Overview

The Game Development and Design programme at Purdue University offers students a unique opportunity to transform their passion for gaming into a professional career. This degree focuses on the technical and creative aspects of bringing virtual worlds to life through advanced programming, animation, and narrative techniques. Students are encouraged to explore the impact of gaming across various sectors, including healthcare and education.

Why Game Development and Design at Purdue University?

Purdue University is consistently recognised as a top 10 public university in the United States, providing a prestigious environment for technical education. Students benefit from the expertise of faculty members who are pioneers in the field of computer graphics and game mechanics. The campus also hosts nearly 1,000 student organisations, fostering a vibrant community for collaboration and innovation.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 32104 per year
National fee: USD 28794 per year
Local fee: USD 9718 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum is designed to provide a robust foundation in both technical sciences and creative arts. Modules may include:

Visualization
Rendering
Animation
Programming
Trigonometry
Calculus
Physics
Economics
Psychology

Careers with Game Development and Design

Graduates are equipped to take on specialised roles within the video game industry and beyond. The programme prepares students for diverse career paths, focusing on both the artistic and engineering components of game production. Common graduate destinations include roles in software development, character creation, and interactive systems design.

Potential career titles for graduates include:

Technical artist
Game design scripter
Software engineer
Cinematic lead
Animation/performance tracker
Character designer
Interaction designer

Alumni from this programme have secured positions at world-renowned organisations such as Riot Games, Electronic Arts, Xbox, Zynga, and Sony’s PlayStation division. These industry links demonstrate the high demand for the technical skills and creative problem-solving abilities developed during the course.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Geometric Modeling For Visualization And Communication

Imaging Technology

User Experience Design Studio

Portfolio Review

Computer Graphics Programming

Game Development

Computer Graphics Professional Practices

Game Development II: Design And Psychology

Data Visualization

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-11 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-08-24 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

More details

If you're applying to begin in the spring or summer term, submit application as early as possible prior to the start of the term.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

110

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

West Lafayette, United States

Disciplines

Design Game Design View 260 other Bachelors in Game Design in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

110

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Admission to Purdue is competitive and it’ll use the following factors to evaluate your application:

High school course expectations
Overall grades in academic coursework
Grades related to intended major
Strength of your overall high school curriculum
Trends in achievement (If you have weaker grades/courses, were they earlier in your high school record?)
Grades in academic core coursework (English, academic math, laboratory science, foreign language, social studies)

SAT or ACT scores (if provided)
Proof of English proficiency (for international students whose native language is not English)

Ability to be successful in intended major
Essay and answers to Purdue questions
Personal background and experiences
Information provided by your high school
Time of year you apply
Space availability in the desired program

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32104 USD / year

≈ 32104 USD / year
Out-of-State

28794 USD / year

≈ 28794 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

9718 USD / year

≈ 9718 USD / year

Living costs

West Lafayette

United States

1096 - 1774 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Game Development and Design.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

West Lafayette

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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