BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), the nation's oldest continuous degree-granting college of art and design, announced today the launch of its new Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Game Design — a fully online, 30-credit graduate program preparing emerging and mid-career creative professionals to design, prototype, and lead the development of innovative games across platforms and genres.
Offered through MICA's School of Creative and Professional Studies (SCPS) and delivered in a flexible, asynchronous online format, the MPS in Game Design equips graduates with the artistic vision, systems thinking, production management expertise, and leadership skills necessary to succeed in today's global game and interactive media industries.
Students learn by building with expert faculty guidance. They develop games from concept to playable prototype using the same workflows and production practices found in professional studios. The curriculum combines MICA's creative rigor with industry-standard approaches to project management, and team collaboration. By graduation, every student completes a professional-quality, playable game prototype and a portfolio of design documentation ready for the job market. Graduates complete the program with a playable, professional-quality game prototype and a portfolio of design documentation demonstrating readiness for careers in game design, development, and creative direction.
A Graduate Degree Grounded in Practice, Built for the Industry
The master’s degree in Game Design is structured around a foundation in Applied Game Theory, Game Systems and Mechanics, and Narrative, Character, and Worldbuilding for Games. Students choose from four specialization tracks — Visual Design and Art Direction; Game Design and Interactive Systems; Production Leadership and Strategy; or Gamification, Learning, and Applied Game Design — before completing a two-course capstone sequence culminating in a fully developed game prototype.
Course electives include technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR); sound design; ethics and diversity in game design; indie publishing; and a series of courses for professionals pursuing roles in K–12 or higher education.
Graduates are positioned for career roles such as game designer, systems designer, narrative designer, level designer, art director, producer, product owner, and studio director, as well as creative entrepreneurship opportunities as founders of independent game studios and content studios.
"Game design connects storytelling, systems thinking, technology, and creative leadership — everything MICA has been teaching students for nearly 200 years," said Provost Raymond Barclay of the Maryland Institute College of Art. "Our new Master of Professional Studies in Game Design provides expanded access to MICA's creative and professional education, preparing students to lead in one of the most dynamic industries in the world."
"This master’s degree program was built around the collaborative, iterative, leadership-oriented practice that defines how the very best game design studios work," said Dean Douglas Barkey of the School of Creative and Professional Studies at MICA. "Students make games, lead teams, and graduate with a portfolio that demonstrates their readiness to contribute from day one. Our applied, project-based approach is the hallmark of everything we build at MICA’s School of Creative and Professional Studies."
MICA's Expanding Professional and Online Education Portfolio
The MPS in Game Design joins MICA's growing suite of online graduate and undergraduate degrees offered through the School of Creative and Professional Studies. Under the MICA Pro brand, current graduate programs include the MPS in Business for Creatives, MPS in Product Management, MPS in Data Visualization and Communication, MPS in User Experience Design, and the MA/MBA in Design Leadership developed in partnership with Johns Hopkins University's Carey Business School.
All MICA Pro programs focus on project-based, practice-driven learning; faculty who are active industry practitioners; and flexible online formats designed for working professionals. With the new MPS in Game Design, MICA extends its graduate reach into the $200+ billion global games industry.
For more information about the MPS in Game Design, visit https://www.mica.edu/game-
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Founded in 1826 and celebrating 200 years, the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is a premier epicenter of art and design education and the nation’s oldest continuously degree-granting college of art and design. Based in Baltimore, MICA is entering its third century with renewed purpose and a deep commitment to its city and the wider world. MICA delivers an education that combines a rigorous fine arts foundation with design, liberal arts, and real-world experience—preparing students to apply art and design to real-world challenges. Through creative entrepreneurship, professional practice, and community and industry partnerships, MICA graduates build sustainable careers, launch ventures, and contribute meaningfully to the creative economy.
For more information, visit mica.edu. To learn more about MICA’s Bicentennial, visit mica.edu/200.