When you think of video games, maybe the pellet-consuming Pac-Man, or Pikachu, the iconic mouse surging with electricity, or the blue speedster, Sonic the Hedgehog, come to mind. Often seen as a casual hobby, video game production is an elaborate art form involving collaboration between technical artists, engineers, writers, and designers. There are many perspectives necessary to build out a successful video game, and the University of Utah’s Division of Games sees its potential as a booming career field and a playground for imagination.
Since its inception in 2010, the Division of Games has grown into one of the University of Utah’s most celebrated academic programs. The Division has been consistently recognized as a top-5 Games program not just across the U.S., but all over the world. Faculty and staff passionate about gaming (and its value as a career path) lead Utah Games, and students are welcomed with a culture of creativity and community.
Prologue
Utah Games has evolved into its current state of global prominence by a community of spirited individuals determined to innovate the video games of the future. Corrinne Lewis, one of the first staff members for Utah Games, now serves as Associate Professor, Lecturer, and Assistant Department Chair for Academic Affairs. “I was a graduate advisor at the time and then I became a program manager for this crazy thing that didn’t really exist,” Lewis asserts. “We didn’t know what it was going to be.”
In its early years, a small but visionary team began the program inspired by a belief that games were worth studying, worth creating, and ultimately, worth building a community around. The goal was a welcoming academic space where people felt understood, a community of like-minded individuals who can come together and create something magical.
However, they had no idea the sheer scale the program would evolve into. With each graduating class, the Division strengthened its presence in a rapidly growing industry. University of Utah alumni carry the program’s collaborative spirit across the country, widening Games’s network and reputation as they join blockbuster studios, form independent teams, and innovate the field as we know it. Now, guest speakers, industry leaders, and studio partners return to the U from all over the world to contribute to the warm and genuine culture cultivated here, catapulting the program to global prominence.
Skills & Proficiencies
A degree from the University of Utah Division of Games means much more than learning how to develop a game; it’s about developing core skills that shape students into adaptable and collaborative professionals.
U students learn how to work with others whose talents and personalities differ from their own. Building this community of peers, faculty, and industry professionals is at the forefront of what makes the Division of Games so special, prioritizing deeper connections that last well beyond graduating from the U. With this unique community, students create, fail, and create again—a cycle that mirrors the creative process Games graduates will go on to use in their own careers.
Through hands-on projects, game jams, and peer feedback, students learn to embrace failure as a steppingstone to innovation. According to Miranda Klausmeier, Program Manager at Games, “Starting early, it’s okay if you don’t make something amazing. If maybe you fail at something, that is just part of the creative process. Don’t fear that failure; instead, embrace it and allow it to help change what you’re making.”
Designers, software engineers, creative writers, and animators all call the Division of Games their home as they move through their coursework to earn their degrees, often collaborating with one another on large-scale projects that result in playable, engaging, and epic video games. Through peer advising, mentorship, and opportunities like portfolio reviews with top industry professionals, students learn to advocate for themselves and their work.
Side Quests to Gain XP
At the heart of the Division is a community that celebrates authenticity. Upon beginning their degrees, students discover a place where they can unapologetically be themselves, diving into conversations about their favorite role-playing games, design ideas, platformer strategies, or the latest trends in the gaming world. “Students, when they arrive here, they’re very nervous. But then after a few weeks they realize, ‘Oh, these are my people that I didn’t realize I was missing out on,’” says Klausmeier. This sense of belonging becomes a foundation for both personal and professional growth.
The Division actively fosters deeper connections through informal spaces where students can experiment in a supportive environment. The 3D Art Club allows students to try their hand in designing visual assets. Crimson Gaming serves as the face for over 15 different student groups that specialize in a wide range of niches. Gamecraft, the University of Utah’s game design and development club, is an opportunity for students of all majors and experience levels to connect and grow. Workshops, social events, and speakers provide creators at the U with a robust community in which they can ensure long-term success in the industry. Corrinne Lewis, who founded the club, says, “We turned it over to the students, and it just keeps going. People love that club, and they’ve turned it into something very different than it was when it started, which is fantastic.”
This culture of inclusivity and shared passion reinforces the Division of Games as a space where students can fully embrace who they are, share their creativity, and grow together.
In the Division of Games, the hands-on experience the U prides itself on comes in the form of faculty-led research initiatives, internships, and capstone projects. No matter the path students take, they are surrounded by opportunities that mirror the career field they are about to enter.