D&D In a Castle Organizer to Launch D&D Dungeon Master University

The makers of D&D In a Castle is launching a new program - a seminar to help Dungeon Masters improve their skills. Tabletop Vacations is launching Dungeon Master University, with the first symposium (their words) launching in early 2026. This is an officially licensed D&D event, meaning that Dungeon Master University can use the logo and other D&D IP in their promotional work. Dungeon Master University will take place at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA.

Per the press release announcing the event, there will be four learning tracks spread out over two days. Tabletop Vacations will bring in "acclaimed Dungeon Masters, industry professionals, and seasoned storytellers" to run the various sessions.

The four tracks are as follows:

• Skill Building – Learn to run dynamic encounters, manage player behavior, and sharpen your improvisational instincts.
• Campaign Building – Design memorable story arcs layered with meaningful adventures, and learn the art of narrative pacing.
• World Building – Construct compelling settings, factions, lore, and ecosystems that bring your tabletop to life.
• Career Building – Explore the business of Dungeon Mastering with advice from professional DMs, streamers, writers, and content creators.

The first Dungeon Master University will take place January 2-3, 2026. Spots will be limited.

 

[MichaelSomething]

This is the first one.

When will you launch the Enworld DMing University??
I'm sure you could create a much better, high quality DM training experience!!! Wouldn't you all sign up for one???

 

[Morrus]

When will you launch the Enworld DMing University??
I'm sure you could create a much better, high quality DM training experience!!! Wouldn't you all sign up for one???

Believe me, teaching is not part of my skill set.

 

[Zander]

University courses now. Degrees next? It’ll get pretty confusing when you have a bachelor’s or doctorate in dungeon mastering!

 

[TheSword]

When will you launch the Enworld DMing University??
I'm sure you could create a much better, high quality DM training experience!!! Wouldn't you all sign up for one???

I do think it would make a brilliant column on EN World.

RPG Univeristy. Run a semester on one of the four topics. Post a lesson each week. Set some homework. Plenty of discussion on the thread. Folks could post their work to the chat for collective feedback or some volunteers could give private feedback for folks not comfortable posting their work publicly.

There could be a lot of mileage for that. The neat thing could be that folks who have particular expertise could cover specific topics. It would be possible to take an academic approach to style and approach even if contradictory. As proponents of the style could look at the strengths and flaws of each approach. Take the personal out of it.

 

[TheBanjoNerd]

Will add-it doesn't help that many of the streamers, while giving very good advice, are giving the same advice I've been seeing on EnWorld, GitP, and elsewhere for a decade+.

Where do you think the streamers got their advice from?

 

[AlViking]

I do think it would make a brilliant column on EN World.

RPG Univeristy. Run a semester on one of the four topics. Post a lesson each week. Set some homework. Plenty of discussion on the thread. Folks could post their work to the chat for collective feedback or some volunteers could give private feedback for folks not comfortable posting their work publicly.

There could be a lot of mileage for that. The neat thing could be that folks who have particular expertise could cover specific topics. It would be possible to take an academic approach to style and approach even if contradictory. As proponents of the style could look at the strengths and flaws of each approach. Take the personal out of it.

While I think it's a good idea I'm afraid it would quickly be swamped by disagreements and naysayers. You have people who simply run the game in a wide variety of ways, which I think is a good thing, but getting any agreement on best practice is tough. Then you get the group of naysayers that seem to only come to this site to tell us that we should all be playing some other game or that D&D is fundamentally flawed.

While there are a lot of things people would agree on (except of course for the naysayers) we would likely get tangled up in the details because there are so many ways to run a good game. You would have to find a volunteer to which all I can say to that is "Not it".