Magna cum Pac-Man

Worried that your youngster is wasting his young life playing video games when he should be cavorting outside or studying classwork? Maybe he's really preparing for a career.

The Entertainment Software Association reports that 300 institutions of higher education in the U.S. now offer degrees in video game design, development or programming. That's up from 250 last year, and an increase of 80 programs since 2008.

Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and industry affairs at the ESA, explained the upward trend: "While computer and video games have been a source of entertainment for decades, our society is increasingly recognizing the broader uses of games and their positive impact."

Naturally, California leads the nation in video game studies with 50 colleges, tech schools and art schools offering programs. In South Carolina, for now, the ESA cites programs only at Charleston Southern University and Limehouse College in Gaffney.

The push to academic video game status says that colleges have recognized a demand and are moving to meet it. Small wonder, given the degree of interest and the growth of the industry. A study this year by Kaiser Family Foundation found that youngsters from 8 to 18 spend on average an hour and 13 minutes a day playing video games.

Those numbers have been decried by critics, with much justification, as representing a vast waste of time and an incentive to aggressive behavior.

The numbers also say that video gaming is one area that can be left to student initiative from elementary through high schools.

Either that or give kids a pretense to call playing "Grand Theft Auto IV" homework.