Esports event in Kaplan Center

Game Design and Experiential Media (B.S.)

Make games. Make worlds. Make a difference. Come create with us at Chicago's only tech-focused university.

Jump to the forefront of the rapidly expanding, multi-billion-dollar games industry through Illinois Institute of Technology’s Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Experiential Media program. We are Chicago’s premier tech-focused university—located in a global metropolis at the center of a top 10 market in the United States for game design.

Work collaboratively to create games and experiential media in a project-based environment. Connect with on-campus networks such as Illinois Tech Esports, the Illinois Tech chapter of the International Game Developers Association, and the Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) Program Game Lab to launch your future in gaming. 

Want to see what projects our students and faculty are working on? Check out our newsletter:

Why Study Games at a Technology-Focused University?

Studying games at Illinois Tech uniquely prepares students to launch their careers in the tech industry. Game design and experiential media majors are working alongside engineers, computer scientists, entrepreneurs, and researchers every day, creating games and experiences in a vibrant multidisciplinary community.  Our program fuses creativity and passion with deep technical expertise that you can't get anywhere else.

Program Overview

Connect and collaborate with peers to learn technical and creative skills in game design, interactive media, and storytelling to create the next generation of emerging media at Chicago’s only tech-focused university.

Career Opportunities

Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared to step into exciting roles not only at top game companies such as Riot Games, Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda, and Rockstar Games, but also at some of the world’s premier tech companies including Google, Bose, and Microsoft.

Some common jobs that graduates pursue include: 

  • Game developer
  • Software engineer
  • Web developer
  • Artificial intelligence programmer
  • User interface designer
  • Level designer
  • Script writer
  • Narrative designer
  • Quality assurance analyst
  • User researcher

All GEM majors participate in a first-semester studio class and take a slate of courses covering aspects of game development ranging from storytelling and game mechanics to more technical areas. Because there's more than one way to be a game developer, every GEM student customizes their educational experience through their choice of technical electives, enabling them to focus on the areas of game design they care about most, whether that's art, narrative design, programming, or something else entirely.  If you have curriculum questions, feel free to contact Carly Kocurek at ckocurek@iit.edu.

View Details

Admission to Illinois Tech is required to enroll in the B.S. in Game Design and Experiential Media program.

A student plays a video game in the Esports lab

Game On!

Be it through competing in high-level tournaments or at a casual LAN party, Illinois Tech Esports aims to create a space for everyone to connect through gaming.

Esports at Illinois Tech
Two Illinois Tech staff members speaking on stage at an esports event.

Building an Esports Community

Illinois Tech awards scholarships to students who demonstrate a commitment to community-building, leadership development, and growth in the esports community. 

Learn More
Idea Shop Maker Space

Take Your Ideas to the Next Level

The Idea Shop is a state-of-the-art, rapid-prototyping lab that houses 3D printers and scanners, multiple CNC milling machines, a vacuum former, and laser cutter. 

Learn More

Our Students Do Big Things

Featured Faculty and Staff

Jennifer deWinter
Dean, Lewis College of Science and Letters
Carly_Kocurek_320x355
Professor of Digital Humanities and Media Studies Associate Dean, Lewis College of Science and Letters
Anijo Mathew
Dean of IIT Institute of Design (ID)
Arlen C. Moller
Associate Professor of Psychology
Kristina Bauer
Associate Chair, Department of Psychology Associate Professor of Psychology
James_Papademas_320x355
Industry Professor, Information Technology and Management
April Welch
Associate Vice President, Strategic Initiatives Director, Esports and Digital Arts Director, Exelon Summer Institute
Bo Rodda headshot
Professor of Practice Assistant Professor, Media/Design/Data NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR), Illinois Tech Athletics