Admission to the Program
Applicants must hold an accredited bachelor’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours. Applications will be submitted to the School of Communication and reviewed jointly by SOC and CAS, with both schools agreeing on student admission. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required. International students whose first language is not English are required to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to demonstrate proficiency in written as well as spoken English. Previous gaming experience is not required, but all students must meet baseline competencies in specified technical areas as determined by the program director. Students who do not meet such competencies will be required to take a non-credit summer course with a separate fee. The program director will determine if the student has met the baseline competencies after the summer course and will make a determination about whether the student will be allowed to matriculate. All applicants must submit a 1,000-word essay on the applicant’s commitment to pursuing study in the program, and two letters of reference evaluating academic performance, professional experience, and suitability for graduate study in game design. If available, a portfolio or previous work may be submitted.
A limited number of graduate fellowships and assistantships are awarded on the basis of merit as well as school and program needs.
