We have a nine-year-old son who is determined to design video games. He’s a great artist already. He draws with perspective, scale, and detail. We want to encourage his dream, but don’t know if video game design is an actual major. Does USC offer such a major? If so, what should our son study in high school besides the required academic subjects. Should he have already designed an actual video game? Please advise.
USC is the top school in the nation for Game Design. The major you are looking for is in the Cinematic Arts college and is called Interactive Media and Game Design (IMGD). It has a 10% acceptance rate and admission is heavily focused towards a portfolio. At your son’s age, have him download a game engine called GameMaker. Also explore summer Game Design courses by iDTech for next summer. PM me with any questions! (My son is about to graduate from USCs CS-Games program and worked for iDTech this past summer).
Frankly, I think he should be nine years old. He’s still a long way from high school.
Thanks! Don’t worry. He’s a very normal nine-year-old. Loves soccer, batman and video games. He has his heart set on being a video game designer though
My son was 4 when he told me he wanted to make videgames. He starts working with Xbox next June. Nothing wrong with having dreams and for working towards them when young.
That’s great GamerGal27. You must be so proud.
Good to hear @sheltieowner - ya, some kids hold on to their dreams forever and see them through. CS has changed a lot in recent years and will continue to do so, it is a very popular choice in many flavors. Every 10 year old computer kid wants to design games, and he may stick with it, but later he may choose to go more broadly and deeper into CS than game design or take it a different direction, so have him be strong in math and keep up grades throughout high school. Fortunately for CS/CSE/BME or other engineering type studies there is a lot he can do on his own to grow his passion between now and college by just being on the computer.
Thanks CADREAMIN! We are trying to get him to see the connection between school and his dream. He wanted to drop out of 2nd grade last year. He said he didn’t need to go to school to be a video game designer. He’s very smart and we just want him to pursue his dreams.
My son is interested in the CS (game design) program at USC too . He is a currently a freshman. What do you think about the intro to video game design summer course that USC offers for high schoolers? Would it be helpful. Also isn’t there a track to take video game design out of the USC Cinematic school too? Is that a very different program? T