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Course Title:
Games Design
This innovative course has been developed to provide part-time students the opportunity, support and guidance to fully explore the activity of designing and developing games of all types. What is particularly unique is that this MA Games Design is delivered entirely via the Internet using readily available online tools and proprietary applications. It is completely distance learning and there is no requirement for on-campus attendance. The course team offers a rich mix of staff with current industry experience as well as practiced academic staff with significant experience in postgraduate delivery and academic research. The course seeks to encourage the inquiry into generally accepted ‘game design practice’ and strive to push the boundaries of what is achievable in this young discipline. Students are engaged through a wide ranging programme of stimulating lectures and tutorials to develop their knowledge and skills in the design of games.
Key Facts
Award Type:
MA
Ancillary:
Additional awards:
Level:
Postgraduate
Study mode:
Part Time
Delivery Method:
Distance
Course Length:
Part time: Two years
No.of modules:
An MA Degree in Games Design requires a minimum of 180 credits at Level 7, as 5 modules of the course programme including DD4991 Dissertation Project.
UCAS Code:
School:
School of Art, Design and Performance
Campus:
Preston,
Partner Colleges:
Year of Entry:
2012
Start Month:
September
Entry Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate achievement of any one of the following:
• Receipt of a 2.2 degree, or higher from a British university
• A high level of achievement in undergraduate studies at a university elsewhere (e.g. for North American students a minimum overall GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale)
• Professional experience in the field or a related field in their home country
Part of the application procedures for entry to the course is to establish -through a written personal statement -why candidates want to do the course, and how this relates to their personal and career development plans.
International Students are required to show competence in written and spoken English in addition to meeting the course entry requirements: International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) - minimum 6.5
Course Content
Weekly lessons are delivered electronically and the contents are discussed during video-based tutorials. Set exercises test the students understanding of each topic before moving on to the next.
All students are encouraged to pursue a unique personal line of inquiry within the broad subject area of Games Design. This culminates in the Postgraduate Project/Dissertation response at the end of the course. This activity is developed through specifically designed exercises and project briefs that promote the students' facility to analyse games and game play and formulate their own response to all manifestation of play and game types that occur.
Graduates of the course will have a sophisticated understanding of the design of games across a range of industry and theoretical standpoints. Fundamental to the philosophy of the course is the provision of an opportunity for students to explore and realise their individual aspirations and potential, creating a framework for developing more fully as skilled and informed professional practitioners. This is enabled through discussion and feedback with the course team and relevant peer groups.
Reflecting the diversity of activity that falls within the boundaries of games design the course encompasses three distinct strands of activity. These are design, art and modelling. In the commercial world of game development these strands are often interwoven and the emphasis can change from company to company. Likewise these strands can vary from individual project to project within a company. To accommodate this varied field of skills the common lecture theme of the course encompasses all of these activities and an individual engaged in the course may respond in one, two or all three of the strands of activity.
Course at a Glance
Year 1
Semester 1
Games Design and e-Learning
This is a 40 Credit module introducing core ideas to games design and developing student’s e-learning practice.
Semester 2
Issues and Methodologies for Games Design
This is a 40 Credit module that looks at the practicalities and pressures surrounding the development of games. This module also presents practical methodologies for developing and presenting game ideas.
Year 2
Semester 1
Dissertation Project Research 1 and 2
This is a two stage 40 credit module that supports students in planning a sustained investigation into their own research area and to develop the body of work that will support their final dissertation/project work
Semester 2 .
Dissertation Project Research 3 and Evaluation
This is a two stage 40 credit module that takes the research and development work from the previous modules and to focus that work on an outcome that links to the students identified focus. The evaluation stage allows students opportunity for revision before entering their final submission stage.
Year 3
Semester 1
Dissertation Project
This is a 20 credit module that is the culmination of the students work upon the course. It can take a variety of forms and does not necessarily have to be a written piece of work. The work presented might represent a single topic of study or several interrelated studies. The nature of the work might be written, visual, interactive media or a combination of all. The exact nature of the submission is developed in negotiation with staff throughout the preceding study. The final outcome will be a unique and personal piece that presents the students specialist work in the field of games design.
