Computer game development remains one of the fastest growing industries in the digital technology sector, and as such there is an increasing demand for technical specialists, managers and consultants.
The course is designed to take technical development, management and entrepreneurial skills to a level required to access higher technical and managerial positions within studios, along with the necessary skills to create and maintain viable games/media businesses.
Building on the strong foundation of our successful Game Development programme, this course enjoys the benefits of close industry links with regular visits and guest speakers as part of an integrated programme of presentations, discussion groups and social events.
We have an excellent track record for graduate employment with many of our students going on to work at some of the UKs most recognisable game studios.
A key element of the course is its emphasis on blending advanced technical development with strong management and sustainable business skills. Through our unique Business Accelerator initiative, we deliver industry standard theory and practice allowing students to gain valuable experience of the business planning and finance along with the management of a game studio.
LEVEL 7 (MASTERS)
The programme has a strong technical focus with emphasis on professional quality throughout.
Areas covered include professional 3D modelling & sculpting skills with respect to 3D topology and optimisation of assets to ensure fitness for purpose. The design and development of game applications along with an understanding of modern publication and distribution processes.
Students will learn to analyse and optimise game applications with respect to technical performance and user experience. In addition, modern development and problem solving strategies for artificial intelligence within games will play an important role.
The Games Business & Enterprise module will develop business planning, leadership and strategic skills whilst encouraging and supporting entrepreneurial activity.
Through our Business Accelerator programme, students will have the opportunity to work closely with Business postgraduate students and access our business incubation centre with a view to starting and managing a game development studio.
Finally, the 60 credit dissertation will provide students with the platform to engage and explore a specialist area within the games and creative field whilst being supported by enthusiastic and experienced staff.
MODULES
The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.
Game Development students are assessed in a variety of ways over the course of their postgraduate studies. The balance between the different forms of assessment is determined by the different aims and learning outcomes of the modules.
Assessment methods include the production of digital (and non-digital) games, writing technical and academic papers, compiling and analysing data, giving presentations, writing strategic business plans, producing 3D professionally optimised 3D models and game assets.
Students will also be required to provide statistical evidence of work hours with supporting evidence as part of key assessment outcomes.
Independent learning is an important aspect of all modules, as it enables students to develop both their subject specific and key skills. Independent learning is promoted through the use of digital management tools such as Jira, and through feedback given to students, which takes several forms such as one-to-one discussions and interviews.
*Subject to validation
The Msc Games Development course provides students with a higher-level understanding and direct professional experience through a multidisciplinary approach across commercial game projects.
This course is ideal for graduates who have completed our BA (Hons) Computer Games Design or BSc (Hons) Computer Games Programming undergraduates degree, as well as those who have graduated from other related technical and creative subject areas who are wanting to enter the video games industry.
We have collaborative partnerships in place with community organisations and employers including commercial and third sector organisations.
Students will be exposed to work on commercial games, providing them with an understanding of business and enterprise as well as preparing students for working within a commercial studio setting.
One of our modules allows students to link up with the Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre (IWIC), providing them with access to more facilities and covering a range of business-related topics in connection with games development.
Development Management (mandatory)
This module provides students with industry standard management methodologies and tools used to run team game developments.
Visual Scripting (mandatory)
In this module. students learn how to develop games using visual scripting tools at high and low levels, depending on their discipline and background.
Group Project 1 - Multiple Rapid Prototyping (mandatory)
For this group project, students concept and rapidly develop game ideas, learning how to work efficiently as a team.
Group Project 2 (mandatory)
In this module, students will work on a longer 12-week development project.
Business Development (mandatory)
This moduled covers a range of core business skills relevant to both the independent and large scale development studios. This will be delivered by the Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre (IWIC) where students will have access to the Entrepreneurial Programme as well as unlimited access to the IWIC facilities.
Final Project (mandatory)
The Final Project involves independent learning as an extended dissertation covering a detailed exploration of an element of the games industry.
Research Methods (mandatory)
In this module, students will learn rigorous academic and commercial research skills.
Work-based practice is embedded throughout the duration of the course. All modules will relate to work-based learning, relating to commercial management processes or understanding production within a working environment. This will enhance employability and give graduates a greater understanding of games development within the work place.
Graudates can progress in to a range of careers including: Game Programmer, Games Designer, Games Artist, Quality Assurance, Serious Games Developer and Gamification Developer to name a few.
The MSc Game Development course will have access to the Eclipse Suite where students can access the facilities on specific days for independent working and group projects.
Students can benefit from a dedicated lab, access to two other game development labs and a range of game development hardware including, Oculus Rift, Emotive EPOC+ Brain interface, Leap motion, Myo, Phidget components for building custom game controllers, a range of mobile phones and tablets to test your games on.
