Course summary
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.
Modules
Term 1: Thinking, prototyping and practice; audiences and experience. Term 2: Real and virtual worlds; Realisation and dissemination: pre-production. Term 3: Realisation and dissemination.
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. For this course, we'll require an online portfolio for assessment. Further information on how to compile a portfolio and the process for submission of your work will be provided on the Applicant Portal.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | 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 .
Additional fee information
Further details about Postgraduate fees can be located at: https://www.uca.ac.uk/study-at-uca/fees-finance/postgraduate/
Provider information
University for the Creative Arts
Falkner Road
Farnham
GU9 7DS