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Courtlyn

Promotion and Events Specialist

Professional Certificate in Game Design

Unlock future-ready skills to build a career in game design

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Course Date

STARTS ON

May 24, 2023

Course Duration

DURATION

6 months, online
15–20 hours per week

Course Fee

PROGRAM FEE

US$7,450 US$6,333 or get US$745 off with a referral

Course Information Flexible payment available
Course Fee

For Your Team

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Develop Future-Ready Skills Today

Emeritus is collaborating with MIT xPRO to help you build future-ready skills. Enroll before and get up to 15% tuition assistance to set yourself up for professional success.​

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To claim your US$745 program fee coupon for Professional Certificate in Game Design, please complete the information form.

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Prerequisites: Participants should have experience with basic coding concepts. Some assignments require the use of the Unity game engine (C#). Links to tutorials in Unity are provided.

Elevate Your Approach to Game Design

The worldwide games market is poised for growth on all fronts. With smartphones making games more accessible and innovative applications emerging in fields such as education and training, the global gaming market is projected to reach $340 billion by 2027. Tabletop games are enjoying a renaissance of their own, with the market expected to reach $30.93 billion by 2028 — more than twice its current value.

With this growth comes a demand for game design professionals who have a more sophisticated understanding of the field. Today’s designers must not only be able to design, develop, and launch games that foster connection and resonate with a diverse audience — they must also know how to scope projects, manage products, and work effectively with teams.

If you are looking to break into game design or advance in the field, the Professional Certificate in Game Design from MIT xPRO will give you the knowledge and skills you need to navigate the challenges of today’s game industry and prepare you to create games for the future.

$340 billion

The value of the global gaming market by 2027

Source: Mordor Intelligence

$93,926

The average salary for lead game designers in the U.S.

Source: Payscale
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Who Is This Program For?

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Recent graduates or postgraduates

in fields such as information technology (IT), information technology-enabled services (ITeS), technology, or game development who are aiming to start a career in game design by demonstrating their capabilities through a program designed by renowned faculty from the MIT Game Lab

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Early career game professionals

looking to expand their career opportunities by gaining exposure to game design as a way to advance in a fast-growing field

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Creative professionals

such as graphic or UX designers, sound engineers, production artists, or art directors who have a passion for games of any type and wish to build upon their creative backgrounds to break into the game design industry

Prepare for These Future Job Titles:

  • Content Designer
  • Game Programmer
  • Narrative Designer
  • User Experience Designer
  • Game Designer
  • User Interface Designer
  • Level Designer
  • Producer

Program Highlights

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Distinguish yourself with a certificate from MIT xPRO, and earn 36 continuing education units (CEUs)

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Gain insights from MIT Game Lab instructors and industry experts

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Compile a Game Diary, a portfolio of your work you can share with potential employers

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Complete a capstone project by applying your knowledge and skills to develop a functional game

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Receive one-on-one career support from Emeritus and introductions to hiring partners for eligible participants

Key Takeaways

  • Understand the intricacies of game design by gaining in-depth knowledge of every stage
  • Learn how to communicate effectively with a game design team by clearly outlining your vision and correctly scoping projects
  • Future-proof your career by learning how to design games of tomorrow that are culturally responsive and accessible to all
  • Demonstrate your skills to potential employers by creating a Game Diary, a portfolio that highlights your expertise
  • Learn from MIT expert instructors who actively practice game design and conduct research in MIT's Game Lab

Program Topics

This program is organized into four parts, all focused on the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today’s game design market.

Part 1:

The Foundations of Game Design

Learn the fundamentals of game design, learn how to analyze game mechanics and complex game systems, and re-create a game prototype in Tabletopia.

  • The Territory of Game Design
  • Games, Rules, and Players
  • Play Communities
  • Building Blocks of Game Design
  • Modes of Interaction
  • Emergent Behavior

Part 2:

Tabletop and Low Fidelity Prototyping

Explore the intricacies of game design, including ideation methodologies, playtesting cycles, and prototyping, and learn how to design a game for impact.

  • Choice and Chance
  • Ideation and Concepts
  • Fundamentals of Prototyping
  • Playtesting and Iteration
  • Usability
  • Cultural Responsibility

Part 3:

Using a Game Engine

Learn strategies for navigating the nuances of today’s market. Then, discover industry best practices that will help you confront common design challenges.

  • Inclusivity and Accessibility
  • Digital Prototyping in Teams
  • Development Practices
  • Game Feel
  • Project Scoping
  • Opening the Black Box

Part 4:

Putting It All Together

Hear industry perspectives on starting a business, game development, and sound design. Then, prepare a pitch and put your learning into practice by designing a game in a final capstone project.

