Top rated Game Design Schools

DeltaCommando5 · 05-22-2008, 02:09 AM

For a while I thought FullSail was but after reading several reviews from students who attended, It looks like a big waste of money. So, what are the top rated game design schools that I could trust to give me a true education and jumpstart my game design career? Based on quality of education, teachers, and reputation.

xVirtual Worldx · 05-22-2008, 06:05 PM

check around your area and make sure it is accredited just in case you want to go back to school at a later time.

james.portnow · 05-23-2008, 08:41 PM

I guess someone should write a piece about this...

I biased but here's my opinion.

1. CMU's Entertainment Technology Center (masters)
2. Digipen (undergrad)
3. Guildhall (masters)
4. USC (master's I believe...)
5. UCF's Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (masters)

Most of the good game schools only offer a masters...

I'm willing to go on record counseling you against Full Sail. You're better off getting your bachelors at a better school in a field less directly related to games.

TG1 · 05-24-2008, 12:27 AM

*holding head in frustration*
This is all so confusing.
I did decide to take the educational route before I try to get into the industry, I admit that one of the reasons for that is that I nead to relocate on order to work in game development and going to school first will enable me to see if I really like living abroad and in Canada (and even in the US) getting a working permit is easier after you spent some time learning in the country.
I see that you are mostly talking about design programs where I mostly look for game programming programs, preferebly masters (I'm already a programmer in IT and it seems that there is more demand for programmers then to designers, although I would love to find a job that combines design with programming).
anyway, after this long runt, I did look into fullsail and SMU, and SMU's program does look good (altthough my friends keep telling me that it's hard to be a vegeterian in Texas

). another program the interests me is Algoma university's masters program, does anybody know anything about it? so far all I know is that they have been the nicest and most helpful regarding the admissions process

james.portnow · 05-24-2008, 01:00 AM

There's really no such thing as "game programming". I mean you're better off just going to one of the top tech schools (MIT, CMU, Stanford &c.) if you're looking to go the programming route. Any of those schools will be able to set you up with an internship and, if you're a good programmer, any company you intern for will snap you up in an instant.

TG1 · 05-24-2008, 03:23 AM

hmmm, I admit that I'm less interested in the degree and more in the practical training (that's why I'm considering full sail even though its a BSc program), currently I feel that I lack knowledge in areas that are more game specific such as AI and 3d programming. that's why I find SMU's and Algoma's programs appealing, they also have a project in the end instead of an acdemic reasearch or thesis work (which I'm less interested in). so going back to my previous post - does anybody know anything about the program offered in Algoma?

I will add another question just out of curiosity - a lot of the schools that offer game programs, publish in their career sections that they have close to 100% work placement success for their graduates, how should I interpert this information?

Gamestormer · 05-24-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TG1

I will add another question just out of curiosity - a lot of the schools that offer game programs, publish in their career sections that they have close to 100% work placement success for their graduates, how should I interpert this information?

Usually the caveats are work placement within 6 months of graduation, and, depending on the phrase, it may not necessarily be in the game industry but rather "software engineering" if it's a programming-based course. If it specifies within the game industry, then it usually includes any students who now work for that school - I believe Fullsail hires a lot of former students as TA/Lab assistants and can then count them among successful work placement.

On the flip side, a small number of people take game-focused programs but don't pursue game development for their own reasons, and every academic program will graduate students that slip through producing sub-par work. If the placement rate is high, then just judge where you think you'd fall among the class - among the best or among the worst.

However, a degree is not a guarantee for a job and placement rate should be a good way of judging the programs relevancy to the industry rather than a free pass for a job.

Gshonk · 05-25-2008, 08:16 PM

Good choice on not going to full sail. Full sail is a PROGRAMMING SCHOOL not a DESIGN SCHOOL. I keep having to tell people this and I believe it is why they changed the name to Game Development (from Game Design). But as for how it goes for programming I have heard nothing but great things from companies that I have interviewed with, they love Full Sail and what we learn here. Also I have a lot of friends who have graduated and gotten jobs in the Simulation industry or just a programming job. It is true that a lot of students stay and are lab techs but this is either a personal choice or because they did not actively search for jobs.