Is Usc Game Design Good

Last Updated on November 13, 2021 by

The USC Game Design program is located in Los Angeles and has a very high acceptance rate.This article will detail the USC Game Design Acceptance Rate, usc game design tuition, university of california game design& college's admission requirements and give students the right information necessary when applying for this program.

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University of Southern California Game Design Program

The University of Southern California offers a major in Interactive Entertainment that includes liberal arts courses, as well as ones designed to give students the education they need for careers involving computer and video game design, as well as more traditional media. The University also offers a minor in Video Game Design and Management with a combination of theory and hands-on training for students.

USC Game Design Acceptance Rate - College Learners

USC Games offers four degree programs in distinct areas of game design and development. At the undergraduate level, we offer both a Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Media & Games and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games. For students at the graduate level, we offer a Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media & Games and a Master of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games.

Deciding which program is right for you depends on your goals and level of preparation. All of our degrees are hands on with technology and creative project development. For those primarily interested in design and production, we suggest the Interactive Media & Games degrees in the School of Cinematic Arts. For those interested in focusing on technical development for games we suggest the Computer Science (Games) degrees in the Viterbi School of Engineering.

In addition to our full degree programs, we also offer a wide range of minors for undergraduates who would like to add an expertise in one of the various aspects of games alongside their major field of study.All USC Games students work together collaboratively across degrees and disciplines.

USC's Game Design Program Earns Top Ranking - USC News

USC Game Design Acceptance Rate

The University of Southern California (USC) welcomed its first class of 53 students in 1880. This private research university has the distinction of being the oldest educational institution of its kind in the western portion of the United States.

Enrollment at the University of South California is approximately 35,000 students.

About 17,000 of those taking courses at USC were undergraduates, while the remaining 18,000 enrollees were in graduate school or taking professional courses.

Out of 35,753 freshman applicants, USC admitted 8,724, which is a 24 percent acceptance rate.

The 10 Best Colleges for Video Game Design - College Magazine

Game Design & Development Degree Programs Offered at USC

The University of Southern Californiaoffers four primary major degree programs specific to game design and development:

At theundergraduate level:

Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Media & Games
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games

At thegraduate level:

Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media & Games
Master of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games

B.A. in Interactive Entertainment

The Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Entertainment combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in the design of games and interactive entertainment. Students make games at all levels of the program gaining hands-on skills across a range of digital media arts; the core game design education allows students the space within their education to earn multiple specializations within the industry, broadening their skill sets and post-education trajectory. Hands-on skills are taught within a vibrant community of thought that explores new models of interactivity as well as emerging markets and platforms for playful media. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, team-building, innovation and creative leadership.

The USC Game Expo represents everything a college game design program should be doing. - Inven Global

B.S. in Computer Science (Games)

The goal of the BS in Computer Science (Games) program is to graduate students with a solid grounding in computer science and a cross-disciplinary background in game development. Topics covered include game production, visual design for games and interactives, computer animation, video game programming, game hardware architectures, game engine programming, serious game development, introductory and intermediate game design, and two semester-long final game projects. Additionally, graduates from this program will be able to further their education in graduate programs in game development and computer science.

M.S. in Computer Science with Specialization in Game Development

The goal of the M.S. in Computer Science (Game Development) program is to graduate students with a core in computer science, an engineering-oriented game development core, and a concentration in one of the key research directions in game development infrastructure, cognition and games, immersion, and serious games.

M.F.A. in Interactive Media

The M.F.A. in Interactive Media is an intensive three-year program designed to prepare students to become creative thought leaders and innovators in the evolving fields of games and interactive entertainment. As with the undergraduate degree, M.F.A. students are immersed in hands-on project development, gaining skills in design, development, collaboration and creative leadership, culminating in a year long thesis project. The M.F.A. program draws on the strengths of the School of Cinematic Arts, including Game Design, Animation, Sound Production, Screenwriting, Producing and Critical Studies, bringing these resources together in a vibrant community of innovative digital media practice.

