Originally written by Bo in the fall of 2016, with feedback from Harrison Gish, Teddy Pozo, Whit Pow, Dietrick Squinkifer, and many more via social media. Last updated April 2019. Suggestions for additions to this list are very welcome. See contact info at right of page.
Over the last few years, I have received messages from many aspiring game studies scholars: current undergraduate students, master’s students, or other folks who are excited about approaching video games academically and want to know how to get the training and the credentials to enter the field. What inspiring messages to receive!
The question I still hear often is, “Where can I go to get my Ph.D. in game studies?” Answering that question can be surprisingly tricky. Though game studies is a growing and arguably well-established field, at present, there aren’t Ph.D. programs in North America that grant degrees specifically dedicated to video games. But don’t despair. Below is information and recommendations for how to achieve the goal of getting a Ph.D. that will position you for a career in game studies.
Whether you yourself are an aspiring game studies scholar or an educator working with a student who is interested in pursuing game studies, I hope this handy guide will serve as a helpful starting point for your search…
What Is “Game Studies”?
Before you know which Ph.D. programs to apply to, you have to know whether game studies is right for you.
Game studies is the scholarly field dedicated to exploring digital games, analog games, and play. Though some of the early texts that have become foundational for game studies come from the early- and mid-twentieth century, game studies as an academic field got started in the 1990’s. Over the past two decades, game studies scholars have produced a rich array of work that addresses questions like how to define games, why players play, and what cultural meaning is communicated through games. In another sense though, game studies is still a relatively new discipline. Many scholars from other fields are surprised to hear that there is an entire corner of academia dedicated to games.
Most recently, game studies has taken a turn away from its formalist roots and toward issues of culture and social justice. Some of the most vibrant areas of game studies today include scholarship on video games and LGBTQ issues, race, ability, identity, and diversity. Tabletop gaming, esports, live streaming, and game histories are also growing areas of game studies research.
Many game studies scholars do also make games, and some of the most insightful game studies work has come out of collaborations between scholars and makers. However, for the purposes of this guide, “game studies” refers to the work of analyzing games rather than making them.
A note for the 2023 update: With that said, a growing number of grad school applicants are interested in pursuing what’s called “theory/practice” or “research creation” scholarship. This kind of scholarship combines creative and critical work. For example, a student doing theory/practice scholarship might both make and write about games. In my experience, many faculty mentors are excited about this work, but often programs and institutions themselves are not set up to support it, especially in the US. If you are interested in doing theory/practice work, I encourage you to speak directly with your potential faculty mentors and ask for a frank assessment of whether other students have successfully pursued related projects in their programs.
The Dilemma for Aspiring Game Studies Scholars
There has never been a more exciting time to study video games, or to make a career out of researching games and their players. The medium of games is growing and changing, calling for new voices and a wider range of critical perspectives. Game studies is poised to become an increasingly important academic field. Many universities are hiring faculty in this area. To thrive, game studies needs a vibrant next generation of scholars.
However, for those who aspire to become game studies professionals, figuring out which educational path to take can be difficult. Though it is becoming more and more common for universities to offer courses on video games, and though institutions like USC and NYU (among others) have excellent programs dedicated to games, currently the only available graduate degrees specifically dedicated to games focus on game making — that is, game design and development — not on the academic study of games. While there are doctoral programs that allow students to tailor their education toward games, there are no institutions yet that offer a dedicated, games-focused Ph.D.
At this point, maybe you’re wondering: should I even get a Ph.D.? Good question. It depends what kind of job you’re looking for. Entering a doctoral program is a big commitment (most take five to seven years), so being informed before deciding whether and where to apply is important. But let’s be frank. While you don’t need a Ph.D. to do video game analysis per se, a doctorate is considered a basic requirement for most research-focused faculty positions. For better or for worse, if you’re hoping to be a full-time, tenure-track university or college professor whose focus is games scholarship (rather than game design), getting a Ph.D. is still the expected path.
So, what do you do if you want to be a game studies scholar but you can’t get your Ph.D. in game studies?
