NEW YORK, March 12, 2013 — The Princeton Review (www.princetonreview.com) -- one of the nation's best-known education services companies -- today issued its fourth annual report naming the schools with the best programs to study video game design.
The report, "Top Schools to Study Video Game Design for 2013," is based on a survey The Princeton Review conducted in 2012-13 of 150 programs at institutions in the U.S.A. and Canada offering video game design coursework and/or degrees.
On The Princeton Review's list of "Top 15" undergraduate schools to study video game design, the University of Utah is #1. The University of Southern California is #1 on the companion list of "Top 15" graduate schools. The Company gave Honorable Mention designations to 20 additional programs—15 undergraduate and five graduate. Overall, the report salutes 50 game design programs (30 undergraduate/ 20 graduate) at 35 institutions. (Lists follow.)
The Princeton Review's 50-question survey for this project asked schools to report on a range of topics from academic offerings and faculty credentials to graduates’ employment and professional achievements. Among criteria The Princeton Review weighed to make its selections: the school curriculum, faculty, facilities, and infrastructure, plus career services, student scholarships, and financial aid.
The Princeton Review's full report on this project -- accessible at www.princetonreview.com/game-design -- includes profiles of the schools with application information and links to the school sites.
This year, The Princeton Review partnered with PC Gamer, a monthly magazine published by Future US, as its reporting partner on the project. PC Gamer has a special feature on the list in its May issue. It is available online tomorrow at www.pcgamer.com, arriving in subscriber mailboxes this week, and on newsstands on April 2. The feature has information on the schools' degree options, class offerings, prominent professors, and alumni, plus fun facts about the school programs.
- University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
- DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
- Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
- Shawnee State University (Portsmouth, OH)
- Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
- The Art Institute of Vancouver (Vancouver, British Columbia / CAN)
- Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
- Becker College (Worcester, MA)
- New England Institute of Technology (East Greenwich, RI)
- North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
- University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
- University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
- DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
- Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
- Southern Methodist University (Plano, TX)
- The University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, TX)
- New York University / NYU-POLY (New York, NY)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
- Parsons The New School for Design (New York, NY)
- DePaul University (Chicago, IL)
- Bradley University (Peoria, IL)
- Champlain College (Burlington, VT)
- DePaul University (Chicago, IL)
- Ferris State University (Grand Rapids, MI)
- Full Sail University (Winter Park, FL)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
- Miami University (Oxford, OH)
- New York University / NYU-POLY (New York, NY)
- Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
- Oklahoma Christian University (Edmond, OK)
- Quinnipiac University (Hamden, CT)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
- The University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, TX)
- University of Wisconsin – Stout (Menomonie, WI)
- Vancouver Film School (Vancouver, British Columbia / CANADA)
- Full Sail University (Winter Park, FL)
- Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
- Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT)
- University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's SVP/Publisher, noted the burgeoning interest among students in game design and the exceptional study options available from specialized college majors to concentrated graduate degrees. “We salute the schools on our 2013 list for their commitment to this professional field. We hope our project will guide students considering careers in game design to schools best for them on our lists and on to companies at which they can apply their creative ideas and skills for the next generation of game players."
The Princeton Review is also known for its annual rankings of colleges, law schools, and business schools in dozens of categories which it reports on its website and in its books including The Best 377 Colleges and The Best Value Colleges.
The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University and it is not a magazine.
About The Princeton Review
Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com) is a privately held education services company headquartered in Framingham, MA. The Company has long been a leader in helping students achieve their education and career goals through its test preparation services, tutoring and admissions resources, online courses, and more than 150 print and digital books published by Random House, Inc. The Princeton Review delivers its programs via a network of more than 5,000 teachers and tutors in the U.S.A., Canada, and international franchises. The Company also partners with schools and guidance counselors worldwide to provide students with college readiness, test preparation and career planning services.
