| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester, New Hampshire |
| 2 | New England College | Henniker, New Hampshire |
| 3 | Plymouth State University | Plymouth, New Hampshire |
| 4 | University of New Hampshire at Manchester | Manchester, New Hampshire |
The Best Game Design Colleges in New Hampshire is designed for students, parents, and guidance counselors and anyone else who wants to be informed of game design colleges and degree options in the Granite State.
New Hampshire has on-campus and online colleges that offer game design degrees, which include bachelor's degrees and a certificate of completion.
A typical bachelor's degree consists of 120 credits, and takes four years to complete. However, there are fast online degrees that can be completed in two years for motivated students, such as the degrees at Southern New Hampshire University.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average mid-career salary for game designers in New Hampshire is $135,309 per year.
New Hampshire is home to professional video game design companies, and students have potential internship opportunities while in school, and potential recruiting possibilities after graduation.
The Best Game Design Colleges in New Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, New Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has the most online students of all universities in the state.
SNHU offers two online and on-campus degrees in Game Design: the Bachelor of Science in Game Programming and Development, and the Bachelor of Arts in Game Art and Development.
The BS in Game Programming and Development teaches the coding, programming languages, and technical aspects behind the creation of games. This is one of the only programs in the U.S. to include artificial intelligence (AI) in its game design instruction online.
Courses include:
- Interactive Animation
- Gameplay Systems Development
- Graphics Game Engine
- Digital Graphic Design for the Web
- 3-D Modeling and Animation
- Digital Game Development
- Game Programming Capstone
The BA in Game Art and Development teaches students the artistic creative side to game creation. This includes learning industry standard tools, 2D and 3D art, character development, world creation, concept art, and other important art and animation industry skills.
Courses include:
- 3-D Modeling and Animation
- 3-D Character Animation
- 3-D Art and Design
- Interactive Animation
- Character Design
- Creature Design
- Environment Design
Two very important benefits of attending SNHU are: their tuition is one of the lowest in the U.S. - the same since 2012. SNHU offers fast online bachelor's degrees that can be completed in two years (24 months).
New England College
Henniker, New Hampshire
New England College is a private, non-profit college that offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game and Digital Media Design.
Students learn technical and business instruction relevant to professional game creation, and create interactive content within their first year of study.
Some of the technical instruction includes applying physics simulations in computer-aided design (CAD) programs, CAD software (such as Autodesk 3ds Max), and writing code using programming languages for prototype designs and other digital assets in game engines.
Business skills taught in this program include small business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship, which assist especially with graduates who want to become entrepreneurs.
Students are encouraged to take an internship in their senior year.
Plymouth State University
Plymouth, New Hampshire
Plymouth State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Game Design degree.
This program is designed to teach the soft and hard skills that are relevant and sought-after in modern game design industries. Students learn game design through hands-on projects.
Courses include:
- Game Design Principles
- Game Design Workshop
- Data Structures and Intermediate Programming
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Scriptwriting
Students at Plymouth State U have access to the Draper & Maynard Makerspace (which has relevant industry tools and equipment), video production facilities, a robotics lab, computer lab and art galleries.
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
Office of Outreach and Engagement
Manchester, New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire offers a year-long online training program that teaches Game Design through their Professional Development and Training continuing education.
This online training consists of six classes:
- C# Programming Primer for Unity Game Development
- Mathematics for Game Development
- General Game Modeling and Texturing
- Unity Game Engine Foundation
- Advanced Unity Game Development I
- Advanced Unity Game Development II
Students will need a PC to take this online training program. Students can enroll at any time, and should complete the training in 12 months. A certificate of completion will be given upon completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best college to go to for game design?
The best college to go to for game design would be the college that offers the program that most aligns with a student's education and career goals and ambitions. Since game design includes the technical aspects of game creation, such as coding and programming languages, and the artistic side of creating games, which includes 2D and 3D art and animation, it's important to see which degree program fits what the student wants to learn. Also, it's prudent to determine if a student is self-motivated and can thrive in online programs, or if a student needs in-person and hands-on instruction, as that will have a bearing on what program should be pursued, online or on-campus.
What GPA do you need for game design?
At many colleges across the nation, to be accepted into game design programs, a student often needs a 2.0 as the minimum GPA. However, this can vary by the institution. Always check with the individual school to determine their admission criteria, including what their GPA requirement is.
What is the best major for game design?
The best major for game design depends on what kind of game design the students wants to learn. Bachelor of Science degrees in the technical side of game creation, which includes learning programming languages and coding, are the best, which can include Computer Science degrees with a specialization in Game Design. For students that want to learn the artistic aspects of game design, then a Bachelor of Arts in Game Art or Animation would be the best major to pursue. It largely depends on what special area a students wants to work in when entering the professional game design industry.
More resources:
- The Top Game Design Colleges in New York
- What is a Game Degree?
- The Best Video Game Design Colleges
- The Best Game Design Colleges in Texas
- The Best Online Video Game Design Degree Programs
- The Best Bachelor's in Computer Science: Game Design Degrees
- The Best Online Certificate Programs in Game Design
- The Best Online Associate's Degrees in Game Design
- The Best Game Design Colleges at Christian Colleges
- The Best Video Game Art Degree Programs
- The Top Women in Game Design and Development
- The Best Online Animation and Graphic Design Colleges