MA Games Development

• You should have a Second Class UK Honours degree (2:2) or above, or an equivalent qualification, in an appropriate games-focused subject area that included significant game creation content.
• We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
• You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

You will gain extensive experience of designing and creating computer games, working in small teams and independently. You will develop clear and demonstrable skills in project management, team working, communication, leadership and negotiation, and utilise industry-standard tools and techniques including HTC Vive and the Apple iOS Developer Programme.

You will graduate with at least one personal credit on a published game. You will also be exposed to running an indie company, developing your entrepreneurial skills and business knowledge which will support you as an independent developer or to support your career in a larger games development studio. Moreover, the emerging field of ‘gamification’ – using game elements, design and principles in fields such as business, education and healthcare – offers enormous potential for games graduates with a flair for introducing fun into mundane tasks.

What can I do with this qualification?

The games developer job title covers a broad area of work and there are many specialisms within the industry. These include: games programmer (with various specialisms such as network, engine, toolchain and artificial intelligence); games artist (including concept artist, technical artist, iu/ux artist, animator/rigger and 3D modeller with further specialisms in characters, vehicles, environments, weapons and prop creation); games designer (ui/ux designer, level designer, technical systems designer, gameplay scripter and narrative designer) producer and quality assurance tester.

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £8,496 for the academic year 2024/25.

Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £15,950 for the academic year 2024/25.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

Bursaries

Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.

Overall, the course is project-based and intensely practical in nature. You will be expected to take part in various types of projects that are appropriate to a small group of independent video game developers, working in groups with your peers. Throughout your studies, you will have access to the various members of our games team, so you can benefit from a range of different help and advice. Where new material, concepts and techniques are being introduced, we will offer teaching and learning support to help you absorb those new ideas.

Normally, you will be expected to work full-time on one project at a time. By undertaking projects sequentially, you will have opportunities to reflect on the outcome of each project by means of a ‘post-mortem’. This might take the form of a viva or written report or both. Our games tutors will then be able to consider and address any issues you experienced before defining the content and scope of your subsequent projects.

During your time on the MA Games Development course, you’ll have regular support from the Programme Leader. A weekly one-to-one drop-in session with your Personal Tutor is also available, so you can discuss any issues you’re experiencing.

Our assessment strategy is designed to be flexible; where possible, a student who fails to achieve a learning outcome on one project will be given the opportunity to achieve that learning outcome on a subsequent project. The projects form the basis of the assessment for this course. In particular, you will be asked to provide your reflection on the outcomes of each project. The form of this reflection will vary, but will typically involve a report and a viva.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Specification and professional practice
• Work for hire project
• Console Development Project
• Exhibition Project
• Dissertation project

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.