School of Interactive Games and Media at RIT

What School of Interactive Games and Media at RIT does

The School of Interactive Games and Media (IGM) is an academic department within the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), a public university in Rochester, New York. IGM delivers undergraduate degrees in Game Design and Development and New Media Interactive Development, a Master of Science in Game Design and Development, and a Ph.D. in Computing and Information Sciences, alongside minors and immersions in Game Design, Game Development, Computer Graphics and Visualization, and Geographic Information Systems. Faculty and students collaborate in MAGIC Spell Studios, a state-of-the-art production facility equipped with industry-standard game engines, VR/AR tools, and computer graphics systems; the school also supports one of the nation's largest Esports organizations. Student-led production outputs include the Changeling VR narrative mystery game published on Steam with contributions from over 300 students, and the commercially released title The Salesman (8,000+ copies sold by student studio Bad Ideas).

The school's funding flows through RIT's institutional structure — primarily tuition and fees for degree programs, supplemented by research grants and co-op program economics — and it does not operate as a standalone commercial entity. Distribution occurs via RIT's centralized undergraduate and graduate admissions channels, with campus visits, the annual Interactive Media Symposium, and an Industrial Advisory Board supporting recruitment and curriculum relevance. Notable partnerships include the Strong Museum of Play (co-development of the award-winning Overboard experience) and co-op placements with employers such as Diligent Robotics and The New York Times. IGM's programs are consistently ranked among the top nationally and globally: 3rd for game design BS (US News & World Report 2026), 4th for game design MS (Princeton Review 2026), and 6th for undergraduate game design (Princeton Review 2025), with the co-op program ranked 5th in the nation. In July 2026, Dr. José P. Zagal — a published author with MIT Press and Routledge — was named Director of the school.

Name

School of Interactive Games and Media at RIT

Legal name

School of Interactive Games and Media at Rochester Institute of Technology

Website

https://igm.rit.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The School of Interactive Games and Media (IGM) is an academic department within RIT's Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences that offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in game design, interactive media, and computer graphics, serving prospective students globally through RIT's centralized admissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education — Game Design and Interactive Media

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Animation, Game Art & Digital Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive) (EDAGAKAG), Collegiate/Scholastic Esports Programs & Leagues (MPAFADAK), Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design (EDAGAKAH), Interactive Learning Games & Gamified Courseware (EDAGALAL)

Keywords

• Game design education
• Interactive media programs
• Computer graphics research
• VR/AR development training
• Cooperative education program

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate degree programs through RIT's tuition structure. Students pay tuition for game design, new media interactive development, and other computing programs.
2. Research Grants and Funding: Faculty and student research supported through grants and institutional funding, including work at the Interaction, Media, and Learning Lab.
3. Cooperative Education Program: Co-op program ranked 5th nationally provides students with paid work experiences, creating industry connections that may generate indirect revenue through enhanced reputation and alumni donations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The School of Interactive Games and Media (IGM) delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in game design, game development, new media interactive development, and computing and information sciences, along with several minors and immersions. Coursework and applied learning cover computer graphics, game engines, interactive narrative, simulation, edutainment, visualization, and VR/AR, supported by the MAGIC Spell Studios production facility and one of the nation's largest Esports organizations.