Students will also have access to a common room area for MSc students and a custom games cabinet in which to run student games.
This course is one of the first of its kind in the UK and has a graduate employment rate of 97%. It prepares you for careers as software architects, project managers or software developers. You may also operate as a software consultant or do further research.
In collaboration with a number of high profile industrial leaders and computer game innovators, we have created an advanced course producing graduates with the potential to become future leaders in the global computer games industry.
The course is for honours graduates in computing science or a discipline with significant computing and/or mathematical content, such as computing, information systems, mathematics, engineering, systems engineering or physics.
You will benefit from:
-An industrial advisory board made up from high profile UK games companies
-Industrial placements at leading game studios
-Industry-sponsored prizes each year in categories such as Best Team, Best Project and Best Student
-A technical focus on game engineering
Newcastle has a first class record of research related to the development of computer game technologies and 97% of our graduates are in employment following graduation. Our graduates have gone on to work as programmers for a wide range of companies including:
-Ubisoft Reflections
-Fluid Pixel
-Nosebleed Interactive
The staff delivering this course have international reputations for their contributions to the fields of online gaming, graphics and simulation, artificial intelligence, programming and human computer interaction.
You will be encouraged to play a full part in the life of the School, participating in seminars delivered by distinguished external speakers. The experienced and helpful staff at Newcastle will be happy to offer support with all aspects of your course from admissions to graduation and developing your career beyond.
The course is available over one year full time, leading to an MSc award. We will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to develop computer game software. We will also provide an international perspective on advancements in computer game development.
There are three phases in the course. Phase one (60 credits) consists of 20 hours per week of lectures. We will introduce core knowledge and skills through modules in:
-Programming
-Graphics
-Game technologies
You will also undertake a substantial amount of supervised and unsupervised practical work.
During phase two (30 credits), we emphasise the practice of computer game development through modules in:
-Research methods for gaming innovations
-Entrepreneurial skills for the game industry
-The development and assessment of an actual computer game (team exercise)
Phase three (90 credits) is the individual system development or research project.
We have a policy of seeking British Computer Society (BCS) accreditation for all of our degrees, so you can be assured that you will graduate with a degree that meets the standards set out by the IT industry. Studying a BCS-accredited degree provides the foundation for professional membership of the BCS on graduation and is the first step to becoming a chartered IT professional.
Our Computer Game Engineering MSc has Creative Skillset Accreditation as well as being officially recognised as a NVidia CUDA Training Center.
The School of Computing Science at Newcastle University is an accredited and a recognised Partner in the Network of Teaching Excellence in Computer Science.
Facilities:
You will have dedicated computing facilities in the School of Computing. You will have access to the latest tools for system analysis and development, as well as an allocated PC and desk space in a project lab. For certain projects, special facilities for networking can be set up.
You will enjoy access to specialist IT facilities to support your studies, including:
We have moved to the new £58m purpose-built Urban Sciences Building. Our new building offers fantastic new facilities for our students and academic community. The building is part of Science Central, a £350 million project bringing together:
Want to take your career to the next level? Raise your game with our Master’s in Games Development. Designed to build your understanding of advanced game development techniques, extend your knowledge of the games business, and enhance your transferable skills, this course is the ideal next step for ambitious games graduates.
Games are serious business. The industry needs professionals with in-depth technical games knowledge and creative vision combined with business know-how and marketing expertise. The University of Bolton’s MA in Games Development offers you the chance to grow your skills and confidence in all these areas, gaining experience as a developer, and graduating with at least one credit on a published game to your name.
Designed around team-based development projects, the course involves you working with other students to form and run ‘indie’ style teams. Our highly-experienced games team will support and encourage you as you learn to plan, design, develop and publish games.
We will work to further extend your already substantial understanding of game development concepts and production methods, helping you master an arsenal of advanced tools and techniques to create compelling and inventive experiences.
Alongside these games-specific skills, we offer commercial and business knowledge for the creative sector; for instance, business planning, client negotiation, pitching for projects, responding to project briefs, intellectual property licencing and marketing campaign planning. Our academic team will provide critical support while helping you hone your project management and other transferable skills, ready to progress your career in the industry.
For more information, please visit http://www.bolton.ac.uk/postgrad
This is a technically oriented course for programmers interested in the technology of games. It is suitable for people seeking employment in programming roles within the games industry.
The course focuses on the implementation of real-time 3D applications using the C++ programming language in order to develop your understanding of 3D rendering and shader programming techniques.
You also study low-level hardware architectures for optimisation, including the novel architectures of games consoles and how to exploit them. We teach you project management techniques, including the stages of game production and the structure and operation of the games industry.
This course benefits from strong industry links with companies like Sony Computer Entertainment and Sumo Digital and industry accreditation from Creative Skillset and PlayStation®First. The lecturers have many decades of commercial games industry experience between them and share a passion for developing the next generation of talent.
