Top 25 Schools and Colleges in the U.S. with Game Design BFA Programs – 2019 College Rankings

Below are the Top 25 Game Design schools and colleges in the US offering Bachelor of Arts (BFA) degree programs for 2019. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.

1. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) houses the School of Art, which offers a broad-based BFA with a Concentration in Electronic and Time Based Media. Per the school, the program “explores the creative potential of emerging technologies and the critical impact they have on contemporary culture.” Cross-disciplinary study is encouraged, so many students “merge fine art and computer science based interests either within the BFA program or through the unique BCSA degree program.”

Areas of focus include Game Arts, Animation, Bioart, Computational and Interactive Art, Tangible Media, Video and Performance, and Tactical Media. “Students particularly interested in the intersection of art and technology can take advantage of expanded course offerings through the IDeATe Program.”

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IDeATe Collaborative Studios include Game Engine Programming offered by the Robotics Institute, Research Issues in Game Development offered by the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at CMU, and Programming for Game Designers—also offered by the ETC.

Work by graduating seniors in the BFA program is showcased in a final group exhibition presented in the Miller Gallery at the close of each spring semester.

2. New York University (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts, New York, New York

Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (NYU) is home to the NYU Game Center, Department of Game Design, which offers a Game Design BFA. The program is organized in three primary areas including Game Studies, Game Design, and Game Development, and four production areas including Programming, Visual Design, Audio Design, and Game Business. Students may specialize in Game Programming, Visual or Audio Design, or Game Development.

Students in the program will gain hands-on experience by taking studio courses and participating in play labs, and electives allow students to “explore everything from Game Journalism to Games and Players (a class on the psychology and emotions of game play).”

Classes and events for all Game Center programs take place at the Media and Games Network (MAGNET) at the NYU Brooklyn campus. MAGNET also houses the Game Center Open Library, which is "the largest collection of games held by any university in the world."

3. Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) houses the School of Digital Media, which offers a BFA in Interactive Design and Game Development (IDGD). The 180 credit hour BFA is offered in Savannah, Atlanta, and Hong Kong. The program requires 75 credit hours in the major including courses such as Interactive Design and Game Development Studio I & II, Interactive Design and Game Development Postproduction, and Programming. Students in the BFA program will choose between two concentrations: Game Development and Interactive Design and Physical Computing. Sample courses include Game Tech, Game Art, User-Centered Design, and Visual Design for Interactive Media.

At SCAD, professionals visit with students every quarter, interviewing for positions and reviewing portfolios. Recent visitors include representatives from Zynga, Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Crystal Dynamics and Activision. Graduates have been recruited by Epic Games, Sucker Punch Productions, Firaxis Games, and many others.

4. Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Hollywood, California

Gnomon School of Visual Effects offers a three- or four-year Digital Production BFA. Per the school, the BFA program “covers all aspects of a 3D generalist skillset, providing an in-depth understanding of the 3D production pipeline, visual arts, and general education studies.” Students “develop their command of design and technical applications to contribute and succeed within the competitive film, game, and visual effects industries.”

Course highlights include Storyboarding, Color Theory and Light, Figure Drawing, Animation and Visual Effects, Lighting and Rendering, Texturing and Shading, Digital Sets, Props and Weapons for Games, Character Rigging for Production, Narrative Structure, Maya Modules, Creature Modeling and Sculpting, Houdini 2, Previsualization and Animatics, and Game Creation. The BFA program “culminates in the creation of a demo reel used to gain employment.”

Gnomon graduates have gone on to work with Blizzard Entertainment, Digital Domain, Disney Interactive Media Group, Electronic Arts, ILM, PlayStation, ZeniMax Online Studios, and many others.

5. Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University offers two BFA program for game designers through the College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD). Options include a BFA in Game Art and Animation and a BFA in Games. The 130 credit hour BFA in Game Art and Animation allows students to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams and with students in the BS in Computer Science and Game Development and BFA in Games majors. Students in the program will also gain practical and technical experiential training via Northwestern’s co-op program. Each student will take at least two co-ops. The BFA in Game Art and Animation culminates in a two-semester Senior Capstone.

