Massachusetts: The New Destination for Gaming Enthusiasts?

This article will evaluate some of the various programs offered in the Massachusetts area that are available to individuals who are wanting to earn a gaming technology-related degree. One school offering such a degree is Suffolk University in Massachusetts, which has announced a new major in Interactive Media and Game Development at their College of Arts and Sciences. The new Bachelor of Science major will incorporate both game design and game programming into the coursework, although students will get to select which of the two areas they prefer to concentrate on. Suffolk University feels that they have the edge over other schools currently offering majors in game design due to the fact that they have an advanced art department at their disposal. The Interactive Media and Game Development major offers students the opportunity to work with their own individual talents as it explores the wide variety of roles involved in video game development. Students will learn about cooperation between creative writers, those responsible for game design, artists, composers, and even game testers, who will all play a major role in the game development process. The major has also been created to fit neatly in with a second major in Computer Science (if required), and it is available as a minor for any student who is interested in learning more about careers in the gaming industry. The video game industry is becoming an increasingly popular career path for young people who are quickly realizing that the countless hours they have spent playing their favorite video games could have prepared them for a career in game design, game development, or even as a game tester! The video game market is experiencing a boom right now, unlike the music and movie industries which are both on the decline. It has been speculated that new advances in gaming technology will ensure that the video game industry will continue to experience growth for at least another thirty years. This security makes the option of pursing a career in game development a very attractive prospect for career-seekers and students making choices that will shape the rest of their adult lives. The video game industry is flourishing in Massachusetts, particularly in and around the Boston area, and Suffolk isn't the only school capitalizing on the trend. The Princeton Review recently published a list of the “Top 50 Undergraduate Game Design Programs,” which featured three Massachusetts schools in the top eight. Becker College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology were all featured near the top of the list with their own game design programs, while fellow Massachusetts' schools Amerherst College and Hampshire College were also included on the list for offering top-rated undergraduate programs relating to game development.