Serious games are games with purpose beyond just providing entertainment. Examples include, but are not limited to, games for learning, games for health, and games for policy and social change. Designing effective, engaging serious games requires theoretical understanding of learning, cognition, emotion, and play. Along with great game design, serious games need content and pedagogy expertise, design research, and impact research.
The Telecommunication, Information Studies, & Media department at Michigan State University offers an undergraduate specialization in game design and development, an MA degree with concentration in HCI and emphasis on games and meaningful play, and a 3 course graduate certificate in serious games that can be completed on campus or fully online.
The GEL Lab includes many faculty members expert in designing and researching meaningful play and serious games. Faculty and students in meaningful play and serious games share the thrill of feeling like we are helping to invent the future of games, and in the process making the world a better place.
Our motto is, CHANGE THE WORLD WITH US.
If you’re interested, we’d love to have you join us.