Gaming Colleges
by Zachary Fyffe · in Jobs · 03/23/2005 (4:56 pm) · 25 replies
I am interested in going into the gaming industry and would like to know are there any good colleges you guys could give me the name of ?
#2
03/25/2005 (6:14 pm)
What are you interested in doing exactly, Zachary? Art? Code? Marketing? Something else entirely?
#3
I know a couple of people who went to both of those schools. One is a texture artist for ILM and the other is currently interning at EA.
With the later one being a animator and he went to Full Sail
03/25/2005 (6:41 pm)
I can think of a couple of goods schools. The art institute of San Fran and Full sail in Orlando. I know a couple of people who went to both of those schools. One is a texture artist for ILM and the other is currently interning at EA.
With the later one being a animator and he went to Full Sail
#4
03/25/2005 (6:54 pm)
There a couple of schools that offer game design/development programs in the Seattle, Washington area: The Art Institute of Seattle and Digipen Institute of Technology. AI Seattle is great if you're looking to focus on the art side of game dev. Digipen is geared specifically towards game development and offers both art and programming tracks. Either school is worth considering, because they are near several large game development studios such as Valve, Nintendo, Microsoft Game Studios, Bungie, Monolith, Suckerpunch, Gas Powered Games, Amaze Entertainment, and Atari, just to name a few. I know quite a few local professionals teach at both schools, and there are potential opportunities for internships.
#5
04/05/2005 (9:23 pm)
Gaming colleges are really expensive... Full sail is about $60,000 a year
#6
By the time your done it will cost in the high $50 k to mid $60 k , so not cheap.
Its a good school focusing on computer technology and computer arts.
( realizing this is my first post, i do not work at the college, i am taking game design at MT. Sierra, i chose it over others due to location, friends who felt it was a good education, and they didnt advertise with really bad demo's )
If your in So Cal, email me and ill be happy to show you around so you can decide if you think the scool is for you or not.
and hello every one.
05/03/2005 (12:01 pm)
In Southern California you also have Mount Sierra College offering game design.By the time your done it will cost in the high $50 k to mid $60 k , so not cheap.
Its a good school focusing on computer technology and computer arts.
( realizing this is my first post, i do not work at the college, i am taking game design at MT. Sierra, i chose it over others due to location, friends who felt it was a good education, and they didnt advertise with really bad demo's )
If your in So Cal, email me and ill be happy to show you around so you can decide if you think the scool is for you or not.
and hello every one.
#7
By the time your done it will cost in the high $50 k to mid $60 k , so not cheap.
Its a good school focusing on computer technology and computer arts.
( realizing this is my first post, i do not work at the college, i am taking game design at MT. Sierra, i chose it over others due to location, friends who felt it was a good education, and they didnt advertise with really bad demo's )
If your in So Cal, email me and ill be happy to show you around so you can decide if you think the scool is for you or not.
and hello every one.
05/03/2005 (12:11 pm)
In Southern California you also have Mount Sierra College offering game design.By the time your done it will cost in the high $50 k to mid $60 k , so not cheap.
Its a good school focusing on computer technology and computer arts.
( realizing this is my first post, i do not work at the college, i am taking game design at MT. Sierra, i chose it over others due to location, friends who felt it was a good education, and they didnt advertise with really bad demo's )
If your in So Cal, email me and ill be happy to show you around so you can decide if you think the scool is for you or not.
and hello every one.
#8
In San Diego county, there's a couple 16-hour certificate (not full degree) courses available at Palomar Community College (in San Marcos). You'll always take "Overview of the Video Game Industry"(video game history class) and "Game Design", but will take programming or art classes, depending on which cert you go for.
It turns out that a certificate program with 18 or more hours needs to be approved by the State of California, so the guy that originally developed the material stayed under that.