M.F.A. in Interactive Media (Games and Health)

The Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media with an emphasis in Games and Health is focused on designing and evaluating interactive entertainment-based with applications in neuroscience, public health and medicine. The program is for already admitted MFA students who may declare this emphasis, typically by the end of their second year. Besides completing the required coursework for the emphasis, students must also initiate, lead and complete a thesis project in this area.

M.A. in Cinematic Arts (Media Arts, Games and Health)

The Master of Arts in Cinematic Arts with an emphasis in Media Arts, Games and Health is administered by the Graduate School in conjunction with the Creative Media & Behavioral Health Center. The curriculum is based on center crosscutting initiatives that represent the broadest descriptions of our vision and mission. Students benefit from emerging research, tools and methodologies that converge at the center, as well as the wide range of backgrounds represented by faculty, students and visiting scholars.

USC Cinematic Arts | School of Cinematic Arts News

Which Program is Right for You?

To know which game design program is right for you at USC, you'll need to do a little "soul searching."

What's your ultimate goal?

If you love the idea of designing or producing games, then your best bet is theInteractive Media & Games degree from the School of Cinematic Arts.

If you're more interested in technical game development, then you should go with theViterbi School of Engineering's Computer Science (Games) degree.

All the degrees take the hands-on approach. You'll be using technology. You'll be in charge of creative project development. You'll be learning by doing, rather than hypothesizing and theorizing. Figure out what you want to focus on, and make your decision based on that.

Game Design Minor

This minor "teaches iterative design and prototyping skills while providing students the opportunity to explore design for new technologies and the skills of user assessment and usability testing."

Hands-on experience with new tech, learning sequential approaches to game design, and learning how to test your creations? This is a well-rounded way to get your feet wet in the field.

Video Game Design and Management Minor

This minor "integrates theoretical concepts and practical skills to prepare students for a career in interactive entertainment, specifically the video game industry."

In this minor, you'll be exposed to concepts like:

Gameplay control
User interface
Level design
Game mechanics
Storytelling
Multiplayer

You'll use game design software tools to build your own working video game demo throughout the minor.

TheGame Design Minor and theVideo Game Design and Management Minor are the most relevant minors to this review, but USC offers several others:

Game Animation
Game Audio
Game Entrepreneurism
Game User Research
Themed Entertainment
Video Game Programming (this one is code-heavy)
3D Computer Modeling and Graphics

Top 10 Game Design Schools and Colleges in California - 2020 College Rankings | Animation Career Review

Who's Teaching this Stuff?

There is a huge roster of faculty supporting these programs. And the industry experience between them is dizzying! You don't have to search long to see companies and games that you recognize.

Take a look at some of these:

You HaveTracy Fullerton, for example, who wrote Game Design Workshop—a textbook that is used worldwide in game programs.

There'sScott Easley, who is "an Emmy, Telly and Annie-winning commercial writer/creator."

Richard Lemarchand is thelead designer on a "critical and commercial hit series of games." You might have heard of the series….It's called Uncharted.

Hao Li was named thetop 35 innovators under 35 in 2013 by MIT technology review. He's held positions at Industrial Light & magic (not to mention Columbia University, Princeton University, and more).

One more—Matthew Whiting. He's worked on games like Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, True Crime, and more. He hasover 15 years of experience in the industry.

This is a small taste of some of the professors you have the opportunity to learn from at USC. Professors who have spent years in the industry, who have held positions at studios and companies where you want to work, and who wrote the book on some of these subjects.

What Is Game Design?

Game design is the field of making video games. Game designers help imagine and create the characters, plots, rules, interfaces, and environments for video games.The field of game design combines computer programming, creative writing, and graphic design.

Just because you like playing video games doesn't necessarily mean you'd like designing them. I really enjoy eating, but I don't like to cook. Game design combines technical and creative skills. You have to be skilled in math, art, and writing to be a competent game designer.

The Best Colleges for Video Game Design

Game design schools are colleges where you can study game design. At some of these schools, you can get a degree in game design. At others, you can study game design, but you'll get your degree in a related field like computer science or interactive media.

