Master of Arts in Game Studies (MA)

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 percent in the final 10 credits of undergraduate study. Students entering the program are expected to have foundational knowledge in game studies and, or design.
• In addition, applicants must provide 2 letters of reference and submit a one-page Statement of Interest to be adjudicated by the Admissions Committee.

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.

Major Research Project Option

• Students pursuing the major research project option are required to take six half-credit courses: the two core courses (GAME 5P01 and GAME 5P02) and four elective 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 typically finish the program in 6 terms; part-time students typically finish the program in 12 terms.

Thesis option

• Students approved for the thesis option will take four half-courses: the two core courses (GAME 5P01 and GAME 5P02) and two elective 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 typically finish the program in 6 terms; part-time students typically finish the program in 12 terms.