The video game industry is now larger than the film and music industry combined. According to the Entertainment Software Association, in 2019 the U.S. video game industry generated $90.3 billion in annual economic output. This resulted in the industry supporting 429,000 jobs, with 143,000 of those positions being employed directly by video game companies. The video game industry even generated $12.6 billion in federal, state and local taxes that same year. As a result of the industry growth, gaming professionals and creators will soon find their services in higher demand than ever before. EKU offers students a chance to get in on the action in the video game industry by earning an online certificate in game design.
The game design certificate can be earned along with a master’s in computer science degree or as a standalone certificate. Students will explore topics from game design and theory to game production and publication. The best part is that there are no previous technical skills in programming or art creation required! The game design certificate is accessible to students looking to pursue a career in the video gam industry in any of its many disciplines, including – programming, art, animation, business, production, sound, music and writing.
The online game design certificate program is designed to give students real-world experience. While in the program, students are able to build their portfolio by giving two full game pitch presentations for both online and offline games. Students will also be given the opportunity to develop an investor or publisher pitch for a game studio and create a business use case/design document for a monetization system. Upon completion, students will have much of the gaming knowledge needed to start their own studio and will have a competitive edge in the job market.
While in the program, students will benefit from faculty members who have become experts in their field.
EKU is proud to have faculty with 30 years of real-world experience publishing games and running successful game studios heading the game design program. One such faculty member, Michael Hartman, brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and credentials to the classroom.
Hartman is the president and CEO of Frogdice, Inc., one of the longest running online game companies in existence. It was through this company that he pioneered the Free-to-Play business model. In this business model gamers do not pay to play the game itself, rather revenue is generated from virtual goods, cosmetic accessories and bonus content. He also designed and programmed Frogdice’s first video game. He then went on to become the executive producer and designer for the next 7 games that Frogdice published. This is all in addition to serving as president of Virtual Keystone, a company that consults with corporate clients on their uses of gamification, ecommerce and crowdfunding.
Students can learn from the expertise of our esteemed faculty, gain real-world experience, build their portfolio and make their mark in the video game industry with EKU. Upon completion of the certificate program or graduation from the master’s degree in computer science with a concentration in game design, students are prepared to enter the competitive gaming industry and pursue exciting, creative and dynamic careers as video-game developers, game programmers, artists, game engineers, writers and game designers.
Earn your online certificate from the same university that was home to the first bachelor’s degree focusing on game design in Kentucky. Learn more about how you can earn your standalone certificate in game design or how you can earn your master’s degree in computer science with a certificate in game design. Have any questions? Contact us today at 859-622-5826 or Trevor.Jenkins@eku.edu.