Role-Playing Game Professional Level 1 Training Course Outline

(Third Edition RPG Research Volunteer Diploma Program)

This section provides a rough course outline of the topics typically covered in our training programs. The specific session orders, topics, and game systems vary from group to group to best meet the needs of the attending trainees and make the most of everyone's time, and updated based on our latest research, peer review, and evidence-in-practice (45+ years). This extensive training costs costs from $15,000 to $30,000+ USD at other organizations, and our volunteers receive the training for free!


The list below is NOT a fixed progression, each instructor will provide a course outline and curricula specific to each group, which may vary significantly from this outline. However, the outline below does provide a reasonable average of the typical content and progression.


Completion of all program requirements leads to an award of the full RPG Research Role-Playing Game Professional Level 1 Game Master Diploma.

See more information about our RPG Diplomas and Training Certificates here: https://rpgresearch.com/rpg-diploma


Read about our Learning Options here: https://rpgresearch.com/learning-options


Course Schedule Outline and Requirements.

Participants participate in this extensive training program first as a player, through all the sessions, and then through it all a second time as an assistant facilitator and GM.


While the specifics vary from level to level, typically an RPG Professional volunteer trainee needs complete between 300-500 hours per diploma level. Most volunteers can start helping as assistant trainee facilitators within the first 3-4 weeks of training (and passed background check), and can usually begin starting to help as Game Master Trainee Facilitator by weeks 6 to 10.


The specifics vary from group to group based on each iteration of our research and evidence-in-practice, but the following is an approximate outline of the topics commonly covered in the training programs:


  1. Orientation Part 1: Code of Conduct, Consent, Context, Introduction to The RPG Model(s) and 4 Formats: IF: CYOA: (for example, something like "Abominable Snowman") and other IF: for example "Chooseable Path: To Be Or Not To Be" and/or others
  2. Orientation Part 2: Intro to APIE, Assessment, GIAT, CARBE, Play Styles, RPG Format HRPG: SAB1: example like "Firetop Mountain", TRPG Core Concepts Part 1, History of RPG and Moral Panic, Assignments: BFRPG SAM1 "Primus Casus: Iter Ad Lacum" (journey to the dungeon)" & SAM2 "Secundus Casus: Carcere Serpere (dungeon crawl)", Introduction to Audio RPGs.
  3. APIE: Planning, Gaming preparation and hygiene, Introduction to TRPG Format and Core Concepts Part 1, Intro to TR and RPG Ability Models, Barriers to Entry: Introductory Play, Neuroscience of Learning: BFRPG Solo Adventures 1 and 2 Discussion, BFRPG: Group Adventure 1: GM's First Adventure ("ludum domini primi coetus casus: alta in cuniculis" (Game Master's First Group Adventure: Deep in the Tunnels"))
  4. APIE: Implementation, Introduction to TRPG Format & Core Concepts Part 2, Differences in effects of "Old School" and "New School" RPGs: BFRPG Group Adventure 2: GM's Second Adventure ("Ludum Domini Secundi Coetus Valebat: Non Omnes Vagantes Aberrarunt. " (Game Master's Second Group Adventure: Not all those who wander have lost their way." ))
  5. APIE: Evaluation,Participant Feedback Forms, Introduction to Bleed, BFRPG Group Adventure 3 (along the lines of "The Search of Grimfall" or similar) & related topics
  6. Documentation, Introduction to TRPG Format & Core Concepts Part 3: Basic Bleed management Voicing part 1: BFRPG Group Adventure 4 (along the lines of A Temple of Slides and Stairs" or similar) and related topics
  7. Introduction to Gaming Accessibility, Turn Management Tips and Tricks, Voicing part 2, Accessibility: Aphantasia and similar, BFRPG Group Adventure 5 part 1 "Vault of Thaire" or simiilar.
  8. Use of RPGs for Entertainment Goals, The Open Science by Design approach, and RPG Research Workflow, "Good" and "Bad" forms of Escape, BFRPG Group Adventure 5 part 2 "Vault of Thaire" or similar.
  9. The LRPG Format, Pros and Cons of LRPG, NTYE Adventures 1 , 2, & 3.
  10. Effects of technologies on TRPG experiences, VTTs, Introduction to Labyrinth RPG (or similar).
  11. Electronic RPGs ERPG Format Part 1 (NWN Prologue Tutorial or similar), Group Dynamics,Peer Review, Accessibility in Gaming Continues, Game Violence,
  12. ERPG Format Part 2 (NWN Group adventure part 1), Screen Time, xR, Accessibility and technology, BCI, Gamification, & health-focused games
  13. ERPG Format Part 3 (NWN group adventure part 2) , Interaction Patterns, Gamer Floaters, Ethical Game Design, Electronic GM Tools for ERPGsd
  14. Introduction to Flow: Recent D&D (Saltmarsh or similar) part 1
  15. Bleed Management and Flow Management Continued:D&D (Saltmarsh or similar) part 2
  16. GM Styles & Beneficial Illusions, RPGs and Interaction Patterns: D&D (Saltmarsh or similar) part 3
  17. TR Enhanced RPG Experience, D&D (Saltmarsh or similar) Part 4
  18. Behavior Guidance Rules, and Middle-earth RPGs part 1: AiMe/LotR (Eves or similar)
  19. Behavior Guidance Rules Continued Middle-earth RPGs part 1: TOR (Eves or similar)
  20. Behavior Guidance Rules Continued, DWAITS part 1 (Arrowdown or similar)
  21. Risk Factors, Explanatory Styles, DWAITS part 2 (Arrowdown or similar)
  22. Hybrid RPGs, Communication Styles, Dark Crystal (or similar) Introduction
  23. Use of RPGs for Educational Goals, Resilience, TPK, Existential Crisis, and Processing Discussions, Top Secret RPG part 1 or similar
  24. Resilience, Effects of Isolation, and Grit, Top Secret RPG part 2 or similar
  25. Use of RPGs for Therapeutic Goals, Effects of Social Isolation, Professional and Legal Issues, Individual and Group Identity and Belonging,, Program Participant Discharge/transition planning, Top Secret RPG part 3 or similar
  26. Final Applied Gaming Session: "Golden Sky Stories", "Kids on Bikes", or similar Introduction,, Completing Remaining Diploma Requirements, Preparing for the Final Exam.


