Credibility That Creates Access
Credibility That Creates Access
Applied Learning for Builders, Engineers, and Creators
DigiPen Institute of Technology was founded in 1988 by Claude Comair to develop talent capable of building real-time interactive systems at a professional level. What began as a computer simulation and animation company quickly evolved into a training ground for technical creators when industry demand revealed a critical gap: developers who understood both computer science fundamentals and cutting-edge digital production.
Early on, DigiPen partnered with Nintendo of America to create a certification program in video game programming — an industry collaboration that helped lead to the formation of Nintendo Software Technology, with Comair as a co-founder. This close proximity to real game development pipelines established a philosophy that continues today: students learn by building, not by observing.
DigiPen's online graduate programs extend this philosophy through applied learning environments designed to mirror professional production workflows. You’ll work through complex technical challenges, collaborate across disciplines, and build demonstrable projects that reflect how software, AI systems, and interactive technologies are developed in professional environments.
The result is a graduate experience designed not just to teach concepts, but to help you build the capability to deliver.
Dr. Erik Mohrmann DEAN OF FACULTY
Learn Through Production-Style Development
Many graduate programs emphasize lectures and theoretical coursework. DigiPen’s approach emphasizes building, testing, and delivering working systems.
Participate in project-based coursework that reflects real development environments, including:
- Defining project requirements and technical scope
- Collaborating in team-based development workflows
- Iterating through testing, debugging, and refinement
- Integrating multiple systems into working solutions
- Delivering finished projects that demonstrate applied skills
This production-oriented approach reflects how modern technology and game development teams operate.
Graduate With Portfolio-Ready Work
Employers evaluating technical candidates often prioritize demonstrable experience. DigiPen programs emphasize portfolio-ready outcomes so graduates can show how they apply their skills in practice.
You may produce deliverables such as:
- Software systems and technical prototypes
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning implementations
- Game systems and interactive applications
- Technical documentation and project reports
- Collaborative capstone projects
These artifacts provide concrete examples of technical capability that can be presented during hiring processes.
Create Projects That Shape the Industry
Some of the game industry’s most recognizable ideas began as student projects at DigiPen Institute of Technology.
One early example is Narbacular Drop, a DigiPen student game built around teleportation puzzles using linked portals. After seeing the project at a DigiPen Career Day, the developer Valve hired the student team and developed the concept into the critically acclaimed game Portal.
Years later, another DigiPen student project, Tag: The Power of Paint, inspired gameplay mechanics used in Portal 2.
These stories reflect DigiPen’s production-focused approach: students collaborate in teams to build complete games and experimental systems that demonstrate real technical and design capability.
Online Technology Degree Programs for Builders and Innovators
Advance your career with online master’s programs designed to help you build real systems, develop practical skills, and create portfolio-ready work.
DigiPen Institute of Technology offers online technology degrees built for developers, engineers, and technical creators who want more than theory. Our graduate programs emphasize applied learning, production-style development, and real-world problem solving.
Whether you’re building AI systems or developing interactive game experiences, you’ll gain hands-on experience and graduate with demonstrable work that supports your next career move.
Build Real Systems. Develop Real Skills.
This will only take a moment
Collaboration Across Disciplines
Modern technology projects rarely happen in isolation. Software engineers, designers, AI specialists, and technical artists must collaborate to deliver complex products.
DigiPen’s programs emphasize interdisciplinary teamwork that mirrors real production environments. Students learn how to translate ideas into technical systems, communicate across technical roles, and integrate their work into larger development pipelines.
This collaborative model helps students build both technical and production workflow skills.
Gain access to a community that includes:
- Experienced faculty with industry and technical backgrounds
- Alumni working across technology and game development industries
- Peers pursuing careers in AI, software engineering, and interactive media
This network provides opportunities to learn from professionals, exchange ideas with fellow builders, and engage with a broader technology ecosystem.
Key program features include:
- Fully online delivery that allows students to learn from anywhere
- Asynchronous coursework designed for flexible scheduling
- Part-time program structure designed for working professionals
- Team-based projects that simulate professional development environments
This structure allows you to advance your education while continuing to build professional experience.
Explore the DigiPen Experience
The DigiPen advantage is built on applied learning, collaborative development, and demonstrable technical outcomes.
Learn more about the people and career opportunities that shape the DigiPen experience:
EXPLORE:
Get Built-In Industry Access
Learn game development and artificial intelligence inside a community shaped by the industry, not outside of it.
Explore DigiPen’s online master’s programs to see how applied learning and our network can help you move forward in your career.