As regards advanced degrees (Masters or higher), I usually do not advise folks to, or not to, go for one.

If the individual wants to get a Masters, then fine -- s/he should go for it. It's not likely to be a huge hindrance.

If s/he doesn't want to go that extra mile, then fine. It's not necessary.

The main exception is when somebody tells me he wants to start his own company. Then I recommend he get an MBA after finishing his undergraduate degree in his desired specialty.

Quote: Original post by JonConley
Your post seems to be talking in general, which is true, the more education the better. In the game industry though, education is only to get your resume past HR, after that its the appearance of ability (portfolio) that opens up opportunities. With a master's and no experience in the game industry you are seen as under qualified in experience, and over qualified in pay scale (like I said generally the more educated the more money someone would ask for). Which means you are on the same page with someone that has a Bachelor's in Comp Sci in experience (so to them will require the same training and everything else) but you would require more pay for the same exact job, which is limiting.

I am speaking generally, but I remain unconvinced that game development has drastically different standards or weighs experience and potential any differently than most other industries. To even accept your argument, one would first have to accept as truth that a development house would simply throw their hands in the air when presented with a Masters' graduate, rather than making a pass at him or her, even if their offered salary only matched or slightly exceeded what they might offer a Bachelors' grad. They have an idea in mind what they're willing to pay for what skillset, and they want the most-qualified person to fill that role, period. Perhaps their offer isn't as grand as one would hope for a holder of a Master's, but only the potential employee can be held responsible for pricing themselves out of the job (which may be reasonable to do, I know I've certainly been offered a salary that was downright laughable at least once).

The bottom line, though, is that someone with more education is more likely to go further, do it faster, and to be able to make lateral movements if and when they desire. A Master's isn't a golden ticket, but its a darn good substitute.

Finally, I'm certainly *not* saying a Master's is the only way or even a good idea in the general case. What we're presented with here is someone who will hold a B.E in computer science with honors. This person is saying "I'd like to take my education further, aiming towards game development." If they're leaning towards formal education, then there is nothing to recommend *but* a Masters.

I don't even know how this is getting so far from the point, as my advice so far can be summed up as:
1) FullSail isn't all that bad or great, but it might be valuable for the OP given his specific situation if he's willing to accept some caveats. They also don't have a Masters.
2) Someplace like the Guildhall or Digipen is a better value for your education dollar (IMO), and you can get a Masters if that's the path you choose.
3) Self-study *is* a viable option if you can stay disciplined, focus on the right tasks, and particularly if you have a mentor or other support -- the inclusion of in-built mentoring and support is why I believe a Master's program is probably worth its cost, but some people do better on their own and they can certainly do it more cheaply.