How to begin your journey on a career in video game design

Working with a development and design team making video games is an exciting prospect and it is something that a lot kids, high school students and older people give serious consideration to: A career in video game design.

But you don't know where to start in your quest.

This article will help you get started on a professional career in the video game industry.

There is one very important thing that you must have if you want to get involved in the game industry - a college degree! Yes, you absolutely have to start your career with a degree. It is something that is required in the industry for a lot of different reasons. First off a degree will give you some of the skills that the now mature video game industry is looking for, and having a degree is an entry level way into the industry.

But, you might be wondering: What do I get a degree in? Video game making?

That's a good question and it is almost right, but not quite. The video game industry is a very big industry and that means there are a whole lot of different kinds of jobs and you could possibly fit into one of these many types of jobs - depending on what appeals to you and what kind of work you want to do.

Ok, That was a lot of talking but you still don't know what to do! Well here is my advice on where you can start on your quest. You can look over some of the websites of various colleges that offer game design and game development degrees. And you can sign up to get their catalogs.

Looking over websites is a great way to start and I recommend that while you are doing that you take notes, but there is nothing like getting some actual catalogs and other materials from a University.

This is exactly what I have done. You can see in the accompanying picture the materials I have received from The University of Advancing Technology. They have a whole lot of programs specifically designed to help train you and get you ready for the gaming industry.

So, if you are serious about working in the Gaming industry I recommend you look over their website and if UAT is a place you think you might be interested in attending (either on campus or online) then send in a request to get their catalog.

Before you know it you could be on your way to an exciting career in video game design.

I have been looking over the materials that UAT has sent me and it is terrific. There is a lot of useful information about the various degrees in gaming and what they are about. You get a look at the degrees, the types of classes, and the types of software that is used in the industry.

About the University of Advancing Technology Catalog and stuff I received:

I received a catalog which is a great way to take a look at the Game Design programs they have and the kinds of classes that are involved in the degrees like Game Programming and Game Design. I also received a magazine the school puts out called "Behind the Bits" and in it they show some of the great projects that students have created including some amazing video games. They also sent me the latest issue of their campus magazine called "Geek 411" which has a lot of great articles about technology and video games.

 

In Summary: If you are serious about working in the game industry you have to get a degree! And you have a lot of choices like Game Design, Game Programming, Art & Animation and even Game Management! A great way to start learning what you will need to do is to order a catalog from a school that offers a wide array of game related degrees.

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More Resources - I have lots of other resources that will help you in learning how to start a career in the industry.

• The University of Advancing Technology Website is here
• I have more Information about UAT's programs and degrees in game design and development right here
• Video Game Design Majors: So you are thinking about getting into the video game industry and know you need a degree. But what degree should you get? I have a clear outline here of four different degrees and look at a university that has all four.
• Go To College and Learn How to Design Video Games without leaving home!
• Video Game Design Summer Camps for kids and teens - This is a great way to get a head start in the world of game making and it also gives young people a great experience working and playing in a creative and collaborative environment.
• A Career in Video Games? Over the past ten years many, many opportunities have opened up for legitimate careers in video game making in a lot of different disciplines from design, to art to writing.
• A guide to Video Game Colleges - Top colleges now offer video game design curriculum. Here is a look at some colleges and programs.

 

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