Major Game Design
I dream up the trickiest puzzles, the hardest battles, and the most delightful surprises.
Bring Your A-Game
You love playing games. Ideas for new video game characters fill your head. You spend your entire weekend solving the hardest game puzzles. All this leads to endless doodles of ideas. Sound familiar? Then this is the perfect major for you.
Why Game Design at CIA
You’ll have access to more than just computer labs. Your ID card gets you access to check out the latest equipment for digital video, lighting, and sound. You also have access to everything from a network-connected game design editing suite to a motion capture studio.
Imagine animating in an extended reality (XR) studio or testing your video game concept in an in-house arcade. All this and more will come to life in our Interactive Media Lab, opening in Spring 2025.
You will start your major off with an introduction into gaming theory. Investigation includes game metaphor, story, game mechanics and chance factors. You’ll learn how to apply these theories to both physical games and virtual worlds. Starting off on this foot opens up endless possibilities of where your games could lead.
Ollie Page ’20 received their masters degree in Game Design from George Mason University in 2022. They now teach as an adjunct for the college in the game design department.
Kaitlynn Dallas ’19 is a 3D Designer at Roundtable Learning, a full-service learning company that applies the science of learning to innovative technology.
Zach James ’17 is a Senior UI/UX Designer for MIM Software Inc., a software company that provides innovative software solutions for Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine and more.
Akeem Pennicooke ’15 is creating Jamaica’s first cultural video game called Street Boy. The game follows a young boy finding his place in his community.
Elizabeth Keegan ’11 is the Associate Professor and Chair of Game Art & Design at Columbus College of Art & Design.
Andrew Kuhar ’10 is a UI/UX Product Designer for thatgamecompany, a video game studio behind Flow, Flower, Journey, and Sky.
Meet Faculty
Steven Gutierrez
Associate Professor + Division ChairSteven Gutierrez is an artist, engineer, and educator interested in the intersection of art, technology and the environment. His current research is directed towards finding how technology may be used…
View profileRobert Lauer
Visiting Assistant ProfessorRobert Lauer completed his BFA in game design at the Cleveland Institute of Art. He has freelanced for companies like Bio Enterprise and Halo Media Works and taught animation courses…
View profileHarrison Walsh
Professor of PracticeHarrison has been teaching game design for 13 years at three colleges. During this time, he has also worked on several movies, commercials, and documentaries. Additionally, he has pursued freelance…
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