Universities with Game-related Courses

[Kalli Karlsson]

Good day.

I´m pretty new here, so I´ll kick it off with a pretty urgent question. I´m going to study next year, getting to old to not to, and games being my "main" interest I take it for granted that this would be a fun three to five years. And hopefully learning enough to put up my own studio one day, so I´m thinking producing. I can´t really find any good guides to which uni´s are good, guessing because It´s such a fresh subject (Big WARNING sticker). So...

Do any of you have experience, Word of mouth, Gossip, Rumors, Knowledge, Websites, etc. to share? I´ve looked at the University of East London, which has a course that looks pretty solid and all-round (which is in my horizon). And London seems... Chill (compared to Oslo and Reykjavik). But info on the course is hard to get by. Probably just hidden away somewhere, over there. Going to the US doesn´t seem to shabby either, so any recommendations? Prefferably not in some Redneck shack, since fun and big-city immersion (:P) are a big factor.

Thanks! And looking forward to staying here.

[Alkiera]

Since no one else has responded...

The Rochester Institute of Technology has a number of game-development classes in their Info Tech department.  I haven't taken any of them, since they'd just started around the time I was leaving, but apparently they cover some game-design and game-theory, as well as pure development types of things.  Their CS dept's computer graphics courses also cover the kinds of stuff you need to know or at least be aware of in writing most games... in fact, most of my projects for that class were games, from a mediocre space-invaders clone, to a couple others.

Alkiera

[Sairon]

A lot of universites here in sweden now offer game realated programs, however A LOT of them is just PR bullshit. They take an old program and change a few courses and then slam on a game label on top of it. They don't have teachers or anything which knows anything about games. I'm currently on one of those and after 1 year I've decided to change to a school called SOFE ( School Of Future Entertainment ). They are run independently and owned by a company from the private sector. You don't get any fancy degree or anything, but they have super good relations to the industry here in Sweden. They have teachers who has worked at DICE and Massive for example. They don't use the old model with lectures, exercises and exams which all universities use here, instead you work on projects while the teachers works as mentors, there's way more freedom.The guy who owns the school has a passion for games as well.

We had a course which we did with students from SOFE at SOFE, and I was VERY impressed. The course was to create a game design document and ultimately pitch the game to a jury. During the course we had lectures from people in the industry pretty much every day, all the big names here in Sweden pretty much. The jury consisted of the CEO of Massive Entertainment, a producer from Vivendi and another producer from a company which I sadly can't remember the name of. Team 17 and DICE also had some folks at the scene. In the end of the course 4 GFX dudes got an offer from Team 17, 1 level designer got an offer from Massive and another guy got an offer to work as a game designer for Vivendi at Massive. One group created a mobile phone game which the school through contacts was able to land a deal for at Magma Digital, which is the largest mobil phone games developer in China.

So bottom line, you should try to check out schools which are independent imo. If you want to study in the US then http://www.fullsail.com/ might be intresting, I don't have much information on them though.

EDIT: Typo

[koboshi]

  I looked at full sail a while back and was unimpressed by their courses as well as there graduates; no one had gone on to make it big.
  I was more impressed by the Art Institute of San Francisco... if you want to go private.
  Of course I don’t think you should write off ALL universities, some of them seem to really be getting their shit together. RIT for example seems like a good school, I almost went there, and in retrospect maybe I should have gone there.
  But then again I was looking around 3 years ago or more, so I'm guessing things may have changed since then.

[Evangolis]

For the shotgun approach, here is Gamasutra's College List.  You'll need to give them an email address if you aren't already a member; they haven't abused mine in the years since I gave it to them.

For some cautionary words written in fire, check the 8/22 post about working in the game industry at Anyuzer's site

It is widely agreed around here that EA is the devil, here is one reason why.  It is likely that you will begin work in such a place.

You mention having your own shop.  Very few achieve a major studio, or even a minor one, and most of those do so only after being a lead on some major success.  You can go the independent route, but if you do, expect little in the way of income or fame, even within gaming circles.  Or there is contracting, handling outsourced work from various developers.  This, however, generally is music, art, or other support work, not design or management.  For samples, here is Gamasutra's Contractor Page

Before you start your journey, it might be good to know where you are headed.  Look at recruitment firms like Datascope or Mary-Margaret.  Ask them what it takes to get hired into the field you want.

Look into your local chapter of the IDGA.  I've been to some very interesting and informative sessions presented by the Chicago chapter.

Here are a few books worth reading, IMO.  Game Development and Production is excellent reading for anyone interested in game production.  Chris Crawford's classic work, The Art of Computer Game Design is only available online now, but still a good read.  I'd also recommend his more recent work, On Game Design.  The best I have read in the design area is Computer Game Design: Theory and Practice , by Richard Rouse.  And for a thoughtful and pleasant read, Raph Koster's A Theory of Fun is excellent.  Other sources can be found on Greg Costikyan's Amazon Book List.

Finally, have a fallback career.  Burnout is a common event in the game industry, and in ten years you may find that love of games is no longer enough to sustain you.

