Academics

Master's Degree Program
2 Years | In-Person | Full-Time
水多多导航 Guildhall provides aspiring game developers with advanced, world-renowned Master's-level education for career-evolving specialized preparation.



Game on Computer

水多多导航 Guildhall's Game Design Programs

We merge solid academics with real-world products. 水多多导航 Guildhall's  Master's-level game development education equips the next generation of game creators with the technical skills and instincts required to drive the evolution of gaming. Our 100+ graduate game development courses are modeled after the style and pace of the industry and taught by industry veterans.  

Our Degree

Master of Interactive Technology (MIT) in Digital Game Development

水多多导航 Guildhall offers full-time, in-person, two-year program that consists of a specified, focused course sequence aligned with your specialization to include majors, minors, Directed Focus Studies, Master's Theses, special topics, and Team Game Production courses.

More than 1100 students have graduated from 水多多导航 Guildhall since 2003, completing 2255 directed focus studies, 723 theses, and 675 team games.

Video

Level Up Your Learning

What Will You Study?

Choose Your Specialization Track

Each student will select a specialization in one of four game development cornerstone disciplines:

Art Creation Art Creation

Art Creation

Apply your natural artistic talents to create interactive game art, bringing imagined worlds and characters to vivid digital life.

Level Design Level Design

Level Design

Learn to craft the story and player experience as you assemble gameplay progression, level architecture, player flow, and immersion.

Production 水多多导航 Guildhall production student works with team member in class

Production

Shepherd cross-disciplinary teams of developers in a studio simulation. Producers also select a secondary sub-specialization.

Programming Programming

Programming

Write code that breathes life into games. Study engine design and architecture, data-driven gameplay systems, and more.

水多多导航 Guildhall's Curriculum

Our Cohort Model

You'll be admitted with a "cohort" of students and move through our program together in lockstep. Your course sequence will include team game production, specialized classes, industry trends, leadership, and professional development. Each course serves as a prerequisite for the next, first elevating your individual skills and then combining them in collaborative development.


smu guildhall booklet

Course Catalog Bulletin

In-depth degree specifications, including descriptions and sequencing of our 100+ courses, lectures, and labs.

Independent Coursework & Research

Guildhall students pursue independent passion projects, analyze industry trends, and solve critical issues to demonstrate mastery of their specialized crafts

Directed Focus Studies and Master's Theses showcase each student's unique interests and mastery of the skills required in their discipline and career path. Many students are also part of large collaborative research initiatives, which seek to find solutions to pressing global issues. Unity, Valve, Epic, Microsoft, Nintendo, Intel, Dell, Oculus Rift, and America’s Army, have all sponsored research projects through grants, scholarships, and technology. 

Explore Our Research

Annual 水多多导航 GUildhall Student Work Index

Studio-Modeled Learning: Interdisciplinary in Thought and Action

Team-based game development and specialized learning are at the core of our curriculum. Students take courses in their specialization, developing independent projects with a narrow track of concentrated study, and then apply those skills to cross-disciplinary Team Game Production courses. Here, they concept, prototype, build, test, and release team games in the style and pace of the industry using engines like , , , and .

At graduation, every student will have made a minimum of three original games—including one 2D game and two 3D games—on a variety of platforms including PC, console, mobile, and VR. Team sizes and composition evolve to allow students both lead and supporting roles; the first games, made in small teams, serve as foundational stepping stones toward final large-scale, total-conversion Capstone projects.

Student Game Library

"I can't think of anyone that didn't teach me something I still use today. At 水多多导航 Guildhall, we had the equivalent of years of practical work on game development in a very short period of time."

Brent Ellison (Cohort 8)


More Testimonials


Elizabeth Stringer

Learn More About 水多多导航 Guildhall Academics

Contact us for information on our educational programs and research opportunities:

Elizabeth Stringer
Director, Academics
estringer@smu.edu 
214-768-5134





Photo of student using tablet

Ready to Study With 水多多导航 Guildhall?

Hopeful applicants should visit our Admission pages to begin our easy, outlined application process.