The BFA in Games requires 128-129 credit hours of study covering Art and Design, Art History, Games, Entrepreneurship, Critical Making, Creative Making, and Game Electives. While the program does not require a co-op, the school says that students “are exposed to a wide variety of genres and contexts, as well as different ways of thinking about games content, platforms, and production.” Students will have “a minimum of four games courses in which they interact with and collaborate with students in the BS in computer science and game development major.” The program culminates in a Game Design Capstone.

6. The New School/Parsons, New York, New York

The New School/Parsons offers a BFA in Design and Technology (DT) through the School of Art, Media, and Technology (AMT). The BFA DT, which has both Game Design and Creative Technology Pathways, teaches students to code and “develop a sustainable process for researching, experimenting, designing, prototyping, iterating, and producing projects that keeps pace with evolving technology,” says the school.

Program highlights include access to university’s extensive libraries, galleries, and state-of-the-art facilities and visits to industry leaders such as MTV, Nickelodeon, and Curious Pictures. Other industry partners include Apple, Atari, Human Rights Watch, MTV, Siemens, and UNESCO.

A related program, the BFA in Art, Media, and Technology, is offered at the Parsons Paris campus. This interdisciplinary program, which explores design, art, media, and technology, prepares graduates to pursue careers in Animation, Game Design, Interactive and Social Media, Motion Graphics, and more.

Graduates leave the Game Program at Parsons with the skills needed to pursue careers in game design, virtual reality and immersion experience design, motion graphics, animation, film, advertising, software design, hardware engineering, and graphic arts.

7. Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida

Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) is home to the Computer Animation Department, which houses eight state-of-the-art computer labs in addition to three open labs. Students are also experimenting with VR technology using the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. Degree options here include a BFA with a Game Art Major, which is one of the few programs available that focuses on visual art for computer games.

Per the school, students in the program will study “the basics of game design mechanics, meaningful play, interactivity, and options for creating and refining game content.” The technical aspects of 3D animation software and game engines will also be explored. Other program highlights include visiting artists from major game studios such as Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, and Riot Games, and internships at these studios and others such as Electronic Arts, Insomniac Games, and Sony Online Entertainment.

Graduates of RCAD enjoy a high professional placement rate at Activision, Blizzard, Cartoon Network Game Studios, Disney Interactive Studios, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Gameloft, Hasbro, Intel corporation, LucasArts, Microsoft Game Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Riot Games, Sony Imageworks Interactive, Zynga and many others.

8. Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California

Academy of Art University is home to the School of Game Development, which offers a BFA in Game Development. Per the school, this multidisciplinary program provides a “well-rounded education in the arts with an emphasis on understanding and applying techniques including 3D modeling, animation and lighting in video game production.” Courses cover techniques in game design, game programming, concept art, 3D modeling, and animation, among others.

Course highlights include History of Comics: International and Alternative Comics, 3D Character Artist, 3D Environment Modeling, Environment Concept, Game/Level Design, UX/UI, and The Power of Signs: Semiotics & The Visual Arts. The programs include internships, collaborative projects, and Games Portfolio Preparation. The MFA program requires a thesis, as well as Directed Study.

The Game Development BFA Program at Academy of Art prepares students for positions such as Game Designer, 3D Modeler, Concept Artist, UI/UX Designer, and many others.

9. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

The Ohio State University’s Department of Art offers a BFA in Art and Technology. Per the school, the program allows students to “focus on the creative use, misuse, and investigation of technology in an art-making practice.” Students in the program will “engage the meaning and material of science and technology through the production of interactive installations, electronic objects and interfaces, moving images, 3D modeling and animation, art games, tactical media, bio-art, performance, digital imaging, rapid prototyping, holography, Internet art, sound, and emerging forms.”

Course highlights include Digital Image Manipulation, Podcasting, Internet Art, 3D Modeling, Holography I and Holography II, Moving Image Art, New Media Art, Computer Animation, and Video Art I and Video Art II.

