Name: Games Design, MA
Price: £9,450 per year GBP

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Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

1 year

Start

September 2025

Delivery

In-person

Our MA Games Design course has been designed with industry in mind. It will give you the opportunity to specialise in an area of Games Design, even if your specialism is to be a one-person team and do it all.

This Games Design degree programme offers you a dynamic and friendly creative environment where you are encouraged and inspired to play, learn and think creatively. Games Design covers the conceptual, visual and digital development of games, and you will be given an industry perspective that will equip you to seek employment in the trade.

From the start of the course, you will be exploring and developing ideas and concepts relating to games and are actively encouraged to play, to question the nature of your specialism and express the ideas formulated through personal project work.

Why study with us

You will develop a portfolio that will give you the advantage in an ever-competitive sector or the ability to become independent developers.
The University is an official academic partner of the Unreal Engine team.
You can get involved in our annual cJAM employability event, where you’ll pitch your ideas to industry professionals who are offering work opportunities.

Interested?

Download

Slide 1 of 4

Charlie Critchley's work in the 2020 Degree Show

What you’ll do

Level Design, Concept Art, Board Games, 3D Modelling, Narrative, Game Mechanics, VFX, User Interface and more – What you specialise in is up to you.
You are encouraged to operate in a specialist area of Games Design and given the creative freedom and necessary skills to develop your own ideas.
We have an established visiting Industry Speaker programme which includes Lead Designers, 3D Artists, QA, Production and Technical Artists from AAA and independent game development studios.

Modules

This module will support you to make informed decisions of your critical position in the design industry. It'll direct you to establish a clear and critical rationale that will inform through research and underpin your practice decisions. You'll also develop your critical understanding of the philosophies, design strategies and design work of others by networking with relevant contacts.

Module code: DE4402

Utilise theoretical debate and discussion to stimulate analytical, creative and innovative responses to your practice. Advance key skill competences, investigative resources and creative vision. Deploy personal and professional interests and focus your creative practice. Specialise creative practice through informed research with an emphasis on cultural intelligence and a global outlook.

Module code: DE4405

During this module, you'll realise your ideas and aspirations as identified in earlier modules through the successful completion of a major study within games. It will encourage a mastery of practiced-based research through a complex and specialised area of games study. Enhance critical decision-making in complex and unpredictable solutions for the generation of new ideas within the games process.

Module code: XB4406

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Slides 1 to 2 of 4

computer-games-development-bsc — Games Development Laboratory

Academic expertise

Josh Taylor

Senior Lecturer

Future careers

Our Games Design graduates have gone onto a variety of highly successful games companies, for example Warner Brothers, Ninja Theory, Rare, Naughty Dog and Riot Games. Our Graduates have also gone on to create their own development studios such as White Paper Games.

On successful graduation from this course are you will be able to display a rich portfolio of work that will showcase your specialist skills.

These specialist skills are what industry have identified as key in individuals working in modern Game Development.

This postgraduate qualification will open exciting career opportunities within commercial design practices and you’ll also be equipped with the skills needed to develop your own practice or consultancy.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold a 2:2 degree or equivalent professional experience or learning in a related field
Applications from all candidates will be considered on their merits in the light of the nature and scope of the programme
IELTS: Score of 6.0 or above
A high level of achievement in undergraduate studies at a university elsewhere such as North America: Minimum overall GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
All applicants are requested to submit digital supporting material and where possible will be invited to attend an interview with a portfolio of recent work

Not got the grades?

Our courses with a foundation year could be exactly what you're looking for. They provide an alternative route to study for this degree.

Find out more about our courses with a foundation year.

Fees and funding

2025/26

Full-time£9,450 per year

Part-time£1,050 per 20 credits

International

Full-time£17,900 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Dependants Bursary
Students with financially dependent children may be eligible for our Dependants Bursary as part of our financial support package. 
Find out more about Dependants Bursary
Carers Bursary
If you need extra support because you have unpaid caring responsibilities alongside your studies.
Find out more about Carers Bursary
Sports scholarships
We offer student athletes support and opportunities for their playing careers whilst they study a high-quality degree.
Find out more about Sports scholarships
Alumni Loyalty Discount
UK students with a previous award from us will receive 20% tuition fee discount.
Find out more about Alumni Loyalty Discount

This course is tailored to suit your area of study – Games is a large subject so your study/specialism could be concept art, 3D modelling, level design, character design, animation, narrative, engine work, accessibility, texturing, effects, materials…. The list goes on.

We would ask you to enter a Learning Agreement which is an agreement between you and us which lays out a roadmap of what you would study, how, the rationale and intended outcomes.

Alongside you practice work you would, along with the whole MA cohort from a range of art and design courses, take on two research modules which would help inform your practice work. These modules look at your current methodologies, other creatives methodologies, get you networking, reflecting and formulating new ways of working to help inform your practice.

The coursework is continually assessed through the project work.

There are no exams.

The course team have a wide variety of skills and are highly experienced in developing your visualising, creative thinking, digital modelling and games development skills. Team members include Bev Bush, Senior Lecturer who was named in the Women in Games Top 100 (2013) and Associate Lecturers Pete Bottomley and James Burton of White Paper Games.

We have an established visiting Industry Speaker programme which includes Lead Designers, 3D Artists, QA, Production and Technical Artists from AAA and independent game development studios throughout the UK who bring with them a broad experience of the games development industry.

Interested?

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This course is delivered by the School of Arts and Media

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page

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