OPTION 1: Pick a Ph.D. Program with Game Studies Faculty In It
One option is to apply to Ph.D. programs that are not specifically focused on games, but which have game studies scholars on their faculty. These should be faculty members whose work you’re familiar with (if you recognize the names but don’t know what their research is about, it’s time to do some reading) and whom you would be excited to learn from.
Some things to keep in mind: If the program you enter only has one or two games studies faculty, you’ll be working closely with these folks throughout your time in the program — so you want to make sure, as best you can, that they’re a good fit for you. If you’re seriously considering applying, I recommend sending enthusiastic but gracious (individual) emails to these potential mentors. That way you can learn more about how/if they see your interests fitting with the program. You’ll also already be on their radar when they sit down to review the pool of applications.
When you look at faculty rosters, remember that “visiting professors” and adjuncts, while they can be amazing educators, may only be working in the department for a short time. Also, think about the department you’d be applying to, not just the scholar you want to work with. Is it a media studies department, a communication department, a computer science department? The discipline in which you get your Ph.D. will significantly affect the kind of scholarship you get the chance to do and what sorts of academic jobs you qualify for.
Below is a list of Ph.D. programs in North America that have game studies scholars as members of their faculty. This list is always growing and changing. All suggestions for additional inclusions are very welcome (see contact info at right).
American University – Ph.D. in Communication
Game studies faculty: Benjamin Stokes
In conjunction with the American University Game Lab
Arizona State University – Ph.D. in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology
Game studies faculty: Alexandrina Agloro
Arizona State University – Ph.D. in Learning, Literacies, and Technology
Game studies faculty: Betty Gee, Jim Gee
Carleton University – Ph.D. in Cultural Mediations
Game studies faculty: Aubrey Anable
Concordia University – Individualized Program Ph.D. (INDI)
(Concordia’s INDI degree has also been included below in the section on interdisciplinary programs.)
Game studies faculty: Mia Consalvo, Sandra Gabriele, Lynn Hughes, Rilla Khaled, Bart Simon
Florida State University – Ph.D. in Communication
Game studies faculty: Arienne Ferchaud
Georgia Tech – Ph.D. in Digital Media
Game studies faculty: Ian Bogost, Janet Murray
Indiana University – Ph.D. in Media Arts and Sciences
Game studies faculty: Raiford Guins
NC State University – Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media
Game studies faculty: Grant Bollmer, Andrew Johnston, Adriana Souza e Silva, Nicholas Taylor
New York University – Ph.D. in Media, Culture, and Communication
Game studies faculty: Laine Nooney
Old Dominion University – Ph.D. in English
Game studies faculty: Kevin Moberly, Marc Ouellette
Ryerson University – Ph.D. in Communication and Culture (joint program with York University)
Game studies faculty: Jason Boyd
Simon Frasier University – Ph.D. in Communication
Game studies faculty: Milena Droumeva, Dal Yong Jin
Stanford University – Ph.D. in Art and Art History (specialization in Film & Media Studies), Communication, Modern Thought & Literature, or Theater & Performance Studies
Game studies faculty: Shane Denson, Henry Lowood
Syracuse University – Ph.D. in English
Game studies faculty: Chris Hanson
Temple University – Ph.D. in Media and Communication
Game studies faculty: Hector Postigo, Adrienne Shaw
University of Arizona – Ph.D. in Literature
Game studies faculty: Ken McAllister
UC Davis – Ph.D. in Literature, Performance Studies, Sociology, etc.
Note: game studies faculty are primarily associated with Cinema and Digital Media, which does not grant Ph.D.s. However doctoral students in the departments mentioned are currently engaged in or have recently completed games-related Ph.D. work.
