Computer and Video Game Degree Programs Continue to Grow at Colleges and Universities Across the U.S.

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Aug 16, 2010, 09:37 ET

A Record 300 Institutions Offer Degrees in Game Design, Development and Programming

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 300 American colleges, universities, art and trade schools will offer degrees in video game design, development, programming and art during the 2010-11 academic year, according to new research from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). The degrees offered at 300 institutions represent an almost 20 percent increase over 2009-10.

The growing number of educational programs comes as no surprise to Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs at the ESA, which represents computer and video game publishers. "The steady increase in higher education programs is an important indicator about the expanding role computer and video games play in today's world," said Mr. Taylor. "While computer and video games have been a source of entertainment for decades, our society is increasingly recognizing the broader uses of games and their positive impact. Whether it is in healthcare, education, business or government, schools across the country see the value of games and are training their students to meet the demand."

Prospective students interested in game design and development careers now have far greater options than their predecessors. During the 2008-09 academic year, 220 schools offered such programs and more than 250 programs were available during 2009-10. This year's record-setting list includes new programs such as the Game Design and Digital Studies Program at Dartmouth College, Gaming Certificate Program at Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, and Digital Animation and Interactive Media at Ohio State University's Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design.

Schools offering game design and development programs can be found in 42 states and the District of Columbia. California remains at the forefront of this educational field, home to 50 institutions of higher learning that offer game-related degrees, followed by New York (26), Texas (21), Illinois (17), Florida (15), Massachusetts (13), Pennsylvania (12), Michigan (10), Washington (10) and Georgia (9).

The continued growth of video game programs coincides with the overall growth of the entertainment software industry. According to the ESA's 2010 Essential Facts about Computer and Video Games report, 67 percent of American households now play computer and video games. In addition, public and private sector organizations in the fields of healthcare, education and business are increasingly relying on computer and video games to modernize and improve their operations. According to a study by the ESA, 70 percent of major employers utilize interactive software and games to train employees and more than 75 percent of businesses and non-profits already offering video game-based training plan to expand their usage in the next three to five years.

The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, owning the E3 Expo, business and consumer research, federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.

Colleges, Universities and Trade Schools with Computer and Video Game Courses and Degrees by State


Arizona
School	City	State
Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences	Gilbert	AZ
Mesa Community College	Mesa	AZ
Art Institute of Phoenix	Phoenix	AZ
Collins College	Phoenix	AZ
DeVry University - Phoenix	Phoenix	AZ
Arizona State University - Tempe	Tempe	AZ
University of Advancing Technology	Tempe	AZ
Art Center Design College - Arizona	Tucson	AZ


California
School	City	State
Westwood College - Anaheim Campus	Anaheim	CA
California State University Channel Islands	Camarillo	CA
Animation Mentor	Emeryville	CA
Expression College for Digital Arts	Emeryville	CA
DeVry University - Fremont	Fremont	CA
California State University, Fullerton	Fullerton	CA
Glendale Community College	Glendale	CA
Gnomon School of Visual Effects	Hollywood	CA
Los Angeles Film School - Game Production	Hollywood	CA
University of California, Irvine	Irvine	CA
National University - School of Media & Communication	La Jolla	CA
DeVry University - Long Beach	Long Beach	CA
Pinnacle College	Los Angeles	CA
Loyola Marymount University	Los Angeles	CA
Otis College of Art and Design - Digital Media Department	Los Angeles	CA
University of Southern California - Interactive Media Division	Los Angeles	CA
Westwood College - Los Angeles Campus	Los Angeles	CA
Woodbury University	Los Angeles	CA
Art Center College of Design - Pasadena	Pasadena	CA
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona	Pomona	CA
Canada College - Redwood City - CA	Redwood City	CA
University of California - Riverside	Riverside	CA
Sierra College	Rocklin	CA
Art Institute of California-Sacramento	Sacramento	CA
Art Institute of California - Inland Empire	San Bernardino	CA
California State University - San Bernardino	San Bernardino	CA
Art Institute of California - San Diego	San Diego	CA
Platt (Media Arts) College	San Diego	CA
The Pixelyard School of Art	San Diego	CA
University of California San Diego / Extension Digital Arts Center	San Diego	CA
Academy of Art University	San Francisco	CA
Art Institute of California - San Francisco	San Francisco	CA
Bay Area Video Coalition	San Francisco	CA
San Francisco State University	San Francisco	CA
University of San Francisco	San Francisco	CA
San Jose State University	San Jose	CA
California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo	CA
Palomar College	San Marcos	CA
Art Institute of California - Orange County	Santa Ana	CA
Santa Ana College	Santa Ana	CA
Serious Game Design Institute	Santa Barbara	CA
University of California , Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	CA
Art Institute of California - Los Angeles	Santa Monica	CA
The Academy of Entertainment and Technology at Santa Monica College	Santa Monica	CA
Art Institute of California - Sunnyvale	Sunnyvale	CA
Cogswell Polytechnical College	Sunnyvale	CA
California Lutheran University	Thousand Oaks	CA
Westwood College - Inland Empire Campus	Upland	CA
California Institute of the Arts	Valencia	CA
DeVry University - Long Beach/Pomona	West Hills	CA


