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Know of any degrees like this? I'd like to move towards professional graphics programmer/technical artist. Unfortunately I can't even take art subjects as an elective in comp sci!

An ideal course would have something like:

basic physics, math,appl math,
programming, fine art, digital media
(3d,2d,animation, effects)

Sounds like "Medieninformatik" in germany or one of the game programming programs in the US. Dunno about other countries.

Also, prepare to by joined by hundreds of bozos who don't really know what they want and just took the degree because it looked cool.

You won't get all those things rolled into one degree. As said, something game dev./Animation related or media computing seems to be the best compromise.

I don't think youll find a one-size-fits-all like that, within the cult of education. That said, often you just need some education whatever it is from the cult as a pass into fairly good jobs. Most of my freinds except those who chose to become physicians does not use their educations for fuck 'o', it just got them into the positions in other kinds of jobs they have today. Some kind of art director
and then take it as your interrest to deveolpe good programs in your spare time to build up experience?

now that I think about it, in fact I think I only know 3 people who use their education as it was taken. My wife is still a dentist, my mother is still a teacher and a freind of mine studied medicine and is is now a family doctor. The rest just got "some education" and used it as a jumping platform to do whatever they wanted. I think with the interrest you have, youll have to take a similar approach. Keep the goal in mind, and do anything that can give you acess to that sphere, and when there, work your way from the bottom like everyone else?! Just my 5 cents

The problem is I can't get decent employment without a degree as you mentioned, and I don't want to spend 3 years not practicing the skills I want to be using when I finally do, just because this crap takes up aaall my time.

But still, since a dual major is a must I find it mind boggling that the one dual major that would be really usefull to me is strictly not allowed. I'm sure most coders in the working world need to do some design/graphics for their progs at some stage!

This seems a nice list: https://wiki.brown.edu/confluence/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=13017

There are universities that have an emphasis in computer graphics in their compsci degrees, like e.g. Mainz, Darmstadt, Saarbrücken (if you want to study in germany, of course). I'm sure there are many others, I chose that path and I'm fairly satisfied with it. Sure, you don't learn all that you'd like, but it's the best start anyone can get, you can improve your skills even further by self-learning very easily.

Btw, Mainz is the only university in germany (afaik) that offers music informatics as applied subject for compsci. Who wants to learn what audio is, how you can "program" audio, create own effects/filters/synthesizers, that's the place to learn it.

I'm a programmer studying Game Design and Development (Art & Technology) at the Utrecht School of the Arts (The Netherlands). Though I dont get any schooling in math or physics, I do get basic programming (C++), modelling/texturing, 2D/3D animation, some fine art, graphic design and of course game design.
What makes it worthwhile for me as a programmer is that we do lots of projects with multidisciplinairy teams, where I get to do all the programming. So I end up with lots of experience and a decent portfolio, which is realy an advantage over most comp. sci. programs.
Actually, before I started this program, I studied Artificial Intelligence (which is basically comp. sci. with some psychology and AI theory) for three years at VU University, Amsterdam. I learned much more about programming doing Game Design and Development then I did when studying AI.

I guess it depends on your preference, but I much prefer lots of practice over lots of theory.

Hope this helps :)

Sinar: Glad to see something like that exists.

On my side i've been teaching myself programming for like 10 yrs at the same time i was studying graphics design. After school i didn't get much work as a graphic designer, ended up as a beta tester and now 4 yrs later I'm a game designer in the same studio.

My design degree never directly helped me, but what i learnt there is still useful today. And so is my programming skills, even if I rarely code (tho i still manage to write some lines of code in each project i do :)

Hello!

I was about to open another thread but since this is about studies and similar, I wanted to ask you which UK universities do you suggest. Mostly something with graphics/game programming or some other nice programming subject. I already send application to UCL and Hull graphics related MScs. Now I might send 2-3 more universities with graphics or not graphics related but something intersting from computer science. Which are the good UK universities where I can maybe find something?

If it's not graphics, then programms with boring modules like databases/e-commerce/etc sounds boring. But A.I./ computer security / robotics / genetic algorithms / compilers or maybe others, might be more interesting. I can't exactly decide but suggestions of good universities or good programms would be nice.

the first question should always be: how much money do you have to spend

I am not sure. I think I can spend enough.

Why do they say UCL/London is dangerously expensive? And then I hear it's not exactly? Fee's for the specific MSc are as few as in Hull. Accomodation can be found with ok money. What else is there? Is UCL really expensive? Why when I ask people don't even consider it? (they say it's apagoreftiko)

If money is not a problem, I would maybe like to hear some suggestions and then I will search these and see the fee's and etc.

Although I am already searching some others but there are many.
Would game developing MSc sounds ok, or would it sound childish to some (because of games, I know stupid question) and not something more serious like computer science or software engineering or shit.

Sorry for broken english. My head hurts. I am at work deadly bored and drank 1 red bull and 3 ice tea and a big cup of coffee.

Also. Once you said when I said I might go out and study my subject of interest computer graphics that it's a waste of money and time. What did you meaned with it? And if it is, then what do you suggest alternative?

Optimus: fees for a year long Msc are the same pretty much everywhere (I think around 3.5k pounds). People say that life in london is expensive. Accommodation is expensive indeed, however if you are a student you may find a place in a residential hall. Of course they are provided on a first come first serve basis, so it is good to make your mind early.

As a student you don't have to pay "council tax" (dhmotika telh) so that will save you some money per month.

Food is cheap if you cook yourself - if you eat out then expect to pay. You would have to forget for a while the "good" life (eating out, drinking too much etc.) although there are cheap places in London too.

Greece is actually more expensive these days for food and eating out by a factor of 20-30% easily, so you 'll be ok.

Life in the North is more cheap, yes, but alot less rewarding. You may be bored to death.

Another issue is travelling: getting to yorkshire from gatwick/heathrow will cost you at least 50 pounds return - it much easier/cheaper from london.



My vote: go and study in London. Ask imak too, he studied there for the same msc. About what I said: yeah, maybe it is not entirely true but I think that msc courses are *very* diluted these days i.e. they are easier than what they used to be. I think this is because computer science graduate numbers are dropping, and the departments have to bring in overseas students (which also pay huge fees). Unfortunately, the quality of these students is generally quite low.

So I think that Mscs aren't bad, there are better things to do over the course of a year but I guess in your situation it is not a bad idea at all. Just don't do a "games" degree. Fuck computer games and fuck computer games companies.

traditionally these computer games degrees arent very well respected by the industry anyway. a traditional maths or computer science degree (backed up by some hobbyist experience) is a much better way in.
maybe thats changed recently, i dont know.

And of course you should consider if you'd be better served with three years of "working your way up". A degree is no substitute for experience, but experience can be just as good as a degree. You can graduate without having a clue what you've been doing the last 3-5 years, and you can be an expert without having a degree. At least this is the case for computer science and the "technical arts".

A company that insists on a degree and disregards experience is seriously clueless anyway, and probably not worth working for.

If you must have a degree, and you want to make sure it's something you'll always find a use for, I'd go for maths/applied maths.