At Georgian College in Barrie, Canada, HD in Game - Development is offered as a higher diploma in Digital Media & Game Development programme. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 7,619 per semester (CAD 1,387 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Higher Diploma
Field:Digital Media & Game Development
Duration: 3 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 1,387 / semester
International tuition: CAD 7,619 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The field of game development is all about breathing life into digital worlds. It combines creative, technical, and artistic skills to craft interactive environments for players. Game developers create unique gaming realms by integrating levels, characters, assets, props, and systems for various platforms, including computers, consoles and mobile devices. In the Game – Development program, you will embark on a journey from concept to reality, transforming game ideas and simulation concepts into compelling experiences. You learn to develop narratives, create and manage 2D and 3D digital assets, and master techniques in lighting and rendering, game artificial intelligence, and multiplayer networking. Additionally, you explore the development of serious games and emerging technologies, ensuring that, as a graduate, you are at the forefront of innovation and capable of creating immersive and visually stunning game worlds. Through hands-on experience with cutting-edge game engines and design tools, you gain practical skills in game mechanics and dynamics. These skills are not limited to gaming; they can also be applied to developing simulations for industries such as architecture, engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, and education and training. By the end of the program, you are well-prepared to enter the gaming industry or explore diverse career opportunities in various fields.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Georgian College's own admission-requirements page for Game – Development asks for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature-student status, with Grade 12 English at the C or U level. Mature applicants 19 or older without an OSSD, non-secondary-school applicants, and home-schooled applicants can also be considered through equivalent courses, upgrading, a completed GED, or equivalency testing, and coursework from a recognized post-secondary institution or relevant life or learning experience is assessed through credit evaluation. The page lists no standardized English-language test scores (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo or CAEL) and no portfolio requirement. Before the programme starts, students need a personal laptop meeting specified hardware minimums with Windows 11, since MacOS machines and ARM-based devices are not supported.
Application Details
Start Date:Fall 2026 (Barrie campus) and Fall 2027 (Barrie Downtown)
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: 1 February 2027 is the equal-consideration date for Georgian's highly competitive programs, which now covers Fall 2027, Winter 2028 and Summer 2028 entry, and later applications are assessed first-come, first-served while seats last; offers of admission for this 2026-2027 cycle must be accepted by 1 May 2027. Programs outside the highly competitive list carry no equal-consideration date and are assessed on a rolling basis year-round. International applicants apply directly through Georgian's own portal with no published closing date and are assessed on a rolling basis while seats remain, though Georgian warns a program open when applied to may close before assessment. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
