HPU’s Game Design Program Again Ranked Among Top 50 in the Nation

Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, who serves as HPU’s Innovator in Residence, mentored Nathan Harvey and his game design classmates during a visit to the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication.

HIGH POINT, N.C., March 24, 2025 – For a fourth consecutive year, High Point University has been recognized for providing one of the Top 50 undergraduate game design programs in the country and the highest-rated program in North Carolina.

The Princeton Review ranked HPU’s game design program #6 for undergraduate schools in the South and #41 for undergraduate schools across the country in its 2025 list, released March 18. HPU moved up seven spots from last year’s ranking of #48 nationally, and it continues to be the only university in North Carolina to make the list.

HPU’s game design major, as well as a corresponding minor, is housed in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication. The program was selected for the 2025 list based on its quality of faculty, facilities, technology, curriculum and career services.

“HPU’s game design program vaulted up seven places from last year, and what made that possible was a combination of the hard work put in by our students in their classes and in their clubs, our students getting great internships, and our alumni growing their careers in the game industry and bringing that knowledge back to our current students,” said Dr. Stefan Hall, chair and professor of game design. “Our students get better and better every year, encouraging their peers to make engaging games and helping each other refine their game design skills. The faculty mentorship in our department fosters a lot of innovation and makes for a dynamic learning environment of inspired imagination and development. Just like good game designers think tactically and strategically, we are already looking ahead and building more exciting possibilities for the upcoming year.”

Being able to network with industry innovators, such as Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, who serves as HPU’s Innovator in Residence, as well as designers, producers and publishers from the game industry gives students valuable insight to help their own careers.

“Our game design program has consistently ranked among the Top 50 in the nation, and this jump is a direct result of the hard work of Dr. Stefan Hall and our dedicated faculty, Dr. Kris Bell and Brian Heagney, who continue to strengthen this program through their passion, creativity and commitment to excellence,” said Dr. Nahed Eltantawy, interim dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication.

HPU’s game design program is extremely active. Twenty-one students traveled last week to exhibit their games at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. They were accompanied by Heagney, assistant professor of game design, Bell, associate professor of game design, and Dr. Lloyd Williams, associate professor of computer science. The GDC is considered the world’s largest and longest-running professional game industry event, with around 30,000 attendees expected, Hall said.

Heagney will also take four students to PAX East in early May to represent HPU’s game design program.

HPU was named the #1 Best-Run College in the nation by The Princeton Review in “The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition.” HPU was also ranked among the Top 20 in the nation for Best College Dorms, Best Career Services, Most Active Student Government, Best Campus Food and Most Beautiful Campus.