MA Games Design

For our students coming from a non-UK educational background, UCA has launched an Integrated International Pre-Masters year. 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 Master’s, and you’ll also improve your English for academic study.

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.  

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.  

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. 

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

You may also wish to progress onto a PhD or MPhil research degree.

MA course

• A good honours degree or equivalent qualification in a related discipline
  
  

and/or

• 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.

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.

MA course

The entry requirements for this course will depend on the country your qualifications are from, please check the equivalent qualifications for your country:

• Non-UK equivalent qualifications

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

Portfolio requirements

You will be required to submit a portfolio for review. Further information on specific portfolio requirements and how to submit your portfolio will be sent to you after we have reviewed your application.

MA course with Integrated International Pre-Masters course

• A recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject.

Any additional entry requirements listed in the UK requirements section, e.g., subject requirements, work experience or professional qualifications, also apply to international applicants applying with equivalent qualifications.

Portfolio requirements

You will be required to submit a portfolio for review. Further information on specific portfolio requirements and how to submit your portfolio will be sent to you after we have reviewed your application.

English language requirements

To study at UCA, you'll need to have a certain level of English language skill. And so, to make sure you meet the requirements of your course, we ask for evidence of your English language ability, please check the level of English language required:

• English language requirements