Independent & Serious Games (Taught)

Course summary

Games that have meaning beyond entertainment are the focus of our new MA Independent & Serious Games degree course at UCA Farnham. To meet the ever-changing landscape of digital games, which are now being incorporated and used in the worlds of advertising, museums, medical training, psychology, education and theatre, this course examines how games and interactive media are constantly and deeply intertwined. It will help develop you as a new kind of interactive creator, ready for a career in experience design or independent games. So, if you want to work in smaller and independent games studios, apply interactivity to your established creative practice, or work in industries bordering the games industry, this course is for you. You'll combine an advanced exploration of games design with solid technical skills, in order to create games at an independent level. You'll also focus on critical analysis and thinking as you work - this will enable you to craft your games mechanics with a supporting message or a specific goal in mind. You'll be supported in your studies by our team of academic staff and gain insight from our established industry links, and have access to our extensive facilities.

Assessment method

A range of assessment methods are used, including reviews of coursework, presentations and written submissions. Peer and self-assessment are also used at appropriate points to enable more self-critical perspectives in thinking about work and practice.

Entry requirements

A good honours degree (normally 2.1 or above) or equivalent qualification in your chosen subject or a related discipline and / or relevant work experience, demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level. A portfolio assessment will also be required for this course.

English language requirements

Test	Grade	Additional details
IELTS (Academic)	6	Listening 5.5, Reading 5.5, Speaking 5.5, Writing 5.5

We require evidence of your English language ability to meet the requirements for your course. If you're a Home student and studied in the UK, we require GCSE English at a minimum grade C/4 (or Functional Skills English/Key Skills Communication Level 2). If you’re an EU student and studied a European qualification, we may accept the English Language score from your main qualification - please review your country from the list on our website to see whether we will accept it: https://www.uca.ac.uk/international-study/equivalent-qualifications/ If your qualification is not on this list, we accept the following English language qualifications: IELTS (overall score 6.0), TOEFL ibt (overall score 88), PEARSON PTE Academic (overall 55), Cambridge Proficiency Exam (overall score 169), Cambridge Advanced Exam (overall score 169). If you need a Tier 4 student visa to study in the UK, you will need to take an IELTS test, and achieve an overall score of 6.0 and a minimum score of 5.5 for each element (Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing).

For more information on English Language Requirements, please visit our website:

https://www.uca.ac.uk/International-study/language-requirements-support/

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands	£10500	Year 1
Republic of Ireland	£10500	Year 1
EU	£10500	Year 1
International	£18000	Year 1
England	£10500	Year 1
Northern Ireland	£10500	Year 1
Scotland	£10500	Year 1
Wales	£10500	Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .