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Game Design MA

Are you passionate about games and keen to make them better? Do you feel curious about what makes a game engaging and meaningful? At Falmouth, you’ll work alongside programmers and artists in a studio environment to create distinctive games.

Games Academy student holding games controller.

Key details

LocationPenryn Campus
Course Duration1 year
AttendanceFull-time

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Introduction

We'll cover specialist areas in storytelling and design to reveal new horizons of gaming. With help from ex-industry mentors, you'll gain the tools you need for a career in games and media. Collaborating with other talented game-lovers, you'll bring your own ideas to life in AAA, indie or board games.

You will:

  • Take advantage of our guest speaker series, featuring professionals from across the games industry, from studio heads to level designers, design leads and producers
  • Access industry-standard facilities, including dedicated space in a well-resourced game development studio, with augmented reality and mixed reality technology, a selection of new VR headsets, and 3D printers
  • Become a specialist in game design, working as part of a team to develop your own game

Covid-19 update

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have reviewed and made changes to our courses to provide flexible, blended delivery that offers high-quality digital engagement and access to face-to-face teaching in our facilities. You can see how your course may be adjusted by viewing the changes for the current academic year by visiting our welcome letters & latest course updates page

  • Course details
  • How to apply
  • Fees, costs & funding

    Course details

    What you'll learn

    Pitching and prototyping your ideas, you'll become a specialist in game design and the broader games industry context. And by the second study block you’ll be doing it for real, developing a game in a team and following it up with a major project in the final term. This could be solo, group-based or a research piece.

    • Study block one
    • Study block two
    • Study block three
    Study block one

    Modules

    Development Synergies
    Prototyping for Games

    Study block two

    Modules

    Group Game Development Project
    Experimental Game Design

    Study block three

    Modules

    Major Project 

    The modules above are those being studied by our students, or proposed new ones. Programme structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes. If a certain module is important to you, please discuss it with the course leader.

    From module information to course aims and assessment criteria, discover the full course details. 

    How you'll learn

    There’s no formal essay writing on this course – you’ll be learning the real-life skills needed to produce a co-created full game project and a professional portfolio for grading. And with regular feedback and support from your mentors, you’ll develop your game design skills in a way that boosts your progress.

    You'll learn through:

    • Workshops
    • Playtesting ideas
    • Lectures
    • Seminars
    • Crit sessions
    • Tutorials
    • Guest speakers
    • Mentoring

    How you'll be assessed

    Game Design is a practise-focused course, so you’ll only be assessed on your coursework.

    Staff

    You'll be taught by an expert teaching team, which includes leading game and narrative designers as well as programmers and game-focused senior academics. Our industry experts have worked across the globe on titles such as Arcana and Deadhaus Sonata.

    Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every member shown here.

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Dr Jeff Howard

    Senior Lecturer (Games)

    Dr. Jeff Howard is Senior Lecturer in the Games Academy at Falmouth University in Cornwall, where...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Terry Greer

    Senior Lecturer in Game Design

    After starting out life as a zoo keeper at London Zoo, Terry has worked for over thirty years in...

    Staff profile
    Staff profile

    Brian McDonald

    Senior Lecturer Digital Games

    Brian McDonald is a senior lecturer on the BA(Hons) Game Development and BSc(Hons) Computing for...

    Facilities

    • Dedicated space in a well-resourced game development studio, open late during term time.
    • Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality technology.
    • 3D printers.
    • Industry-standard hardware and software.
    • VR/AR lab and cutting-edge hardware (Hololens, Hololens 2 and Oculus Quest 2).

    Take a virtual tour

    How to apply

    Apply now

    Ready to apply for postgraduate study? You can apply online by clicking the button below. 

    Apply

    To make sure Game Design is the right fit for you, we’ll interview you to talk through your suitability and look through your portfolio of appropriate work. This is extremely flexible for Game Design – you can include games/systems you’ve worked on or made yourself, ideas and world building for games you’d love to make, or any design work in other media.

    Want to ask a question?

    If you have questions about the course, how you'll learn or what funding is available just click the button below. 

    Talk to us

    You'll be able to submit a contact form and we'll get in touch with you as soon as we can.

    • Entry requirements
    • Language requirements
    Entry requirements

    We welcome applicants with varied qualifications, but typically you'll need an undergraduate degree in a related discipline. Our typical applicants hold an undergraduate degree of 2:2 or above, or equivalent experience.

    We’ll also welcome your application if you have formal or 'certified' learning (such as training courses not run by universities or colleges) and learning from work experience or self-study. This is called Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), and should have been gained within the last five years, and be equivalent to the learning outcomes of our minimum entry qualifications.

    APL applicants using experience to apply should note there is a £200 application fee for entry with advanced standing or with exemption from specific modules or credit.

    Language requirements

    If English isn’t your first language, you'll need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for successful completion of your studies. We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications that are equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic minimum score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

    International applicants who require a student visa to study in the UK must take a recognised language test that is approved and vouched for by the University. Our Applicant Services Team can help with any questions you may have about study visas or suitable language tests.

    Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) Policy (383.68 KB)
    Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) Procedure (364.26 KB)

    Fees, costs & funding

    Tuition fees

    • Tuition fees 2020-21
    • Tuition fees 2021-22
    Tuition fees 2020-21

    £8,500 per year - full-time UK/EU (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees.)

    £16,000 per year - full-time international (acceptance fee up to £1,000 payable, dependent on nationality. This is deducted from tuition fees.)

    Tuition fees 2021-22

    £8,500 per year - full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees.)

    £16,950 - full-time EU (acceptance fee up to £1,000 payable, dependent on nationality. This is deducted from tuition fees)

    £16,950 - full-time international (acceptance fee up to £1,000 payable, dependent on nationality. This is deducted from tuition fees)

    Find out more about our Graduate Loyalty Discount for Falmouth Alumni, which offers a reduction in course tuition fees.

    Typical course costs

    To complete your coursework, you’ll require a laptop at an expense of around £1,300.

    If you need to bring other equipment or materials with you, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.

    The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs

    Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

     

    Postgraduate funding

    There are loans, awards and alternative funding sources for postgraduate studies. Read about them on our Postgraduate Funding page.

    Find out about funding

    Talk to us

    Do you have questions about the course or studying at Falmouth? Fill in our simple online form and we'll get in touch to support your application journey. 

    Submit form

     

     

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