[game_preservation] Game graduate school?

[Rowan Kaiser]

@Jose - I have a B.A. in History from Antioch College.

@Michelle - That's a pity, I have something of a connection at Illinois, but
I believe she teaches Women's Studies, so probably irrelevant anyway.


I'm aware of general things about grad school. My partner already has a
Masters and is applying for Ph.D programs. But she wants to go to a
traditional Literature or Composition, and can easily find websites that
have the Top X Programs for Renaissance Literature or whatever. I've only
been able to find video game-based programs haphazardly. For example, the
Comparative Media Studies program at MIT is one that I've had my eye on:
http://cms.mit.edu/academics/graduate_program.php

On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 10:58 AM, Michelle Hinn <hinn at uiuc.edu> wrote:


> >> Most important thing about grad school is understanding what you want to

> >> do. You don't go to grad school on a whim.

> >>

> >> The second most important thing is finding the right program. This

> >> involves two things. One, what is being taught there and Two, who is

> >> doing the teaching. If you know who you want to work with for the next

> >> 2-6 years, then this makes it a better decision. Also - make sure that

> >> professor is going to be there while you are working! A lot of times,

> >> they just go on sabbatical!

> >

> > Definitely go where the people you want to work with are. I'd recommend

> you actualy pick a place with more than one person you'd like to work with.

> You never know what will happen... Also, once you've applied and (hopefully)

> been accepted, DEFINITELY visit the places before making a decision.

>

> I cannot agree more!! I got stuck in this position, had no one doing

> anything in gaming by the time I was working on my dissertation (thus having

> to convince a committee of anyone I could find to agree to have their name

> on *anything* gaming -- especially something positive about gaming rather

> than *games ruin our brains* studies), and I taught the ONLY course on game

> design on a TA salary and an overcrowded student situation (I had students

> just ask to sit in because there was nothing at all for anyone, especially

> undergraduates).

>

> I'd suggest (sorry if this has been suggested already and I didn't read it

> thoroughly) coming up with a list of schools (maybe a top 5) and including

> (1) why the program is appealing (2) faculty you want to work with and then

> maybe posting (if you want to put it out there for debate) here and on the

> game education SIG list) to see what people have to say. Too many schools

> are saying that "oh of course we offer game studies" because it's trendy

> only to drop it quickly due to budget cuts, people moving (getting better

> offers elsewhere usually!), etc.

>

> Good luck -- and DON'T consider University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign if

> that was at all on your list...no support here and nothing going on.

>

> Michelle

>

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