Earning a Master of Arts in Game Design

The MA in Game Design provides students with the skills needed to thrive in a game studio environment and is comprised of high-level game design and production courses that prepares students for the industry. Students cover key industry concepts ranging from aesthetics and immersion to usability and game economics – in addition to foundational topics like storytelling and character development. Project and portfolio courses are threaded throughout the curriculum and are dedicated to providing a relevant and comprehensive curriculum.

A graduate student in the College of Arts and Humanities may take only one tutorial or independent study course and may enroll in a maximum of nine graduate credit hours per semester. A student may not receive graduate credit for any course designated as a dually-enrolled course, if that student received credit for the undergraduate version of that course.

Required Equipment

This program has immersive reality technologies integrated throughout the curriculum and requires use of a virtual reality headset identified by the department and associated applications. Immersive realities, such as virtual reality, provide a fully immersive educational experience that leads to greater engagement and understanding of subjects covered in classes. Students are not only able to engage with the material, other students, and their instructor; they also can better understand the context of those relationships while immersed in the virtual environment. These experiences support the learning outcomes for the program and prepare students for use of these technologies in their professions.

One-Year Fast Track Option

Students now have the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts degree in Game Design in just one year, with our new fast track program. This flexible program requires 30 credit hours, allowing you to combine online with traditional classroom courses in a schedule that works for you.

Please note, in order to be considered for the Fast Track option students must possess an undergraduate degree in the area of specialization or a related field with extensive coursework; have a 3.5 GPA in their major coursework or submit GRE test results.

Admission Requirements

Applications are initially reviewed by the director of graduate admissions. Once admitted to the university, the applicant is to provide the additional required materials to the director of graduate programs and appropriate graduate program manager for an interview.

In addition to the requirements of all graduate students, applicants to the College of Arts and Humanities should complete and/ or submit the following:

• Transcripts demonstrating completion of undergraduate degree in related field with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in all major coursework.
• The official results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) if GPA is below 3.0. 
• Three letters of recommendation submitted through school portal. 
• 1,000-word Statement of Purpose describing applicant’s goals. 
• Specific deliverables depending on area of study, such as a writing sample and/or portfolio of work, brought to on-campus interview.

*If one or more of the preceding requirements are not met, requests can be made for Conditional Admit Status.

Completion Options

Non-Thesis/Applied Project Option

The applied project allows students with a professional focus to apply the theories and research methods of their field in a professional setting or in a final product or series of products. Projects may take different forms, but all students produce some form of material on behalf of an organization or field of practice. Students pursuing the non-thesis/applied project option document their progress and product for final review by their thesis committee. See the chair of the program for more information.

Thesis Option

The thesis involves the creation of an original piece of scholarship relevant to the field of study that investigates an aspect of that field, professional area or organization. Students evaluate the state of the field in existing research on their topic area and then develop a research question to investigate. Over the course of the program, students investigate their topic and refine their thesis, which is written the final two semesters and reviewed by their thesis committee. See the chair of the program for more information.