MSc Computer Game Development

Why choose this course?

This 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.

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Building on the strong foundation of our successful Game Development programme, this course enjoys the benefits of close industry engagement, with regular visits and guest speakers as part of an integrated programme of presentations, discussion groups and social events.

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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.

Teaching & Assessment

This course is portfolio focused and as such, there are no formal exams. Instead, students will focus on developing technical and theoretical skills via practical assignments and research & development activities.

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.

Postgraduate games students are required to demonstrate advanced critical analysis and development skills as part of key assessment outcomes.

Career prospects

Our

Careers & Employability service

is there to help you make decisions and plan the next steps towards a bright future. From finding work or further study to working out your interests, skills and aspirations, they can provide you with the expert information, advice and guidance you need.

Once you successfully complete the MSc programme, your higher level skills in 3D modelling & sculpting, systems analysis, programming and application design will qualify you to work in a variety of higher level roles within this industry.

Given the business and entrepreneurship skills acquired on the course, some postgraduates opt to start their own game studios with the support of our Business Incubation Centre, as part the Business Accelerator Programme.

Our graduates are employed by some of the worlds most recognisable brands such as Ubisoft, Sony, Nintendo, Rockstar and Travellers Tales. We also work hard to support graduates who choose to set up their own games studios based within our innovative business incubation centre.

In addition, the technical skills acquired on the course allow graduates to pursue careers at higher level positions in many mainstream computing areas such as IT support, consultancy and internet and e-commerce applications development.

The standard entry requirement for this programme is an honours degree of at least 2:2 classification in a Computer Science related subject area, or equivalent in any science-based degree with a strong computing element. Applicants with substantial commercial or industrial experience, or graduates coming from non-Computing backgrounds can be accepted, subject to interview and references.