New Program: Let Your Students Test-Drive a Career in Game Design

Announcing the Mason Game & Technology Academy, Powered by Envision

How many of your students like video games? Have they considered a career in game design? There is a bright future ahead for this thriving industry, and the Mason Game & Technology Academy (MGTA), powered by Envision, could be your students’ first step in developing the skills they’ll need to land their dream jobs. Be sure to tell them to check out the program listing on our website!

Game Design Skills for High School Students
The MGTA Honors Program is a unique opportunity for high school students to participate in hands-on gaming technology workshops, such as Life as a Game Artist, Serious Game or Entertainment Design Careers, How to Publish Your Mobile Game, and Unreal or Unity?

The program launches this summer (July and August 2016) on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Students can attend for one week or multiple weeks, to get the level of experience they want, in the tracks that are most interesting to them. They may also choose to attend as day students, or as “residents,” staying on the Mason campus.

The MGTA curriculum and workshops, taught by Mason faculty, incorporate aspects of entrepreneurship and team dynamics, as well as game production skills and technology. This program offers your students the innovative curriculum of the Mason Computer Game Design Undergraduate Program and the entrepreneurial and creative culture of the renowned Virginia Serious Game Institute (VSGI).

MGTA Program Highlights
What’s special about the MGTA program?

• Students can choose their area of interest: Art & Animation, Mobile Game Development, or Multi-Platform 3D Game Design
• The schedule is flexible, allowing students to attend for one week, or multiple weeks, and to participate as day students or residents
• Residential students get a taste of college life, staying on the Mason campus, and enjoying special weekend outings in the DC area
• Students gain hands-on experience, mentored by acclaimed game design gurus
• Beyond learning concrete skills, students gain insight into industry careers and discover what it takes to start up a successful game design company
• By attending MGTA, students can receive one college credit per week through George Mason University

Students Choose from Three Tracks
MGTA appeals to the artists, the technologists and the entrepreneurs in your classroom, offering three different tracks:

• Art & Animation – Teaching the basics of Concept Art, 2D and 3D design, modeling, animation, digital painting, texturing, and the art of building game-ready 3D objects
• Mobile Game Development – Providing an in-depth look at game design approaches and challenges for various mobile devices; students learn mobile app scripting and design skills, as well as UX design
• Multi-Platform 3D Game Design – Offering an insider look at the computer game industry: game publishing and marketing, and insight on how to found your own company, as well as fundamental instruction in game design, rules and mechanics

The theme for this exciting new program is “Level up!” – as students go beyond game design, to learn skills that will help them succeed in college, career and life. Open the door for the budding technologists and artists in your class: Tell them about MGTA today – all the details are available at MasonGameTech.com.