The current instructor, Alexander Ehrath, works full time at near-by RockStar San Diego (formerly Angel Studios). He's worked on just about everything to come out of that shop, including Red Dead Revolver, the Midnight Club games, and several others, so you know its not some arm-chair theorist with untried ideas. Real World Experience baby.
And Palomar is dirt cheap. Something like $18 per credit hour.
Wow. I just checked. They keep jacking the price up every semester. Its up to $26 per hour now... which is still pretty reasonable, but its noticably higher than the $11 it was 3 years ago.
05/23/2005 (1:19 pm)
www.hipergames.com/palomar/In San Diego county, there's a couple 16-hour certificate (not full degree) courses available at Palomar Community College (in San Marcos). You'll always take "Overview of the Video Game Industry"(video game history class) and "Game Design", but will take programming or art classes, depending on which cert you go for.
It turns out that a certificate program with 18 or more hours needs to be approved by the State of California, so the guy that originally developed the material stayed under that.
The current instructor, Alexander Ehrath, works full time at near-by RockStar San Diego (formerly Angel Studios). He's worked on just about everything to come out of that shop, including Red Dead Revolver, the Midnight Club games, and several others, so you know its not some arm-chair theorist with untried ideas. Real World Experience baby.
And Palomar is dirt cheap. Something like $18 per credit hour.
Wow. I just checked. They keep jacking the price up every semester. Its up to $26 per hour now... which is still pretty reasonable, but its noticably higher than the $11 it was 3 years ago.
#9
Like most of the game school programs that you are going to find popping up right now, the Art Institute Game Program is new enough that I don't even think that there are graduates at any school yet. But the Art Institute is pretty respectable from what I can tell. So, they are worth a look. I was about to attend the Art Institute of Portland but it cost $60,000 and a week before class started I saw the option below.
If you are interested in game programming you could check out the University of Washington here at www.extension.washington.edu/ext/certificates/gam/gam_gen.asp
This program has graduates and seems to be taught by a pretty impressive line up of teachers from game companies in the Seattle, WA metro area. You need to meet some Math and Physics requirements as well as have taken their C++ class or the equivalent in class or work experience. This one teaches you to program a game engine. I am in a mad rush to catch up my Math and Physics for this program by Fall or Winter 2005 myself.
05/23/2005 (2:23 pm)
If you are interested in game art you could check out the Art Institute here www.artinstitute.com/mediaarts/GameArtandDesign.asp?id=9Like most of the game school programs that you are going to find popping up right now, the Art Institute Game Program is new enough that I don't even think that there are graduates at any school yet. But the Art Institute is pretty respectable from what I can tell. So, they are worth a look. I was about to attend the Art Institute of Portland but it cost $60,000 and a week before class started I saw the option below.
If you are interested in game programming you could check out the University of Washington here at www.extension.washington.edu/ext/certificates/gam/gam_gen.asp
This program has graduates and seems to be taught by a pretty impressive line up of teachers from game companies in the Seattle, WA metro area. You need to meet some Math and Physics requirements as well as have taken their C++ class or the equivalent in class or work experience. This one teaches you to program a game engine. I am in a mad rush to catch up my Math and Physics for this program by Fall or Winter 2005 myself.
#11
Don't go to Full Sail or any school like it. Now...let me explain why.
1st...I am a Full Sail graduate and I also have a degree from a traditional school college.
Let's say you want to be an artist...specifically...an Animator.
Full sail spends 1-2 months of training in Animation. The rest is spent on storyboarding(1 mo), introduction to computers(1 mo), nurbs modeling(1 mo), poly modeling(1 mo), entertainment business(1 mo), shading and lighting(1 mo) and a few other subjects.
The problem with it is this. You don't spend NEAR ENOUGH time working on what you will need to make it in the industry. Full Sail teaches you how to use Maya...not how to be an artist...which is what companies need. A company can teach you to use a software program. To it's credit...Full Sail instructors are EXCELLENT with a broad background...but frankly, the school does not give them enough time to really teach their subject. I would love to see Full Sail become a 3-4 year fully accredited college where the students spend 3-6 months on the basics of each subject in the first 2 years...then the following years they spend mounds of time working on general art and a specific field of study. Animators would have years to put together a final project that truly focused on animation.