For each school that made the list of the best video game design colleges, I linked to its programs that are most closely related to game design.Some of these programs are majors while others are minors or concentrations in related majors. Click on the link to read about the program, the school's facilities, the program requirements, and the course offerings for the program.

Also, I wrote a few sentences onwhat makes each program unique. The best programs have extensive facilities dedicated to game design, provide thorough instruction in game design, and have a history of helping undergraduates land a quality job when they complete the program.

There are very few rankings of game design programs. The most referenced rankings come from Princeton Review, so my list comes from the Princeton Review rankings.

More than 60 data points were weighted to determine the rankings.The criteria to determine the rankings focused on curriculum, facilities, technology, and career services. Results were determined based on survey responses from school administrators on topics such as academic offerings, faculty credentials, graduates' employment history, and starting salaries.

Speaking of salaries…according to GlassDoor (a salary listing website), Junior Game Designers make an average of $61,292 a year! That number goes up to $70,750 when you're promoted to a full Video Game Designer.

But one of the first steps to having a career in video game design is getting a game design degree! Below you'll find thetop 20 undergraduate schools to study game design in the United States. The Princeton Review list included international schools like The Art Institute of Vancouver in Canada and Abertay University in Scotland, but I excluded them from this list so that it focuses on the best programs in the US.

Game Design & Development Degree Programs Offered at USC

The University of Southern Californiaoffers four primary major degree programs specific to game design and development:

At theundergraduate level:

Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Media & Games
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games

At thegraduate level:

Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media & Games
Master of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games

Now, let's look at these programs a little more closely, shall we?

Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Media & Games

According to the USC Degree programs page, "the Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Entertainment combines a broad liberal arts background with specialization in the design of games and interactive entertainment."

USC takes the hands-on approach–you'll make games at every level of the program. As your skills improve, you'll develop familiarity and competency in several digital media arts.

This program lets you earn multiple industry specializations. The opportunity for specialization will broaden your skills and increase your value to companies after graduation.

Your game design education in the Interactive Media & Games program will focus on innovation, collaboration, creative leadership, and team-building. You'll also spend time on emerging markets and platforms (AR and VR, anyone?).

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an Emphasis in Games

"The goal of the BS in Computer Science (Games) program is to graduate students with a solid grounding in computer science and a cross-disciplinary background in game development."

You'll covertopics like:

Production
Video game programming
Visual design for games and interactives
Game engine programming
Game hardware architecture
Computer animation
Serious game development
Game design through the introductory and intermediate levels

This program alsoincludes a final game development project that spans your final two semesters.

Interested in going for your Master's degree? This program also sets you up for further education in game development or computer science graduate programs.

Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media & Games

The Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media "is an intensivethree-year program designed to prepare students to become creative thought leaders and innovators in the evolving fields of games and interactive entertainment."

This program will hone your skills inareas like:

Development
Design
Creative leadership
Collaboration

Your third year in the programwill involve a thesis project that spans the entire year. The collaboration element is prevalent here—the program "draws on the strengths of the School of Cinematic Arts"—the whole school. This includes resources from animation, sound production, producing, screenwriting, game design, and critical studies.

Master of Science in Computer Science with an Emphasis in Games

"The goal of the M.S. in Computer Science (Game Development) program is to graduate students with a core in computer science, an engineering-oriented game development core, and a concentration".

Your concentration will be in "one of the key research directions"—the list includes:

Cognition and games
Game development infrastructure
Immersion
Serious games

The 20 Best Game Design Schools in the United States

USC's game-design graduate program now has more women than men | VentureBeat

From my research, USC and the University of Utah have the most prestigious programs, but all of these schools have well-regarded game design programs and impressive facilities where you can play and design games.