About FUTURE US (publisher of PC Gamer)
Future Plc is an international media group and leading digital publisher, listed on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR). It has operations in the UK, US and Australia creating 200 publications, apps, websites and events. It holds market-leading positions in Technology, Gaming, Entertainment, Creative and Sport & Auto sectors. Future attracts 50 million monthly global unique users to its websites, which include techradar.com, gamesradar.com, bikeradar.com and musicradar.com. Future sells more than 24 million magazines every year, that’s 45 magazines sold every minute. Our most well-known brands in the US include Mac|Life, Maximum PC, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. We deliver over 100 digital editions, selling over 2 million products in the last 12 months through Apple’s Newsstand for iPad. Future exports or syndicates over 200 publications to over 90 countries. Future is currently Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year for both the Association of Online Publishers and the Professional Publishers Association.
SOURCE:
The Princeton Review
WEBSITES:
www.princetonreview.com/game-design
www.pcgamer.com
CONTACTS:
The Princeton Review: Jeanne Krier, Publicist, 212-539-1350, or Kristen O'Toole, Editor, 888-347-7737 ext. 1405, kotoole@review.com
PC Gamer / Future US: Rhoda Bueno, VP, Marketing & Sales Development, 650-238-2474, rbueno@futureus.com
EDITORS NOTE:
Princeton Review's Robert Franek, SVP / Publisher and David Soto, Director / Editorial Content are available for interviews. For complete school lists, alpha by country/state/city/school or alpha by school, see "Reporter Resources" at www.princetonreview.com/game-design-press-release.aspx
For information on the project survey, see www.princetonreview.com/game-design-survey-methodology.aspx
- – List: Alpha by Country / State / City / School
- – List: Alpha by School
- – Game Design Survey Methodology
CANADA
British Columbia
Vancouver / The Art Institute of Vancouver (Ugrad #9)
Vancouver / Vancouver Film School (Ugrad HM)
UNITED STATES
California
Los Angeles / University of Southern California (Ugrad #2, Grad #1)
Santa Cruz / University of California, Santa Cruz (Ugrad HM, Grad #8)
Connecticut
Fairfield / Sacred Heart University (Grad HM)
Hamden / Quinnipiac University (Ugrad HM)
Florida
Orlando / University of Central Florida (Grad #5)
Winter Park / Full Sail University (Ugrad HM, Grad HM)
Georgia
Atlanta / Georgia Institute of Technology (Ugrad HM, Grad #13)
Savannah / Savannah College of Art and Design (Ugrad #8, Grad #9)
Illinois
Chicago / DePaul University (Ugrad HM, Grad #15)
Peoria / Bradley University (Ugrad HM)
Massachusetts
Boston / Northeastern University (Ugrad HM)
Cambridge / Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ugrad #5, Grad #7)
Worcester / Becker College (Ugrad #13)
Worcester / Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Ugrad #12, Grad HM)
Michigan
East Lansing / Michigan State University (Ugrad #10, Grad HM)
Grand Rapids / Ferris State University (Ugrad HM)
New York
Buffalo / University at Buffalo (Grad HM)
New York / New York University/NYU-Poly (Ugrad HM, Grad #12)
New York / Parsons The New School for Design (Grad #14)
Rochester / Rochester Institute of Technology (Ugrad #4, Grad #4)
Troy / Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Ugrad #11)
North Carolina
Raleigh / North Carolina State University (Ugrad #15)
Ohio
Oxford / Miami University (Ugrad HM)
Portsmouth / Shawnee State University (Ugrad #7)
Oklahoma
Edmond / Oklahoma Christian University (Ugrad HM)
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia / Drexel University (Ugrad #6, Grad #3)
Rhode Island
East Greenwich / New England Institute of Technology (Ugrad #14)
Texas
Plano / Southern Methodist University (Grad #10)
Richardson / The University of Texas at Dallas (Ugrad HM, Grad #11)
Utah
Salt Lake City / University of Utah (Ugrad #1, Grad #2)
Vermont
Burlington / Champlain College (Ugrad HM)
Washington
Redmond / DigiPen Institute of Technology (Ugrad #3, Grad #6)
Wisconsin
Menomonie / University of Wisconsin - Stout (Ugrad HM)
The Art Institute of Vancouver / Vancouver, BC / CAN (Ugrad #9)
Becker College / Worcester, MA (Ugrad #13)