“In addition to faculty in the Department of Art, students also benefit from affiliated faculty in Film Studies, Physics, the Advanced Computing Center for Arts and Design (ACCAD), Biology, Architecture, and the Nanotech West Lab.” Interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary experimentation is encouraged.

 Students also utilize state of the art facilities, equipment, and interdisciplinary expertise in the school’s many special labs, including the world class Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD).

10. University of Wisconsin – Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin – Stout (UW-Stout) is home to the College of Arts, Communication, Humanities and Social Sciences (CACHSS), which houses the School of Art and Design. Serving more than 1,000 students, the School of Art and Design offers a BFA in Game Design.

The school says that the BFA is the first and only BFA in Game Design in Wisconsin, Minnesota, & Iowa. Students in the program gain core skills in art and design such as drawing, 3D modeling, and animation. Program highlights include collaboration with computer science students, courses covering two- and three-dimensional models, animation and visual effects for video games, television, movies, and access to three labs with industry-standard hardware and software, AAA development kits, Intuos Cintiq Displays, HD and 3D projectors, and virtual reality headsets.

Graduates of the Game Design Programs at UW-Stout have landed positions at companies such as Big John Games, Finn Daniels Architects, Design Ready Controls, Wink Frozen Desserts, Find-It-Faster Online, Len Busch Roses, Pixel Spill Games, and many others.

11. Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, California

Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) offers a BFA in Game Art. With 168 students, the program has the second highest enrollment at the school. This project-based BFA highlights a collaborative environment, partnerships with USC’s graduate program (GamePipe), among others, and exclusive access to teachers and mentors that come from Blizzard Entertainment, Sony Online Entertainment, Appy Entertainment, Double Helix, Obsidian Entertainment, NCsoft Carbine Studios, Insomniac, and Highmoon.

The school says that students may choose to further develop and perfect their skills through industry internships that apply theory to real world situations. Additionally, the Game Art program hosts workshops that have featured such inspirational giants as Steven Huston and Nathan Fowkes.

12. George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason University (GMU) is home to the College of Visual and Performing Arts, which houses the Computer Game Design Program, which leads to a BFA. The 120 credit hour program “enables students to focus on the artistic components of computer game design while providing them with the technical skills prerequisite to the field.” A charter member of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance, the BFA program is interdisciplinary, which allows students to specialize in one area while “learning the language of many areas.”

Students will take portfolio courses as well as a pre-internship seminar, and they will complete an internship and a senior project. “Students can also network with employers at the Senior Expo, and those who want to start their own businesses can study Game Entrepreneurship.”

BFA students also have access to the Virginia Serious Game Institute based on George Mason University’s Science and Technology Campus. The institute offers Virginia schools, businesses and universities hands-on training, certification, research and development assistance by merging game company incubation and rapid prototype development.

The Virginia Serious Game Institute is the only one of its kind on the East Coast and one of only four global affiliated facilities established primarily to support early-entry entrepreneurship into the simulation and game design industry.

13. College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan

The College for Creative Studies is home to the Entertainment Arts Department—the school’s largest. The Department offers a BFA in Entertainment Arts with a Focus in Games, Animation, Concept Design or Digital Film.

Games teaches students how to produce 2-D and 3-D images and concepts for video games. As a complement to the program, students may choose coursework from other areas or a Minor in Animation & Digital Media, Illustration, Fine Arts, or Visual Culture. All BFA students will take 126 credit hours including 84 in studio areas and 42 in general studies courses.

The school says that in addition to coursework in their chosen major, first-year students take courses in the Foundation Department, where they study drawing, color theory and basic design. Students in all majors also take courses in the Liberal Arts Department, which the school says is designed to provide them with an understanding of the larger social and cultural context in which they live.

Graduates of the program are prepared to seek positions such as Character Artist, Environment and Vehicle Designer, Technical and VFX Artist, Creative Director, and AR/VR Developer.

14. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, Colorado

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design (RMCAD) offers a BFA in Game Art. Per the school, the Game Art curriculum “is a merger of technical and artistic coursework that covers the computer, analytical, and technical skills necessary to understand the mechanics of game design.” Students will also be introduced to everything from the different aspects of graphic design to creative and technical writing.” Requirements for the 123 credit hour program include 16 Art History credits, 30 Liberal Arts credits, 24 Foundations credits, 48 Core credits, and six Studio Elective credits.