#1: University of Southern California

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 19,194
Programs:
- Animation and Digital Arts
- Interactive Media
- Computer Science (Games)
- Game Design

About:

USC's location in Los Angeles gives it a distinct advantage in helping students gain employment after graduation because many of the top game design jobs are in LA. Students who want to focus on design and production can pursue the Interactive Media and Game Design degrees through the school of Cinematic Arts. Those who are more interested in the technical aspects of designing and developing games can pursue the Computer Science (Games) degree through the Viterbi School of Engineering.The breadth and depth of game design offerings separate USC from other game design schools.

The USC marching band. (David Yu/Flickr)

#2: Becker College

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Location: Worcester, MA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,469
Programs:
- Interactive Media Design

About:

Becker is home to the Massachusetts Digital Game Institute, which is a think tank related to the video game industry. Massachusetts is also a favorable location for jobs in game design. Students at Becker have access to a high-performance computer lab, a six-camera video motion capture system, and 3D design software.

#2: New York University

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Location: New York, NY
Undergraduate Enrollment: 26,733
Programs:
- Game Design

About:

NYU initiated its game design program in 2015. The program is already well-regarded because NYU offers its students access to advanced technology, it has a reputable computer science department, and the game design program is located in the famous Tisch School of the Arts. Not only does NYU offer a game design major and minor, but there is an entire department dedicated to game design.

Dom Sagolla/Flickr

#4: DigiPen Institute of Technology

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Location: Redmond, WA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 831
Programs:
- Computer Science and Game Design
- Game Design

About:

DigiPen is a for-profit school that specializes in preparing students for careers in the video game industry. It began enrolling students in 1994, and it has received substantial support from Nintendo. Class sizes are small with a faculty to student ratio of 1:13. Students from DigiPen have won more awards at the Independent Games Festival than those from any other school. DigiPen's Redmond campus is near more than 96 game development studios.

#5: Rochester Institute of Technology

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Location: Rochester, NY
Undergraduate Enrollment: 13,513
Programs:
- Game Design and Development
- New Media Interactive Development
- 3D Digital Design

About:

Rochester Institute of Technology incorporates cooperative education into its game design program. Cooperative education is a full-time, paid work experience that provides students with an opportunity to learn on the job in a real-world industry setting. Graduates of RIT's game design and development programs have gone on to work at top gaming companies including Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Vicarious Visions, and Nickelodeon.

#6: University of Utah

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 24,743
Programs:
- Entertainment Arts and Engineering

About:

For its undergraduate program, the School of Computing and the Department of Film and Media Arts offer interdisciplinary emphases in Entertainment Arts and Engineering. Students with a computer science emphasis focus on the technical aspects of video games. Students with a film and media arts emphasis focus on the tools and techniques required for game design, drawing, and storyboarding. The program culminates with a year-long senior project where students build a video game from the ground up.

Michigan State University is a great school for students interested in educational game design.

#7: Michigan State University

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Location: East Lansing, MI
Undergraduate Enrollment: 39,176
Programs:
- Game Design and Development

About:

Michigan State offers an undergraduate specialization in game design and development. Michigan State is also home to the Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab, an association of game research and design faculty and students at Michigan State whose mission is to "design innovative prototypes, techniques, and complete games for entertainment and learning and to advance state of the art knowledge about social and individual effects of digital games."

Bradley University. (Bradley University/Flickr)

#8: Bradley University

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Location: Peoria, IL
Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,606
Programs:
- Game Design

About:

Bradley University offers a game design major and minor. At Bradley, game design is part of both the Department of Interactive Media and the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems. Bradley also offers concentrations in game design, animation, and computer game technology.

#9: Shawnee State University

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Location: Portsmouth, OH
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,641
Programs:
- Game and Simulation Development Arts
- Digital Simulation and Gaming Engineering Technology

About:

Shawnee State offers a bachelor's degree in gaming and simulation, which is a computer science degree. Also, it offers a bachelor's degree in gaming arts, a Bachelor of Fine Arts program with a concentration in 3D modeling and texturing. Furthermore, it offers a minor in game design. The game design program graduated its first class in the spring of 2008.

