USC Lands Top Spot in Princeton Review Rankings of Leading Game Design Programs
USC ranked first for both graduate and undergraduate game design study
For the second consecutive year, USC solidified its leadership position for video game design study after ranking number one in The Princeton Review’s list of “Top Schools for Video Game Design Study for 2011.”
Jointly announced earlier today by GamePro Media (http://www.gamepro.com) and The Princeton Review(http://www.princetonreview.com) the ranking recognizes the top 10 undergraduate and top 10 graduate programs for video game design out of approximately 150 surveyed in North America.
USC ranked highest in both categories.
The university’s video game design programs are interdisciplinary, involving the Interactive Media Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the GamePipe program in the Department of Computer Science at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
“In the short span of five years since its inception, the USC GamePipe program has become the national leader in education and professional game development,” said Dean Yannis C. Yortsos of the USC Viterbi School. “It is a testament to the program quality, its leadership and the interdisciplinary strength at USC, which combines computer science, cinematic arts and fine arts in a unique partnership.”
“I can’t tell you how proud we are of all the groundbreaking work and innovative research going on in our Interactive Media Division,” said USC School of Cinematic Arts Dean Elizabeth M. Daley. “Our students, faculty and staff have created an extraordinary environment where the boundaries of game design are being expanded each day, and I’m thrilled that they have again been singled out for their efforts.”
The survey, which included more than 50 questions, covered a wide range of topics, from academics and faculty credentials to graduates’ employment and career achievements.
List choices were 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.
IMD associate professor and Electronic Arts Endowed Chair Tracy Fullerton addressed the key to the division’s ongoing success.
“I think it is the balance of practice and theory, entrepreneurialism and research, aesthetics and technology, individual expression and collaborative teamwork along with a vibrant community of making and playing that makes our program such a special place to study game design,” Fullerton said.
“Game development requires design, artistry and engineering–you sew all of those together and you get USC’s program,” said Michael Zyda, who heads USC’s GamePipe Laboratory. “It’s the joint nature of the program between Cinematic Arts’ Interactive Media Division, GamePipe and the Computer Science division at Viterbi that makes it so special.”
Nearly 20 to 40 new games come out of USC each year.
Some of the most notable game titles borne on USC’S campus have included: Darfur is Dying, the thesis project of Susana Ruiz MFA ’06 that’s been played more than two million times since 2007; flOw, an artful and appealing arcade-style game published by Sony as a digitally distributed PS3 title available via its PlayStation Network; and Brain Tuner Lite, developed by engineering student Elliot Lee.
Others go on to become award-winning titles. Reflection is a game released by Konami and designed by a broad group of USC students, including computer science, communications, cinematic arts, music and business administration majors. The game won the Independent Games Festival’s Next Great Mobile Game Award in 2009.
For more information on USC’s game programs click here.
Contact: Eric Mankin for Viterbi at (213) 821-1887 or mankin@usc.edu; or Kristin Borella for Cinema at (213) 740-9514 or kborella@cinema.usc.edu