Course highlights include Digital Painting for Film + Games, Game Animation + Motion Capture, Game Creation Fundamentals, Game Particles + Effects, 3D Modeling, 3D Computer Animation Motion Studies, Visual Storytelling, Lighting & Texture, Business Ethics & Copyrights, and Character + Level Design.

Other program highlights include small class sizes, a collaborative environment that allows students to interact with students from different programs, and professors working in the field.  

The BFA in Game Art prepares graduates for careers such as Game Designer, Concept Artist, 3D Character Modeler, Motion Graphics Designer, Rigger Animator, and Interactive Media Designer, to name a few.

15. Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) offers a BFA in Game Design that the school says focuses on collaboration and “mentoring by accomplished experts in digital media and game design, who will help students build connections and network with other professionals in the field.”

Game students at CIA work with “innovative production processes” including game production, 3D modeling, animation, programming, visual design, interactive storytelling, and audio, as well as theory, criticism, and context of video game culture and digital media. “While creating interesting and usable content, students build character development skills through coursework that analyzes and synthesizes physical, cognitive, cultural, and political aspects of human interaction.”

Course highlights include Game Production I-IV, Serious Game Design: Theory + Applications, Special VFX/Simulation + Virtual Reality, Game Testing + Level Design, and 3D Texture, Mapping, Digital Lighting. Students will also complete the BFA Research + Preparation course, the BFA Thesis + Exhibition, and the Game Design Internship course worth three elective credits upon approval by the Department Chair.

Graduates of the CIA Game Design Program are prepared to seek positions such as Game Designer, Storyboard Artist, Animator, Layout Artist, Visual Effects Supervisor, and many others.

16. University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas

University of the Incarnate Word is home to the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, which houses the School of Media & Design. Here, through the 3D Animation & Game Department, aspiring game designers can earn a BFA in 3D Animation & Game Design. Per the school, the BFA is considered a “professional preparatory” degree, meaning that when students graduate with a BFA, they are prepared to enter the workplace.

Course highlights for the program include Game Engines, Organic Modeling, History of Games, Business of Animation and Game Design, Character Modeling, Visual Narrative Conventions, Sacred Spaces, Environment Production, Motion Capture for Animators, Figure Drawing, and Rigging. Students will also complete Chinese I & II and a number of Animation Industry Seminars as well as Senior Thesis Workshop, Senior Thesis Production, and Senior Portfolio.

All students will have the opportunity to complete an internship. Graduates of the BFA program are prepared to seek positions in all areas of game design and animation.

17. Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Michigan

Lawrence Technological University (LTU) is home to the College of Architecture and Design (CoAD), which houses the Department of Art and Design. Here, aspiring game designers can earn a BFA in Game Art. Per the school, students in the program take an Integrated Game Studio sequence throughout their Sophomore and Junior years, “that acts as a platform for professional practice, bringing together the University's disciplines in order to produce and release games within the curriculum itself.”

The Game Art curriculum “employs an industry-applicable approach that includes art asset creation, asset integration, defining narrative and storytelling techniques and collaborative development practices between artists and programmers within the Game Software Development program under the Arts & Sciences College at Lawrence Technological University.”

The project-focused, multidisciplinary program highlights courses such as 3D Animation, Integrated Game Studio, Game Mechanics, Scripting for Game Design, Computer Games and Animation, New Media, Electronic Methods for Imaging, and Life Drawing.

Not only does the program provide students with the skills and tools needed to succeed in the field of Game Design, “but it has graduates hitting the ground running with full-fledged game releases before graduation.”

18. Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) offers a BFA in Game Design and a BFA in Interactive Arts with Concentrations in Game Arts Studio or Interactive Arts Studio. A Game Art Concentration is also available. Per MICA, the game programs explore “games from a unique perspective that can only be found at an art and design college.” The programs explore the role of play within our culture and questions how games are used to entertain, educate, and create meaning.

