Why Study Game Design at Clark?
We are a powerhouse in game design and technology. The Princeton Review ranks our undergraduate Game Design program No. 3 in the world and our Master of Fine Arts program No. 9.
Gain the skills you need to enter high-growth fields in interactive media and build a successful career in a rapidly changing technology industry. We are accepting applications for Fall 2022. Apply today.
What’s Happening at Becker
CAREERS
‘They are always hiring in our industry’
Stanley Pierre-Louis ’92 returned to Clark University for a special visit centered on Clark’s robust presence in the world of game design and interactive media.
Pierre-Louis, the CEO and president of the Entertainment Software Association, chatted with students in the Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT) and lauded Clark for its planned Center for Media Arts, Computing, and Design, expected to open in fall 2023. The market, he said, is awaiting BSDT students. “They are literally always hiring in our industry,” he said. “I hear from CEOs on my board that there are never enough people to fill the jobs.”
In the News
Worcester Magazine profiles BSDT
In its profile of Clark’s Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT), Worcester Magazine highlights The Armory, a game developed by BSDT students over two years. The game showcases pieces from the Higgins Armory collection at the Worcester Art Museum.
“The game incorporates weapons and armor and you can use items from the actual collection along with descriptions of when they were used, and levels in the game are based on historical battles,” Jack Freni, a fifth-year senior in game production and management and the game’s producer, tells Worcester Magazine.
STUDENT PROJECTS
Students showcase work at East Coast’s largest gaming convention
About 35 Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT) students joined faculty and alumni recently to show off their games and elicit feedback at PAX East 2022 in Boston — the East Coast’s largest gaming convention.
“It’s really nice to see the students represent their games and get feedback from people who have never played them before,” Professor Terrasa Ulm says. “I think students are excited to see what it is other people enjoy about their games, because sometimes that can be a surprise.”
BSDT of the Future
Looking forward to our new home
We’re looking forward to fall 2023, with the expected opening of Clark’s Center for Media Arts, Computing, and Design. Open to students and faculty from across campus, the building will include the Becker School of Design & Technology, Computer Science, and Visual and Performing Arts programs, allowing for plenty of opportunities for Becker students to collaborate with other Clarkies interested in forward-thinking design and innovative technology.
A DEEPER DIVE
What happens in the Game Studio?
In “The Game Studio: Over a Decade of Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Partnership,” Becker faculty talk about the process of creating interactive media — the software and hardware underlying a transformative experience based on interaction.
Alumni PROFILE
Meet Matt Hopkins ’12, MFA ’20
Matt Hopkins, a bachelor’s and master’s graduate of the Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT), now works as a technical artist at RockStar New England.
SPRING SYMPOSIUM
Gaming, community, and mental health
Amanda Theinert and Terrasa Ulm, faculty in the Becker School of Design & Technology and fellows with the Higgins School of Humanities, led a conversation for Higgins’ Spring 2022 symposium, “Fair Game(s): Social Change and Justice on the Digital Playground.” In “Video Games: The Path to Positive Collective Engagement,” they discussed how, during the pandemic, video games and the gaming community helped millions around the world stave off loneliness and improve their mental health through collaboration, cooperation, and competition.
In the News
Red Sox pre-game show spotlights BSDT faculty
NESN Clubhouse, a television show that airs before Sunday Red Sox games on the New England Sports Network, recently paid a visit to the Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT) to get a behind-the-scenes look at video game creation.
Paul Paquette, producer of the NESN’s pre-game show for kids, says, “We thought that since kids love video games, they would be interested in how the games get made — and the Becker School of Design and Technology at Clark University is the perfect place to go to teach kids about coding and game design.”
Academic Symposium
Ulm’s research, coursework examine virtual reality
In “Fundamentals of Game Development,” a First-Year Intensive course last fall, Terrasa Ulm, director of the undergraduate interactive media program and a professor of practice in the Becker School of Design & Technology, introduced students to virtual reality (VR). They studied the history, then created VR programs through rapid prototyping.
“It’s wonderful to have introductory courses where you can allow students to build a comfort level and then realize that they’re totally capable of working with new technology, and understanding the history behind it, so it becomes more approachable,” Ulm said.
Ulm was one of three Clark professors presenting their research at the pre-Inauguration Academic Symposium session on “Advances in Digital Technology.”
Gain Skills and Experience
Become part of our Game Studio, a real-world studio environment where you can produce publishable properties before you even graduate.
Interactive Media B.A.
The No. 3-ranked Interactive Media/Game Design and Development program offers eight tracks — 3D Art, 2D Art, Audio, Programming, Production, Writing, UI/UX, and Design Your Own — which each lead to a bachelor of arts.
MFA Program
Clark’s No. 9-ranked Master of Fine Arts program allows you to customize your graduate learning experience while you fully explore your passion for interactive media through our innovative studio-based curriculum. This gives you access to real hands-on experience while you follow your own vision to design and develop an advanced thesis project.
4+1 B.A./MFA in Interactive Media
Enroll in the B.A. in Interactive Media/Game Design and Development program, then add a fifth year of study to earn an MFA.
Careers and Internships
Whether you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, an MFA, or both (through our 4+1 program), you will be well-prepared for a career in the $160 billion interactive media industry.
Becker School of Design & Technology at Clark University
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950 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01610-1477 - 1-508-793-7431
- BSDT[at]clarku[dot]edu