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. 7.
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 2023. Apply today.
What’s Happening at the Becker School of Design & Technology
Student Club
IGDA Clark Game Expo Spring 2024
Over 200 game developers and students participated IGDA Clark’s Game Expo. Attendees played games, networked, and enjoyed catered food.
In the classroom
Dragons, art, and lore
A reptile specialist visited the Dragons: Art, and Lore, from Asia to the Western World course so “students could connect the dots from what they’re drawing and seeing to what ancient cultures saw,” says Professor Melizza Santram-Chernov.
Student work
Student Games at PAX East 2023
Once again, students and faculty from the Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT) showcased their work at PAX East, the annual celebration that draws thousands to Boston to rub shoulders with developers, artists, writers, and others who create games.
Internships
Exploring a pathway for neurodivergent game designers
After an internship at Northeastern University, Max Koppel ’22, M.S. ’23, is exploring new pathways of programming in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional gamescapes. As he continues his studies at Clark, Koppel is now working on a Morse code game and a virtual Rubik’s Cube. “I got into programming in particular because it’s like open-ended puzzle solving and I’ve always had a passion for that,” he says.
Research
‘Water is life’: $1.5M NSF-funded study in Mexico to deploy gaming technology
Nine researchers and 19 graduate students from Clark University — including the Becker School of Design & Technology — are embarking on a three-year project in Central Mexico that, for the first time, will meld GIS mapping, system dynamics modeling, and extended reality (XR) technology to help policymakers and the public understand how much is at stake under climate change. The project currently is recruiting graduate students — including one based in BSDT’s MFA Program — who are fluent Spanish speakers.
Interdisciplinary Courses
Interactive Theater course bridges theater and gaming
A course called Interactive Theater has brought together the Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT) and Visual & Performing Arts (VP&A) programs for a special purpose: to create and perform the show “Waiting for Obols,” based on an original script written by BSDT Professor Terrasa Ulm. Other faculty involved in the course include BSDT’s Ezra Cove and Amanda Theinert and VP&A’s Darrell-Jarbadan.
Internships
BSDT students build games from scratch at MassDigi
For three Becker School of Design & Technology students, the summer presented a unique opportunity to develop a game from concept to release in a matter of weeks. Ethan Nappi ’22, Lucas Oliveira-Chace ’23, and Mengliu Lu ’22, MFA ’23, attended the 2022 MassDigi Summer Innovation Program [SIP], a 12-week internship that challenges students to build a game prototype from the ground up.
BSDT MFA Program
MFA program seeks Spanish-speaking applicants for Mexico research project
Nine Clark University faculty — including two from the Becker School of Design & Technology — are seeking fluent Spanish speakers to apply to graduate programs as part of a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation Program Partnerships for International Research and Education. The grant, titled “Co-Creating Capacities to Understand, Visualize and Mitigate Climate-Change Impact Cascades and Inequities in Central Mexico,” seeks applicants for five Clark graduate programs, including the MFA in Interactive Media.
Virtual Reality
Merging art and tech for immersive experiences
The gaming industry continues to evolve with immersive art, including virtual reality technology that challenges players to step outside of their comfort zone. Immersion is the practice of adding another dimension to works of art.
In a panel discussion, Becker School of Design & Technology (BSDT) professors, students, and alumni discussed the benefits of immersive art in their game and design projects.
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. 4-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. 7-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
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