Video Games Design (Integrated Masters)

This course has been created with experts from Creative Assembly, Framestore, nDreams and PlayStation London Studio to be a highly focused digital games degree that encompasses not only theory but technical and artistic approaches. From core design practice through to game engines, UI (user interface) and UX (user experience), as well as narrative and development pipelines.

Taught by industry professionals with experience from Supermassive Games, Supercell London and Outplay Entertainment, you will learn to design video games from concept to implementation, developing gameplay, environments and user experiences to produce engaging play experiences. You will have the transferable skills to work and support teams in both technical and artistic capacities, across different real-time and interactive production environments, such as virtual reality and other forms of interactive entertainment.

This course will provide rich and varied opportunities to work on collaborative projects, developing the soft and technical skills that video games companies look for in Games Designers.

Why choose this course

• Ranked 1st in the world for Production Excellence in Immersive Media by The Rookies

• Based in London - home to some of the best video games and VFX studios in the world

• Partnership with Epic Games - we were the first Unreal Engine Authorized Training Center in the UK and an Unreal Engine Academic Partner.

• We’re a member of TIGA - the trade association for the UK video games industry, with the vision to make the UK the best place in the world to develop video games.

• Work on industry-standard briefs, experience real-life scenarios and receive feedback on your work from external developers to learn about current development practice

• Successful alumni - you’ll join our community of thousands of Escapees, many of whom have gone on to work at some of the world’s top studios including Creative Assembly, Epic Games, Playground Games, Rare and Rockstar Games

• Study in a studio environment that mirrors current industry practice, using high-spec equipment and professional software such as Unreal Engine and Houdini

• Professional input - industry partners have helped design this degree to make sure it is relevant to employers and up to date

• All-round technical skills - learn software, skills and techniques for both games and visual effects and learn how the pipelines cross over.

First year (Level 4 - 120 credits)

Students on our BSc / MSci Character Creation, Games Design and Technical Art degrees study common modules in their first year. This will give you the all-round skills needed to become a professional, and a chance to choose a different specialism if you change your mind before your second year (subject to availability).

Art Direction and Visual Language (15 credits)
Introduction to 3D Graphics (15 credits)
Introduction to Technical Scripting (15 credits)
Worldbuilding (15 credits)
Introduction to Games Design (15 credits)
Character Control (15 credits)
Real-time FX (15 credits)
Interactive - Jam Group Project (15 credits)

Second year (Level 5 - 120 credits)

You’ll develop your specialist skills and work in teams on industry-style projects.

Conceptual Games Design (30 credits)
Applied Games Design (30 credits)
Specialism (15 credits)
Industry Studio Project (30 credits)

Third year (Level 6 - 120 credits)

You’ll hone your skills and begin to demonstrate the level of knowledge needed to be a professional artist.

Advanced Specialism (30 credits)
Professional Practice (30 credits)
Professional Studio Project (60 credits)

Fourth year - Integrated Masters students only (Level 7 - 120 credits)

Keen to further refine your skillset, considering working freelance, or one day dream of starting your own studio? As part of a team, you’ll work like a real outsourced studio, each taking on different roles relevant to your expertise. You’ll learn about business, entrepreneurship and the know-how for an impressive portfolio career.

Creative Research & Development (30 credits)
Commercial Studio Project (60 credits)
Business of Innovation (30 credits)

Your work is assessed through practical assignments and retrospectives by a mix of tutor, peer, self-review and industry. In fact, industry professionals often review your project modules and share their personalised feedback with you.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS