Ghost Hunters Goes Collegiate

Sci Fi Channel's Ghost Hunters is going to college. In an article published by Reuters, the network has ordered a pilot for a spin-off of the reality franchise. It is tentatively being called Ghost Hunters: College Edition and will feature a group of students going around the country to seek out paranormal activity. They will be guided by an experienced ghost investigator.

Hunters stars two Rhode Island plumbers, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, who investigate apparent haunted houses. They are accompanied with team members from The Atlantic Paranormal Society. The show is Sci Fi's second highest-rated series and the October 8 Hunters episode scored an all-time high of 2.7 million total viewers.

There has already been an international spin-off that debuted in January. Ghost Hunters International garnered an average of 2.4 million viewers. It has been renewed for a second season.

The popularity of Ghost Hunters has sparked comparisons between A&E's Paranormal State and Travel Channel's Most Haunted. Paranormal State follows the student-led college club, the Penn State Paranormal Research Society. Ghost Hunters' executive producer is Craig Piligian and the show debuted in October 2004. The show has since been syndicated on NBC Universal sister network Oxygen.