Abertay is sole European institution in top games universities listings for second year running
Abertay University has been named as the only European institution in the world’s top universities for studying game design for the second year running.
The Princeton Review this week released its seventh annual ranking lists naming the best undergraduate and graduate schools for students to study – and launch a career in – game design.
Abertay’s School of Arts Media and Computer Games is listed 12th out of the top 25 postgraduate schools and 22nd out of the top 50 undergraduate schools. In the postgraduate list, Abertay has scored a huge improvement on the 20th place it secured in last year’s ranking.
Abertay is the only university in the postgraduate list not based in the USA, and one of only three non-USA schools in the undergraduate list.
The Princeton Review chose the schools based on its 2015 survey of 150 institutions in the USA, Canada and abroad offering game design degree programmes or courses. The 40-question survey gathered data on everything from the schools' game design academic offerings and lab facilities to their graduates’ starting salaries and career achievements. More than 40 data points in four areas (academics, faculty, technology, and career) were analysed to compile the lists.
"For students aspiring to work in game design, the 58 schools that made one or both of our 2016 lists offer extraordinary opportunities to hone one's talents for a successful career in this burgeoning field," said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's Senior VP-Publisher. "The faculties at these schools are outstanding. Their facilities are awesome. And their alumni include legions of the industry's most prominent game designers, developers, artists, and entrepreneurs."
Professor Gregor White, Head of Abertay’s School of Arts, Media and Computer Games, commented: “This is fantastic news and a testament to the hard work of my colleagues in the School and across the University in sustaining and delivering such a consistently high standard of learning experience for our students. It’s especially pleasing that the Princeton Review recognises our commitment to employability – helping our students to develop the knowledge and skills that will equip them for successful and fulfilling careers.”
Undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in the schools that made the lists also gain valuable professional experience while in school. According to The Princeton Review's 2015 survey of administrators at the schools, about 85% of their undergraduate and/or postgraduate game design students that graduated in their 2015 classes developed actionable plans to launch games while in school. Moreover, 49% of undergraduates and 59% of postgraduate students at these school programmes worked on games that were shipped before they graduated.
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For media enquiries, please contact Kevin Coe, Media and Communications Director, Abertay University, E: k.coe@abertay.ac.uk T: 01382 308452 M: 07850 904110
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The "Top 25" schools on The Princeton Review list, "Top 50 Undergraduate Schools to Study Game Design for 2016," are:
1. University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
2. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
3. Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
4. DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA)
5. Becker College (Worcester, MA)
6. The Art Institute of Vancouver (Vancouver, British Columbia)
7. Hampshire College (Amherst, MA)
8. Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
9. Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
10. New York University (Brooklyn, NY)
11. The University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, TX)
12. Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
13. Champlain College (Burlington, VT)
14. Vancouver Film School (Vancouver, British Columbia)
15. Bradley University (Peoria, IL)
16. Ferris State University (Grand Rapids, MI)
17. Lawrence Technological University (Southfield, MI)
18. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
19. Cogswell College (San Jose, CA)
20. Shawnee State University (Portsmouth, OH)
21. University of Wisconsin-Stout (Menomonie, WI)
22. Abertay University (Dundee, Scotland)
23. University of California-Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
24. Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
25. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
For the full list of top 50 undergraduate schools, go to www.princetonreview.com/game-design
The Princeton Review's "Top 25 Graduate Schools to Study Game Design for 2016" are:
1. University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
2. Southern Methodist University (Plano, TX)
3. University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)
4. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
5. DigiPen Institute of Technology (Redmond, WA)
6. New York University (Brooklyn, NY)
7. Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
8. Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
9. The University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, TX)
10. Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
11. University of California at Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
12. Abertay University (Dundee, Scotland)
13. Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA)
14. Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
15. DePaul University (Chicago, IL)
16. University of Wisconsin-Stout (Menomonie, WI)
17. Full Sail University (Winter Park, FL)
18. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
19. University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
20. The Ohio State University – Columbus (Columbus, OH)
21. Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT)
22. American University (Washington, DC)
23. University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL)
24. University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL)
25. St. Mary's University (San Antonio, TX)
