Video Game Design School

Video Game Design Schools: The Differences

When selecting a video game design school, it is important to consider your objectives. The field of video game design is broad and overlaps with several disciplines; different schools will tailor your video game design education to different design roles. For example, several art schools now offer video game design programs. If you are interested in creating video game art or using art tools such as Maya or 3D Studio Max to create levels of video games, one of these art school programs may be the best for you. On the other hand, if you are very technical and enjoy programming, you may want to consider a school that offers video game design specialization within a computer science curriculum.

Think about whether you are interested in having a four-year degree (such as a B.A. or B.S.), a two-year degree (an A.A. or A.S.) or a completion certificate to show for your efforts. Some vocational schools may teach you the skills you are looking for, but do not offer a degree. If you think you may be interested in pursuing video game design, but are not sure it is your chosen career, it is a good idea to have a four-year degree from a major university to fall back on.

Things to Ask

Since the video game industry is doing so well, many video game design schools are popping up. Find out how long the school has had its program in force and ask probing questions about the kind of opportunities that graduates have found straight out of school.

Discover whether the school has a strong internship placement program. One of the best ways to get experience, and ultimately a great job, in video games is to work as an intern first. If your school has intern relationships with major developers and publishers, this benefit will work well for you.

Also, look at the kinds of projects students are doing. Do they use environments like those in real world development firms? Are the assignments the kind that will strengthen your portfolio or do they look like amateur endeavors. All of these factors are important to consider when you select a school for studying video game development.

What Employers Look For

While it is not necessary to have a degree in video game design when you look for your first job in the games industry, it certainly doesn't hurt. If you are looking for a programming or technical position, many modern video game companies do prefer candidates with degrees in computer science or engineering.

The most important thing is your portfolio. Often a stint in a video game design school can help you land an internship where you will gain experience that will eventually help you get a full-time position in the industry. So, while you shouldn't expect to take your freshly printed credentials and lead a design team, an education in the field can help you land the position of your dreams.

Hiring managers may also be willing to look at projects you did in school, or on your own. If you feel your portfolio is weak, spend some time creating your own sample projects; video game developers admire this kind of initiative and the demonstration of creativity is appreciated.