Art Institute Video Game Design Review

11. Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri
Established in 1885, Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) is a four-year college of art and design located in Kansas City's historic arts district. Located by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, KCAI offers easy access to some of the areas top art venues. The school, where Walt Disney studied as a child, is home to nearly 800 art and design students, enrolled in thirteen Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programs.

Kansas City Art Institute offers BFA degrees with a number of emphasis areas for aspiring animators and game designers. The school offers an emphasis in Animation, Digital Media, Digital Filmmaking, Illustration, and Graphic Design. KCAI graduates have interned or worked at Disney, DreamWorks, Digital Domain, Nickelodeon, Hallmark, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Bazillion Pictures, Titmouse Inc., and Threehouse Studio (animated illustration), to name a few.

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12. College for Creative Studies, Detroit, Michigan
Founded in 1906 as the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts, the College for Creative Studies (CCS) is located in midtown Detroit on a 10-acre campus. The school is home to more than 1,400 students, enrolled in a variety of BFA, MFA, and Minor programs. The school also offers a variety of continuing education and Certificate programs.

The College of Creative Studies offers one of the regions top programs for animators and game designers. The program, which is listed among the school's top three programs overall, offers several concentrations. The BFA in Entertainment Arts program offers study in the areas of Game, Animation, and Video. The school also offers a BFA in Illustration, which is also listed among the school's top three programs (Transportation Design, Illustration, and Entertainment Arts).

The Animation concentration introduces the student to "the art of sequential storytelling and utilizes stop-motion, material-based and computer-generated (CG) imagery techniques." The Game concentration teaches students to produce 2-D and 3-D images and concepts for games. Students can customize their curriculum based on the areas they would like to focus on. For example, students interested in designing video games, with a focus on character development, may "create" their own "pathway."

Entertainment Arts graduates work in Animation, Stop Motion Animation, Game Design, Game Art, Cinematography, VFX Art, Web Art, Motion Graphics, 3-D Modeling, and more. The College for Creative Studies also offers a BFA and a Graphic Design Minor as well as an Entertainment Arts, Illustration, and Visual Culture Minor. All students are eligible to participate in the College for Creative Studies Study Abroad program, which highlights study in Florence, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, and Mexico.

13. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Established in 1870, The Ohio State University (OSU) is among the nation's top 20 national public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The school, which sits on 1,700 acres, is located in the nation's 15th largest city and Ohio's largest city. With such a large campus, it's not surprising that OSU has one of the largest student populations in the U.S. The most recent enrollment figures show that The Ohio State University is home to 64,077 students.

In addition to a large student body, The Ohio State University has a large collection of colleges, course offerings, and programs. The school houses 14 colleges, offering 175 undergraduate majors and 12,000 courses. Students may also choose from hundreds of specializations, minors, and double majors. Among OSU's offerings are several celebrated programs for aspiring game designers and animators.

The Ohio State University, Department of Art is home to the school's Art and Technology program. The program offers a 3-year MFA and a 4-year BFA degree in Art and Technology. The College of Engineering, Department of Computer Science and Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering (BS-CSE) and a BS in Computer and Information Sciences (BS-CIS). Focus areas include Computer Games and Computer Graphics.

The school also offers a Computer Information Science (Track A Games or Mobile Applications) Minor, a MS in Computer Science and Engineering, a Combined BS/MS in Computer Science and Engineering, and a BA in Design. Related programs include BA degrees in Art and Film Studies, and a minor in Video Arts and Studio Arts.

Aspiring animators may consider the Art and Technology BFA program (which includes a number of animation courses) or taking animation courses at OSU's Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD). ACCAD offers nearly 30 animation courses, including several game art and design courses for aspiring game designers. ACCAD alums, such as director, co-founder of Blue Sky Studios, and Academy Award winner Chris Wedge, have worked on Oscar-winning films such as Brave, Life of Pi, and Ice Age.

14. Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio
Columbus College of Art and Design is a private college located in downtown Columbus—Ohio's largest city. Established in 1879, this popular art and design college is home to more than 1,300 students from 40 states and 35 foreign countries. The school offers Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees. Undergraduate majors include Animation, Illustration, Cinematic Arts, Advertising & Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Fashion Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Photography. CCAD also offers a MFA in Visual Arts.