[stray]

Friend of mine went to Full Sail. Said it was shit, dropped out of the Game Courses, but stayed anyways and switched his major to Recording Arts (my DIY ass still knows more than him though).

[Yoru]

The college I went to (RPI) offers two game-focussed curricula. First, they offer a computer arts major (called EMAC for 'Electronic Media, Arts & Communication') covering basic electronic art techniques (2D & 3D), computer animation as well as normal art classes. It covers basically everything you'd need to get started in the game art industry: 2D graphics, graphic design, 3D modelling, animation and so forth.

Also, there's a new (as of 2? years ago) minor in Game Design, which offers a handful of game-specific courses ranging from psychological theory all the way down to a 1-semester 'shop' class where a team of 5 students (last I checked) is tasked with creating a functional alpha of a game of their own design. When I was attending, there was also a research/independent study project in game design & development; I believe that it got folded into and subsumed by the more-directed curriculum of the minor. It's definitely possible to do the EMAC major along with the game design minor.

The professor spearheading their game design minor (from within the psychology department, no less) is a good friend of mine; if you like, I can PM you his email address if you'd like to ask him some questions. The department also has close ties with a few of the local game shops; those in the game design minor were (last I heard) strongly encouraged to join and attend the monthly local IGDA meetings.

[Samwise]

I was more impressed by the Art Institute of San Francisco... if you want to go private.

I have a friend who's in the game development program at AI and seems fairly pleased with it.

[Murgos]

University of Central Florida has FIEA it's a fully accredited masters level program and they have strong partnerships (Microsoft is providing next gen development platforms and tools), but you WILL be working closely with EA, caveat emptor and all that.

[Yoru]

University of Central Florida has FIEA it's a fully accredited masters level program and they have strong partnerships (Microsoft is providing next gen development platforms and tools), but you WILL be working closely with EA, caveat emptor and all that.

Working closely with EA is apparently a common facet of university (particularly graduate-level) programs, it seems. A friend of mine has studied at CMU's Entertainment Technology Center; EA put in not a few dollars and sent over speakers on a fairly regular basis, to hear him tell it. Some of the quotations from the business-related EA people are particularly depressing.

[Soln]

there was a BBC article few months ago about University of London and some other of the newer colleges/poly's that had were creating courses if you are in the UK.

If you are in Canada, EA is sponsoring several competitions and some courses.  I would check through their portal. 

Good luck, and follow the advice of having a back-up job. 

[Sachant]

I went to http://www.uat.edu/- The University of Advancing Technology myself.  They've come a long way and work with some companies local in Arizona etc.  Phoenix is a big city with lots to do though hot as hell in summer the night life is great.

They offer Masters courses now as well.  I also have a friend that is the assistant Dean there and another who teaches.

[Llava]

I went to http://www.uat.edu/- The University of Advancing Technology myself.  They've come a long way and work with some companies local in Arizona etc.  Phoenix is a big city with lots to do though hot as hell in summer the night life is great.

They offer Masters courses now as well.  I also have a friend that is the assistant Dean there and another who teaches.

Seriously?

I went there, too.  Give me a job!

Seriously, who do you know?  My girlfriend went there with me too, they hired her and she's been promoted to... I believe it's "Internal Marketing Administrator", basically she controls the artistic image of UAT.  She doesn't, unfortunately, control the way the school markets itself, so she can't put a stop to all that cocky bullshit they've been throwing all over the place. (For the record, I know the guy who was quoted saying, "Without guys like me, you'd still be playing Pong." in that ad.  He didn't say that, and he wouldn't say that.)

UAT is a pretty decent school.  If I could go back and redo it, I'd probably go into something a little less... specialized.  I kinda wish I'd gone for an English degree, but it wasn't until I was mostly through with my degree that I realized I'd rather be writing in a non-game job than not writing in a game job.

But hell, NCSoft seemed to like my resume.  So I can't say it hasn't helped.  I've been surprised, actually, how seriously a number of companies will take a degree like that- just coming out of the college, I was succumbing to the rumor-mill of "Game design educations are worthless, you are the laughingstock of the industry!"

Turns out, not so much.  It helps.  But, you know, you still have to get off your ass and do stuff.


As a note, I haven't heard good things about the Masters Program at UAT, so I wouldn't go in there planning on that... but they are actively working to improve it, so it might be good by the time you're ready.

[schild]

I know a bunch of people in the industry who went to a game-tech school. At this point I do not know many however that are above the title "programmer" or "intern-shit-monkey." Oh, and the guy who started this thread hasn't visited since the 28th.

[Signe]

I think Kalli Karlsson has wandered off.  I hope he comes back... he might be f13's first Icelander!  Leif Ericson was an Icelander, you know, and he was the most famous Norwegian ever!

[stray]

Eri K s E n. Eriksen.

[edit]

Actually, Wikipedia has him Ericson. Every place does actually. Wtf?

[edit] Does any of this have to do with your Icelander joke? 

[Signe]

Umm... yes?  I changed every reference to him just to fool you.  I'm sorry.

A joke isn't worth anything unless you do it up right.  I'm good, aren't I?

(Some people spell it Eriksson and Ericsson, too, search harder)

[stray]

This ties into the "Google Your Name" thread actually.

