Should I pursue an undergraduate degree in Game Development and Entrepreneurship at UOIT?
UOIT is a very young and innovative university in Canada, which provides many great opportunities; for example, to do HCI-research-related to gaming topics, so yes, I would encourage you to apply. In the Faculty of Business and Information Technology, we have a great mix of interdisciplinary researchers, so that you could pursue a research career in technical game related topics (such as augmented reality games) to more experimental topics (such as psychological impact of gaming). If you are interested in working with me on HCI in games, please see the next question.
Can I work on one of your research projects?
Generally, yes. I am always seeking motivated and ambitious students interested in my research areas. If you are a Master’s or a PhD student interested in doing research in game science, human-computer interaction, user experience evaluation, entertainment computing, game design, physiological or affective computing, or interaction design, I would be glad for you to contact me. Undergraduate students interested in doing this type of research can apply for a summer internship or do an honors or senior project on one of these mentioned topics. Degree applications must also meet UOIT’s admission criteria and will be administered under the local Master’s or PhD programs. You can put my name as a potential supervisor if you are interested in working with me. See the next question for details.
Where do I apply for the graduate program at UOIT?
If are you are interested in doing a graduate degree under my supervision, please apply through the Master’s program in Computer Science or the PhD program in Computer Science at UOIT. For a graduate program, you should have an undergraduate degree in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, human computer interaction, industrial design, cognitive science, or software engineering from a Canadian university, or its equivalent from a recognized institution. Interest (and preferably experience) in two of the three areas of game development, psychology, or computer science is important. Applications must also meet the regular admission criteria (see MSc or PhD), such as a minimum B+ average. More general information about UOIT’s graduate program can be found here. Make sure to keep in mind the application deadlines, especially if you are applying from abroad. If you are interested in applying, make sure to put my name in the application as potential supervisor.
Do you supervise and accept students from everywhere?
I have worked very successfully with Canadian and international students in the past. Regarding international students, I have strong connections to Germany, Scandinavia, and New Zealand and have constantly co-supervised students from there in the past. But no matter, where you are from, you need to have a strong demonstrated interest in human-computer interaction, game design, user experience evaluation and/or user-centered design if you want to work with me. I am currently securing funding for students deeply interested in this kind of research. However, if you come from an international institution and have your own funding, do not hesitate to ask about research opportunities or internships. If you considering to apply to the graduate program at UOIT, make sure you meet the language requirements.