PlayStation®First
This course is part of the PlayStation®First Academic Partnership Programme offered by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and has been awarded PlayStation®First status by fostering best practise in game related development skills across PlayStation® platforms. The programme provides unique access to PlayStation® professional development hardware (dev kits) and software (SDK) to equip students with industry relevant game development skills across PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3, PlayStation®Vita and PlayStation®Portable.
The Steel Minions
Sheffield Hallam University has its own commercially-licensed game studio which provides workplace simulation to students on the University's games degrees. It was the first university studio in the UK to release its own PlayStation® title and has a range of PlayStation, iOS and Android games in development.
This course is accredited by Creative Skillset (the Creative Industries' Sector Skills Council) and TIGA (The Independent Game Developers Association).
Postgraduate certificate modules
Postgraduate diploma modules
MSc modules
Good games software graduates are in high demand, and our course has been developed to meet the needs of the booming entertainment software industry.
We actively support your collaboration with external companies on your practical software development projects. This gives you real experience while learning and could lead directly to you gaining a job with one of these companies.
Casual games studios now make up a high percentage of the UK games industry, producing games that are easy to pick up and play through websites, social networking sites, mobile phones, tablets and games consoles. Subject matter is typically non-violent, and gameplay often incorporates puzzle solving or an exciting twist on a simple mechanic.
This games design course gives you the business, theoretical and practical skills needed to succeed in this rapidly growing industry. You learn to develop compelling games with exciting mechanics and strong gameplay, both as an individual and as part of a team. While the main focus is on casual games design, the skills we teach also apply to roles within the broader games industry. As well as developing core theoretical and practical design skills, you also develop your entrepreneurial abilities to equip you for work as an independent developer in the social, casual and mobile games field.
There are two routes you can choose from to gain an MA Game Development:
You advance your knowledge and understanding of business, design theory and technical issues within the field of computer game design and related industries. In lectures and seminars you examine the specialist skills necessary to design and construct strong games pitches, demos and prototypes, as well as advanced creative and business solutions to the problems involved in independently developing computer games.
Course structure
Core modules
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You experience a number of different approaches to learning and teaching including:
Critical reflection is key to successful problem solving and essential to the creative process. To develop your own reflective practice at an advanced level, you test and assess your solutions against criteria that you develop in the light of your research.
How you are assessed
The programme includes a variety of assessment methods including presentations, peer review, critique, reports and production of artefacts.
From the beginning of your programme, we prepare you for a career in industry. In addition to your taught classes, we create opportunities for you to meet and network with our industry partners through events such as our ExpoSeries, which showcases student work to industry. ExpoTees is the pinnacle of the ExpoSeries with over 100 businesses from across the UK coming to the campus to meet our exceptional students, with a view to recruitment.
Advanced practice
There are a number of internship options, including:
Games development is the fastest growing entertainment industry in the world. Our MSc gives you the highly specialised set of skills needed to stay at the forefront of this demanding and constantly evolving field. This course is accredited by Creative Skillset who is the industry skills body for the Creative Industries including games, and it works with and for the Creative Industries to develop skills and talent, supporting productivity and employability.
Created with involvement from industry professionals, the course programme focuses on the technical aspects of game development and the underlying fundamentals of computer science. We cover a range of core concepts, including C++ programming, physics simulation, concurrency, advanced graphics, artificial intelligence, and game engine architecture. You will have use of our dedicated games development lab, equipped with the latest console development kits and top-spec PCs, plus access to HIVE — our multi-million pound virtual environment lab, which provides access to emerging and new technologies for computer interaction, data collection and visualisation.
The course begins in September each year and lasts twelve months. There are two trimesters of taught modules, followed by an individual dissertation project during the third trimester. There is an option to take an extra trimester – immediately before the dissertation, adding an extra three months of study but letting you gain insights into industry through a module based on commercial practice, typically working with commercial clients and software.
Studying Computer Science at Hull, you'll benefit from an excellent experience for students, with a supportive student community. We have an international reputation for our research activities, with a strong record of industrial and public grant funding. We are also affiliated with Microsoft’s DreamSpark programme, which allows you to access the latest Microsoft operating systems and development software for home use. Once registered with the department, you can download the software free of charge.
This MSC is designed to support students with various levels of computing and programming practice experience. However, it is particularly suited to those with significant experience of writing code.
The modules in the first trimester are designed to allow a smooth transition to postgraduate study, regardless of your background.
As a route into research, the programme supports the development of postgraduate technical skills, alongside critical research, analysis and planning activities.
In lectures you’ll benefit from a range of techniques, from interpreting complex ideas through interactive discussions, to live programming or other problem-solving demonstrations.