  • Demonstrating Game Ideas
  • Business of Games
  • Industry Voices I
  • Industry Voices II
  • Designing a Game I
  • Designing a Game II

Part 1:

The Foundations of Game Design

Learn the fundamentals of game design, learn how to analyze game mechanics and complex game systems, and re-create a game prototype in Tabletopia.

  • The Territory of Game Design
  • Games, Rules, and Players
  • Play Communities
  • Building Blocks of Game Design
  • Modes of Interaction
  • Emergent Behavior

Part 3:

Using a Game Engine

Learn strategies for navigating the nuances of today’s market. Then, discover industry best practices that will help you confront common design challenges.

  • Inclusivity and Accessibility
  • Digital Prototyping in Teams
  • Development Practices
  • Game Feel
  • Project Scoping
  • Opening the Black Box

Part 2:

Tabletop and Low Fidelity Prototyping

Explore the intricacies of game design, including ideation methodologies, playtesting cycles, and prototyping, and learn how to design a game for impact.

  • Choice and Chance
  • Ideation and Concepts
  • Fundamentals of Prototyping
  • Playtesting and Iteration
  • Usability
  • Cultural Responsibility

Part 4:

Putting It All Together

Hear industry perspectives on starting a business, game development, and sound design. Then, prepare a pitch and put your learning into practice by designing a game in a final capstone project.

  • Demonstrating Game Ideas
  • Business of Games
  • Industry Voices I
  • Industry Voices II
  • Designing a Game I
  • Designing a Game II
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Career Preparation and Guidance

Game designers or those in a related role need both hard and soft skills to succeed. This program offers you guidance for navigating your career path, from crafting your elevator pitch to perfecting your interview skills. These services are provided by Emeritus, our learning collaborator for this program. The program support team includes program leaders who will help you reach your learning goals. The primary goal is to give you the skills necessary to be prepared for a job in this field; however, job placement is not guaranteed.

Career guidance in this program includes:

  • Navigating your job search
  • Preparing for interviews
  • Negotiating your salary
  • Crafting your elevator pitch
  • Optimizing your LinkedIn profile
  • Writing resumes and cover letters

Exercises specific to building your game design career include:

  • Building your personal brand and promoting your skills
  • Understanding the roles and workflow of game design
  • Job searching and interviewing for game design or related positions
  • Communicating game design concepts through a capstone project
  • Reflecting on your skills to determine how to solve problems and become an efficient leader

Program Instructors

Profile picture of Program Instructors, Philip Tan

Philip Tan

Research Scientist, MIT Game Lab

Philip Tan teaches courses in game design and production at MIT. His research translates the joy of expert challenge in scientific, professional, and competitive fields into playful forms that are accessible to anyone... More info

Profile picture of Program Instructors, Mikael Jakobsson

Mikael Jakobsson

Research Scientist, MIT Game Lab

Mikael Jakobsson’s interest in game development began in the 1980s, the age of early home computers. With a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and a Master’s in Informatics, he went on to write his dissertation on social interaction design in virtual worlds... More info

Profile picture of Program Instructors, Philip Tan

Philip Tan

Research Scientist, MIT Game Lab

Philip Tan teaches courses in game design and production at MIT. His research translates the joy of expert challenge in scientific, professional, and competitive fields into playful forms that are accessible to anyone. For six years, he served as the executive director of the US operations of the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab, a game research initiative. Philip has conducted research and development on projects with Blizzard Entertainment, Bose Corporation, Raytheon BBN, Fire Hose Games, and the Museum of Science in Boston.

In addition to his research and teaching, Philip served as an assistant manager at the Media Development Authority of Singapore, working closely with Singaporean game developers to launch industry-wide initiatives and administer content development grants. He has also served on the steering committee of the International Game Developers Association’s Singapore chapter.

Early in his career, Philip produced and designed online PC games at The Education Arcade, an MIT research group that studied and created educational games. He complements his master's degree in comparative media studies with his work at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the MIT Media Lab; WMBR 88.1FM; and the MIT Assassins' Guild, where he earned the title of Master Assassin for his live-action roleplaying game designs. He also teaches DJ courses and founded a DJ crew at MIT.

Profile picture of Program Instructors, Mikael Jakobsson

Mikael Jakobsson

Research Scientist, MIT Game Lab

Mikael Jakobsson’s interest in game development began in the 1980s, the age of early home computers. With a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and a Master’s in Informatics, he went on to write his dissertation on social interaction design in virtual worlds. Prior to his time with MIT, he also worked as a game reviewer for a major Swedish newspaper. His research interests converge at the intersection of game design and game culture. Building on a foundation in interaction design, he approaches his research using a combination of design exploration, interaction criticism, and participatory design, with the objective of strengthening the voices of underprivileged stakeholders.

