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Students Flock To GMU For a Degree In Video Game Design
Hugh Pickens writes "The Washington Post reports that officials at George Mason University are quickly finding out that they have vastly underestimated interest in the school's new bachelor's degree in video game design. 'We've been overwhelmed,' says Scott M. Martin, assistant dean for technology, research, and advancement at GMU. 'Our anticipated enrollment for the fall is 500 percent higher than we expected.' George Mason first offered the program last fall, when officials anticipated that it would enroll about 30 full-time students, but currently 200 students are enrolled and that number is increasing. Course titles under the program include 'History of Computer Game Design,' while other courses focus on computer programming, digital arts, and graphics and motion capture. Although many colleges offer courses and degrees in computer gaming in the United States, GMU offers the only four-year program in the DC area, an important market for gaming because serious games — those used to train military and special operations, doctors, and others who use simulators — are becoming a market force in the region because of the proximity to federal government centers."
And actually writing a small game, or really nicely implemented mod/addon/map/level/etc. for an existing game is probably included as a senior project, if not earlier. I'd highly doubt your coming out of that degree with nothing that could be used as some kind of portfolio.
Most software/electrical/mechanical 4 year degrees from a good school will have a senior project you can use for a portfolio piece to prove your basic competence when you graduate.
What degree you have (in the IT world at least) matters very little, except for your first job. After that it's all based on your skills. Some jobs require a degree, but as long as you have one (even in underwater basket weaving or something) your fine, it's just a checkbox for a qualification.