Assessment:
Assessment is by 100% coursework in the form of concise project reports or academic papers. For each of the 40 credit modules you undertake, you will have both a mid-module assignment and an end of module assignment to complete. Through weekly tutorials you will receive ongoing formative feedback and guidance, but the final module mark and summative feedback is based on the end of module assignment only.
Learning Environment:
The MA Games Design has been specifically designed to accommodate the needs of part-time provision via distance learning. Students tend to be adults in employment who want to take the course on a part-time basis to fit around their other working commitments. We accommodate such needs by offering a clear structure of progression, balanced by flexible personal tutorials: for which you can expect to have weekly one-to-one contact with academic staff via web based visual conferencing. It is this bespoke interaction with academic staff that our students tell us they find both supportive and inspirational. Our post graduate distance learning students come from a wide diversity of nationalities and locations: America, Canada, England, Germany, Greece, Scotland, and South Africa, to name a few.
Careers:
Opportunities within commercial design practice. Graduates will improve their chance of employment in the games industry with their demonstrated enhanced specialism and understanding developed on the course. Graduates will also find themselves strongly placed to develop their own practices and consultancies, or further themselves with the developing field of games design academia.
Additional Information
The MA Games Design (Distance learning) builds upon the good practice we have learned from our sister courses the MA Antiques (which we started in 2003), MA Creative Thinking, and the MA Games Design (Campus based). For further detail on each of our distance learning course see our research pages: www.uclan.ac.uk/creativityresearch and www.uclan.ac.uk/antiques
Through embedding web-based conferencing technologies within all of our tutor/student interactions we are taking our distance learning provision to the next level of excellence. We can happily claim, that our courses offers a bespoke academic experience, but don’t take our word for it, here is what our current students have to say:
“The MA Creative Thinking has given me the opportunity to further develop my research and analysis skills which has been directly beneficial to my working life. Although the first year provided a great foundation, it’s been fantastic to be able to delve deeper into a chosen area for the dissertation. I consider the first year to have provided a great foundation for this module: providing a balance between structured learning and scope to explore areas of interest as a personal level…I found the best feature of the course to be the tutorials which have challenged and encouraged. It’s also been great to delve deeper into an area of interest.”
"I was excited when I first read about the MA distance study of Antiques at UCLan. After receiving my Bachelor´s degree in History of Art from a university in my home country, I kept looking for a possibility to combine my job and my childcare duties with the desire to continue with my studies. UCLan made it possible for me to study at a British University from my home. Thanks to the distance mode of study I can manage all my duties well, while at the same time UCLan provides me with great academic and technical support. Being part of the only MA Antiques distance study program worldwide brings me great joy.”
“The course was both stimulating and challenging. Thoroughly recommend the course for anyone interested in Antiques. My tutor’s questions and suggestions were though provoking and provided an additional dimension to the investigations.”
“I’ve been collecting Science Fiction TV and Film Collectables for over 25 years but I really wanted to broaden my knowledge of the wider antiques field. Undertaking the MA Antiques has been a massive learning curve but an enjoyable one and I’d highly recommended it to anyone looking to further their knowledge. With flexible on-line learning you can study when it fits it in with you, which is a real bonus if you are working full time and time is precious.”
“The course met all my expectations ranging from gaining basic antiques knowledge through to research into a specialised area of antiques. I have found the whole learning experience of antiques completely addictive and have loved the course.”
“The use of web based video conferencing technology was an invaluable source, and one that I wholly recommend. It is a feature of the course that I have found most satisfying. Distance learning creates a sense of isolation, but the tutorials help to alleviate that feeling of being on one’s own.”
