| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American University | District of Columbia |
Our 2019 ranking of the top game design school programs in the District of Columbia. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
1. American University, Washington, DC
American University (AU) was founded in 1893. The school serves more than 13,000 students enrolled in over 160 programs, through eight colleges and schools. AU is also home to the Game Lab, which the school says serves as a hub for experiential education, persuasive play research, and innovative production in the fields of games for change and purposeful play.
An MA and a Certificate in Game Design are offered jointly by the School of Communication (SOC) and the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Per the school, the MA in Game Design is the only program of its kind in the U.S. The SOC also offers an MFA in Games and Interactive Media, as well as a Concentration in Games and Interactivity within the MFA in Film and Electronic Media. The CAS offers a Game and Computational Media Track with the MS in Computer Science.
Students in all programs get real-world experience by working on projects with the Game Studio, and with clients such as Educational Testing Service, the National Institute of Mental Health, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and WAMU 88.5.