Diploma Requirements

All of our trainees are volunteers signed up to help RPG Research advance our Mission and Vision goals for research and community programs.

As a critical requirement of our RPG Research Workflow, volunteers need to participate in a range of training programs, depending on their role with the organization and their own personal long term goals.


For the Role-Playing Game Professional Diplomas, we have very specific (and rigorous) requirements that must ALL be met before the trainee is qualified to receive an official diploma. This is, arguably, the highest standard in role-playing game professional training available anywhere in the world.


Requirements Checklist:

Meet all the requirements to become a Role-Playing Game Professional Volunteer Trainee: https://rpgresearch.com/jobs/role-playing-game-master-trainee (including regular background checks):

  • Pass mandatory background check
  • Complete all theory training requirements
  • Complete all in-class applied gaming sessions (6-12 games per level of training)
  • Complete all self-study assignments (typically 15-90 minutes of work per week)
  • Complete all journal entries
  • Complete all written/recorded essays
  • Complete all observer, player, and GM logs and evaluations
  • Complete all volunteer hours requirements "giving back to the community" (this is very flexible)
  • Complete all supervised, peer-reviewed, community sessions
  • Complete all training, volunteering, and peer-review hours before eligible to take final exam
  • Minimum in-class training hours: 208 (104x2)
  • Minimum Supervised & Peer-reviewed In-Lab Applied Gaming Hours: 130 (52x2.5)
  • Minimum Supervised Community Volunteering/Applied Gaming Hours: 96 (12x8)
  • Complete all section and practice quizzes with 100% score.
  • Complete required course practicum/paper/program with 80% or higher score.
  • Complete final exam with 90% or higher, to receive diploma, and online verification listing.
  • Maintain relevance with Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through Approved Service Providers, approved volunteering, events, workshops, and other approves methods.
  • Typical total minimum hours of training and voluinteering before elligible to take the final exam to receive the full diploma: 434 hours


Trainees can accomplish much of this in parallel and often overlapping. For example, applied peer-reviewed gaming can take place during some main training sessions, or some of the volunteer community hours. Once background check is passed, trainees can immediately begin helping (and tracking hours) in the volunteer community settings (on-site and/or online).



Typical Training Session Outline

Each formal training session is typically around 4 hours.


Attendees must check-in 15 minutes before class begins. If a trainee is running a game as GM, then they need to check in 30 minutes before.

Typical training session outline:

  • Take baseline quiz on the session's topics.
  • Applied Gaming Part 1
  • Theory and Evidence-in-Practice Lecture & Discussion Session
  • Pro Tips & Tricks Session
  • Applied Gaming Part 2
  • Re-take Quiz Evaluation
  • Weekly Tasks/Assignments






Current 2023 schedule for new trainees:

  • Level 1 Player/GM Second Edition trainees begin February 4th, Saturdays 7:45 am to 12:00 pm PST.
  • Level 1 Player/GM Third Edition Friday group trainees begin March 3rd, 10:45 am to 3:00 pm PST.
  • Level 1 Player/GM Third Edition Saturday group trainees begin March 4th, 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm PST
  • Level 2 Player/GM Second Edition trainees begin May 6th, 7:45 am to 12:00 pm PST (tentative).








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