The new bachelor’s degree program in Gamecraft is set to launch in the winter semester of 2027/28 at the Faculty of Media and Culture in Detmold. It combines game development with topics from media, Computer Science, and social issues, and promotes interdisciplinary and cross-campus collaboration. At the Herford Learning Site, plans are underway to establish a “Gaming Lounge” as a “third place” in this context.
Students will acquire skills in game design, gameplay, and marketing. This includes conceptualizing and designing games, developing game mechanics and experiences, and successfully bringing their self-developed games to market.
A distinctive feature is a “level strategy” familiar from computer games: The degree program takes students from the beginner level to the boss level, relying on project-based learning.
The degree program is jointly offered by the Faculty of Media and Culture, the Faculty of Computer Science and Automation, and the Institute for Science in Dialog.
Professor Falkemeier, dean of the Faculty of Media and Culture, sees opportunities for the further development of his faculty: “With Gamecraft, we are tapping into another area of media. This allows us to appeal to a larger target group of young people and enhance the University’s appeal.”
The concept also incorporates the topic of gamification. Through this, students learn not only how to develop games but also how playful elements can be applied in fields such as education, business, or society.
TH OWL President Krahl emphasizes the strategic importance of the initiative: “With Gamecraft, we are creating an innovative program of study. It exemplifies how we pool diverse expertise within the University and use it to generate new momentum for teaching, research, and knowledge transfer. Gaming and gamification offer great potential—not only for teaching, but also for innovation and collaboration with companies.”
The planned Gaming Lounge in Herford is intended to foster exchange between students, creative professionals, and companies. Professor Löffl, director of the Herford Learning Site and the Institute for Science in Dialog, looks beyond academic operations: “Our shared goal is to see game development studios emerge here in OWL. This is where TH OWL can make an important contribution.”
As the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s spokesperson on “Games” in the Bundestag, Joachim Ebmeyer took a particular interest in the new degree program. “The games industry has long been a major economic sector, and one in which Germany has some catching up to do. The Herford Learning Site is a real location advantage.” TH OWL brings topics to the region that would otherwise be addressed at the major university centers. At the same time, it demonstrates great openness to new formats and approaches, as well as the willingness not only to discuss them but also to implement them.
In addition to Gamecraft, Ebmeyer also learned about the Digital Management Solutions degree program, through which TH OWL has established a practice-oriented degree program at the Herford Learning Site. The part-time master’s program combines academic continuing education with the requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises and demonstrates how TH OWL in Herford develops needs-based educational offerings in collaboration with regional partners.
“I was particularly impressed by how closely TH OWL is integrated with the region’s businesses and municipalities,” Ebmeyer said in closing. As a member of the Research Committee, he has repeatedly observed that it is not only good research that matters, but also whether its results find their way into products, services, and jobs. TH OWL is an excellent example of this.