M.S. Games & Playable Media

ABOUT GAMES & PLAYABLE MEDIA

The Games and Playable Media Masters of Science program (GPM) is a five-quarter, professionally-oriented degree program that provides students with an intensive educational experience to prepare them to enter the computer game industry. The degree explores state-of-the-art and novel experiences in video game development across genres, audiences, and platforms. Students gain foundational skills in game technology and game design, and advanced skills in methods of game development that maximize creativity and expression. The curriculum’s focus on professional methods and work habits, understanding of games from both practical and theoretical perspectives, and the generation of new gameplay ideas, provides excellent preparation for a career as a game developer.

This program is about designing and developing entertainment games

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The M.S. in Games and Playable Media is a total of 60 credits taken over five quarters, spanning one and two-thirds academic years (Fall, Winter, Spring, Fall, Winter). Students are expected to complete coursework in five academic quarters, without leaves of absence.

GAME 270, 271, 272

Games & Playable Media Studio I, II, III


GAME 230 or 235, 236 1

Fundamentals of Game Engineering or
Game Development I, II

GAME 200

Game Design Systems



GAME 231

Game Technologies



GAME 221

Professional Development
for Game Makers


GAME 280A

Games Proseminar



THREE GAME ENGINEERING ELECTIVES 2



  1. GPM offers two course pathways to enable students to develop sufficient gameplay programming skills depending on their previous experience. Students either take GAME 230 to fulfill the programming requirement, or they take the GAME 235/236 series which covers the same content more gradually. This permits the GPM program to accommodate students with a much broader set of educational backgrounds and preparedness.

  2. Offerings include a variety of electives on both the Silicon Valley Campus and Santa Cruz Campus, see below:

    GPM Course Listings (Silicon Valley Campus Location) | CM Course Listings (Santa Cruz Campus Location)

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

QUARTER 1

GAME 230
Fundamentals of Game Engineering

GAME 200
Game Design Systems

GAME 280A
Games Proseminar

SUMMER

Internship or Sponsored Project

QUARTER 2

Game Engineering Elective 1

Game Engineering Elective 2

GAME 280A
Games Proseminar

QUARTER 4

GAME 271
Games & Playable Media Studio II

Game Engineering Elective 3

GAME 280A
Games Proseminar

QUARTER 3

GAME 231
Game Technologies

GAME 270
Games & Playable Media Studio I

GAME 221
Professional Development for Game Makers

QUARTER 5

GAME 272
Games & Playable Media Studio III

Elective Course

GAME 280A
Games Proseminar

EXPERIENCE OUR CAPSTONE PROJECTS

The degrees culminate in a comprehensive, collaborative capstone project. Students work together in spring, fall, and winter quarters to learn fundamental game engineering and project management practices while also pitching and developing project ideas. Successful pitches are selected for completion during the Serious Games Studio sequence.

Come get a taste of what we do here!

Capstone Projects

M.S. in Games + Playable Media Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from the M.S. in Games + Playable Media program will achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Mastery of Games and Playable Media in the following core knowledge areas:

  • Game mechanics, game systems and tuning
  • Usability testing and gameplay testing, how to conduct tests and revise based on tests

2. Mastery of digital game production in the following core knowledge areas:

  • Game industry roles and models for cross-disciplinary collaboration
  • Game software development methodologies, e.g. Agile/Scrum
  • Game industry standards, procedures, affiliations and groups
  • Communication and documentation skills

3. Mastery of gameplay programming in the following core knowledge areas:

  • Object oriented programming for games
  • Use of game engine middleware to construct digital games
  • Basic artificial intelligence for games

4. Knowledge of game industry practices and trends, including:

  • Business models and budgeting
  • Intellectual property law
  • Marketing and promotion