MS in Game Development
What a Game Development Program should be
Launching in Fall 2026
The Master of Science in Game Development program provides a comprehensive blend of foundational theory, technical skills-building, creative exploration, and professional development for students interested in working in professional game studios, game-adjacent industries or other businesses where game-related skills are increasingly in demand. The curriculum provides both a strong theoretical framework and hands-on project experience.
While designed to be completed in two years, the online program will have a flexible timeline to accommodate both full-time students and working professionals. In the second year of the program, students will gain real-world experience by working on actual video games with industry partners. They also will gain vital, applied knowledge about collaboration, communication, and professional business practices in interdisciplinary studio-based classrooms.
Degree Requirements
Students are required to take four core courses and additional concentration required and electives courses, for a degree total of 48 hours.
Please visit the course catalog on the MS in Game Development.
Core Courses
Year One
GSD 511 Game Development I, 4 hours
GSD 512 Game Development II, 4 hours
Year Two
GSD 513 Practicum in Game Development I, 8 hours
GSD 514 Practicum in Game Development II, 8 hours
Additional Concentration Required and Electives Courses
GSD 515 Professionalization Seminar: Portfolio Production & Personal Branding, 4 hours
GSD 520 Tools and Techniques of Game Art, 4 hours
GSD 521 Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for 2D Art in Games, 4 hours
GSD 522 Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for 3D Art in Games, 4 hours
GSD 523 Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for 3D Animation in Games, 4 hours
GSD 529 The Art of Games, 4 hours
GSD 530 Tools & Techniques of Game Design, 4 hours
GSD 531 Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for Game Design, 4 hours
GSD 540 Tools & Techniques of Game Production, 4 hours
GSD 541 Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques of Game Production, 4 hours
GSD 550 Tools & Techniques of Game Programming, 4 hours
GSD 551 Tools & Techniques: Contemporary Techniques for Programming of Games, 4 hours
GSD 560 Tools & Techniques of Game Narrative, 4 hours
GSD 561 Tools & Techniques of Game Narrative: Contemporary Techniques in Writing for Games, 4 hours
Highlights
- $36,192 / $47,712 res/non-res tuition + fees – pay as you go ($754 / $994, res/non-res per hour)
- 24 months or more to complete – you set the pace
- Customizable curriculum – choose your path
- Actively engage with interdisciplinary faculty from top – ranked departments across the University
- Gain a thorough understanding of industry best practices and project management from conception to completion
- Build a strong portfolio that stands out from the rest
- Engage in a studio-based pedagogy that emphasizes team-based work on real projects in a collaborative setting
- Fully online – no on-campus commitments
Choose Your Pathway
Customize your studies to best fit your goals. We offer concentrations in the following five areas:
Where Our Students Might Go
Graduates of our program will be well-prepared for a wide range of roles, including:
- Technical Artist
- Game Designer
- Gameplay Programmer
- UX Designer for Games and Apps
- Character and Environment Artist
- VFX Artist
- Medical and Educational Game Developer
- Interactive Media Producer
Experienced faculty with Strong Ties to industry
Our instructors have worked across industry and education for decades, and know what students need to succeed.
They have worked for the following cutting edge game studios:
- Amazon Games
- BLOXNEO
- Cartoon Network Games
- Deep Silver Volition
- High Voltage Software
- Electronic Arts
- Karuna Labs VR
- Netflix Games
- Nickelodeon
- Pixar Animation Studios
- Play Mechanix
- Vivid Vision VR
Hear From Faculty and Students
“This program gives students a powerful blend of creative and technical training that prepares them to work across the game, animation, and interactive media industries. What sets it apart is how students not only learn how to design and build projects—but also how to collaborate, communicate, and think critically in rapidly evolving digital spaces. From Unity and Unreal Engine to storytelling, AI, and pipeline tools, they’re building portfolios that actually get noticed.”
Alex Damarjian, MFA, PhD
Teaching Associate Professor
Technical Artist, Netflix Games
Program Director,
MS in Game Development Program
Olive Wang, Informatics PhD Student
“Adaptability and strong fundamentals outlast any tool or trend in the game industry.”
Pablo Hurtado Sato, Instructor
Senior 3D Character Artist, BLOXNEO
Apply Today
Applications to the Graduate College for entrance into the program in Fall 2026 are NOW OPEN.
Apply Now!
Application Deadlines
We are accepting applications for Fall and Spring semesters:
Fall 2026
Early Bird (to ensure odds of early enrollment): February 1, 2026
Final: July 1, 2026
Spring 2026
September 1, 2026 for Spring Semester 2027
Please note: The MS Game Development Program is housed in Informatics Programs. You will need to select this home unit to apply for this degree. It is ideal to apply to the program as early as possible.
Thank you for your interest in the MS in Game Development. For more information about the MS in Game Development program, please email ms-gamedevelopment@illinois.edu.