Made this topic to discuss Game Design in general and get some information on a degree I am planning to go for. Any help would be appreciated!

I am planning to go for the Bachelor's degree at UCF for Digital Media (Game Design specialization). Here is the degree: http://catalog.ucf.edu/content/documents/programs/Digital_Media_BA.pdf

Will this give me a pretty good understanding of Game Design and the industry in general in order to look for jobs in the industry? Obviously I will continue drawing/working on Game Design on the side and craft my skills also. Any feedback appreciated.

I would like to work primarily in Animation but I will be pretty happy working in any section of the industry.

Not sure I like that curriculum, it doesn't seem to have much substance to it. Game designer is such a broad category, and can mean so many things. It can be one of the people who blocks out a level for an FPS, it can be the guy who does the dialog trees for an RPG, it can be the guy who does a ton of spreadsheet math to make sure all the numbers line up well for progression in an RPG or that all the weapons are balanced in an action game. It can also be the guy who does a bunch of scripting for in-game events, or does all the camera work for the in game cutscenes and maybe even the gameplay camera if it's on rails like the God of War games.

My personal opinion is it's better to get a more meaningful degree, Comp Sci or Art, and spend time doing the type of "game design' that you enjoy and flex and build that skill. And then be prepared to have to work your way through some of the drudgery of lower level game design. There is often not that many technical designers at a company, for example, or creative leads, etc.

Moving to the job advice forum.

"Game Design Degrees .... I would like to work primarily in Animation"

Nope. It doesn't work that way.

The subject has been covered many times and has over 20 excellent discussions about it in the forum FAQ. Read all the links.

Read all the FAQ, if that doesn't answer all your questions use the search button.

If that still doesn't answer it, post the specific question and that you couldn't find it in the FAQ. Most likely someone will follow up with an entry the FAQ that covers it.

If it STILL isn't covered by the FAQ entries, then specific replies will follow.