Overview

The Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at American University in Dubai partnered with the leading School of Cinematic Arts, at the University of Southern California, one of the top-ranking in the US, to build a top-notch curriculum that competes with the best programs in the world. In addition to academics and experts from the field, you will have access to workshops and lectures by USC faculty members during your four-year studies.

The Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Development prepares students to pursue career opportunities in the gaming industry and to contribute to a quickly evolving gaming ecosystem in the UAE and the Gulf region. Gaming is widely recognized as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Entertainment and Media (E&M) industry worldwide, including notable developments in the UAE and wider Gulf. Graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to Dubai’s vision of becoming a global gaming hub, and they will be ready to seize career opportunities in a thriving industry. The program will provide students with the creative, entrepreneurial, collaborative, and technological skills needed to design and develop products that can serve as both entertainment and educational tools.

Upon completion of the B.S. in Game Design and Development, students are expected to be able to:

Apply game design and development across multiple mediums, including gamification, AI, virtual production, interactive media, and others.
Demonstrate expertise in core game design principles, including mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics, and narrative.
Evaluate the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of gaming, including issues related representation, diversity, monetization, and societal impact.
Create interactive and immersive game experiences across different genres and platforms by integrating both design and programming principles using industry-standard tools.
Collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams to take a gaming project from concept to completion.
Implement business fundamentals relevant to the gaming industry to guide the completion of game design and development projects within specified budgetary and time constraints.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Art for Games

Advanced Game Project

Computer Graphics

Computer Animation

History of Game Art
Data Structures and Algorithms

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-01-12 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-01 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Disciplines

Game Design View 7 other Bachelors in Game Design in United Arab Emirates

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

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

A high school/secondary school certificate or equivalent from an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education in the U.A.E. or by the relevant national or regional institutional accrediting body;
International TOEFL®or Academic IELTSTM or the equivalent score on another internationally-recognized English exam. PBT is accepted from specific centers in the UAE.
The University administers the ACCUPLACERTM Exam (Math) to place students at the appropriate mathematics level. Students may substitute the SAT for this, depending on the score.

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

Studyportals partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at American University in Dubai and/or in United Arab Emirates, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

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

103030 AED / year

≈ 103030 AED / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

103030 AED / year

≈ 103030 AED / year

Living costs

Dubai

United Arab Emirates

5300 - 9200 AED / 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 Design and Development.

Available Scholarships

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

About

Overview

Upon completion of the B.S. in Game Design and Development, students are expected to be able to:

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

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

Dubai

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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