Bradley University / Peoria, IL (Ugrad HM)
Champlain College / Burlington, VT (Ugrad HM)
DePaul University / Chicago, IL (Ugrad HM, Grad #15)
DigiPen Institute of Technology / Redmond, WA (Ugrad #3, Grad #6)
Drexel University / Philadelphia, PA (Ugrad #6, Grad #3)
Ferris State University / Grand Rapids, MI (Ugrad HM)
Full Sail University / Winter Park, FL (Ugrad HM, Grad HM)
Georgia Institute of Technology / Atlanta, GA (Ugrad HM, Grad #13)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Cambridge, MA (Ugrad #5, Grad #7)
Miami University / Oxford, OH (Ugrad HM)
Michigan State University / East Lansing, MI (Ugrad #10, Grad HM)
New England Institute of Technology / East Greenwich, RI (Ugrad #14)
New York University/NYU-POLY / New York, NY (Ugrad HM, Grad #12)
North Carolina State University / Raleigh, NC (Ugrad #15)
Northeastern University / Boston, MA (Ugrad HM)
Oklahoma Christian University / Edmond OK (Ugrad HM)
Parsons The New School for Design / New York, NY (Grad #14)
Quinnipiac University / Hamden CT (Ugrad HM)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute / (Troy, NY (Ugrad #11)
Rochester Institute of Technology / Rochester, NY (Ugrad #4, Grad #4)
Sacred Heart University / Fairfield, CT (Grad HM)
Savannah College of Art and Design / Savannah, GA (Ugrad #8, Grad #9)
Shawnee State University / Portsmouth, OH (Ugrad #7)
Southern Methodist University / Plano, TX (Grad #10)
University at Buffalo / Buffalo NY (Grad HM)
University of California, Santa Cruz / Santa Cruz, CA (Ugrad HM, Grad #8)
University of Central Florida / Orlando, FL (Grad #5)
University of Southern California / Los Angeles, CA (Ugrad#2, Grad #1)
The University of Texas at Dallas / Richardson, TX (Ugrad HM, Grad #11)
University of Utah / Salt Lake City, UT (Ugrad #1, Grad #2)
University of Wisconsin-Stout / Menomonie, WI (Ugrad HM)
Vancouver Film School / Vancouver, BC (Ugrad HM)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute / Worcester, MA (Ugrad #12, Grad HM)
The Princeton Review chose the schools for its 2013 list based on a comprehensive survey it conducted in the 2012 academic year of administrators at 150 institutions offering video game design coursework and/or degrees in the United States and Canada.
The Princeton Review developed the survey with the assistance of an advisory board the company formed for this project in 2009. Advisory board members included faculty at top institutions offering game design courses and professionals at leading companies in the gaming industry. The survey, which has more than 50 questions, covers a wide range of topics, from academics and faculty credentials to graduates' employment and career achievements. Some of the survey questions asked of each school are below.
The selection and ranking of schools for the list was based on criteria that broadly covered the quality of the curriculum, faculty, facilities and infrastructure. The Princeton Review also factored in data it collected from the schools on their scholarships, financial aid and career opportunities.
Academics
What game design-related courses do you offer for undergraduates?
What game design-relevant skills does your program teach?
Does your gaming program use a team-driven approach? If yes, in that team are students paired with other students from different disciplines?
Faculty
What percentage of your total gaming faculty have started, run or worked for a game studio?
How many gaming faculty members do you have? How many of these are on a tenure track? How many departments do they represent?
Technology
What technologies or engines does your school utilize?
Does your school offer game labs for students to use?
Does your school offer a game library for students to use?
Career
What career-related opportunities does your school offer to undergraduate gaming students?
For the most recent graduating class, what percentage of graduates has worked on a game that has shipped?
During the 2012-13 academic year, how many game companies visited your school for any of the following reasons: recruiting, lectures, seminars, demos, collaborations?
What percentage of graduates has taken a job in some aspect of game development at the time of or before graduating? What was their salary?