MA Game Art
Course details
Year of entry
2024
Duration
1 YR (FT)
Institution Code
G53
Location
Wrexham
Course Highlights
Study
at a multi-UK-award winning games development centre (UK Games Academic of the Year 2020, Student Hero Award 2020 – Grads in Games).
Demand
for conceptual designers, character and environment artists, technical artists, game designers and consultants in one the fastest growing industries in the creative digital sector.
Designed
to take skills to a level required to access higher game art and design positions within studios, and develop advanced reflective practice and entrepreneurial skills needed to progress in the modern games and digital media industry.
Why choose this course?
The MA Game Art course is designed to take character workflow, asset creation and environment design skills to a level required to access higher game art and design positions within studios, along with developing the advanced reflective practice and entrepreneurial skills needed to progress in the modern games and digital media industries.
- Benefit from interdisciplinary research projects and collaboration to help take your skills to the next level.
- We have close industry engagement with regular visits and guest speakers as part of an integrated programme of presentations, discussion groups and social events.
- Through our unique Business Accelerator initiative, we deliver industry standard theory and practice, allowing students to gain valuable entrepreneurial skills along with the management of a game studio.
- We work with organisations such as Games Wales, BAFTA Cymru and the British Computing Society, to ensure that our students always have access to cutting edge industry-related training and knowledge.
Key course features
- Regular engagement with games and creative digital industry representatives through guest lectures, seminars and local & national events.
- Further enhance your creative design skills with emphasis on characters, game assets environments.
- Develop strong entrepreneurial and business planning skills.
- You will be taught by a dedicated teaching team with professional industry backgrounds and experience.
- Work with the latest tools and technology in a specialist game development studio dedicated to design and production.
- Access our innovative Mentorship in Technology programme, where you can train to become a mentor and gain practical experience.
What you will study
Areas covered include advanced character and creature design along with professional 3D modelling & sculpting skills. Students will also enhance their knowledge of 3D topology and optimisation of assets, to ensure that the products and content they create are game-ready.
Students will also have the opportunity to work in multi-disciplinary teams, to analyse and design unique game prototypes that explore the impact of design decisions on user experience.
MODULES
- Character & Creature Production
- Dynamic Environments & Surface Art
- 3D Design & Optimisation
- Game Analysis & Optimisation
- Games Enterprise & Management
- Post Graduate Study & Research Methods
- Dissertation (60 credits)
- Mentorship in Technology (Optional)
Entry requirements & applying
The standard entry requirement for this programme is an honours degree of at least 2:2 classification in a Games, Arts & Design or Computer Science related subject area, or equivalent in any science-based degree with a strong creative digital element.
Applicants with substantial commercial or industrial experience, or graduates coming from non-Computing backgrounds can be accepted, subject to interview and references.
Teaching & Assessment
Students are assessed in a variety of ways over the course of their postgraduate studies. The balance between the various forms of assessment is determined by the different aims and learning outcomes of the modules.
Assessment methods include the production of digital (and non-digital) games, design and pre-production documentation, academic papers, compiling and analysing data, giving presentations, writing strategic business plans, and producing 3D characters, environments and game assets.
Independent learning and reflective practice are an important component of all the modules, as it enables students to develop both their subject specific and key skills. Independent learning is promoted through the use of digital management tools such as Jira, and through written and oral feedback given to students.
We offer workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making and preparing for assignments. Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors dedicated to helping you deal with the practicalities of university work. Our student support section has more information on the help available.
Career prospects
Once you successfully complete the MA programme, your newly enhanced skills in character, environment and asset design, along with pre-production and digital sculpting, will qualify you to work in a variety of higher level roles within many mainstream creative digital industries.
Given the business and entrepreneurship skills acquired on the course, some postgraduates opt to start their own game studios with the support of our business incubation centre, as part of the Business Accelerator programme.
Our graduates have a good record of employment, forging successful careers as:
- Character/environmental artists
- Games technical artists/animators
- Level designers/developers
- Producers
- Scrum masters
Our Careers & Employability service is there to help you make decisions and plan the next steps towards a bright future. From finding work or further study to working out your interests, skills and aspirations, they can provide you with the expert information, advice and guidance you need.
Fees & funding
You do not have to pay your tuition fees upfront.
The fees you pay and the support available will depend on a number of different factors. Full information can be found on our fees & finance pages. You will also find information about what your fees include in the fee FAQs.
All fees are subject to any changes in government policy, view our postgraduate fees.
