Master of Fine Arts - Game Development

The MFA Game Development program allows students to further their careers by synthesizing traditional art and design fundamentals with today’s groundbreaking technologies. Students level up their skill through hands-on prototyping of game mechanics and art creation, followed by creating a thesis project and an industry-quality portfolio.

Graduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:

MFA Thesis Project

• Present an original thesis concept worthy of the MFA degree
• Demonstrate the feasibility of the thesis project
• Create a thesis project that demonstrates a professional-level achievement in specialty

Visual Communication

• Critically evaluate the aesthetics, meaning and effect of imagery

Technology

• Demonstrate mastery of the tools and technology related to area of specialty

Presentation Skills

• Present their ideas and solutions in a visually compelling cogent manner using industry standard vocabulary and professional quality presentation materials

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

• Create project schedules and milestones and manage resources to meet project goals
• Research and generate workable solutions under a deadline

Professional Readiness

• Produce a professional demo reel or portfolio which meets industry standards
• Work cooperatively and effectively in a production environment

Specialty Skills: Game & Level Design

• Communicate abstract ideas using game design documents and 2D maps
• Create playable games with 3D technology

Specialty Skills: Animation

• Effectively apply the principles of animation to characters, environments/props, or VFX
• Demonstrate continuity in visual storytelling when incorporating original animations into established game engines

Specialty Skills: Environment Modeling

• Translate visual research and reference to create 3D environments appropriate for the artistic style of the project
• Model, texture and light forms in 3-dimensions that demonstrate a thorough understanding of organic, architectural, and industrial form
• Produce assets such as buildings, vehicles and foliage

Specialty Skills: Character Modeling

• Sculpt, model and texture forms in 3-dimensions that demonstrate a thorough understanding of human and zoological anatomy
• Translate visual research and reference to create 3D characters appropriate for the artistic style of the project

Specialty Skills: Concept

• Follow an industry-standard process, from thumbnails through final render to generate concept designs
• Apply visual research to Concept art
• Demonstrate an understanding of movement, proportion, and functionality of designs through effective orthographic or perspective drawings

*Note App Fee Waiver in effect for ApplyBoard to reduce the application fee to $50*