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The Princeton Review’s 2023 rankings of top undergraduate schools for game design have been released, and the �鶹ӰԺ College of Applied and Technical Studies Bachelor of Science degree in Animation Game Design (AGD) program broke through the top 50 as one of the best programs in game design studies.

Colleges were chosen based on a survey the Princeton Review conducted in 2022 of administrators at 150 institutions offering game design coursework and/or degrees both nationally and abroad. The selection and ranking of schools were based on criteria that broadly covered the quality of the faculty, facilities and technology. The Princeton Review also factored in data it collected from the schools on their curriculum and career services.

In the Top Game Design 2023 , the Princeton Review’s Editor-in-Chief Rob Franek said the schools listed in the ranking have first-rate programs in game design and make outstanding choices for students considering a career in game design.

“Their facilities are state-of-the-art, and their alumni include many of the industry’s most successful artists, designers, developers and entrepreneurs,” said Franek.

Chris Totten, AGD associate professor and program coordinator, credits the honor of being included in the Princeton Review to the amazing work of the dedicated program faculty, staff and students.

“One of the things that sets us apart is how faculty bring industry knowledge into the classroom through the work they do in the industry as practicing game developers,” said Totten. “Our faculty are constantly helping students hone their skills in areas such as game art, production and design, while guiding students towards career pathways in the game industry and related fields.”

Totten explained that students and faculty regularly attend professional events, like the GDEX Midwest Game Development Conference, the international IndieCade Horizons Festival and the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco – where a talk by one of �鶹ӰԺ State's AGD faculty was among the top-rated sessions in 2022.                      

“At this point, students are coming to us from around the country and building �鶹ӰԺ State AGD’s presence both locally and in the wider game industry,” said Totten. “We’ve placed students at major studios, such as Epic Games (Fortnite), EA (Madden) and High Moon Studios (Call of Duty), at indie studios, such as Gylee Games (Ra Ra Boom) and at regionally based virtual and augmented reality, computer graphics and animation studios.”

The AGD program, ranked at No. 44 in the review, is offered at the �鶹ӰԺ, Stark and Tuscarawas campuses and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Arts and Design (NASAD). As part of the program, students create digital media works (such as cartoons), digital and non-digital games, motion graphics, 3D walkthroughs, simulations and virtual reality environments while learning contemporary concepts in their respective program concentration.

For more information on the Bachelor of Science degree in Animation Game Design, visit .