"One" of my last names is Eriksen..Which is why I was quick to comment on the spelling.

[Signe]

I'm pretty sure that just about every Norwegian name is derived from Olsen, anyway.  Scandies are notoriously inbred and have no imaginations.

[Sachant]

Do you know Rebecca and Todd Whitehead?  They are both very good friends of mine.  I was one of her bridesmaids at their wedding too.

When I attended everything was still very very new. I knew more about MAX when it came out than they did at the time. ;)  A lot has definetly changed and I see a lot of talent is  coming out of there.  But we all know the industry is fairly small and getting in the door isn't all that easy even when you know people.  They have to have the budgets and the spots to add you in.

[Kalli Karlsson]

Hello!

Sorry ´bout my absence. But I was, like every self respecting viking, moving from norway to iceland. So, now I´m all settled on this cold and god forsaken island. It´s packed with beautiful women, so I can´t REALLY complain. Thanks for all the response! I´m going ahead, my UCAS application is almost ready, and it´s going to be the University of East London. Not only the prospect of the study, but also the prospect of living in London.

As for scandies being inbred, true indeed. Here on Iceland we have an internet search book, where you can search any name, and see how closely related you are. My brother found out that a girl he was shagging was infact his cousin... And yes, I´m in some fashion related to all my Icelandic friends. It´s pretty strange, yet very... insightful?

Blargh... should get some sleep, I guess. I´ll be back stronger later on...

(that being said, and this being my second post...)

[schild]

Whoa, he's real.

[Evangolis]

Don't worry about the cold up north, we're fixing that.  But you might want to think carefully about buying any beachfront property.

[Signe]

East London... oh good.  Maybe you can learn to talk like Frank or Bianca from Eastenders.

RICKAAAAAY!

[Arnold]

Good day.

I´m pretty new here, so I´ll kick it off with a pretty urgent question. I´m going to study next year, getting to old to not to, and games being my "main" interest I take it for granted that this would be a fun three to five years. And hopefully learning enough to put up my own studio one day, so I´m thinking producing. I can´t really find any good guides to which uni´s are good, guessing because It´s such a fresh subject (Big WARNING sticker). So...

Do any of you have experience, Word of mouth, Gossip, Rumors, Knowledge, Websites, etc. to share? I´ve looked at the University of East London, which has a course that looks pretty solid and all-round (which is in my horizon). And London seems... Chill (compared to Oslo and Reykjavik). But info on the course is hard to get by. Probably just hidden away somewhere, over there. Going to the US doesn´t seem to shabby either, so any recommendations? Prefferably not in some Redneck shack, since fun and big-city immersion (:P) are a big factor.

Thanks! And looking forward to staying here.

If you want to be a game designer, skip college, and start writing for a rant site that focuses on video games.  It's worked for several people I've known!

[Shockeye]

If you want to be a game designer, skip college, and start writing for a rant site that focuses on video games.  It's worked for several people I've known!

But at what cost to your soul?

[Kalli Karlsson]

The plan is that me, and my partner in crime will be doing that on the side. Studying just to learn and as a cover-up (for us to waste time on stupid pointless games). Found another course at South Bank called Game Cultures, which seems very good.

Meh..

[HaemishM]

If you want to be a game designer, skip college, and start writing for a rant site that focuses on video games.  It's worked for several people I've known!

But at what cost to your soul?

No larger a cost than actually working in the game field, no matter what the entry point. Some things just aren't made for human beings to endure uncorrupted.

[SuperPopTart]

The plan is that me, and my partner in crime will be doing that on the side. Studying just to learn and as a cover-up (for us to waste time on stupid pointless games). Found another course at South Bank called Game Cultures, which seems very good.

Meh..

Game Cultures just sounds bad.

Like a disease of some sort.

[Scadente]

Aye, I'm back, under a new alias. Thought I'd update;

I went for Games Cultures in London. The course is... pretty weird. Can't say that I'm dissapointed by the course itself, more with 80% of the students. Some show knowledge above the "I've played FFVII! It's the GREATEST! And BESTEST! Game ever!" or the; "I worte my game 5 years ago, I know all about it! It's going to be great!!!!". But most are stuck in conventions, and think games are fine as they are, that the medium has reached it's peak or something crazy. And I often find teachers learning from me, when I recite some of what Raph has written, fun, but it's a young field. Kind of gives you the feeling of being a pioneer within a young medium, ready to get raped by the industry.

The real problem is, people seem more interested in "Getting into the industry", rather then "MAKING GAMES!". I'm personally more interested in innovating some shit on the DS, then making a 50hr 3D epos. As for the course, it's good, we got thrown together, supposed to make a game in Director within the next three months, more or less doomed from the getgo  :-D But I'm guessing it's a part of the learning process, and learning which people within the group are good to work with. That's whats so different from Scandinavia and the rest of the world (?), Scandinavia loves mediocriti. We're actually supposed to form SWAT Game Designer teams, things are looking good :)

London is great too! More like lovely!

[Signe]

Well, hello you.  Good luck with your courses.  Make something pretty.