Game studies faculty: Stephanie Boluk, Gina Bloom, Joshua McCoy, Patrick LeMieux, Timothy Lenior, Colin Milburn
UC Irvine – Ph.D. in Informatics
Game studies faculty: Mimi Ito, Bonnie Ruberg, Katie Salen, Kurt Squire, Constance Steinkuehler, Theresa Tanenbaum, Aaron Trammell
UC Irvine – Ph.D. in Visual Studies
Game studies faculty: Peter Krapp, Braxton Soderman
UC Irvine – Ph.D. in Anthropology
Game studies faculty: Tom Boellstorff
UCLA – Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies
Game studies faculty: Stephen Mamber
UC Santa Barbara – Ph.D. in Film and Media Studies
Game studies faculty: Alenda Chang
UC Santa Cruz – Ph.D. in Computational Media
Game studies faculty: Nathan Altice, Katherine Isbister, Michael Mateas, Noah Wardrip-Fruin, Jim Whitehead
UC Santa Cruz – Ph.D. in Film and Digital Media
Game studies faculty: Soraya Murray, Susana Ruiz
(Faculty from UCSC’s Art & Design: Games + Playable Media Program also support game studies research: micha cárdenas, A. M. Darke, Robin Hunicke, Elizabeth Swensen)
University of Central Florida — Ph.D. in Texts and Technologies
Game studies faculty: Emily K. Johnson, Eddie Lohmeyer, Eric Murnane, John Murray, Anastasia Salter, Mel Stanfill,
University of Chicago – Ph.D. in English
Game studies faculty: Patrick Jagoda
University of Hawaii, Manoa – Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences
Game studies faculty: Kelly Bergstrom, Jennifer Sunrise Winter
University of Michigan – Ph.D. in Screen Arts & Cultures or American Culture
Game studies faculty: Sheila Murphy, Lisa Nakamura
University of Texas at Dallas – Ph.D. in Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication
Game studies faculty: Josef Nguyen and Ann Wu
University of Toronto – Ph.D. in Information Sciences
Game studies faculty: Tero Karppi, David B. Nieborg, Sara Grimes
University of Washington – Ph.D. in Information Science
Game studies faculty: Jinha Lee
University of Waterloo – Ph.D. in English Language and Literature (in conjunction with the Games Institute)
Game studies faculty: see Games Institute faculty page
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee – Ph.D. in Media, Cinema, and Digital Studies
Game studies faculty: Stuart Moulthrop
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee – Ph.D. in Anthropology
Game studies faculty: Thomas Malaby
York University – Ph.D. in Digital Media or Education
Game studies faculty: Sandra Danilovic, Yifat Shaik, Kurt Thumlert,
OPTION 2: Pick a Ph.D. Program with Ties to a Game Design Program
A second option is to get your Ph.D. through a program that, while not explicitly focused on games, allows you to take classes in an adjacent games-specific graduate program. Often these related programs grant MFAs, but they usually involve some game studies classes.
Before applying to these programs, be sure to inquire with the faculty you are interested in working with about whether it is possible to combine coursework from your home department with classes from these related games programs.
University of Southern California – Ph.D. in Media Arts + Practice
Take courses in: Interactive Media and Games Division
University of Southern California – Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies
Take courses in: Interactive Media and Games Division
New York University – Ph.D. in Media, Culture, and Communication (also listed under Option 1 above)
Take courses in: NYU Game Center and Integrated Digital Media
UCLA – Ph.D. in Cinema and Media Studies
Take courses in: Design Media Arts (UCLA Gamelab)
OPTION 3: Pick a Ph.D. Program That Supports Interdisciplinary Digital Scholarship
The third option is to make your own way by picking a Ph.D. that supports interdisciplinary research and will allow you to tailor your education toward your interest in games. Ideally, this will be a program that has an explicit link to digital media, as this will give you access to scholars and colleagues similarly committed to related concerns around contemporary technology.
The upside to this option is that you get to be the architect of your own scholarly formation. Who do you want to be? You decide! The downside is that you will need to do the extra legwork to read widely outside your coursework and build a network of mentors from other institutions.
Brown University – Ph.D. in Modern Culture and Media
Concordia University – Individualized Program Ph.D. (INDI)
(Concordia’s INDI degree has also been included above in the section on game studies faculty.)
Game studies faculty: Mia Consalvo, Sandra Gabriele, Rilla Khaled
Rutgers University – Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Library Studies
Simon Frasier University – Ph.D. in Interactive Arts & Technology
UC Berkeley – Ph.D. in any field with Designated Emphasis in New Media
Berkeley Center for New Media
Whatever path you take toward your career in game studies, good luck! You bring an important new set of perspectives to video games, and the field is better for having you in it.
