Program Overview

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Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology offers a range of graduate programs, including the Master of Fine Arts in Game Development.

Graduate Programs in Game Development

The Master of Fine Arts in Game Development is a terminal degree in emerging artistic practices focusing primarily on the creative use and critical investigation of technology in artistic practices. The program is designed for both students wishing to teach arts- and technology-related courses at the college level and for those intending to engage in professional studio or design practice.

Master of Fine Arts in Game Development

The Master of Fine Arts in Game Development requires a minimum of 54 semester credit hours of coursework, including a thesis project.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the University's general admission requirements, applicants are required to submit the following materials as part of their application file for holistic admission consideration:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose/essay
• A curriculum vitae (CV) or resume
• A portfolio that can include: Collection of original artworks demonstrating artistic range and skills as evidence of previous coursework and/or expertise in the creative arts and digital media and technology

Deadline

For priority consideration for funding, completed applications should be received by the early application deadline of January 15. If space remains, the program will continue to accept applications in accordance with regular university deadlines. Students are accepted for the fall semester only.

Faculty

The faculty for the Game Development program includes:

• Professors: Anne Balsamo, Paul Fishwick, Roger Malina, Marilyn Waligore, xtine burrough
• Associate Professors: Heidi Cooley, Monica Evans, Eric Farrar, Todd Fechter, Sean McComber, Andrew Scott
• Assistant Professors: Christine Veras, Hong An Wu
• Professor Emeritus: Mihai Nadin
• Clinical Professor: Tim Christopher

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Master of Fine Arts in Game Development includes:

Required Major Core Courses

• ANGM 6334 Game Production Practices
• ANGM 6335 Game Design and Development
• ANGM 6342 Experimental Games Studio
• ANGM 6356 Anatomy of a Game

Prescribed Electives within Game Development

Choose five courses from the following:

• ANGM 6341 Game Production Studio
• ANGM 6343 Educational Games Studio
• ANGM 6344 Building Virtual Worlds
• ANGM 6345 Interactive Narrative
• ANGM 6349 Special Topics in Game Development
• ANGM 6353 Games, Education, and Simulation
• ANGM 6373 Interactive Environments
• ATCM 6336 Critical Game Studies
• ATCM 6340 Game Production Methods
• ATCM 6351 History and Culture of Games
• ATCM 6352 Socially Conscious Games
• ATCM 6354 Play and Culture

Free Electives

Twelve semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Final Project

Completed over two consecutive long semesters after having completed at least 36 semester credit hours of coursework. Public presentation of work required, such as an exhibition, conference presentation, or defense.

• ATCM 6399 Master's Thesis
• ATCM 6698 Master's Project I
• ATCM 6699 Master's Project II

Graduate Programs

The University offers a range of graduate programs across various schools, including:

• Arts, Humanities, and Technology
• Behavioral and Brain Sciences
• Economic, Political and Policy Sciences
• Engineering and Computer Science
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Jindal School of Management
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Arts, Humanities, and Technology

The school offers programs in:

• Animation
• Art History
• Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication (ATEC)
• Game Development
• History
• Humanities
• Latin American Studies
• Literature
• Philosophy
• Visual and Performing Arts

Behavioral and Brain Sciences

The school offers programs in:

• Applied Cognition and Neuroscience
• Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders
• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

The school offers programs in:

• Criminology
• Economics
• Geospatial Information Sciences
• Political Science
• Public Affairs
• Public Policy and Political Economy
• Social Data Analytics And Research
• Sociology

Engineering and Computer Science

The school offers programs in:

• Bioengineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Software Engineering
• Systems Engineering

Interdisciplinary Studies

The school offers programs in:

• Post-Baccalaureate Program for Teacher Certification

Jindal School of Management

The school offers programs in:

• Accounting and Analytics
• Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence
• Finance
• Financial Technology and Analytics
• Healthcare Leadership and Management
• Information Technology and Management
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• International Management Studies
• Management Science
• Marketing
• Supply Chain Management
• Systems Engineering and Management

Natural Sciences and Mathematics

The school offers programs in:

• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Data Science and Statistics
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physics
• Science and Mathematics Education
• Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences

Graduate Degree Program Policies and Procedures

The University has established policies and procedures for graduate degree programs, including:

• Program of Studies/Degree Plan
• Milestones Agreement Form
• Change of Program
• Transfer of Credit
• Credit for Non-Credit Coursework
• General Degree Requirements
• Required Semester Credit Hours
• Required Grade Point Average
• Registration Requirements
• Time Limits
• Additional Master's Degrees
• Supervising Committee for Thesis and Dissertation
• Master's Thesis
• Admission to Doctoral Candidacy
• Doctoral Dissertation
• Final Oral Examination for Doctoral Candidates
• Required Copies of Dissertation and Thesis
• Intellectual Property Rights

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must:

• Apply for graduation
• Meet the requirements for their degree program
• Complete all coursework and other requirements
• Pass a final oral examination (for doctoral candidates)
• Submit a dissertation or thesis (if required)

University Resources

The University offers a range of resources to support graduate students, including:

• General Resources
• Health Resources
• International Resources
• Student Complaint Resources