Game Design Degree Details

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Game Design Degree Details

Explore Curriculum Contact Admissions

Overview

The Master of Engineering Program in Game Design, Development, and Innovation (GDDI) from Duke is a hands-on, industry-centered program that will prepare you to work for AAA and indie studios, or to create serious games in fields like education, health care, and scientific exploration.

We achieve this by replicating a game studio environment during the program, where you and a team work on a robust game project from ideation to publishing-ready over two years.

Students focus on their core programming and game development courses in the first year of the program. In the second year of the program, students are encouraged to take optional electives in addition to their two required electives.

Pre-Program Bootcamp

  • GAMEDSGN 503: Pre-Program Bootcamp (Optional for Fall 2024)

Game Design Core Courses

  • GAMEDSGN 510: Programming for Game Development
  • GAMEDSGN 511: Software Engineering & Systems for Game Development
  • GAMEDSGN 520: Fundamentals of Game Development
  • GAMEDSGN 521: Advanced Game Development
  • GAMEDSGN 530: Critical Analysis of Video Games
  • GAMEDSGN 589: Game Development Capstone

Business Core Courses

  • MENG 540: Management of High Tech Industries
  • MENG 570: Business Fundamentals for Engineers

Industry Internship/Project

  • MENG 550: Master of Engineering Internship/Project
  • MENG 551: Master of Engineering Internship/Project Assessment

Career Strategy & Design

  • EGR 490: Career Strategy and Design

Two Technical Electives

Students are encouraged to take as many GAMEDSGN electives as possible during the fall term of their second year. Elective options change each year, but may include:

  • Game Engine & Tools Development
  • Artificial Intelligence in Games
  • 3D Animation & MoCap
  • Networking & Multiplayer
  • Virtual & Augmented Reality
  • Designing Immersive Experiences
  • UX & UI Development
  • Serious Games: Leveraging Game Technology to Address Real-World Issues
  • Mobile Game Development

Qualified students also have access to a wide range of graduate electives across Duke’s Institute for Enterprise Engineering and the wider Pratt School of Engineering, including:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cybersecurity
  • Design Technology & Innovation
  • Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Financial Technology

Curriculum Schedule

  • Summer Fall Spring
    GAMEDSGN 503: Pre-Program Bootcamp – Optional for Fall 2024 (0 credits) GAMEDSGN 510: Programming for Game Development (3 credits) GAMEDSGN 511: Software Engineering & Systems for Game Development (3 credits)
    GAMEDSGN 520: Fundamentals of Game Development (3 credits) GAMEDSGN 521: Advanced Game Development (3 credits)
    GAMEDSGN 530: Critical Analysis of Video Games (3 credits) MENG 540: Management of High Tech Industries (3 credits)
    EGR 590: Career Strategy and Design (1 non-tuition-bearing credit)
  • Summer Fall 1 Spring
    MENG 550 & MENG 551: Industry Internship/Project (6 non-tuition-bearing credits) Technical Elective #1 (3 credits) GAMEDSGN 589: Game Development Capstone (3 credits)
    Technical Elective #2 (3 credits)
    Optional Technical Elective(s) (3 to 6 credits)
    MENG 570: Business Fundamentals for Engineers (3 credits)