About GDIAC

The Game Design Initiative at Cornell was formed in 2001. It was one of the first official computer game programs of its kind, and the first such program established in an Ivy League school. While computer game programs are more commonplace these days, Cornell’s program remains strong. The Game Design Initiative allows students to earn a world-class Cornell education while having fun working in computer games. We focus on project-based learning that teaches students the fundamentals of design and implementation, while at the same time training them how to work in large multi-disciplinary teams.

As an interdisciplinary program hosted within the Department of Computer Science, it offers a minor in game design accessible to Cornell students regardless of college or major. Even though it only offers a minor, the program is a highly-regarded program for technical areas such as software development, gameplay design, game analytics, and project management.