The Savannah College of Art and Design offers courses focusing exclusively on art and design. Among these courses, the master of fine art in interactive design and game development is an attractive programme which fits in with the local game culture.

"We prepare our students for the interactive design and game development by offering a comprehensive curriculum which takes students from concept development to final production," says Professor Tony Tseng, the course instructor. "We provide an education to inspire creative thinking, as well as hands-on training to teach the latest technology."

Students will use professional, high-end hardware and software which allows them to gain a strong visual aesthetic by learning critical interactive design, technical and analytical skills, and mastery of industry-standard tools.

"Graduates are trained to fuse artistic and technical knowledge to design," he says. "They know how to develop digital and non-digital games, rich-media internet and mobile applications, as well as virtual and physically interactive installations."

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree. Those who demonstrate successful completion of the appropriate coursework at the undergraduate level will have an advantage.

Rhonda Bowlin, who is studying the course in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States, says: "Classes are designed to be similar to what one would find in the game design industry. Students study level building, character development, documentation and asset modelling. The design classes are theory-heavy and work to deconstruct what goes into successful game systems.

"By studying the art and design of games, students get to explore which of these paths we want to take in the industry and to hone those skills to a more professional level."