
Florida is famous for fun, especially when it comes to interactive entertainment. Game designers & developers play an important role here because they help create a variety of games for all ages and levels, and the games are not just for consoles and computers. They develop games for amusement parks and gaming centers across the state, as well as cruise ships, and other environments.
Florida’s unique population of game designers & developers don’t just work locally, however. Many work remotely for game design firms across the country. In addition to game designer or game developer, other common job titles include sound designer, game tester, and programmer. Fortunately, Florida is home to a number of schools that prepare students for a career in the gaming industry, no matter which job title they ultimately choose.
Florida’s game design & development programs are offered at several art schools and traditional colleges. Many of them are considered the best in the nation based on several significant benefits. These schools offer a large number of academic programs, they have excellent graduation and retention rates, and they offer access to a variety of financial resources to fit varying financial backgrounds. In addition, these “best schools” are selective and they have small class sizes, which are considered more conducive to learning.
The state of Florida is home to more than 220 accredited colleges and universities. This is more than double the national average of 90. Many Florida colleges can be found in or near entertainment centers such as Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. However, you can still find some of the state’s best schools in smaller towns such as Sarasota and Winter Park. Just a few of the best schools for aspiring game designers and developers are Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, and Florida State University in Tallahassee.
To learn more about Florida’s best game design & development schools, take a look at the list of schools below and what they have to offer.
Best Game Design & Development School Programs - Major Florida Cities
Tallahassee
Florida State University – Degrees Offered: B. A. and B. F. A. Design with Concentration in Print Design, Interactive Design or Animation and Visual Effects; M. F. A. Art with Concentration in Design or Electronic Media
Best Game Design & Development School Programs - Other Florida Cities and Towns
Boca Raton
Florida Atlantic University – Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Graphic Design; M. F. A. Visual Art: Graphic Design and Media, Technology and Entertainment
Sarasota
Ringling College of Art and Design – Degrees Offered: B. F. A. Computer Animation, Game Art and Design, Graphic and Interactive Communication, Illustration, Motion Design
Winter Park
Full Sail University - Degrees Offered: A. S. Graphic Design; B. S. Computer Animation, Digital Arts and Design, Game Art, Game Design (online only), Game Development (traditional only), Graphic Design (online only), Web Design and Development; M. F. A. Media Design (online only); M. S. Game Design (traditional only)
More Programs to Consider:
- San Francisco & Online
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#14) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#37) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Illustration (#24) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#38) - 2021
- Winter Park, FL & Online
- Computer Animation - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Game Programs - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Film & Digital Cinematography - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Mobile Development - Bachelor's - Online
- Simulation & Visualization - Bachelor's - Campus
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#11) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#10) - 2021
- Top 25 in the South for Graphic Design (#10) - 2021
- Online