The BFA in Animation program offers many options, including "a production path focused on feature film and television; an experimental path focused on non-linear animation and fine art; and a scientific path focused on the creation of animation assets and production effects." CCAD Animation alums work at 20th Century Fox, Cartoon Network, Disney Feature Animation, Electronic Arts, PDI DreamWorks, Pixar Animation Studios, Rhythm & Hues Studios, Lockheed Martin, Time Warner, Academy of Art University, Animax, Arclight Cinema, DigiKnow, Augenblick Studios, and more.

15. Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois
Bradley University is a private, independent university that sits on 84 acres just one mile from downtown Peoria. Founded in 1897, Bradley University is home to 6,000 students enrolled in more than 130 academic programs. Ranked number six overall among Midwest universities by U.S. News & World Report, Bradley University is listed as one of the nation's "Top Undergraduate Schools to Study Video Game Design" by Princeton Review.

Bradley University offers several programs for aspiring game designers through the Slane College of Communications and Fine Art and the Computer Science and Information Systems Department (CSIS). Slane's Department of Interactive Media is home to the BA and BS programs in Interactive Media with concentrations in Game Design, Animation and Visual Effects, and Web and Application Design. The Department also offers a Game Design and Interactive Media Minor.

Bradley's Computer Science and Information Systems Department offers a BS in Computer Science with a Game Technology or Game Software concentration and a BS in Computer Information Systems with a Game Technology or Game Software concentration. The Department also offers a Master of Computer Science and a Master of Computer Information Systems with a concentration in Computer Game Technology. CSIS offers a Computer Game Technology Minor, which may be paired with just about any related major.

16. Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Established in 1918, Ball State University (BSU) is a "state-assisted" residential university with a student enrollment of around 22,000. The school, named one of the Best Universities in the Midwest by Princeton Review (for eight years), sits on 731 acres, with nearly 400 acres of research property. In addition to being one of the biggest and brightest schools in the Midwest, Ball State University has been recognized for its "innovations in emerging media." The school won the 2009 Academic Institution of the Year Award by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA).

Ball State University offers nearly 300 Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees as well as six Associate and two Specialists degrees throughout seven colleges. In addition, the school offers a variety of online degree and certificate programs. The College of Fine Arts, School of Art offers BFA degrees with specializations in Animation, Drawing, and Visual Communication (Graphic Design).

With two student Academy Awards and 43 regional Emmy Awards, The College of Communication, Information, and Media is among the best in the country. The College offers a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications (TCOM), where students study Film, Interactive Arts and Media, Story Design, Development, and Writing, Interactive Media, Digital Video, Interactive Storytelling, Digital Production, Cross-Platform Content Creation, and more. This diverse major can help prepare students to work in a variety of positions in the game design and development industry as well as animation.

The BFA/Animation program "provides students with a comprehensive digital animation experience that explores traditional 2D animation and 3D animation." Upon completion of the program, students will have the skills needed to pursue a career in animation, video games, film, television, advertising, product visualization, architectural rendering, and even medical animation.

17. Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio
Founded in 1986, Shawnee State University (SSU) has already made a name for itself in the world of game design. The school, which is home to 4,700 full and part-time students, ranks number seven on Princeton Review's list of Top Undergraduate Schools to Study Video Game Design for 2012. In addition to recognition in the world of games, Shawnee State University has grown from "a single, five-story building" to 29 buildings situated on more than 55 acres along the Ohio River.

Located in historic Portsmouth, Shawnee State University is divided into three colleges including the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Students, and University College. The school offers 80 Bachelor's and Associate degree programs. Aspiring game designers typically choose the Department of Engineering Technology—home of the coveted BS (and Minor) in Digital Simulation and Gaming. The program is a mixture of "computer science, computer programming, and 2D/3D graphics programming with additional classes in arts, design, math and physics." Graduates will have the skills needed to work as game/simulation programmers, designers, and architects.

