Video Game Design Schools

For those seeking employment within the video game industry, the consensus seems to be that a college degree in computer science, with an emphasis in video game design, is an excellent route.

A potential student’s options are increasing as more colleges and universities are offering courses with video game design-related content. More schools are coming to realize the cultural and economic importance of the computer gaming industry.

By offering such courses, the universities are also acknowledging that the games and their systems are becoming more complex and specialized. Sure, someone seeking a career within the video game industry should know and love video games, but these days, that’s not nearly enough. A successful video game designer must combine technical knowledge with an understanding of the storytelling and artistic requirements of the genre.

Top Video Game Colleges in the United States

1. University of Southern California
2. University of Utah
3. DigiPen Institute of Technology
4. Rochester Institute of Technology
5. Savannah College of Art and Design
6. Drexel University
7. Parsons The New School of Design
8. Georgia Institue of Technology
9. Massachusetts Institutre of Technology
10. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
11. New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
12. Carnegie Mellon University
13. Michigan State University
14. University of Pennsylvania
15. Northeastern University
16. Columbia College Chicago
17. Full Sail University
18. University of California, Santa Cruz
19. Champlain College
20. University of Central Florida
21. Shawnee State University
22. Hampshire College
23. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
24. Cleveland Institute of Art
25. Cornell University
26. DePaul University
27. Ringling College of Arts and Design
28. Becker College
29. University of California, Irvine
30. University of California, Los Angeles

Top International Video Game Colleges

1. Visual College of Art and Design of Vancouver (Vancouver, Canada)
2. Vancouver Film School (Vancouver, Canada)
3. Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) (offered in USA and Internationally)
4. University of Bolton (United Kingdom)
5. Sheridan College (Ontario, Canada)
6. The Centre for Digital Media (Vancouver, Canada)
7. University of Malta (Malta)
8. Abertay University (United Kingdom)
9. Digipen Institute of Technology (offered in Singapore, Spain and Redmond, Washington)
10. Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)

But it’s not all fun and games, many of these programs are competitive to get into and have rigorous academic schedules.