Colorado
School	City	State
American Sentinel University	Aurora	CO
University of Colorado, Boulder	Boulder	CO
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs	Colorado Springs	CO
Art Institute of Colorado	Denver	CO
Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design	Denver	CO
University of Denver	Denver	CO
Westwood College of Technology	Denver	CO


Connecticut
School	City	State
Sacred Heart University	Fairfield	CT


District of Columbia
School	City	State
American University	Washington	DC
CDIA at Boston University - Washington DC campus	Washington	DC


Delaware
School	City	State
Wilmington University	New Castle	DE


Florida
School	City	State
Digital Media Arts College	Boca Raton	FL
Stetson University	DeLand	FL
Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale	Fort Lauderdale	FL
Keiser University	Fort Lauderdale	FL
Rasmussen College	Fort Myers	FL
University of North Florida	Jacksonville	FL
ITT Tech - Lake Mary, Florida	Lake Mary	FL
Art Institute of Miami	Miami	FL
DAVE School (The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School)	Orlando	FL
University of Central Florida - Interactive Entertainment Academy	Orlando	FL
Pensacola Junior College	Pensacola	FL
Ringling College of Art and Design	Sarasota	FL
St. Petersburg College-Seminole Campus	Seminole	FL
Art Institute of Tampa	Tampa	FL
Full Sail University	Winter Park	FL


Georgia
School	City	State
American InterContinental University (Dunwoody Campus)	Atlanta	GA
Art Institute of Atlanta	Atlanta	GA
Georgia Institute of Technology	Atlanta	GA
Georgia State University	Atlanta	GA
DeVry University - Decatur/Alpharetta	Decatur/Alpharetta	GA
ITT Tech - Duluth	Duluth	GA
Southern Polytechnic State University	Marietta	GA
Savannah College of Art and Design	Savannah	GA
Georgia Southern University	Statesboro	GA


Iowa
School	City	State
Grand View University	Ames	IA
Iowa State University	Ames	IA


Idaho
School	City	State
University of Idaho	Moscow	ID


Illinois
School	City	State
DeVry University - DuPage Campus	Addison	IL
Westwood College - River Oaks Campus	Calumet City	IL
School of the Art Institute Chicago	Chicago	IL
Columbia College Chicago	Chicago	IL
DePaul University	Chicago	IL
Flashpoint - The Academy of Media Arts & Sciences	Chicago	IL
Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago	Chicago	IL
International Academy of Design and Technology - Chicago	Chicago	IL
University of Illinois - Chicago	Chicago	IL
McHenry County College	Crystal Lake	IL
North Central College	Naperville	IL
Bradley University	Peoria	IL
Lewis University	Romeoville	IL
Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg	Schaumburg	IL
Westwood College - Chicago O'Hare Campus	Schiller Park	IL
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign	Urbana	IL
Westwood College - DuPage Campus	Woodridge	IL


Indiana
School	City	State
Indiana University	Bloomington	IN
Purdue University - Calumet	Hammond	IN
Ball State University	Muncie	IN
Indiana University Southeast	New Albany	IN
Indiana University	South Bend	IN
Taylor University	Upland	IN
Purdue University	West Lafayette	IN


Kansas
School	City	State
Baker University	Baldwin City	KS
Johnson County Community College	Overland Park	KS


Kentucky
School	City	State
ITT Technical Institute	Louisville	KY


Louisiana
School	City	State
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	Lafayette	LA