If you are looking for art...then I would suggest one of the following.
1). 4 years of traditional art schooling from a traditional college, during that time...study a software program(Blender has some AMAZING support and tutorials...and it's absolutely free)
2) Savannah College of Art and Design offers a good animation program(very expensive)
3) Ringling School of Art(also very expensive)
4) Vancouver Film School(some AMAZING demo reels come out of here)
From the Siggraphs that I have attended and people I have spoken with in the industry, SCAD, Ringling and VFS are great schools.
Don't go the quick and easy path...take the time to learn traditional art skills and how to be an artist...then move on to the 3D disciplines.
Just my 2 cents
-Jeff
10/20/2005 (9:49 am)
I don't want to break anyone's bubble...but I have some advice.Don't go to Full Sail or any school like it. Now...let me explain why.
1st...I am a Full Sail graduate and I also have a degree from a traditional school college.
Let's say you want to be an artist...specifically...an Animator.
Full sail spends 1-2 months of training in Animation. The rest is spent on storyboarding(1 mo), introduction to computers(1 mo), nurbs modeling(1 mo), poly modeling(1 mo), entertainment business(1 mo), shading and lighting(1 mo) and a few other subjects.
The problem with it is this. You don't spend NEAR ENOUGH time working on what you will need to make it in the industry. Full Sail teaches you how to use Maya...not how to be an artist...which is what companies need. A company can teach you to use a software program. To it's credit...Full Sail instructors are EXCELLENT with a broad background...but frankly, the school does not give them enough time to really teach their subject. I would love to see Full Sail become a 3-4 year fully accredited college where the students spend 3-6 months on the basics of each subject in the first 2 years...then the following years they spend mounds of time working on general art and a specific field of study. Animators would have years to put together a final project that truly focused on animation.
If you are looking for art...then I would suggest one of the following.
1). 4 years of traditional art schooling from a traditional college, during that time...study a software program(Blender has some AMAZING support and tutorials...and it's absolutely free)
2) Savannah College of Art and Design offers a good animation program(very expensive)
3) Ringling School of Art(also very expensive)
4) Vancouver Film School(some AMAZING demo reels come out of here)
From the Siggraphs that I have attended and people I have spoken with in the industry, SCAD, Ringling and VFS are great schools.
Don't go the quick and easy path...take the time to learn traditional art skills and how to be an artist...then move on to the 3D disciplines.
Just my 2 cents
-Jeff
#12
They've phased out the Game Design Associate's now and only offer the Bachelor's. My time at FullSail was well spent, but I have to say I think the people that tend to get the most out of that school are either older, or have already screwed up horribly at one college (like myself). Oh and Garrett's wrong about the 60k a year. I was going to make this longer, but there are bugs that must be squashed.
10/20/2005 (12:38 pm)
How long ago did you graduate from FS Jeff? I can certainly vouch for them as of recently, at least as far as the Game Design program goes. I've graduated from there twice now. Once with the Associate's degree, and then they began the Bachelor's degree right after I graduated so I went ahead and went back and got that too.They've phased out the Game Design Associate's now and only offer the Bachelor's. My time at FullSail was well spent, but I have to say I think the people that tend to get the most out of that school are either older, or have already screwed up horribly at one college (like myself). Oh and Garrett's wrong about the 60k a year. I was going to make this longer, but there are bugs that must be squashed.
#13
gamedevelopers.ie/courses/
tis generally under a grand over here for college.. state funded and what not..
60,000 grand for college :O ..what the.. are the floors gold plated?
10/20/2005 (1:28 pm)
Irish courses listed here.. for all yee Oirish' & peeps willing to travelgamedevelopers.ie/courses/
tis generally under a grand over here for college.. state funded and what not..
