| |
Oct 16, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
2025-2026 Graduate Calendar
Game Studies (MA)
|
|
 Return to: Programs
Master of Arts in Game Studies
Program Website: Master of Arts in Game Studies
Faculty and Administration
For a listing of program faculty and administrative contacts, please visit the program directory.
Program Description
The MA in Game Studies is an interdisciplinary and interfaculty program designed to provide students with a well-rounded, high-quality venue for studying and designing games in all their forms. Throughout the program, students will engage with both scholarly and professional literature which explores the key debates and design paradigms within the discipline. A special focus of the program is “Games for Education, Health, and Persuasion,” which explores how principles of game studies and design can be used in non-gaming fields like education, public policy and healthcare, which allows students to pursue a wide range of options upon graduation. The underlying principle of the program is that theory informs practice, and vice versa. Students will therefore have the opportunity to both study and make games using a variety of industry standard tools. The program is designed to support students interested in pursuing doctoral studies as well as students interested in careers outside of academia.
Admission Requirements
Successful completion of a four-year Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent in a relevant discipline, or demonstration of experience studying and/or designing games, with an average of not less than 80% in the final 10 credits of undergraduate study. Students entering the program are expected to have foundational knowledge in game studies and/or design.
Part-time study is available.
|
Degree Requirements
While the program offers both a thesis and a major research project option, students are strongly encouraged to pursue the major research project option, as the additional coursework required by this choice provides more opportunity for students to gain a broad understanding of the discipline. The thesis option is by application, no later than the end of the first term in the program, and recommendation of the Program Committee. For a full list of graduate course offerings by subject area, please refer to the Courses tab in the navigation menu. Major Research Project option
Students pursuing the major research project option are required to take six half-credit courses: Students may select up to two half-credit course electives from another program with approval from the supervisor and graduate program director. In addition to the courses, students must complete a major research project (GAME 5F91 ) which can take the form of a 40-60 page paper, or an applied work, such as a game prototype, which must be accompanied by a written component of 20-30 pages. Students who wish to submit an applied component can only do so with permission from the supervisor and graduate program director. Full-time students will typically finish the program in 6 terms; part-time students will typically finish the program in 12 terms. Thesis option
Students approved for the thesis option will take five half-courses: Students may select one half-credit elective course from another program with approval from the supervisor and graduate program director. In addition to the courses, each student must complete and defend at a public oral examination a thesis (GAME 5F90 ) of 80-100 pages. Full-time students will typically finish the program in 6 terms; part-time students will typically finish the program in 12 terms. |
Return to: Programs
|
|