Massachusetts
School	City	State
Hampshire College	Amherst	MA
Emerson College	Boston	MA
Northeastern University	Boston	MA
Wentworth Institute of Technology	Boston	MA
New England Institute of Art	Brookline	MA
Harvard Extension School	Cambridge	MA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Cambridge	MA
Bristol Community College	Fall River	MA
Mount Ida College	Newton	MA
Springfield College	Springfield	MA
Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University	Waltham	MA
Becker College	Worcester	MA
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	Worcester	MA


Maryland
School	City	State
Anne Arundel Community College	Anne Arundel	MD
Community College of Baltimore County	Baltimore	MD
University of Baltimore	Baltimore	MD
Hagerstown Community College	Hagerstown	MD
Montgomery College	Rockville	MD


Michigan
School	City	State
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor	MI
University of Michigan - Dearborn	Dearborn	MI
College for Creative Studies	Detroit	MI
Michigan State University	East Lansing	MI
Baker College Online	Flint	MI
Calvin College	Grand Rapids	MI
Davenport University	Grand Rapids	MI
Ferris State University	Grand Rapids	MI
Northern Michigan University	Marquette	MI
International Academy of Design & Technology - Michigan	Troy	MI


Minnesota
School	City	State
Academy College	Bloomington	MN
The College of St. Scholastica	Duluth	MN
Brown College	Mendota Heights	MN
Art Institutes International Minnesota	Minneapolis	MN
Minneapolis College of Art and Design	Minneapolis	MN


Missouri
School	City	State
ITT Technical Institute	Arnold	MO
Southern Missouri State University	Cape Girardeau	MO
University of Missouri - Columbia (College of Engineering)	Columbia	MO
ITT Technical Institute	Earth City	MO
Sanford-Brown College	St. Peters	MO
Missouri State University - West Plains	West Plains	MO


Montana
School	City	State
University of Great Falls	Great Falls	MT


North Carolina
School	City	State
Art Institute of Charlotte	Charlotte	NC
Central Piedmont Community College	Charlotte	NC
Fayetteville Technical Community College	Fayetteville	NC
High Point University	High Point	NC
North Carolina State University	Raleigh	NC
School of Communication Arts	Raleigh	NC
Wake Technical Community College	Raleigh	NC
Piedmont Community College	Roxboro	NC


Nebraska
School	City	State
Bellevue University	Bellevue	NE


New Hampshire
School	City	State
Concord Community College	Concord	NH
Dartmouth College	Hanover	NH
Southern New Hampshire University	Manchester	NH
Daniel Webster College	Nashua	NH


New Jersey
School	City	State
Camden County College	Blackwood	NJ
Bloomfield College	Bloomfield	NJ
The College of New Jersey	Ewing	NJ
Stevens Institute of Technology	Hoboken	NJ
New Jersey Institute of Technology	Newark	NJ


New Mexico
School	City	State
Art Center Design College - Albuquerque	Albuquerque	NM
The University of New Mexico	Albuquerque	NM


Nevada
School	City	State
Art Institute of Las Vegas	Henderson	NV
International Academy of Design & Technology - Las Vegas	Henderson	NV
Sierra Nevada College	Incline Village	NV


New York
School	City	State
Excelsior College	Albany	NY
Mildred Elley - School of Digital Media Arts	Albany	NY
CUNY Brooklyn	Brooklyn	NY
Polytechnical Institute of NYU	Brooklyn	NY
Pratt Institute	Brooklyn	NY
Finger Lakes Community College	Canandaigua	NY
Adelphi University	Garden City	NY
Cornell University	Ithaca	NY
Long Island University- CW Post	Long Island	NY
Fashion Institute of New York	New York	NY
Game Institute, Inc.	New York	NY
Globe Institute of Technology (GIT)	New York	NY
New York University	New York	NY
Pace University	New York	NY
Parsons the New School of Design: School of Art, Media and Technology	New York	NY
School of Visual Arts	New York	NY
Sessions Online School of Game Art	New York	NY
Clarkson University	Potsdam	NY
Marist College	Poughkeepsie	NY
CUNY Queensborough	Queens	NY
Rochester Institute of Technology	Rochester	NY
Stony Brook University	Stony Brook	NY
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Troy	NY
Mohawk Valley Community College	Utica	NY
Mercy College - Center for Digital Arts	White Plains	NY
The College of Westchester	White Plains	NY


