How Tim Pressed Start on a Career in Game Development

Some people take a while to decide where to take their career. Others, like Tim Barrett '22, figure it out early. Since he was 12 years old, Barrett said he's wanted to help bring video games to life.

"I grew up playing 'The Legend of Zelda' and 'Final Fantasy' with my grandmother, and as I got older I realized that I could turn playing video games into a career and create my own games to bring the same experiences that I cherished with my grandmother to other people," he said.

When he came to Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) to earn his bachelor's degree, he knew he wanted to choose a major that would allow him to work toward his dream job in the gaming industry. "SNHU's game development program provided a way to achieve that dream by learning some of the skills and tools required by the industry," he said.

Leveling Up With a Bachelor’s Degree

Barrett earned a bachelor's in game programming and development at SNHU — a degree that was recently redeveloped into a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Game Design and Development. While his major focused on game programming, that's now a concentration option for students earning the game design and development degree at SNHU.

During his bachelor's, Barrett said he gained a basic understanding of multiple programming languages and learned to use Unreal Engine, a 3D computer graphics software program.

"Learning Unreal Engine has been incredibly useful because of its massive increase in popularity throughout the game industry over the last few years," he said. "Having that experience has been a huge part of my success in navigating the job market in the industry."

According to Barrett, SNHU's asynchronous schedule with no set class times made it possible for him to earn his degree while working. He had support from the faculty at SNHU along the way, too.

He gave a shout-out to adjunct professor Joseph Whitworth, who Barrett said taught him what it means to be a great game developer.

"I would also like to thank my favorite professor, Dr. Maureen Kinkela, for all her help and support," he said.

Finding Belfrost Studios

When he had only two terms left in his degree program, Barrett said he saw a posting in SNHU's game development Discord server. It was for a level designer role at an indie game studio with ties to SNHU — Belfrost Studios.

"Without SNHU, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet the Belfrost Studios team, which was founded by SNHU alumni and current students," Barrett said. "I reached out directly to the poster, interviewed with the team and within a few days was a member of the team myself."

Thanks to his degree program, he felt ready for the opportunity. "I feel that my SNHU education really helped me feel prepared to work in this industry," he said.

A New Quest

After finishing his bachelor's degree, Barrett decided to start a master's degree in computer science at SNHU, hoping to expand upon his technical skills and advance his career.

"I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my girlfriend, Lauren Kelley, who has encouraged and supported me every step of the way from starting my bachelor's program to returning for a master’s degree," he said. "I wouldn’t have gotten this far without her."

If you're thinking about getting a degree, Barrett shared this advice: "To anyone reading this wondering if they can accomplish their goals, but afraid they might fail — you can do it, you just need to have faith in yourself," he said.

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor’s and master’s, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon’s short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. Connect with them on LinkedIn.