UMBC has earned an Honorable Mention on The Princeton Review's third annual list of undergraduate schools to study game design, placing it in the top 32 undergraduate schools for game design and development in the U.S. and Canada.

The list, "Top Schools To Study Video Game Design For 2012," salutes 50 institutions (32 undergraduate and 18 graduate) for their outstanding game design and development programs.

Compiled by The Princeton Review, one of America’s best-known education services companies, the 2012 list names 10 undergraduate and 10 graduate schools in ranked order and 22 undergraduate and 8 graduate schools as Honorable Mentions. The list is published on The Princeton Review’s website at www.princetonreview.com/game-design.aspx.

The Princeton Review chose the schools based on a survey it conducted in the 2011-12 academic year of administrators at 150 institutions offering video game design coursework and/or degrees in the United States and Canada. The survey, which included more than 50 questions, covered a wide range of topics from academics, curriculum, and faculty credentials to graduates’ employment and career achievements. School selections were based on a comprehensive analysis of data that analyzed the quality of the curriculum, faculty, facilities, and infrastructure, plus the school's scholarships, financial aid and career services.

Said Robert Franek, Princeton Review Senior VP/Publisher, “It has long been our mission to help students find – and get into – the schools best for them to purse their interests and develop their talents. For the burgeoning number of students aspiring to become game designers, we highly recommend UMBC as one of the best and most innovate institutions to study and succeed in this exciting field. We also salute the faculty and administrators at UMBC and the other schools on our 2012 list for their extraordinary programs and commitment to students. "