Game Design Degree

Get industry-ready with our hands-on Game Design degree. Ranked in the Top 10 for Game Design by Princeton Review.

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students sit in chairs playing games in front of a colorful gallery wall

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From indie development to AAA studios, we’re training the next generation of game creators.

Most game design programs make you wait years before building actual games, leaving you with a small portfolio at graduation.

At Champlain, you’ll create games from day one through our Upside-Down Curriculum and Game Studio Experience, working in professional-style teams to build a portfolio of finished games that showcase your skills.

We’re consistently ranked Top 10 for Game Design by Princeton Review, with 90% of our 2023 graduates employed or continuing education within six months of graduation.

Princeton Game Review Top 10 Game Design Programs 2025 badge

Academic Excellence

Princeton Review Top 391 Colleges 2026 badgeRookies Certified School badge 2025Unreal Academic Partner badge

a group of individuals testing out the student games from the 2023 senior game show

Why Champlain College?

STUDIO-LEVEL PROJECTS, INDUSTRY-READY PORTFOLIOS

Work on portfolio building projects in our Game Studio Experience with industry-standard tools and methodologies. Go beyond theory with hands-on learning that employers demand.

NATIONWIDE RECOGNITION

Ranked among the Top 10 schools for Game Design by The Princeton Review, with a curriculum designed in partnership with industry professionals to ensure you’re learning exactly what studios need.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PATH

Specialize in systems design, level design, narrative design, or technical design while building a portfolio that showcases your unique strengths.

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS

Present your games to industry recruiters at our Senior Show and build relationships with our network of game studio professionals.

Success You Can See

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Champlain College was ranked a Top 10 school for game design in The Princeton Review’s 2025 rankings.

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Complete games in your portfolio by graduation, giving you a competitive edge in the job market.

Program Highlights

  • Call the shots: establish rules, build mechanics, and write stories that captivate players
  • Collaborate in cross-disciplinary teams with programmers, artists, and sound designers
  • Compete in game development competitions and attend professional conferences
  • Present your finished games to industry recruiters at our Senior Show
  • Learn from faculty who are experts in their fields and connected throughout the industry
students collaborate pointing at a computer

Your Career Outlook

What kind of jobs can I get with a Game Design degree?

You can find a career in fields such as:

  • Systems Design
  • Level Design
  • Technical Design
  • Narrative Design
  • Content Design

Anthropic

Through a new partnership with Anthropic, a leader in AI safety and research, Champlain is integrating AI literacy and innovation into the student experience. You’ll learn how to think critically, work responsibly with AI, and use it to solve real-world challenges. Gain future-proof skills across every discipline and be ready for what’s next in AI and beyond.

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