Over the past year or so, we’ve told you about a number of new game design programs that will be welcoming their very first class in just a matter of weeks. University of Utah, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Staffordshire University are just a few. For this month, we would like to refresh your memory on a few other programs that have made it past their exciting first year and are now accepting applications for 2019. We also have some news about several online game courses that are still accepting students. And guess what? They’re free! Read on.
Pratt Institute - Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York
Pratt Institute’s Associate Degree Programs in the School of Art launched a two-year Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) degree in Game Design and Interactive Media (GDIM), which welcomed its first class in Fall 2017. With its first year a success, the “forward-thinking” program will be entering year two in just a few weeks.
The School of Art says that the AOS program “provides students with the key skills and knowledge needed to meet the burgeoning demand in the field for creative professionals who are fluent across the entire landscape of digital and analog game design.” The curriculum, which specializes in gaming from an “artistic standpoint,” covers artistry, interactivity, production, programming, prototyping, and of course, game design.
Multidisciplinary in nature, the program also stresses, “software and production skills that have applications in the game design industry” as well as the architectural, education, medical, therapeutic and web industries. The program requires 67 credit hours that may be completed in just four semesters.
Founded in 1887, Pratt Institute is one of the world’s leading colleges of art, design, and architecture. The school, which serves nearly 4,700 students, offers 22 undergraduate degree programs and 27 graduate degree programs through six schools. Pratt is a charter member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and all programs in the School of Design and in the School of Art are accredited by NASAD. The Institute as a whole is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Maryland Institute College of Art – Baltimore, Maryland
Last Fall, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) launched a brand new BFA in Game Design. The school, which previously had a Game Arts concentration, also announced that it would host a Game Designer in Residence for designers who are at a higher level than the BFA. More on this later.
According to MICA, the new BFA in Game Design teaches students to “create games from the ground up, building skills in design, programming and prototyping.” Concentrations are available and include 3D Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration, and Sound Design. Students in the program have access to “a state-of-the-art space with a designated game lab, serving as a nexus of creative ideas and output.” Sample courses for the program include 2D Level and Narrative Design, 3D Game Studio, 3D Worlds and Level Design, Advanced 2D Game Design, and Game Collaboration Studio. Students interested in MICA’s new BFA in Game Design can apply now for 2019.
The Game Designer in Residence at MICA offers the opportunity for one lucky artist to complete a full-time, one-year residency in the school’s new Game Lab and Game Design program. For this unique new offering, the resident will have the opportunity to teach 12 credits per year (two courses per semester), which involves working closely with students, the research lab, and the larger MICA community. The resident will also be expected to complete a game or other play-based project. Apply now for Fall 2019.
Founded in 1826, MICA is the oldest continuously degree-granting college of art in the nation. Serving more than 1,500 students, the school offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate programs, majors, minors, and studio concentrations. MICA is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Higher Education (MSA/CHE) and the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD).
edX – Cambridge, Massachusetts
edX has announced that it still has several free game courses available for anyone interested in learning about game design. Developed by Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) (RITx), Gameplay Programming for Video Game Designers begins September 9, 2018 and lasts five weeks. Students will “learn how to create the best gameplay by understanding algorithmic thinking in simple programming problems and applying it to game design,” says edX. The course requires a time commitment of three hours per week.
Another available RITx course, Video Game Design History, begins October 29, 2018. The course, which requires a time commitment of one to three hours per week, lasts five weeks and it teaches students “about the evolution of video games from experts at The Strong National Museum of Play, the world’s largest collection of video game materials.”
While all available edX courses are free, students can add a Verified Certificate to each for $49.
Founded by Harvard University and MIT in 2012, edX is an online learning destination and MOOC provider, offering high-quality courses from the world’s top universities and institutions to students around the globe.