60,000 grand for college :O ..what the.. are the floors gold plated?
#14
gaming schools is it is an acredited College not a Tech school. In a Tech school you get a diploma at Collins you get bachlers degree in computer science
just as if you were in a school like ASU. And you go all year so you finish 21/2 to 3 years.
10/20/2005 (2:18 pm)
Collins College in Arizona cost about $70,000 and it seems like they raise the cost every year. The difference between Collins College and other gaming schools is it is an acredited College not a Tech school. In a Tech school you get a diploma at Collins you get bachlers degree in computer science
just as if you were in a school like ASU. And you go all year so you finish 21/2 to 3 years.
#15
10/20/2005 (2:21 pm)
I've worked with a bunch of guys from Savannah College of Art and Design. They were all talented folks... but like with any college, you get out of it exactly what you put into it.
#16
10/20/2005 (4:40 pm)
Ok Jeff what about if you want to be a 3D artist which teaches you about very thing? Do they have a course similar to that at fullsail? I prefer to go to fullsail. 
#17
Exactly what I say to anyone who brings up schools. With anything in life you get out of it what you put in. I personally just graduated from Collins College in Tempe Arizona with a BA in Game Design. I used it as a way to get resources... also its where I heard of Torque a year and a half ago *shrug*.
10/20/2005 (4:58 pm)
Quote:you get out of it exactly what you put into it.
Exactly what I say to anyone who brings up schools. With anything in life you get out of it what you put in. I personally just graduated from Collins College in Tempe Arizona with a BA in Game Design. I used it as a way to get resources... also its where I heard of Torque a year and a half ago *shrug*.
#18
So for me they spoke my language where everyone else just seems to be so Pseudo.
However.. Tuition is high $7,500 a semester.
www.uat.edu
LJR
01/07/2006 (3:30 pm)
I see no mention of (UAT) University of Advancing, in Tempe, AZ. They appear to be the best I've found so far, mainly because of the classes they offer. Where as everyone else seems to speak this Pseudo-Game design program. For example, instead of "Make an exciting career in making Video game!", UAT mentions, "Specialize in 3D Studio Max or Maya / DirectX or OpenGL / GameBoyAdvance console programming or Game cube programming..etc... So for me they spoke my language where everyone else just seems to be so Pseudo.
However.. Tuition is high $7,500 a semester.
www.uat.edu
LJR
#19
University of Denver offers game degrees of a sort. There not as technical as say Full Sail, but its a traditional school and very good traditional school at that.
01/11/2006 (5:49 pm)
Http://www.du.edu/cs/degreesUG/index.htmlUniversity of Denver offers game degrees of a sort. There not as technical as say Full Sail, but its a traditional school and very good traditional school at that.
#20
I graduated 2nd in my class at Full Sail. I had a job offer with Rockstar which I didn't take because of ethical reasons. I am sure there are other great schools out there, but my experience with FS is that it is a difficult road. It isn't impossible...just ask Jeff Unay, a very successful modeler from FS. He left FS and eventually went to Raven Software and is now at Weta Digital(he worked on King Kong I think). He was one of the best and is really successful.
I don't know much about the FS game design program, but I would think that it is pretty good from what I have heard though.
02/06/2006 (8:32 pm)
My suggestions are based on knowledge I have recieved IN the school and from people I have interacted with at Siggraph and other major 3D events.I graduated 2nd in my class at Full Sail. I had a job offer with Rockstar which I didn't take because of ethical reasons. I am sure there are other great schools out there, but my experience with FS is that it is a difficult road. It isn't impossible...just ask Jeff Unay, a very successful modeler from FS. He left FS and eventually went to Raven Software and is now at Weta Digital(he worked on King Kong I think). He was one of the best and is really successful.
I don't know much about the FS game design program, but I would think that it is pretty good from what I have heard though.
Torque Owner Gary Roberson
CJW Enterprises
Westwood College
Brown Univeristy
Collins College