#10: Drexel University

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 15,667
Programs:
- Game Design and Production
- Interactive Digital Media
- Computer Science

About:

At Drexel, the game design program is a collaborative effort between the digital media program and the computer science department.Drexel's game design program offers some impressive resources including an 80-seat 3D theater, a green screen/motion capture studio, and audio recording studios. For the Tetris game he created in 2014, Professor Frank Lee was given a Guinness World Record for the largest architectural video game display.

Main Building at Drexel. (Tom Ipri/Flickr)

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#9: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Location: Worcester, MA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,688
Programs:
- Interactive Media and Game Development

About:

Worcester Polytechnic's Interactive Media and Game Development program focuses on merging art with technology. Like many of the other top programs, WPI encourages a hands-on approach to learning that allows students to create their own games and collaborate with their peers.

#10: University of Central Florida

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Location: Orlando, FL
Undergraduate Enrollment: 58,913
Programs:
- Interactive Entertainment

About:

Florida Interactive Game Entertainment Academy at UCF offers a video game production concentration. Students have the opportunity to study the main skills all game producers need. You'll learn about design, scripting, and project management. This major is for people looking to explore multiple facets of game production, including management, creative, and technical skills.

#11: Hampshire College

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Location: Amherst, MA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,191
Programs:
- Game Design and Development

About:

Students at Hampshire are given agreat deal of freedom in designing their own course of study. Many game design and development students create their own games with the help of peers and advisers. Some game design courses you can take at Hampshire include pixel bending and analog game design.

One downside is that Hampshire has been going through a lot of financial struggles recently, making its future as an independent institution of higher education uncertain. Keep this in mind if you're particularly interested in the video game design program at Hampshire—you can easily cross-register at (and in the worst-case scenario, can transfer to) Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and UMass Amherst as a Hampshire student, but you won't find the same game design classes at these schools.

Champlain College offers three different types of game design degrees for undergraduates.

#12: Champlain College

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Location: Burlington, VT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,129
Programs:
- Game Design
- Game Art and Animation
- Game Programming

About:

Champlain offers a game design major for students.Also, Champlain has a dedicated Game Studio where students can collaborate and build their own video games. Champlain has new multimedia, 3D art, and game production labs. Furthermore, game design students are given the opportunity to study abroad in Montreal, home of the Montreal Game Summit and the Montreal International Game Developers Association. Courses in Montreal are taught by game industry professionals in collaboration with game faculty at the main campus.

#13: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Location: Troy, NY
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,628
Programs:
- Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences

About:

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Games and Simulation Arts program focuses on combining theory and practice, which is great for students looking to continue their education in a Master's or Ph.D. program.Rensselaer's program is also interdisciplinary, so students get to explore both the technical and creative sides of game design. Also worth noting is that Rensselaer is one of the only game design schools to offer a concentration in writing, so if you want to develop narrative games, this might be the right program for you!

#14: Cogswell College

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Location: San Jose, CA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 595
Programs:
- Game Design and Development

About:

Cogswell College offers a Bachelor of Art in Game Design Art for students looking to focus on the creative elements of game design, and a Bachelor of Science in Game Design Engineering for students who want to focus on the technical elements like development. The program is big on hands-on experience, and encourages all students to work on teams that create and develop their own games.

Residence_Hall_(University_of_Texas_at_Dallas)

The University of Texas at Dallas has state-of-the-art facilities for game design students, including a motion capture lab and a sound design lab.

#15: University of Texas at Dallas

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Location: Richardson, TX
Undergraduate Enrollment: 19,872
Programs:
- Design & Production
- Animation
- Games

About:

The University of Texas at Dallas is a relative newcomer to the list of best game design colleges in the US, but it's made a big splash with it's BA in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication degree. Students can choose from four educational concentrations: animation, critical media studies, games, and design & production. Students enrolled in this program have access to state-of-the art facilities, including a 3D studio, the Motion Capture Lab, render farms, and even sound design studios.

