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The University of Texas at Dallas · Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Game Development (MFA)

Master of Fine Arts in Game Development

Master'sMFAGame DevelopmentDedicated degree

Overview

A 54-credit terminal MFA in Game Development at UT Dallas's Bass School, offered on campus with full- and part-time options and an estimated three-year timeline, ending in a thesis or master's project with a public presentation.

Official program title
Game Development (MFA)
Exact award
Master of Fine Arts in Game Development
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Degree level
Master's
Discipline
Degree type
Dedicated degree
School and department
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Location
Richardson, TX
Why this program is listed

Dedicated MFA in Game Development.

Source: academics.utdallas.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
On campusClasses meet on campus.Classes meet on campus.
Source: bass.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Campus attendance
Regular campus attendanceClasses meet on campus (campus and hybrid programs).
Study intensity
Full-time and part-time
Source: bass.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Duration
Estimated time to complete: 3 years
Source: bass.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Credits
54 semester credit hours minimum
Source: catalog.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start terms
Fall
Source: catalog.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

In-person requirements as published

  • Exhibition / showcase Required

    Public presentation of the final project, such as an exhibition, conference presentation or defense.

    Source: catalog.utdallas.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.

Core courses in game production practices, game design and development, experimental games studio and anatomy of a game; five prescribed electives from game production, educational games, virtual worlds, interactive narrative and game studies; 12 free elective credits; and a 15-credit final project over two long semesters.

Curriculum overview

  • Required core: Game Production Practices, Game Design and Development, Experimental Games Studio, Anatomy of a Game.
    Source: catalog.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Game design topics

  • Prescribed electives include Game Production Studio, Educational Games Studio, Building Virtual Worlds and Interactive Narrative.
    Source: catalog.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Thesis

  • 15-credit final project (Master's Thesis or Master's Project I and II) over two consecutive long semesters after at least 36 credits, with a public presentation.
    Source: catalog.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other published details

  • Game studies electives include Critical Game Studies, History and Culture of Games, Socially Conscious Games and Play and Culture.
    Source: catalog.utdallas.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 required

Collection of original artworks demonstrating artistic range and skills in the creative arts and digital media and technology.

Format: Link to an online repository or portfolio of digital documents (texts, still images, animations, films or audio files)

Official portfolio instructions

Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Prior degree
RequiredPrevious academic degree (BA, BS, MA, MFA) in an appropriate field such as art, computer science, design, film/video production or media studies.
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum 3 — Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Statement / essay
RequiredPersonal statement of 500–700 words.
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation; a third is strongly encouraged.
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredCV or resume.
Source: academics.utdallas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

TOEFL iBT
Required for some applicants — minimum 80International applicants; internet-based test score of at least 80, less than two years old. Other ways to meet English proficiency exist.
Source: academics.utdallas.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.

  • Priority deadline

    January 15 (priority for admission and funding) · for Fall (year not printed)

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: catalog.utdallas.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.

Tuition for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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

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

  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — 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.

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. academics.utdallas.edu/fact-sheets/bass/mfa-game-development/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  2. bass.utdallas.edu/degrees/graduate-degrees/game-development-graduate-programs/ — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  3. bass.utdallas.edu/graduate-admission/ — Official admissions page, verified October 12, 2026
  4. catalog.utdallas.edu/2026/graduate/programs/aht/game-development — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 12, 2026
  5. DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-12) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 12, 2026

Something out of date? Suggest an update · Represent this school? Claim the profile

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