Product overview

The School of Interactive Games and Media (IGM) at RIT is an academic unit within the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, not a commercial software product company. IGM offers a portfolio of undergraduate degrees (Game Design and Development BS, New Media Interactive Development BS), graduate degrees (Game Design and Development MS, Computing and Information Sciences Ph.D.), and various minors/immersions (Game Design Minor, Game Development Minor, Computer Graphics and Visualization Minor, Geographic Information Systems Immersion/Minor). The programs focus on interactive media, games, simulations, VR/AR, experimental interfaces, and media-centric systems. The school operates MAGIC Spell Studios as a state-of-the-art facility for student production work and maintains an active Esports organization. Student projects like Changeling VR (narrative mystery game on Steam) represent creative outputs rather than commercial product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Game Design and Development BS An undergraduate program that empowers students to explore the entertainment technology landscape, with emphasis on computing as it relates to interactive media, games, simulations, VR/AR, experimental interfaces, and media-centric systems. Ranked 3rd for best game design program by US News & World Report 2026.
• New Media Interactive Development BS An undergraduate degree that adapts digital technologies for social software, wearable devices, touch interfaces, virtual/augmented reality, and other interactive media contexts.
• Game Design and Development MS A Master of Science degree covering the breadth of game development through coursework in computer graphics, game engines, interactive narrative, and game design. Ranked 4th by Princeton Review 2026.
• Computing and Information Sciences Ph.D. A Ph.D. program allowing students to conduct advanced research with expert faculty and explore challenges in and beyond computing.
• Game Design Minor A minor for non-technical computing students exploring game design processes, principles, and interactive media theories.
• Game Development Minor A minor for students in technical fields combining software development knowledge with media-centric application design for games and simulation industries.
• Computer Graphics and Visualization Minor A minor launching in fall 2026 focused on computer graphics and visualization techniques.
• Geographic Information Systems Minor A minor providing experience in computer-based mapping, spatial databases, and geographic analysis with GIS development and analysis tracks.
• Geographic Information Systems Immersion An immersion focused on geographic problem solving and scientific inquiry using interactive digital mapping tools and geospatial technologies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3rd ranked game design program (US News & World Report 2026)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Strong Museum of PlaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Strong Museum of Play (world's largest museum dedicated to play) to develop interactive experiences including the award-winning Overboard game. Students collaborated with museum curators to create innovative interactive media projects that blend historical preservation with modern game design.
• MAGIC Spell StudioscoreTechnology or IntegrationState-of-the-art production facility operated by RIT that provides industry-standard tools and professional-grade equipment for student and faculty collaboration on interactive media projects. The facility supports game development, VR/AR projects, and other interactive media production.
• IGM Industrial Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard consisting of broad range of industry representatives who help maintain currency with industry trends, offering insight on curriculum, teaching methods, and industry needs. Integral to maintaining balanced, vibrant school operations and relevance.
• Diligent RoboticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAI robotics firm that hired RIT game design student for co-op, providing real-world experience opportunity. Student worked on Moxi, an AI-powered healthcare robot, demonstrating versatility of game design graduates in diverse technical roles.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DigiPen Institute of Technology: DigiPen Institute of Technology is a dedicated game development and interactive media college offering BS and MS degrees in game design, computer science, and digital art. It is the most direct peer to RIT IGM because both institutions focus exclusively on game and interactive media education at the undergraduate and graduate level.
• Full Sail University: Full Sail University is a for-profit institution offering BS and MS degrees in game design, game development, and computer animation. It is a direct peer because both schools train undergraduate and graduate students specifically for careers in game design, interactive media, and related creative technology fields.
• NYU Game Center: NYU Game Center is New York University's game design program offering a BFA in Game Design and an MFA in Game Design. It is a direct peer because both schools are top-ranked US game design programs producing graduates for the same industry roles in indie, AAA, and interactive media studios.
• Georgia Institute of Technology — Digital Media MS: Georgia Tech's Digital Media MS program is an interdisciplinary graduate program covering game design, interactive computing, and media technology. It is a direct peer because both Georgia Tech and RIT IGM offer graduate-level degrees emphasizing game development, interactive media, and computing within top-ranked research universities.
• Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Technology Center: Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) is a graduate-level program offering a Master of Entertainment Technology focused on game design, interactive storytelling, and themed entertainment. It is a direct peer because both RIT IGM and CMU ETC are top-tier US institutions training graduate students for leadership roles in game development and interactive media.
• University of Utah — Entertainment Arts and Engineering (EAE): University of Utah's Entertainment Arts and Engineering program offers BS, MS, and PhD degrees in game development and is widely regarded as a top-ranked US game design program. It is a direct peer because both programs are university-based, top-ranked, and produce graduates for the same gaming and interactive media industry roles.
• USC Games (University of Southern California): USC Games is the interdisciplinary game program at the University of Southern California that offers degrees in game development, game design, and interactive media. It is a direct peer because it competes with RIT IGM for top-ranked game design program status and produces graduates entering the same gaming and interactive media roles.
• Drexel University Game Design Program: Drexel University's Game Design and Production program offers a BS degree with a strong co-op component, similar in structure and philosophy to RIT IGM's offerings. It is a direct peer because both programs emphasize hands-on co-op experiences within a university computing college structure.

Emerging players

• UC Santa Cruz — Games and Playable Media: UC Santa Cruz's Games and Playable Media is an MS/PhD track within the Computer Science department focused on game design research and design. It is comparable to RIT IGM's MS and PhD offerings because both train graduate students in research-oriented game design and computer graphics, though UCSC emphasizes research over RIT's stronger co-op and production focus.

Broad incumbents

• Rochester Institute of Technology (Golisano College): RIT's Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences is the parent college that houses the IGM school alongside other computing and information sciences programs. It is the broadest incumbent comparable entity because it shares the same faculty, students, facilities, and institutional brand that IGM operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/school-of-interactive-games-and-media-at-rit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about School of Interactive Games and Media at RIT