Adjunct Faculty, MPS in Game Design (Asynchronous)

Maryland Institute College of Art•Baltimore, MD

20d•Remote

About The Position

The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Game Design at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is a 30-credit, fully online graduate degree that prepares emerging creative professionals to design, prototype, and launch innovative games across platforms and genres. The program integrates artistic vision, interactive systems design, gamification, leadership, and production management. MICA’s learning environment mirrors real-world collaborative ecosystems—where data scientists, designers, educators, and technologists work together. We position game creation as a critical, interdisciplinary art form, balancing technical competency with the critical literacy to understand play as a cultural and social phenomenon. General Purpose To provide high-quality asynchronous instruction for graduate students in the MPS in Game Design, conveying professional expertise in game theory, mechanics, narrative, and production. Faculty serve as mentors, guiding students as they translate artistic intent into production reality within a rigorous, studio-based online environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Game Design, Interactive Media, Computer Science, Fine Arts, Design, or a related field.
5 years of professional experience in the game industry or related interactive media sectors.
Strong communication and storytelling abilities.
Candidates must demonstrate deep professional experience in at least one of the following specialization tracks: Track 1: Visual Design & Art Direction: Generative 3D assets, visual storytelling, environment design, and style direction. Track 2: Game Design & Interactive Systems: Systems design, level design, interaction architecture, and procedural/generative tools. Track 3: Production, Leadership & Strategy: Agile pipelines, managing creative teams, and the business/market strategy of games. Track 4: Gamification & Applied Game Design: Behavioral design, game-based learning, health/social impact games, and experience design. Foundational Core: Applied game theory, mechanics prototyping, and interactive narrative/worldbuilding.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field.
10 years of professional experience, including leadership roles (Lead Designer, Producer, Art Director).
Experience teaching in an online or asynchronous format.
Active participation in the industry (e.g., GDC, IndieCade, or published titles).

Responsibilities

Asynchronous Delivery: Design and maintain an engaging online learning environment via Canvas.
Instructional Excellence: Deliver core instruction that satisfies the primary learning outcomes of the assigned course(s).
Timely Feedback: Provide substantive written or video-recorded feedback on student assignments within 48 hours of submission.
Student Engagement: Foster inclusive learning communities and hold weekly synchronous virtual office hours.
Maintain a consistent presence in the online classroom (at least 4 days in a 7-day cycle).
Reply to student communications within 24 hours.
Keep a real-time gradebook with grades posted within 72 hours of module completion.
Update and maintain Canvas course shells, including syllabi, assignment dates, and supplementary tutorials.
Participate in faculty development and meet expectations defined in MICA’s Asynchronous Instruction Policy.
Guide students through the "Serious Games" framework, integrating Digital Humanities and social impact into design practice.