Students learn to create games from the ground up, building skills in design, programming and prototyping. Students can also concentrate in supporting areas 3D such as 3D animation, sound design, graphic design, and illustration. And they'll do all of this in a state-of-the-art space with a designated game lab, serving as a nexus of creative ideas and output.

Students in the programs can expect to take courses such as Game/Play: Introduction to Design, Drawing: Tradition and Innovation, Advanced 2D Game Design, Game Collaborative Studio, Form & Space, 3D Worlds and Level Design, 3D Game Design, Art Matters, 3D Game Studio, and 2D Level and Narrative Design.

For an additional six credits, students can earn an integrated degree in Humanistic Studies, which combines in-depth coursework in academics with studio practice. Graduates will leave the program with a polished portfolio, which will help them showcase their talents at Game Design companies, technology firms, and more.

Some companies who have hired MICA designers for jobs or internships include Abercrombie & Fitch, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Google, Kate Spade, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of Modern Art, National Public Radio and Under Armour.

19. California State University East Bay, Hayward, California

California State University East Bay (CSUEB) is home to the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Science which houses the Department of Art. Here, aspiring game designers can earn a BFA in Interaction and Game Design. Per the school, the 127-unit program "focuses on the creation of meaningful experiences expressed as interactive applications and objects. Game Design applies this to entertainment, both experimental and commercial. Students analyze interactivity in art, design, and everyday life, acquire skills and develop prototypes, and work in collaborative teams to produce successful games and creatively solve real world problems."

The Interaction & Game Design Core consists of 27 units including 4D Project Development and Preproduction, User Experience Theory and Design, Interaction Design Studio I: Tools for Designers & Interaction Design Studio II: Prototyping the Internet of Things, Web Design I: Foundations & Web Design II: Screen Interactions, History of Play, Games, and Interactivity, and Interaction and Experience Design Foundations.

Elective options dive deeper into games and include options such as Game Design II, a Game Design Team Project, and Interaction Design Studio III: Interactive Immersive Experiences. An Interaction and Game Design Senior Project and optional internship are also part of the program.

Graduates from the BFA in Interaction and Game Design Program go on to pursue careers such as Game Developer, Interaction Designer, User Interface (UI) Designer, Design Director, Level Designer, User Experience (UX) Researcher, Web Designer, Information Designer/Information Architect, Product Designer, and many others.

20. Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University’s Slane College of Communications & Fine Arts is home to the Department of Interactive Media, which offers a BFA in Animation & Game Design. Course highlights for the program include Introduction to Scripting Languages, Field Research in Virtual Environments, Game Art, Introduction to the Game Industry, Game Design, Game Production, 3D Animation, Quality Assurance for Games, Critical Game Studies, Game Engine Programming, Computer Game Design, and Advanced Interactive Media Authoring. Depending on the program, students will also complete a practicum, thesis, or capstone. Independent study is also offered.

Other program highlights include guest speakers, internship opportunities, and access to the Interactive Media, Animation Research, and Game Design Research Labs. Students also have access to the InterMedia Center and they have the opportunity to present a project at the department’s year-end show, FUSE.

21. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is home to the School of Fine Arts, which houses the Digital Media and Design Department. Here, aspiring game designers can earn a BFA in Digital Media and Design with a Concentration in Digital Game Design. Students in the program are required to take the foundation curriculum, which consists of Digital Foundation, Animation Lab, Fundamentals of Web Design, Digital Culture, Motion Graphics I, Critical Perspectives of Digital Media, Student Agency (2 semesters), and Design Lab.

Game design course highlights include Intro to Digital Game Design, Virtual Worlds & Simulations, Stories in Video Games, Advanced Digital Game Design & Development, Game System Design, Multiplayer Game Development, Disruptive Technologies, and Advanced Game Scripting.

sBesides a variety of course offerings, the program offers internship opportunities at places such as Disney, Boston Interactive, and Rocket Software and participation in DMD Club, After Effects Club, and Video Game Club.