The College of Arts and Sciences' Fine, Digital and Performing Arts Department (FDPA) is home another top-rated program for aspiring game designers. The Department offers a BFA in Game and Simulation and a Gaming Arts Minor. Related programs include Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Drawing, Studio Arts, and Visualist (Digital Arts and Imaging) as well as a Art Studio Minor.

18. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
Founded in 1869 with 143 students and a dozen academic departments, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. Also known as SIU Carbondale or SIU, the university is now home to 18,847 full and part-time students and it "ranks among Illinois' most comprehensive universities." SIU Carbondale is home to 11 colleges offering more than 200 majors, minors, and specifications. The College of Science, Department of Computer Science and the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, Department of Radio, Television, and Digital Media offer several programs for aspiring game designers and animators.

The College of Science, Department of Computer Science offers a BA and a BS in Computer Science with a Concentration in Computer Graphics and Game Development. The College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, Department of Radio, Television, and Digital Media offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with a specialization in Digital Media Arts and Animation. The Computer Graphics and Game Development program prepares students for a career in game design and development and the Digital Media and Arts program gives students the opportunity to study in the areas of Computer Animation, Digital Art Creation, and Creative Storytelling.

Also within the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts is the Department of Cinema and Photography. The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with a specialization in Animated Film Production, Documentary, Experimental, Narrative, and Screenwriting. SIU Carbondale also offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Media Arts, which focuses on Film, Video, Sound, and New Media, and a Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science.

19. Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri
Founded in 1915, Webster University was one of the nations first Catholic women's colleges west of the Mississippi River. This private, nonprofit university is home to 22,000 students, enrolled in more than 80 undergraduate and 60 graduate programs. The university, which consists five "distinct" schools and colleges, sits on a 47-acre campus. Webster University also has a number of overseas campuses in Geneva, Switzerland; Vienna, Austria; Leiden, the Netherlands; London, England; Shanghai, China; Cha-Am/Hua Hin, Thailand, and Accra, Ghana (opening soon).

Besides having a large student body and campuses around the world, Webster University's Study Abroad program is ranked in the top two percent by U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2013." Offered through the School of Communications, the school's BA in Animation program is also has high marks in the both the academic and the entertainment worlds. In fact, graduates of Webster University's School of Communications have worked on King Kong, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and all three installments of The Lord of the Rings.

In addition to a BA in Animation, Webster University offers a minor and a certificate in Animation Production. Aspiring game designers may opt for the Certificate in Video Game Foundations, combined with the BS in Computer Science, or depending on the area of interest within the gaming industry, students can pair the Certificate in Video Game Foundations with the BFA in Drawing, Scriptwriting, Film Production, or Video Production.

Webster University also offers a BFA in Graphic Design and minors in Computer Applications, Computer Science, Film Studies, Interactive Digital Media, Video Production, and Website Development. Other certificate programs include Digital Media, Interactive Digital Media, Website Development, and Website Design.

20. Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
Missouri State University (MSU or MO State) was established in 1905 as the Fourth District Normal School. The school welcomed its first class of 543 students in 1906. Today, the main campus in Springfield sits on 450 acres and it is home to 22,866 students, making it the second largest university in the state. Missouri State University also has campuses in West Plains and Mountain Grove, Missouri as well as Dalian, China.

Named one of America's Top Colleges by Forbes and a "Best in the Midwest" college by Princeton Review, Missouri State University offers more than 85 undergraduate majors leading to more than 185 academic options or 45+ graduate degree programs. Several programs are available for aspiring game designers and animators.

Game designers may consider the BA, BS, or Computer Science (CS) Minor. In addition to required CS courses, students may take several 300 level game courses such as Video Game Design and Video Game Development for Artists and Animators. The BS program prepares students for a career in Computer/Video Game Development, Computer Graphic Design, Digital Media, and more.

The Department of Art and Design offers several programs for animators. Department offerings include a BFA in Art and a BS in Electronic Arts. Both programs feature a Computer Animation emphasis. Related programs include a BFA in Art with an emphasis in Digital Arts or Drawing, and a BFA with an emphasis in Illustration. A BFA in Design with a Graphic Design, Illustration, or Graphic Design & Illustration emphasis is also available.