KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 25, 2016

The Princeton Review has ranked Kennesaw State University as one of the top 50 schools worldwide to study game design. KSU is one of only 20 public universities named in the annual ranking.

The Computer Game Design and Development (CGDD) program in Kennesaw State’s College of Computing and Software Engineering is the first – and only – academic program of its kind to earn accreditation from ABET, the accrediting body for college and university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. The CGDD program focuses on the design and production of digital media for entertainment, education and research.

“It is an honor to be named among the world’s best for game design,” said E.K. Park, dean of the College of Computing and Software Engineering. “Our one-of-a-kind program attracts students who are inspired to work in the interactive entertainment industry, and our graduates are successfully serving in both the educational and entertainment gaming sectors.”

As a specialization within the field of computing, game design and development offers interdisciplinary collaborations with engineering, the creative arts and the humanities. The program has grown tremendously since its inception in 2008. More than 300 students are currently enrolled.

Kennesaw State is one of only a few universities in the U.S. that are outfitted with a Sony PlayStation 4 laboratory, which gives students access to technology for PS4 development. KSU has also opened a new lab for motion tracking and virtual reality.

With well-equipped facilities, the CGDD program has hosted some of the largest game development gatherings in the nation and has partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services to develop programs focused on smoking cessation, food-borne illnesses and HIV awareness. The CGDD program also works with the Georgia Game Developers Association to promote STEM and game development studies among high school students.

For the ranking, college and universities were chosen based on The Princeton Review’s 2015 survey of 150 institutions in the U.S., Canada and abroad that offer game design degree programs or courses. The survey gathered data on academic offerings and lab facilities, as well as graduates’ starting salaries and career achievements.

According to the survey results, more than 85 percent of game design students created actionable plans to launch games while working on their undergraduate degrees. At Kennesaw State, students gain competitive insight during the program’s sponsored Game Jam and Global Game Jam competitions, where programmers, designers, musicians and artists gather to develop video games in less than 48 hours.

The ranking will be published in PC Gamer magazine in its March 29 issue.

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 38,000 students. With 13 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.