New Game Programming Degree

I was at The Art Institute of California yesterday, and they say there is a new degree called Visual and Game Programming. The description: "The curriculum was developed with input from game and animation industry veterans, including professionals from the International Game Developers Association, Electronic Arts, Acclaim, Red Storm Entertainment, Digital Domain, Pixar Animation Studios, PDI/DreamWorks, Microsoft, Stormfront Studios, BioWare and other companies." or Full Press Release THEN, I read this from a Game Programmer In The Industry (tm): How good are schools like Digipen and Full Sail? Digipen and Full Sail are trade schools that offer degrees in "real time interactive simulation" and "3D computer animation", meaning that they train people to be video game developers. Specifically, their curricula focus on game programming and game art. How good are these schools? Well, let me be blunt -- based on what I've heard from other people in the industry or seen from resumes, I've gotten the impression that they're not the best. Graduates of these schools have a reputation for being merely competent, which is not what employers are looking for from schools supposedly devoted to the field. Not too long ago, I got an email from a Full Sail graduate who told me he was having a tough time finding a job, despite having very high marks in his courses. Granted, I sometimes hear from regular university grads in the same dilemma, but at least those guys can be expected to have an easier time finding a regular job to hold them over. It seems to me that the problem with video game schools is, ironically, that they're too focused on video games. The field changes so rapidly that the tools and techniques taught in the classroom this year may be out of date next. A traditional computer science or art education, on the other hand, sticks to teaching the fundamental underpinnings of the field, giving the student a firm foundation from which to branch out and learn specific skills on his or her own. Despite its rapid growth, the field of video games is still too much in its infancy to merit a degree of its own. You still need to learn about databases, operating systems, computer architecture, and compilers to really understand programming. You still need to know about drawing, sculpture, composition, mood, and setting to really understand art. As for game design, well, you have to know about as many subjects as you can. Learning about just games isn't deep enough at this point. And, let's face it, at eighteen, not everyone really knows what they want to do with their life. I strongly feel that it's a better bet to get a broader university education, then to hone in on a specific career as you figure out what subjects are most interesting to you. Even if you feel certain that being a game developer is your calling, it's worthwhile to experience the cross-section of people and ideas that you'll find at a regular college. In an interdisciplinary field like game development, exposure to "outside" knowledge can do a lot to strengthen you. The college years happen only once (for most of us!), so make the most of them. Link I was wondering if a CS Major would just be a better choice to do FIRST, then possibly take the courses offered at Ai, or JUST become a CS Major...or PhD. EDIT: Tags >_< LibGDN - By developers, for developers [edited by - Programmer One on November 1, 2002 4:17:29 PM]