Animation Career Review has ranked UC Santa Cruz’s graduate games programs, including Games & Playable Media and Serious Games, 5th nationally in its recently published list of Top 25 Game Design Master’s Degree Programs in the US for 2022. Now in its 10th year conducting rankings, Animation Career Review examined over 150 game design schools for its ranking profiles, and gave UC Santa Cruz high marks on such criteria as academic reputation, admission selectivity, employment data, depth and breadth of faculty, return on investment, and graduation rate. Of note, UCSC was also ranked extremely highly in undergraduate games programs.
This is the first year that UC Santa Cruz games graduate programs have cracked the top 5, after ranking in the top 10 over the past few years. According to Michael John, associate teaching professor and vice chair of the Games & Playable Media MS program, this rise is a recognition of both the success and diversity of the graduate games offerings at UCSC. “UC Santa Cruz holds a unique position as being the top publisher worldwide in technical games research, while also maintaining a game-related graduate arts degree, and two complete professional MS degrees.” Speaking of the professional MS program he directs in Games & Playable Media (GPM), John says “this is particularly gratifying for the GPM program, which has built strong relationships with industry, a strong and growing alumni network within the industry, and a robust project-based curriculum. Animation Career Review is a top publication focused on creative career outcomes and the #5 ranking puts us in excellent company.”
For more information, view the rankings and criteria on the Amination Career Review website.