Course Overview

Whether you’re currently studying for a computing degree, are in the early stages of your career or want to re-train in this exciting field, this course will help you to become a confident game programmer who can deliver compelling play experiences. 

Learn technical, creative and professional skills from veteran game developers and world-leading researchers within a studio environment that mirrors the industry. Our award-winning Games Academy studio is ripe for collaboration and innovation. Learning from experienced games practitioners and working with artists and designers in a studio environment, you’ll experiment with cutting-edge technologies and game programming techniques. You’ll also benefit from our industry connections and insights; several of our graduates have seen great success with the UK Games Fund and found their indie game studios through career support from our employability service RealWORKS.

You will:

• Gain a Master of Science degree with a creative edge, helping you to stand out in a highly competitive sector by nurturing an imaginative approach to problem-solving – complementing your technical expertise and other highly sought-after transferable skills 

• Learn from experienced game developers with expertise spanning experimental gameplay, human-computer interaction, graphics and simulation, distributed systems, analytics, AI, procedural content generation, physical computing and digital creativity  

• Explore your unique creative voice and experiment freely with new technologies.  

• Undertake cutting-edge research under the supervision of subject-matter specialists  

• Work within a simulated studio environment in line with industry expectations. 

• Enhance your communication and collaboration skills through a team project with students and staff from other areas of games development 

• Acquire the industry knowledge to take a game from initial concept through to a pitch-ready demonstration 

• Develop your intellectual independence and potentially establish yourself as a technical innovator or pursue a new career pathway in research and development 

General Eligibility

We welcome applicants with varied qualifications, but typically you'll need an undergraduate degree. Our typical applicants hold an undergraduate degree of 2:2 or above or equivalent experience. 

We'll also welcome your application if you have formal or ''Certified''learning (such as training courses not run by universities or colleges) and learning from work experience or self-study. This is called Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) and should have been gained within the last five years and be equivalent to the learning outcomes of our minimum entry qualifications. 

Applicants should hold a Level 2 GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics. 

Part Time Work Details

Twenty hours of work permit weekly for international students.

Language Requirement

• If English isn't your first language, you'll need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for the successful completion of your studies. We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic minimum score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

  International applicants who require a student visa to study in the UK must take a recognised language test approved and vouched for by the University. Our Applicant Services Team can help with questions about study visas or suitable language tests.