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Game DesignSchools

DePaul University

Game Programming

Master of Science in Game Programming

Master'sMSGame ProgrammingDedicated degreeOnline

Overview

A 48-quarter-hour MS in Game Programming (plus up to 24 hours of introductory courses) listed as available in person or online; the catalog publishes a separate online version with the same requirements.

Official program title
Game Programming
Exact award
Master of Science in Game Programming
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Degree level
Master's
Discipline
Degree type
Dedicated degree
School and department
Location
Chicago, ILFor an online program this is where the school is based — not a residency requirement, and not proof that students in every state may enroll.
Why this program is listed

Dedicated MS in Game Programming.

Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list dedicated game degrees and officially named game concentrations at institutionally accredited US schools. Eligibility rules

Format, length and attendance

Delivery, campus attendance, schedule and study intensity are separate facts, each shown only as the school states it. Online coursework does not by itself mean there is no residency, exhibition, internship or proctored exam.
Delivery
Online (on-site requirements not stated)The institution offers the degree online but its pages do not say whether any on-site activity is required.The institution offers the degree online but its pages do not say whether any on-site activity is required.
Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Campus attendance
Campus attendance not verifiedThe pages we checked do not say whether on-site activity is required.
Campus visits
Campus visits: not verified
Class schedule
Synchronous / asynchronous not verified
Study intensity
Not published
Duration
Not verified
Credits
48 quarter hours of degree requirements plus 0-24 hours of introductory courses (48-72 total)
Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start terms
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Curriculum

What the school publishes about the program's game design, programming, art and production content. Tools and engines are listed only when the school names them — a program not listed as teaching Unity or Unreal may still use them, but we have not verified it.

Foundation and advanced courses cover applied 3D geometry, Optimized C++, architecture of real-time systems, rendering and graphics programming, real-time networking, multithreaded architecture, real-time software development, game AI or physics, and GPU architecture, with electives including a two-course game development studio.

Curriculum overview

  • Foundation courses: Applied 3D Geometry, Optimized C++, Architecture of Real-Time Systems, Rendering and Graphics Programming.
    Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Programming content

  • Learning outcomes include mastery of C++ and architecting and implementing a real-time game engine.
    Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production and team projects

  • Project electives include Game Development Studio I and II and Master's Game Research Study.
    Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other published details

  • The catalog lists a separate Game Programming (MS) Online page with the same degree requirements.
    Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
  • Introductory courses may be waived based on prior coursework, verified professional experience, or a Graduate Assessment Examination.
    Source: catalog.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Hardware and software requirements

No hardware or software requirement published on the pages we checked.

Admissions and portfolio

Required, optional and not-required items are shown exactly as the school states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Portfolio

Portfolio policy not published

The school's pages we checked do not state a portfolio policy for this program. That does not mean no portfolio is required — ask the admissions office.

Prior degree
RequiredBachelor's degree from an institutionally accredited college or university.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum 2.5 — Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters
OptionalOptional supplemental materials such as letters of recommendation or a resume.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Application fee
Required$25 — $25 for domestic applicants, $75 for international applicants.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Transcripts
RequiredOfficial transcripts from all colleges attended.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

Other test
Required for some applicantsTest of English Proficiency required for international students.
Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances. How to prepare a game design portfolio

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Application deadline

    August 1 (domestic); June 15 (international) · for Fall (year not printed)

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
    Year not printed

  • Application deadline

    December 1 (domestic); October 15 (international) · for Winter (year not printed)

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
    Year not printed

  • Application deadline

    March 1 (domestic); January 15 (international) · for Spring (year not printed)

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026
    Year not printed

Tuition and costs

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
All students — Graduate, Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media, per credit hour (university table; not stated whether it applies to online study)From the school-wide rate table for this level$1,003per credit · 2026-2027Estimated tuition$48,144 = 48 credits × $1,003 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Understanding tuition and equipment costs

Scholarships, assistantships and funding

Awards published by the school for this program or for students at this level. “Guaranteed” only when the school says every eligible student receives it. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships. Scholarships guide

  • CDM Graduate Presidential Scholarship (International Students only) Institutional scholarshipCompetitive

    $6,000 to $9,000 over six consecutive terms · six consecutive terms

    Eligibility: New international students in listed MS programs including Game Programming; cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; full-time enrollment for disbursement.

    Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

  • CDM Graduate Dean's Scholarship (U.S. Citizens and Residents Only) Institutional scholarshipCompetitive

    $6,000 to $9,000 over six consecutive terms · six consecutive terms

    Eligibility: New U.S. citizen or permanent resident students in eligible CDM master's programs, including the MS in Game Programming and, from Fall 2026, the MFA in Game Design; cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

    How to apply: Awarded at admission; no separate application.

    Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

  • Graduate assistantships and Graduate Research Assistant Program AssistantshipCompetitive

    Eligibility: Qualified CDM graduate students.

    Source: cdm.depaul.edu · verified October 12, 2026

School-wide awards are listed because they apply at this degree level; eligibility conditions apply.

Accreditation and authorization

Institutional accreditation covers the school. Programmatic accreditation is shown only when it is named for this program — it is never transferred from another department or degree.

Institutional accreditation

  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 12, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

None verified for this program. Game design degrees do not require one specific specialized accreditation.

State authorization for online students

Not verified — check the school's state authorization page before applying from outside Illinois.

International applicants

Not verified for this program.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last checked October 12, 2026.
  1. catalog.depaul.edu/programs/game-programming-ms/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  2. catalog.depaul.edu/programs/game-programming-online-ms/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  3. cdm.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/graduateadmissions/grad-program-requirements — Official admissions page, verified October 12, 2026
  4. cdm.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/tuitionandfinancialaid — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
  5. DAPIP — HLC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-12) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 12, 2026
  6. depaul.edu/academics/programs/ms-in-game-programming — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  7. depaul.edu/tuition-and-aid/graduate-and-professional-tuition-and-fees — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026

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Similar programs at other schools

Same degree level and primary field. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

Computer Science (Game Development)

Master'sMSNamed concentration

Master of Science in Computer Science (Game Development)

Concentration in Master of Science in Computer Science — Game Development

Field: Game Programming · Game Development
Administering location: Los Angeles, CA
Delivery: On campusClasses meet on campus.
Campus attendance: Regular campus attendance
Portfolio: Portfolio policy not published
Duration: Duration not verified · 32 credits
Tuition: Tuition not verified
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View program

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