Overview

The Game Design programme at New York University offers a comprehensive Master of Fine Arts degree that positions game creation alongside traditional forms of art and media. Students engage in a rigorous curriculum that balances technical production skills with advanced critical literacy, enabling them to become versatile designers, developers, and scholars. The programme is designed to foster a deep understanding of how games function as a significant form of human culture.

Why Game Design at New York University?

Studying at the NYU Game Center provides students with access to a vibrant creative community within the world-renowned Tisch School of the Arts. The programme offers a highly flexible structure, allowing participants to take elective courses from any department across the university, including film, engineering, and interactive design. Students benefit from unique facilities and initiatives such as the Game Center Incubator, which provides funding and expertise to help graduating students launch their projects commercially. The location in Brooklyn serves as a hub for the local game industry, facilitating frequent interactions with professional developers and guest critics.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 76646 per year
National fee: USD 76646 per year
Local fee: USD 76646 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum begins with a structured foundation before transitioning into a flexible, project-based second year focused on a major thesis. Modules may include:

Game Design
Game Studio
Games 101
Game Studies
Code Lab
Visual Lab
Survival Skills
Thesis

Careers with Game Design

Graduates are prepared for diverse career paths within the interactive media sector, ranging from independent development to roles at major AAA studios. The programme includes a dedicated "Survival Skills" course to help students develop professional portfolios and career plans. Alumni have secured positions at prominent organisations such as Riot Games, Arkadium, and Avalanche Studios. Beyond development, the degree supports careers in games journalism, curation, and academic research. The university also hosts industry-specific job fairs and networking events to connect students with studio heads and recruiters.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Game Design

Game Production

Game Studies

Game History

Studio Courses

Thesis

Play Labs

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

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Credits

60 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

New York City, United States

Disciplines

Game Design View 46 other Masters in Game Design in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

125

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

We are seeking passionate and talented applicants for our Game Design MFA. Applicants may come from a wide range of professional, personal, and educational backgrounds. Professional game experience is not required, although the successful applicant will need to demonstrate a high level of talent, creative spirit and competence in one or more areas relating to game design, game production, and game scholarship. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college is required.
Your official undergraduate transcript(s)
Two letters of recommendation
A 1-page resume
A personal statement of no more than 2 pages
A critical analysis of any game, of no more than 1 page, in PDF format
One or two projects, which could include digital games, non-digital games, game-related websites, visual designs, writings about games, or other creative projects
A 1-page design statement

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

76646 USD / year

≈ 76646 USD / year
Out-of-State

76646 USD / year

≈ 76646 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

76646 USD / year

≈ 76646 USD / year

Living costs

New York City

United States

1819 - 3968 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Game Design.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

New York City

Financing

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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