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Have you ever wondered how game mechanics actually work? Characters move, bosses attack, and entire levels spring to life, and it’s easy to chalk it up to the “magic” in the code. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to start programming games, our program takes you behind the scenes to show you what’s really making everything tick.

DigiPen has been ranked a top ranked video game design school by the Princeton Review for the last 16 years. DigiPen has been ranked a top ranked video game design school by the Princeton Review for the last 16 years.

Translating designs into workable code is critical to video game development — and that’s what the BS in Computer Science and Game Design is all about. Our four-year game development degree program teaches you how to become a game programmer with the mindset of a designer, and it starts with learning the foundations of C, C++, and other lower-level programming languages. Yearly game projects put your growing abilities to the test as you form multidisciplinary teams with students of various specialties. Your understanding of what game programming is will continue to sharpen while you forge your distinct path with a variety of design, mathematics, physics, and computer science courses.

By graduation, you will be skilled in connecting the creative world of design and the practical reality of implementing the code needed to craft great games, making you a critical part of any development team.”

Headshot of Program Director Benjamin Ellinger.

Benjamin Ellinger

Program Director

A Byte-Sized Program Breakdown

  • Hone Your Hybrid Skillset

    Designed for the programmer at heart with a keen sense of design, even if you are new to computer science.

  • Collaborate Across Disciplines

    Built around yearly game projects where your technical role on each team brings game designs to life.

  • Establish a Strong Foundation

    Prepares you to become a game developer with a focus on low-level coding in C/C++ and fundamental courses in design and mathematics.

  • Excel in Your Career Path

    Reflects the daily life of a game developer as you prepare for careers in gameplay programming, technical design, and more.

  • Invest in Your Future Career

    Guides you into relevant industries where regional computer programmers in Washington make an annual mean wage of $159,090.*

*Annual mean wage in Washington state as of May 2024. Source: www.bls.gov

Alumni. What Will Your Story Be?

Alumni Highlights

Turn your passion into your career.

No matter how you slice it, DigiPen graduates go far. Through our comprehensive courses and project-focused methodology, our graduates enter the industry ready to start programming games alongside a top-notch network of developers and creatives.

  • Batman casts a shadow resembling his iconic emblem against a dimly lit wall.

    Rhianna Pinkerton

    Gameplay Programmer

    Batman: Arkham Shadow

    Camouflaj

    Read Article

  • Cal Kestis holding a lightsaber and BD-1 look out at the desert landscape.

    Brandon Yuan

    Level Designer

    STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™

    Respawn Entertainment

    Read Article

  • An out-of-view Master Chief holds his helmet at his side.

    Ivy Wu

    Software Engineer

    Halo Infinite

    Halo Studios

    Read Article

  • Zagreus smirks in the underworld as he holds a sword in one hand and powers a gem in the other.

    Eduardo Gorinstein

    Game Designer

    Hades

    Supergiant Games

    Read Article

Current students connect with top industry professionals through exclusive events hosted by Career Services.

  • Networking Mixers
  • Industry Company Days
  • Reverse Career Fairs
  • Internship Support
  • Course Audits for Alumni

A sample of entry-level game developer jobs and professions our graduates have landed.

  • Software Engineer
  • Technical Designer
  • Gameplay Programmer
  • Systems Designer
  • AI Programmer

Our graduates shape the next generation of games and interactive media at major influential companies, close-knit indie studios, and their own passionate ventures.

  • CD PROJEKT RED
  • Riot Games
  • Oculus VR
  • Naughty Dog
  • Supergiant Games
  • Turn 10 Studios

A Growing Lasting Network

DigiPen students huddle together in a computer lab.

  • The key thing that DigiPen has provided me is the ability to adapt to whatever comes my way at work. In all my years, I have almost never run into something that I did not feel like I could do.

    Headshot of DigiPen alum Andy Kibler.

    Andy Kibler

    Degree Program Alum

    Read Article

  • I think GAM [game project course] is the most valuable part of DigiPen, period. It’s where the practicality meets theory, where you actually don’t have anyone telling you what to do.

    Headshot of DigiPen alum Michael Crouch.

    Michael Crouch

    Degree Program Alum

    Read Article

  • DigiPen cultivated this really important idea of making sure to ask for help, but also, another really important thing – trusting your teammates.

    Headshot of DigiPen alum Corey Bowen.

    Corey Bowen

    Degree Program Alum

    Read Article

Students. What Will You Create?