Game graduates are prepared to seek positions such as 3D Character Artist, Technical Artist, Gameplay Programmer, Game Designer, User Experience Designer, Producer, VFX Artist, Cinematic Designer, Entrepreneur, Instructional Designer, and many others.

22. Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio

Shawnee State University (SSU) houses the Fine, Digital and Performing Arts Department, which offers several for aspiring game designers. Here, aspiring game designers can earn a BFA in Game & Simulation. Per the school, the BFA program focuses on 3D animation, character design, and interface design. “The curriculum enhances the classroom theory behind video game design with two unique value-added resources: a state-of-the-art Motion Capture Studio Lab and the Annual Art & Technology Game Conference.”

Hosted by Shawnee State, this interactive digital technology conference attracts game developers, students, and industry leaders from all over the country.

BFA Students will also “acquire practical experience through participation in a joint senior project in the Game Engineering program,” which the school says will build up their skills in animation, art asset development, game design, and motion capture.

To enhance the degree, students will have the opportunity to choose a Minor in Gaming Arts, Sound Design, Studio Arts, or Art History. Upon completion of the 122 credit hour BFA, graduates will be prepared to seek positions in all areas of game development and design, simulation, and more.

23. Woodbury University, Burbank, California

Woodbury University houses the School of Media, Culture & Design, which offers a BFA in Game Art & Design. Per the school, the program “combines art, animation, computer technology, sound design, story development and game design.” Students can develop their own art or design specialties, while taking game courses that focus on two-dimensional and three-dimensional character, environmental design, and animation.

Game design also “focuses on elements such as game conceptualization, play mechanics, game rules, story, program flow, scoring systems and prototyping.” Not only will students “work together in a cross-disciplinary team environment of artists and designers that mirrors the professional world,” says the school, they will also complete a mandatory internship that allows them to gain experience in the real world. Internship opportunities include, Nickelodeon, Insomniac Games, Activision Blizzard, Disney, Nexon, Code Headquarters, Skydance Interactive, DICE LA, and many others.

Graduates of Woodbury’s BFA in Game Art & Design have a variety of career options. Just a few include Environmental Design and Modeler, Character Design and Modeler, 3D Character, Animator, Rigger, Story Development for Interactive Media, Game Designer, Game Level Designer, Scenario Designer, Combat Designer, User Interface Designer, R&D Prototype Developer, and Game Design Documentation.

24. Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas

Southern Arkansas University (SAU) houses the College of Liberal & Performing Arts’ Department of Art & Design, which offers a Game, Animation, and Simulation BFA. The 120 credit hour program covers 3D animation techniques as well as production and management of game environments. Students are “also trained for a broad variety of scenarios which require prototyping 3D designs for manufacturers of medical equipment, transportation and the military.”

Course highlights include Introduction to 3D Modeling Tools, Game Design Management, Two-Dimensional Design, Animation, Character Design and Sculpture, Graphic Software Applications, Simulation Development, Advanced Art Studio, Illustration, World Creation and Design, 3D Rigging, and World Creation. A Game Development Senior Project, Senior Capstone, and optional internship are also part of the program.  

25. New York Film Academy, Los Angeles, California

New York Film Academy (NYFA) offers a BFA in Game Design that takes just three years to complete. Per the school, the program is designed for “highly motivated students who would like to enter an intensive hands-on professional course of study.” By completing the BFA in three years, students in the program enter the field of their choice a year early. The Academy makes this possible by creating an accelerated academic year, allowing students to complete three full-length semesters in each calendar years.

The BFA is a conservatory-based, full-time program that instructs students “through a strict regimen consisting of lectures, seminars, and total immersion workshops to excel in the creative art of game writing & design.” Students will "work collaboratively to create working software, supported by an instructor who assists them with hands-on coding. Students are exposed to additional facets of games through courses in Narrative Design, Game Analysis, and 3D Art."

Other courses such as Free to Play Games, Marketing Video Games, and The Business of Video Games are also highlighted.

The final semester of the NYFA BFA in Game Design is focused on completing the Collaborative Thesis Project II, which includes a Game Design Wiki, written story materials, and polished working software.