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Digital Games Theory and Design MA

Key Information

Start date

September

Subject area

Games Design

Mode of study

1 year full-time

Fees

2024/25

UK £11,550

International £21,260

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Entry requirements

2:2

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Overview

The games design industry, in the UK and worldwide, is growing and there is a demand for skilled and well-educated professionals to take gaming to its next level. Brunel’s Digital Games Theory and Design MA course will give you a comprehensive understanding of digital games and the techniques and principles used in their design.   

You will engage in, and experiment with, practical games design and develop a comprehensive and critical understanding of the advanced academic study of games and their theoretical, artistic and technological perspectives. You will also engage in the practice of making games and explore the factors that shape the games industry.  

No previous experience with programming or an art background is required for this course, just a passion for games. You will learn how to create your own practical designs, how to communicate your ideas to an audience, how to create games design documents, and you’ll also explore games studies. 

You will have opportunities to make connections with other games design cohorts and industry experts. And we will encourage you to participate in extracurricular activities such as game jams and game-related networking events. These are all activities that introduce you to the broader social culture of the digital and creative world and are vital to being successful in the games industry. 

The course is run by staff who are seasoned games designers, internationally published scholars and pedagogical experts. They will share their enthusiasm and understanding of the nature of the video game industry, the importance of networks and the skills needed to create innovative games for the future.   

Course content

This exciting course teaches the creative process of games design. It focuses on the integration of the theoretical and practical aspects of making games via industry-facing content. Studying this course will help to fully equip you for your place in the games industry.

Students are expected to use the MA forum for discussions and are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular support activities such as game jams, local game related and networking events in order to practice the creative and technical skills developed throughout the programme and foster conversation and connections that are an invaluable part of the postgraduate experience.

The MA consists of compulsory modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Compulsory

  • Art Thinking for Games: Visual Research, Creative Practice & Art Direction
    This module focuses on artistic considerations of contemporary games and explores art thinking, creativity and visual design. You will examine games as experimental and artistic media and consider the stylistic and aesthetic merits of visual assets.
  • Games Development: Prototyping Tools, Methods & Techniques
    This module delves into the digital game development process utilising industry methodologies, prototyping methods and tools, collaborative practices and project management skills. You will be tasked with designing and developing a game in a small team, demonstrating your ability to contribute effectively and deliver a product.
  • Game Studies: Concepts, Contexts, and Analyses
    The main aim of this module is to introduce you to key concepts and theoretical approaches in the field of game studies. The module will approach games from a number of perspectives including philosophy, media and cultural studies, and socio-cultural studies.
  • Games Design: Engagement, Experience & Iterative Practice
    This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop your own design skills, putting into practise the theory of design, informed by theoretical approaches. You will create work based on differing design concepts and will present and review one another’s’ work, guided by the lecturer.
  • Dissertation in Digital Games
    This module enables sustained engagement with the research and practice of digital games via a large scale, dissertation project. A combination of independent thought, self-reflection, critical understanding, creativity and practical skills will be required to produce written outputs and innovative designs. You will be required to self-manage, problem-solve and work independently to produce work that is appropriate to postgraduate level of study.

This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel

Careers and your future

Upon completing the course, you'll have the potential to enter the games industry through a variety of jobs including level designer, quality assurance, project manager and games user researcher. Our MA will also help develop your expertise if you are already in industry and want to update your creative and technical skills to keep up with the latest developments in the dynamic field of games design. 

With confidence in their skills and their abilities, our graduates leave the course prepared to enter the games industry, and many of them have gone on to work for prestigious organisations including King, Mediatonic, Rovio, Creative Assembly, Supermassive Games, and Ubisoft.

UK entry requirements

  • A 2:2 (or above) UK Honours degree, or equivalent internationally recognised qualification, in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Multimedia or Digital Design. 

Other subjects and qualifications with relevant games industry experience will be assessed on an individual basis and may also be considered.

 

EU and International entry requirements

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
  • Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
  • BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
  • TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

2024/25 entry

UK

£11,550 full-time

International

£21,260 full-time

More information on any additional course-related costs.

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase. 

See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Scholarships and bursaries

Teaching and learning

In line with the University’s approach, our current plan is for teaching to be delivered in person where possible. Some components might be delivered online (via pre-recorded materials or using live streaming platforms) to enhance and compliment your learning experience on the modules. For example, meetings with your personal and academic tutors might take place via online tools such as Discord/Zoom/Microsoft Teams, making use of digital platforms and online social practices that are the heart of the gaming communities.

The MA in Digital Games Theory and Design has been adopting digital learning tools to enhance and complement learning long before the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. From the inclusion of “authentic assessment” (which means that there are no exams but only coursework being used to evaluate your progress) submitted via the online system Wiseflow, to the use of VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments) to host learning materials such as readings, and additional audiovisual materials (depending on the content and nature of each module), the MA in Digital Games Theory & Design has long been ready to support the needs of students in a digital environment.

The team is also committed to running engagement events both virtually and in person, to bring together the games design community. We also maintain dedicated online networks for our current students as well as our alumni.

Students are strongly advised to purchase core texts from module reading lists, although copies are also available via Brunel Library.

Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.

We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.

The course offers a unique focus on practical design and on the theory of games. So if you’re passionate about games, and you want to understand how to design games and how to analyse and critically think about games, then this is a great course for you.

You have taught lectures in the first and second terms. In term one, you have a module called Critical Approaches and Games Design 1. In term two you have Socio-Cultural Contexts and Games Design 2. In the third term, which is over the summer, you’ll be studying for your MA dissertation which is based on supervisory meetings.

This is a one-year course which spans three terms. All taught sessions take place on one day a week - giving you the flexibility to work part-time or take care of personal responsibilities, as well as allowing you to complete your degree in one year.

Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.

Assessment and feedback

Assessment is via a combination of practical games-making work, presentations and essays of varying length.

You will also write a dissertation in the third term. There are no exams.