“Considering the huge interest in the area of antiques, the decorative arts and design there are surprisingly few courses that allow the student to continue onto MA level. As a mature student the well supported distance learning format is ideal, as is the chance to really get to know a fascinating subject. Of course it's a challenge, but one that leaves you with new skills and an appreciation of the ingenuity of the craftsperson and the manufacturer”
“UCLan Graduate Distance Learning is a fabulous experience. My darling wife loved her three years with UCLan as a graduate distance learning student (MA, Antiques, 2009). I began UCLan distance learning studies (MA, Creative Thinking) in 2010, and my experiences have been exceptionally positive. My Course Leader and Tutor is an excellent teacher and highly supportive, the learning modules are outstanding, and the library resources are first-rate including excellent online access to scholarly journal articles. I highly recommend UCLan and the Graduate Distance Learning Programmes.”MA Games Design provides unique study opportunity rooted in creative development linked across a range of digital and traditional approaches. The course also provides a distinct opportunity to study these disciplines at postgraduate level from a perspective that is not always readily available.
The course accepts students from a diverse range of backgrounds and encourages students to bring their own experience to bear in growing their games design knowledge , whilst developing new skills in order to manifest their ideas for dissemination.
MA Games Design enables the postgraduate student to focus on the creative aspects of the discipline. It provides a structure and vehicle for the development of personal approaches to creative ideas, appropriate to the level of study and based in research activity.
The course is for those individuals who wish to creatively question ‘industry norms’ and develop a personal area of investigation. To this end the course has a strong emphasis on personal exploration which it is hoped will bring together new ideas and theories within accepted common practice.
The course provides an opportunity for individuals to further their aspirations through research and reflection in a selected area of their discipline. This is enabled by access to a broad range of staff and material that can encourage and support this exploration and enhance the individual’s creativity. This will enable them to make insightful and unique contributions to their field of study.
It is a core feature that within the courses academic structure there is opportunity to accommodate the broad range of proposals expected from potential students. This type of course is particularly suited to professional practitioners wishing to pursue a sustained period of time developing new ideas, and recent graduates wishing to focus their studies at an advanced level.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying for this course, our comprehensive How to Apply pages will guide you through the process. Here at UCLan, our aim is to encourage you to develop your potential and we offer a flexible approach to admissions, which reflects our commitment to all those who would benefit from our courses.
Applications can be made via our Online Application Form, please contact the course director at KJeffries@uclan.ac.uk with expressions of interest.
UCAS Code:
Institution code name: CLANC
Institution code: C30
Campus Site: U
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Fees and Finance
The standard fee for this course will be: £500 per module
For further information including the availability of bursaries/scholarships or student financial support please view our Fees and Finance pages.
Accommodation
There is a wide range of high quality student accommodation to students, close to the UCLan Preston campus.
Study Support
UCLan offers a comprehensive range of support services to our students, ranging from study support through WISER, the student information centre, the ‘i’, and the UCLan Students’ Union, and support for international students. In addition, there are local support services within certain academic schools.
In addition, Flying Start is a great free service on offer to new students before they begin their studies to help prepare them for student life at UCLan.
Students with Disabilities/Learning Difficulties
The University is concerned to provide an educational experience of the highest quality for students with disabilities/learning difficulties. We strongly recommend you contact us before applying to find out if we can offer you the support you need. We are always pleased to hear from those enquiring about or applying to the University. Tel: 01772 892593 (telephone/text phone) for advice.
International Applications
We welcome applications from international students for full-time study and the application procedure previously described should be used. Forms and literature on studying in the United Kingdom are available from the British Council offices or British Embassies throughout the world. You can also find lots of information about living and studying in the UK on the British Council's website www.educationuk.org
Students’ union
Find out more about the UCLan Students’ Union.
More about UCLan
Find out more information about studying at UCLan.
About Preston
Preston is a student-friendly, lively city in the heart of North West England, close to Manchester and Liverpool, and with London just over two hours away by train. Find out more about the city.
Contact Details
Course Enquiries
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1772 892400
Email: cenquiries@uclan.ac.uk
Visit us
You are welcome to see the University and all it has to offer at one of our Open Days which run throughout the year. However, if you would like to visit the University independently, you are welcome to join one of our regular Campus Tours. For more information about both, ask for Advancement Services on 01772 201201 or book online at www.uclan.ac.uk/opendays/.
