Hey everyone! My name is James. I’m a rising senior right now that’s really trying to narrow down my college choices and find the best match for me. I’ve realized over the past couple weeks that some of the most (if not the most) important criteria for my college choices are that they…
are a place that could really develop my playwriting skills and enable me to potentially go into a career of playwriting. This doesn’t necessarily mean they need to have a major in playwriting, but just a place where I would have the faculty, classes, and resources to really further my work and skills.
are a place with a very very good computer science program that would ready me for a potential career in computer science after just four years.
Less important, but have some sort of Chinese language program where I could continue to study Chinese.
Based off these three criteria, are there any schools that jump out? Feel free to shoot as high as you want with these schools, I’m more than ok with reaches.
You can look at DePaul. Their College of Computing and Digital Media has 3000+ students in it, 16 majors covering everything from Computer Science to Game Programming to Animation to Filmmaking to Screen Writing. Their famous Theater school has a major in Playwriting. Of course, being in Chicago there are lots of opportunities with big name ventures like Second City and thru Cinespace, both of whom have excellent relationships with DePaul. And they do have a major in Chinese Studies (I wished they had the major when I was going to school there…)
USC and Wesleyan spring to my mind. I like the suggestion of DePaul too. I personally would focus on excellence in playwriting and availability of Chinese as CS is a pretty easy major to find. You say you want a “very, very” good CS program and I wonder why - my work is in IT and as long as you have a basic degree in the field all anyone cares about is your skills and experience so you don’t need a “name” school in CS to make a good living in the field. You do need work experience so you’d want to look for a school with a strong alumni network or a good history of placing students in interships / co-ops.
They have an amazing creative writing major (top rated) and an exceptionally strong Theatre dept where you can do an immersive term in producing a play. You can not only major in theater, they even have a playwriting minor.
Small, but robust computer science dept. Lots of attention and solid core courses. Lots of opportunities to do research and get internships. In fact, all Juniors are given a research grant that can go towards a project or internship opportunity. It’s not Carnegie Mellon, mind you. However, they are one of the few undergrad schools who offer a major in financial mathematics, which combined with comp sci will get you a job in any investment bank right out of college.
They offer a minor in Chinese studies with up to intermediate level Mandarin. They also have an Asian Studies major.
Look at James Madison University in VA. It is very possible to combine Computer Science with Playwriting and other areas of Theatre… one of the recent graduates was a dual degree with Theatre and Computer Science, took playwriting, wrote plays that were performed in on-campus fesitvals, also involved as an actor, designer, and director. Graduated and now working at a firm in Computer Science.
There have also been Dance and Musical Theatre majors combine these majors with Computer Science successfully.
Carnegie Mellon - obviously excellent CS and drama programs. I’m not sure how many playwriting courses are available for undergrads, but they have a dramatic writing masters program.