#16: Laguna College of Art and Design

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Location: Laguna Beach, CA
Undergraduate Enrollment: 700
Programs:
- Game Art

About:

LCAD's BFA in Game Art focuses on getting students ready for the gaming workforce. Students get hand-on experience working in the programs that they will use throughout their career, and get to work with teams to create games from scratch. LCAD students also benefit from the many industry experts that teach at the college.

#17: University of Wisconsin: Stout

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Location: Menomonie, WI
Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,555
Programs:
- Game Design and Development

About:

The BFA in Game Design and Development offers top-notch equipment and professional tools as students learn the ins and outs of game design. Students work with computer science students and professors to get the most out of their degree, and to ensure that they have a well-rounded base of knowledge as they go out into the workforce. UW-Stout was the national co-champion at the E3 College Game Competition.

#18: Ferris State University

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Location: Big Rapids, MI
Undergraduate Enrollment: 14,187
Programs:
- Digital Animation and Game Design

About:

At Ferris State, all students in the Digital Animation and Game Design program are required to complete an internship to get real-world experience and make connections to help them professionally after they graduate. Ferris State also offer a Peer Mentor Program where sophomore, junior, and senior Digital Animation and Game Design majors serve as role models and help first-years students succeed academically.

The Digital Animation and Game Design program is focused on helping students reach their career goals. Students are given instruction on how to prepare a professional portfolio and demo reel and how to find a job in their chosen field.

#19: Miami University

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Location: Oxford, OH
Undergraduate Enrollment: 11,117
Programs:
- Interactive Media Studies

About:

Miami University's Interactive Media Studies program is an interdisciplinary major that allows studies to study design, business, and technology. Students can declare a concentration in applied or digital interactive media studies, with the aim of positioning themselves as digital experts in their fields post-graduation. This is a highly competitive program with limited openings for applicants. Miami University is also working to launch a Games and Simulation major, which focuses on all aspects of creating and interpreting games.

#20: Savannah College of Art and Design

Acceptance rate: 93%
Location: Savannah, GA
Undergraduate enrollment: 12,217
Programs:
- Interactive Design and Game Development

About:

The Savannah College of Art and Design, or SCAD, is one of the most recognized art schools in the US. It also boasts a robust game design program that has two concentrations: interactive design and game design. SCAD students compete (and win!) at the highest levels in prestigious competitions like E3 College Game Competition, the Blizzard Entertainment Student Art Contest, the Intel University Games Showcase, and The Rookies. And because SCAD is a dedicated art school, students are encouraged to double major in other artistic areas, including animation, visual effects, and motion media design.

usc game design tuition
usc bachelor of game design

Game Design & Development Degree Programs Offered at USC

The University of Southern Californiaoffers four primary major degree programs specific to game design and development:

At theundergraduate level:

Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Media & Games
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games

At thegraduate level:

Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media & Games
Master of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Games

Now, let's look at these programs a little more closely, shall we?

Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Media & Games

USC takes the hands-on approach–you'll make games at every level of the program. As your skills improve, you'll develop familiarity and competency in several digital media arts.

This program lets you earn multiple industry specializations. The opportunity for specialization will broaden your skills and increase your value to companies after graduation.

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an Emphasis in Games

"The goal of the BS in Computer Science (Games) program is to graduate students with a solid grounding in computer science and a cross-disciplinary background in game development."

You'll covertopics like:

Production
Video game programming
Visual design for games and interactives
Game engine programming
Game hardware architecture
Computer animation
Serious game development
Game design through the introductory and intermediate levels

This program alsoincludes a final game development project that spans your final two semesters.

Interested in going for your Master's degree? This program also sets you up for further education in game development or computer science graduate programs.

Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media & Games

This program will hone your skills inareas like:

Development
Design
Creative leadership
Collaboration

Master of Science in Computer Science with an Emphasis in Games

"The goal of the M.S. in Computer Science (Game Development) program is to graduate students with a core in computer science, an engineering-oriented game development core, and a concentration".

Your concentration will be in "one of the key research directions"—the list includes:

Cognition and games
Game development infrastructure
Immersion
Serious games

Which Program is Right for You?

