The Master of Science degree with a major in Serious Games and Simulations is an interdisciplinary program designed for graduate students who want to pursue or advance a career in the design and the development of instructional games and simulations. The focus of the program will be on serious games where games are purposely designed for instruction and training, moving beyond entertainment games. To address the need to prepare graduates to have the levels of expertise necessary to be game/simulations developers, this master’s degree moves beyond isolated skill development in the many specialized areas engaged in the games and simulations careers to prepare individuals to become designers and developers. Skills and knowledge must encompass all aspects of the world of game and simulation development, preparing graduates who will be able to manage game/simulation development teams, engage in all aspects of development, and prepare marketing plans for promoting product distribution. Building upon game design foundations (i.e., competition, curiosity, collaboration, individual challenge, game media), serious games motivate and engage learners as they gain knowledge and skills. Serious games can be used across a variety of instructional situations such as education, training, assessment, recruitment, knowledge management, innovation, and research. The degree advances skills in art, design, communication, computer programming, business principles, and theory by relying on the expertise of UHCL faculty members from the College of Human Sciences and Humanities, the College of Education, the College of Computer Science and Engineering, and the College of Business. Students with this degree will be employed by local industries and agencies to develop innovative instructional games and simulations for education, business, healthcare, and military professionals.
Admissions
GRE completion is not required for applicants to this program. Applicants with a last 60-hour GPA of 3.0 or higher and those who have completed advanced degrees will be automatically admitted. Applicants not meeting these criteria will be individually reviewed by program faculty who will make an admission decision based on the application file.
