFERENCE

Princetonreview.com
Usnews.com
Wikipedia.org
Gamedesigning.org
Collegerank.org

Best Schools For Video Game Design