Core modules
Optional modules
Dissertation
Teaching and learning
We place a strong emphasis on practical laboratory sessions. These will significantly develop your core computer science skills, and enhance your employability through exposure to commercial projects.
As teamwork plays a key role in commercial software development and has great value as an employable skill, group work is used in a number of modules.
Assessment
Practical coursework is the main form of assessment, and you will design, build and test software solutions to a variety of problems. This is complemented by written coursework. The largest assessment is the dissertation.
* All modules are subject to availability.
The MSc programme supports career development in a number of ways. These include a mix of modules focused on professional skills and a project involving group work, CV development and personal reflection. We have strong links with many of the UK's top game studios, including Electronics Arts, Sony and Microsoft, many of which recruit straight from our labs.
We also have a range of inspirational extra-curricular activities including the Three Thing Game, Imagine Cup Worldwide Software Development Challenge, Really Useful Seminars and Global Game Jam. They are designed to boost your CV and employability, and taking part costs very little.
This course is aimed at creative graduates who want to develop the skills to work in the exciting area of games design. On this course you develop specialist skills to produce real-time game art with the latest 3D software used by industry. Areas include 3D modelling, asset design for props, environments and characters. The course is designed to allow you to specialise in the area of games design that is the most interest to you.
You focus on art and design fundamentals to underpin your 3D game designs as well as engaging with theory to develop your awareness of game mechanics and what makes games fun. These skills can be applied through game development projects undertaken in small teams with ‘Games Software Development’ students. You work in an ‘industry simulation’ style environment to produce game prototypes which could be released through our commercial studio ‘Steel Minions’. This gives you the opportunity to experience commercial team development practices in preparation for entering the industry.
Modules
Also • games design futures project • creative media research and development proposal • creative media professional practice project • creative media masters project
Assessment
Creative and skilled games artists and designers are in demand to meet the need for new and exciting products, as the industry relies on them to develop the next generation of games. Areas of work include • 2D and 3D art • animation • concept design • mobile, console and PC based platforms.
Want to develop a rewarding career as a development economist in the public or private sector? This course will appeal to you if you have a quantitative background. You will develop your understanding of the key issues in economic development, and explore the economic theory and statistical tools you need to analyse policies and assess their impact on economic and human development.
You have the option of studying full-time over the course of one year or part-time over the course of two years.
The Development Economics MSc will help you:
Should you wish to pursue further study, the dissertation track can also serve as a stepping stone to an Economics PhD.
As a Masters student at City, you will benefit from our excellent London location, which places you in close proximity to the centres of decision-making in development economics. For example, we are just six tube stops away from the Department for International Development.
Your teaching consists of a flexible combination of lectures, classes and computer lab sessions:
In addition, econometric methods will be taught in lab sessions, so you will have the opportunity to apply econometric software to empirical research in development economics.
When appropriate "practitioner slots" will be incorporated into module delivery, such as research seminars conducted by external experts in development policies and presentations by invited academics.
Assessments are typically a combination of unseen written examinations (70% for each module) and coursework (30% for each module), but this can vary by module.
The teaching takes place over two terms, from September to June. Full-time students who pass all the taught modules during the main exam sessions finish the programme at the end of September when they submit their dissertation or literature review. Full-time students who successfully complete the taught modules in the August re-sit exam session submit their dissertation or literature review in December.
Part-time students complete their modules over the course of four terms, from September to June, before undertaking their dissertation or literature review.
Pre-sessional activities covering Micro-and Macroeconomics, Stata, Excel, Probability and Mathematics run in September before the start of term. These are available for all students who secure a place on the MSc Development Economics course. Pre-sessionals are included in your degree fee and are designed to prepare you for the course. We therefore strongly encourage you to make every effort to attend. Dates of the sessions are as follows:
You are not required to register for the above pre-sessionals, you just need to turn up on the day. Further information, such as the exact times and locations will be provided in your induction schedule.
You will complete 180 credits. This includes taught modules worth 120 credits, plus 60 credits through either of the following paths:
Each module typically has a weekly two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial, but this may vary.
It is not possible to give an exact indication of hours per week, as these can vary from one term to the other, depending on which electives you choose.
Modules for the dissertation path
Core modules
Elective modules
Modules for the literature survey path
Core modules
Elective modules
Elective modules for both paths
* Students on the dissertation path can take only 1 of these modules, which are taught in the Department of International Politics. Students on the literature survey path can take up to 2 of these modules.
Graduates of this course enjoy a wide range of rewarding employment possibilities, in both the public and private sectors, including consultancy and economic analysis.
As a Masters in Development Economics graduate, you will have the skills to work in:
The MSc also provides a solid academic foundation for students wishing to pursue doctoral research in economics.
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