To know which game design program is right for you at USC, you'll need to do a little "soul searching."

What's your ultimate goal?

If you love the idea of designing or producing games, then your best bet is theInteractive Media & Games degree from the School of Cinematic Arts.

If you're more interested in technical game development, then you should go with theViterbi School of Engineering's Computer Science (Games) degree.

What is the USC Minor Programs?

If you're not sold on a game design major—no problem. It's not for everyone.

If you want formal game design education without committing30+ credit hours to the cause, aminor might be your best bet.

USC offers several minors, and some are more relevant than others.

Game Design Minor

This minor "teaches iterative design and prototyping skills while providing students the opportunity to explore design for new technologies and the skills of user assessment and usability testing."

Hands-on experience with new tech, learning sequential approaches to game design, and learning how to test your creations? This is a well-rounded way to get your feet wet in the field.

Video Game Design and Management Minor

This minor "integrates theoretical concepts and practical skills to prepare students for a career in interactive entertainment, specifically the video game industry."

In this minor, you'll be exposed to concepts like:

Gameplay control
User interface
Level design
Game mechanics
Storytelling
Multiplayer

You'll use game design software tools to build your own working video game demo throughout the minor.

TheGame Design Minor and theVideo Game Design and Management Minor are the most relevant minors to this review, but USC offers several others:

Game Animation
Game Audio
Game Entrepreneurism
Game User Research
Themed Entertainment
Video Game Programming (this one is code-heavy)
3D Computer Modeling and Graphics

Who's Teaching this Stuff?

There is a huge roster of faculty supporting these programs. And the industry experience between them is dizzying! You don't have to search long to see companies and games that you recognize.

Take a look at some of these:

You HaveTracy Fullerton, for example, who wrote Game Design Workshop—a textbook that is used worldwide in game programs.

There'sScott Easley, who is "an Emmy, Telly and Annie-winning commercial writer/creator."

Richard Lemarchand is thelead designer on a "critical and commercial hit series of games." You might have heard of the series….It's called Uncharted.

One more—Matthew Whiting. He's worked on games like Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, True Crime, and more. He hasover 15 years of experience in the industry.

What Else Does USC Have Going On?

Flexible, top-rated programs. An impressive roster of faculty. These are great things to have, but on their own, they don't ensure you graduate with an awesome portfolio or great connections (hint hint—those are what count, not where you got your degree).

No, those two things come down to you and your effort. But USC does give you some helpful resources to make those things happen! Here are some other experience-boosting perks that USC offers.

Cutting Edge Facilities

You'll have access to a motion capture stage, a Kinect development lab (in cooperation with Microsoft), and an impressive list of hardware and software available for student use.

If you're interested in the tools and resources you'll have at your disposal, you'll want to check out the full list of facilities and technology.

USC Games Demo Day—AGP

USC runs what they callAdvanced Game Projects. It's where students from all across campusget together to try and develop games. Then, on Demo Day ,they showcase these projects. It's like USC's little E3.

Here's how it works.

In Spring semester, there's a rigorous pitch process "wherein small teams pitch projects that are either original or developed out of the other USC Games curriculum, our selection committee (comprised of faculty from across the campus, as well as industry veterans)chooses the 5-7 games that will advance."

You can peep thewhole list for the 2016-17 games on the AGP website. There's even a game that uses augmented reality (Way more cutting edge than you'd expect from college students, wink wink).

Other Opportunities at USC and Closing Thoughts

There are activities like "game jams" which are hosted by the local student organization, MEGA. Game jams, and opportunities like them, are great places to network with your peers.

This school will have hundreds of people like you—like-minded creatives. People looking to design great games. People looking to push the boundaries of current technology. People who want to create for the sake of creating.

It's these opportunities that will help you succeed after college. USC will let you tap into a great network of game makers. Just look at where the alumni work: Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, Disney Interactive Games, Naughty Dog, Jam City, Treyarch, and more.

It always comes down to the time you put it, not the place you go to. If you do decide to go to USC, make it count.