Ohio
School	City	State
Ohio University	Athens	OH
Case Western Reserve University	Cleveland	OH
Cleveland Institute of Art	Cleveland	OH
The Ohio State University, Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design	Columbus	OH
Kent State University-Tuscarawas Campus	New Philadelphia	OH
Miami University	Oxford	OH
Edison Community College	Piqua	OH
Shawnee State University	Portsmouth	OH


Oklahoma
School	City	State
Oklahoma Panhandle State University	Goodwell	OK
Oklahoma Christian University	Oklahoma City	OK
Oklahoma City Community College	Oklahoma City	OK
Northern Oklahoma College	Tonkawa	OK


Oregon
School	City	State
Southern Oregon University	Ashland	OR
Art Institute of Portland	Portland	OR


Pennsylvania
School	City	State
Montgomery County Community College	Blue Bell	PA
Gannon University	Erie	PA
Harrisburg University	Harrisburg	PA
Delaware County Community College	Media	PA
Art Institute of Philadelphia	Philadelphia	PA
Drexel University, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design	Philadelphia	PA
La Salle University	Philadelphia	PA
Philadelphia University	Philadelphia	PA
The University of the Arts	Philadelphia	PA
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	PA
Art Institute of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	PA
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh	PA


Rhode Island
School	City	State
Brown University	Providence	RI
New England Institute of Technology	Warwick	RI


South Dakota
School	City	State
Dakota State University	Madison	SD
Black Hills State University	Spearfish	SD


South Carolina
School	City	State
Charleston Southern University	Charleston	SC
Limestone College	Gaffney	SC


Tennessee
School	City	State
Southern Adventist University - School of Visual Art and Design	Collegedale	TN
East Tennessee State University	Johnson City	TN
Tennessee State University	Nashville	TN


Texas
School	City	State
Abilene Christian University	Abilene	TX
Austin Community College	Austin	TX
St. Edward's University	Austin	TX
Gemini School of Visual Arts & Communication	Cedar Park	TX
Art Institute of Dallas	Dallas	TX
Richland College	Dallas	TX
University of Texas at Dallas	Dallas	TX
University of North Texas	Denton	TX
Art Institute of Houston	Houston	TX
Houston Community College	Houston	TX
San Jacinto College Central	Houston	TX
Sam Houston State University	Huntsville	TX
DeVry University – Irving	Irving	TX
Kingwood College	Kingwood	TX
Guildhall at SMU	Plano	TX
University of Texas at Dallas - Arts and Technology program	Richardson	TX
Angelo State University	San Angelo	TX
Tyler Junior College	Tyler	TX
University of Houston-Victoria	Victoria	TX
Baylor University	Waco	TX
Texas State Technical College	Waco	TX


Utah
School	City	State
Weber State University	Ogden	UT
Brigham Young University	Provo	UT
Art Institute-Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City	UT
University of Utah	Salt Lake City	UT
Neumont University	South Jordan	UT


Virginia
School	City	State
Art Institute of Washington	Arlington	VA
Virginia Polytechnical Institute	Blacksburg	VA
George Mason University	Fairfax	VA
University of Mary Washington	Fredericksburg	VA
Lynchburg College	Lynchburg	VA
Old Dominion University	Norfolk	VA
Tidewater Community College	Portsmouth	VA
Virginia Commonwealth University	Richmond	VA


Vermont
School	City	State
Champlain College	Burlington	VT


Washington
School	City	State
Bellevue Community College	Bellevue	WA
Olympic College	Bremerton	WA
Lake Washington Technical College	Kirkland	WA
Clover Park Technical College	Lakewood	WA
Edmonds Community College	Lynnwood	WA
DigiPen Institute of Technology	Redmond	WA
Art Institute of Seattle	Seattle	WA
Seattle Central Community College	Seattle	WA
University of Washington - Professional and Continuing Education	Seattle	WA


Wisconsin
School	City	State
ITT Tech - Green Bay Campus	Green Bay	WI
Madison Area Technical College	Madison	WI
Madison Media Institute \| College of Media Arts	Madison	WI
University of Wisconsin-Stout	Menomonie	WI
Milwaukee Area Technical College	Milwaukee	WI
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	Stevens Point	WI
Carroll University	Waukesha	WI