MA Games Design

Ma games design at uca farnham combines the latest creative practice and academic research, placing you at the cutting edge of the global games industry. 

You'll be prepared for the needs of the digital games industry, as we guide you through the various aspects of game development in an industrial context, allied to a rigorous research programme exploring and applying the latest theory in game studies. 

The curriculum blends technical skills with creative practice and academic rigour. In this sense, it is a 'generalist course' rather than one focused on a technological approach to games design. This course focuses on three areas: skills, project management, and research.  

You will develop your portfolio as a solo developer, or collaborating in a team, culminating in a final major project to produce and complete vertical slice of a digital game product. Not only will you gain valuable experience in games production, but you will also gain a scholarly understanding of the creative industries more generally, and enhance invaluable skills such as interdisciplinary communication, project management, and collaboration. 

What you'll study

• The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.
• Integrated Pre-Masters (if undertaken)
• On this course you’ll prepare for postgraduate study with a mix of online and face-to-face learning that will give you the study skills required to complete a Masters course.

Term One

Expressive Game Design 

• From basic design tools to conceptualizing, prototyping and critically play testing games, you will be able to craft and formalise game systems tailored towards end user engagement. Within this unit you will design and prototype compelling game mechanics for immersive play, which can support a given message, or meaning other than for commercial entertainment. You will also reflect on your own experience of play, while exploring key historical games to identify a poor player connection. These will be analysed and deconstructed with the aim of identifying design solutions that would enhance the game loop, benefiting the end user experience and positively reimagining the product. 

Games Research and Professional Contexts 1 

• You will learn to synthesise theoretical research methods and industry practices of game evaluation to provide a critically informed and reflective toolset for analysing and critically assessing games, gameplay experiences, and their practice. There is also a professional practice strand of this unit, that provides you with industry and practitioner-led insights into how game design and art practices are analysed and assessed within the game development process. 

Term Two

Prototyping Lab: Genre and Affect 

• You will have the opportunity to create innovative game design prototypes, which demonstrate an understanding of how games design must take account of, and subvert genre conventions and produce affects (emotion, mood, sensation) in the player.  

Games Research and Professional Contexts 2 

• In this unit, you will learn a range of key theories, concepts, and debates relevant to video games including player typologies, cultures, experiences of immersion and affect. It provides a platform for a dialogue between critical, scholarly perspectives and professional practice, and you will be encouraged to produce a reflective synthesis on these sometimes-disparate elements.  
• This unit incorporates a Creative Start-up component, where you will have an exciting opportunity to develop your knowledge, skills and attitudes in a real-world business context, and enables you to develop your confidence and strengthen your CV. 

Term Three

Games Design Major Project

• This is the culmination of the course and enables the synthesis of the knowledge and skills acquired in all the previous units. It will require you to undertake a specialist and challenging project of your interest and choosing in games design, and will demonstrate a professional level of accomplishment. Optionally, the project may also involve collaboration with industry. The project will encompass research, design, development, and evaluation stages, which will be suitably planned and documented and accompanied by a set of digital assets and artefacts produced by the project.  
• Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

• At UCA we have a number of financial support information available to assist you with the cost of your studies.
• Current UCA students and alumni may be eligible for a tuition fee discount.

Financial support

• There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our scholarships and fee discounts.

Additional course costs

• In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.
• These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of the Course Information Document for more details of the costs you may incur.

Careers

Our students have previously graduated to find themselves within easily accessible pathways that have guided them to prosperous and fulfilling job roles within the games industry:

• Concept designer
• Game designer
• Games developer
• Multi-media programmer
• Multi-media specialist
• Software engineer
• VFX Artist

Entry & portfolio requirements

• For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. You can either submit a digital portfolio or request an in-person portfolio review with the course team. Further information will be provided once you have applied

Standard requirements

• A good honours degree or equivalent qualification in a related discipline
• Relevant work experience, demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level
• Consideration will also be given to applicants who can make a strong case for admission in relation to a particular project and can demonstrate their potential to satisfactorily complete the course.