What issue are you passionate about? Bring your creativity into play with a Master’s in Game Design. Through game theory, development, and design, our students bring about behavior change, expand awareness, and make a difference.

This Game Design program is offered by the American University Washington DC and is this a joint degree program with the College of Arts and Sciences.

Practice the Power of Play

• As the only program of its kind in the US, the master’s program drives students to stretch their capacities as designers, developers, consumers, and game administrators and apply that to their unique field of interest.

• Students bring to the program their own experiences—whether in politics, science, art, history, marketing, or international studies—and can choose from multidisciplinary courses across our schools of communication, business, and arts.

• Benefit from one-on-one interactions with program faculty, led by Director Lindsay Grace, an internationally exhibited game artist and designer in Critical Gameplay.

• And in our Game Lab Studio, gain real-world experience building a professional portfolio and developing games for actual clients in the non-profit, educational, and health related sectors.

Connect in a City of Advocacy

• Consistently ranked as one of the best cities for job seekers, Washington, DC, offers game design master’s students unparalleled access to private and public sector opportunities.

• Take advantage of institutional relationships with government agencies, locally based companies, and not-for-profits alike. Clients you may contract with include the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM).

• Connect through renowned DC-held events, such as Indie Arcade at the Smithsonian Museum, Global Game Jam, the Diversity Summit, and more.

• Whether your next career step is local or global, you’ll gain the skills and network you need to succeed.