Through his research, Mikael frequently collaborates with the game development community, including organizations such as Tencent, Ubisoft Massive, and King, and with other industry partners such as Bose Corporation and Boston Consulting Group. His work has been published extensively in leading game studies journals and anthologies, and he has coauthored a book with Professor Mary Flanagan scheduled for release from MIT Press in 2023. He has presented his research to a global audience, including the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Tencent in Beijing, and the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. He also teaches classes in game studies, game criticism, game design, and interaction design at undergraduate and graduate levels. He has 25 years of experience in teaching, developing courses, managing research projects, and advising master’s and PhD students.

Guest Speakers

Profile picture of Guest Speakers, Heather Albano

Heather Albano

Senior Narrative Designer, Deep Silver Volition, Freelance Fiction Writer

Profile picture of Guest Speakers, Eitan Glinert

Eitan Glinert

Founder and President, Fire Hose Games

Profile picture of Guest Speakers, Richard Ludlow

Richard Ludlow

Audio Director and Cofounder, Hexany Audio

Profile picture of Guest Speakers, Jessica “Jynnie” Tang

Jessica “Jynnie” Tang

Product Manager and Game Developer, Multiverse

Certificate

Example image of certificate of participation that will be awarded upon completetion of the program

Certificate

Get recognized! Upon successful completion of this program, MIT xPRO grants a certificate of completion to participants and 36 CEUs. This program is graded as pass or fail. Participants must receive 75% to pass and obtain the certificate of completion.

Download Brochure

FAQs

  • How do I know if this program is right for me?

    After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email learner.success@emeritus.org, and a dedicated program advisor will follow-up with you very shortly.


    Are there any prerequisites for this program?

    Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page, as well as in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at the ID mentioned above.


    Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English is required.


    What is the typical class profile?

    More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography — leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.


    What other dates will this program be offered in the future?

    Check back to this program web page or email us to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed yet.

  • How much time is required each week?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.


    How will my time be spent?

    We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:



    • Engaging with recorded video lectures from faculty
    • Attending webinars and office hours, as per the specific program schedule
    • Reading or engaging with examples of core topics
    • Completing knowledge checks/quizzes and required activities
    • Engaging in moderated discussion groups with your peers
    • Completing your final project, if required

    The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please email us if you need further clarification on program activities.


    What is it like to learn online with the learning collaborator, Emeritus?

    More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded.

    All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee of the course.

    A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.


    How do I interact with other program participants?

    Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.

  • What are the requirements to earn the certificate?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.

    This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please email us if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.


    What type of certificate will I receive?

    Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, resume, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile.
    The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.


    Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?

    No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.


    Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?

    No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.


    How long will I have access to the learning materials?

    You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.

  • What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?

    Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.


    Do I need to be online to access the program content?

    Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

    Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.

  • Can I still register if the registration deadline has passed?

    Yes, you can register up until seven days past the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.


    What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?

    The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well.

    • Flexible payment options are available (see details below as well as at the top of this program web page next to FEE).
    • Tuition assistance is available for participants who qualify. Please email learner.success@emeritus.org.

    What if I don’t have a credit card? Is there another method of payment accepted?

    Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us for details.


    I was not able to use the discount code provided. Can you help?

    Yes! Please email us with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.


    How can I obtain an invoice for payment?

    Please email us your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.


    Is there an option to make flexible payments for this program?

    Yes, the flexible payment option allows a participant to pay the program fee in installments. This option is made available on the payment page and should be selected before submitting the payment.


    How can I obtain a W9 form?

    Please connect with us via email for assistance.

  • Time of Refund Request

    • Within 21 days after course commencement
    • 22 to 45 days after course commencement
    • More than 45 days after course commencement

    Amount Refunded

    • Full refund of course fee (assuming no prior course deferral)
    • 50% of course fee (assuming no prior course deferral)
    • No refund of course fee

Financing Options

We offer flexible and transparent payment options through our partner Climb Credit.

Climb

Immediate repayment, interest-only repayment, and deferred payment options are available. Click here to know more

Flexible Payment Options

Monthly payments as low as $1,250. Click here to know more.

Didn't find what you were looking for?
Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org
or Schedule a call with one of our Academic Advisors
or call us at +1 315 509 8355 (US) / +44 115 647 6865 (UK) / +65 3129 7726 (SG)
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