Recently there was an article published on gamedeve.net which basically advocates students aspiring to enter game design or programming career are better off pursuing a traditional computer science (CS) degree. Main point of the debate was that this way you can cast a wider net for software development jobs compared to a more narrow game programming degree. There are many points here that are either not brought up or not fully or duly explored. Here's a short response to this article which hopefully sheds light on some of these shortcomings in my opinion.
Game Programming/Design degrees come in all shapes and forms, from certificate programs which are usually short (at most 18 months) to full bachelor degree programs which usually run at a compressed 3 years length. The bachelor programs are usually fully certified by national education certification bodies and are monitored in terms of program contents and their graduates success rates continuously. These programs are career-oriented and to some or full extent are involved in students' placement in the workplace, either as co-op or as full-time employment.
All reputable GD bachelor programs have all the core courses of a general CS (Computer Science) degree, probably except for some of the more academic-oriented courses such as Compiler Theory or such. For example, in our program we have equivalent of one full year of C and C++ education at a general level. This is followed with 2 core courses on data structure, and many more general CS courses which are applicable to any serious career in software development. One of the main differences of a GD vs. CS course is strong emphasis on hands-on. As one of my students (who happens to have done a CS degree already!) puts it, in the GD program he get to do stuff, as well as learn stuff.
When a student graduates from a decent GD program he/she has already done at least one 2D game from scratch, and has worked in a team to fully design, develop, and deliver a 3D game in a very-similar-to-actual-workplace environment with the same metrics, expectations and peer evaluation. These skills are simply missing from any CS program and are exactly what a game company looking for filling junior positions would appreciate in a candidate.
So, in summary, doing a Game Development degree (a Bachelor one, NOT just a short certificate!) would probably be one of the best ways to enter into the gaming industry and learn the ropes directly from the qualified industry veterans and get better prepared for such a complex and diverse industry. I do agree if you are not still sure about what paths you'd take and gaming industry is just one of the options, then a general CS degree probably would suit you better.
Why a game development degree
Game Programming/Design degrees come in all shapes and forms, from certificate programs which are usually short (at most 18 months) to full bachelor degree programs which usually run at a compressed 3 years length. The bachelor programs are usually fully certified by national education certification bodies and are monitored in terms of program contents and their graduates success rates continuously. These programs are career-oriented and to some or full extent are involved in students' placement in the workplace, either as co-op or as full-time employment.
All reputable GD bachelor programs have all the core courses of a general CS (Computer Science) degree, probably except for some of the more academic-oriented courses such as Compiler Theory or such. For example, in our program we have equivalent of one full year of C and C++ education at a general level. This is followed with 2 core courses on data structure, and many more general CS courses which are applicable to any serious career in software development. One of the main differences of a GD vs. CS course is strong emphasis on hands-on. As one of my students (who happens to have done a CS degree already!) puts it, in the GD program he get to do stuff, as well as learn stuff.
When a student graduates from a decent GD program he/she has already done at least one 2D game from scratch, and has worked in a team to fully design, develop, and deliver a 3D game in a very-similar-to-actual-workplace environment with the same metrics, expectations and peer evaluation. These skills are simply missing from any CS program and are exactly what a game company looking for filling junior positions would appreciate in a candidate.
Conclusion
So, in summary, doing a Game Development degree (a Bachelor one, NOT just a short certificate!) would probably be one of the best ways to enter into the gaming industry and learn the ropes directly from the qualified industry veterans and get better prepared for such a complex and diverse industry. I do agree if you are not still sure about what paths you'd take and gaming industry is just one of the options, then a general CS degree probably would suit you better.