Student Teams

Skills aren’t formed through books and lectures alone.

It’s a yearly endeavor — students collaborate and form teams to complete an original game from start to finish. Every member of the team brings a unique perspective to the game project, and your newfound expertise from your degree program can secure you a relevant role within your team.

Student game team brainstorm session in a DigiPen computer lab.

Focus Areas

Gameplay

Awaken the potential of your game’s world. Program game mechanics and user interfaces, like character behavior, interactive dialogue, and more.

Tools

Bridge the gap between the technical and the creative. Build tools like level editors to bolster your ideas and aid your designers.

Academic Journey

First Year

Welcome to the program — let’s get familiar with C.

We’re starting with computer science basics, like precalculus and an introduction to C++. Your freshman game project begins.

A character uses a fire power-up to blast a fireball in DigiPen student game Elemental Surge.

Second Year

Continue coding and experience your first design courses.

Game and technical design classes begin alongside advanced programming courses, all while you build an original game engine from scratch.

A character watches plants grow in DigiPen student game Witch Hazel.

Third Year

Show off your skills with your capstone game project.

Assemble a team to create your biggest game project yet — and one that’ll headline your portfolio as you apply for jobs in the near future.

Cars race along a paved path on clouds in the night sky in DigiPen student game Nitro Battle Racing.

Fourth Year

Tailor your final year to your desired career path.

With many options for your computer science, mathematics, and design electives, your fourth year sets the stage for increased flexibility.

A glowing character runs away from purple monsters in DigiPen student game Knight Light.

Look over this list of programming languages and software you’ll use for video game development throughout the program.

  • C, C++, C#
  • Git
  • Visual Studio
  • Python
  • SQL - Structured Query Language
  • Unity
  • Unreal

Our students are passionate, and our game team interviews bring their development stories to the forefront.

A robot knight from the DigiPen student game Excalibots extends his hand in a saluting wave.

Students Put the Shine on Sword-Themed Excalibots

Faculty. Who will lead you?

Find Out What Makes Us Different

Chat directly with a student ambassador or tune into an online info session — there's always a way to learn more about DigiPen.

Ask-a-Dragon on Discord
Online Information Sessions

Curriculum

Instructors with Industry Insight.

From your first day of class to the day of your commencement, our renowned faculty and network of diverse professors have curated your academic progression to transition you into the workforce with ease and confidence.

Our Faculty

Featured Courses

  • CS 380 Artificial Intelligence for Games

    How do NPCs and other opponents decide when and how to use core game mechanics? Dive into the world of artificial intelligence programming for games, and use practical algorithms, from pathfinding to decision trees, to create believable and entertaining behaviors.

  • DES 214 Level Design Methods

    Learn to create interesting spaces in 3D environments and grasp how to incorporate compelling design structures that keep players engaged, all while learning to code your own procedural level generator from scratch.

  • PHY 200 Motion Dynamics

    Programming a hop, skip, and a jump in a video game may seem simple, but the reality involves complex algorithms factoring in several properties of physics. A fundamental understanding of kinematics is essential for any aspiring game programmer.

  • DES 315 Technical Design Methods

    Master techniques that aid you in swiftly writing clean code within gameplay and user interface programming. Learn these methods to sharpen your rapid prototyping skills and ability to quickly update ever-changing game mechanics, controls, and interfaces.

Events Featuring Faculty

Exterior high angle photo of DigiPen's main building.

7/19

9:30am PT

Preview Day

On-Campus Event

A DigiPen student studying at a computer.

Our online events are in cooldown and will respawn soon.

Sign up for event updates

Online Events

A small selection of fundamental courses included within all our computer science degree programs.

  • CS 120 High-Level Programming I
  • CS 230 Game Implementation Techniques
  • MAT 140 Linear Algebra and Geometry

Sample Course Sequence

Our instructors come from rich and diverse backgrounds, and these are just some of the companies they’ve made their mark on.

  • Nintendo Software Technology
  • Xbox Game Studios
  • Amazon
  • Electronic Arts
  • Lucasfilm Games
  • Crystal Dynamics
  • Activision
  • Wizards of the Coast
  • Wargaming
  • Bungie
  • Zynga
  • PopCap Games

Take Your Next Steps With DigiPen

Pursue your educational dreams and start planning your future as a Dragon!

Start an Application
View our Scholarships
Join a Campus Tour
Explore our Viewbook