Games Design MA
University for the Creative Arts
Key Course Facts
Student Reviews
Below you can see course specific reviews of 425 graduates of Games Design MA and other courses in Design Studies at University for the Creative Arts for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Design Studies.
Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.
All Design Studies courses of University for the Creative Arts
Salary
Salary of Graduates in Design Studies
Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Design Studies at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.
15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
---|---|---|---|
Median salary | £21000 | £20500 | £25000 |
25-75 percentile range | £18000 - £25000 | £15500 - £25000 | £18000 - £31000 |
All Design Studies courses of University for the Creative Arts
Salary of all UK Graduates of Design Studies
15 months after graduation | 3 years after graduation | 5 years after graduation | |
---|---|---|---|
Median salary | £22025 | £20113 | £23568 |
25-75 percentile range | £19981 - £25071 | £15144 - £24676 | £17604 - £29974 |
All Design Studies courses in the UK
Course Description
Explore different perspectives on game-play, develop compelling and exciting new work and expand your understanding of the games of tomorrow on UCA's MA Games Design degree course.
This course will challenge you to investigate the context of contemporary games and games culture and examine audience engagement, while also considering games in other contexts. This includes Applied Games (also known as Serious Games), as well as research, education and healthcare, together with how games can inform other creative disciplines like film and architecture.
We want you to apply your skills beyond just creating entertainment, to explore other areas such as avant-garde and games with a purpose. You'll expand your knowledge of game mechanics of interaction and immersion, employ new technologies and creative approaches (such as Expanded Reality - XR), and build on your existing digital design and technical skills. We will also encourage you to take part in UCA Game Jams and to attend external events and festivals.
You will be taught in outstanding studios, with dedicated industry hardware and software. You will also have access to VR development facilities, allowing your games to be deployed to a variety of platforms, and have access to our unique library of consoles, PCs, board and card games.
Delivering the course is a team of lecturers with experience in games development and related creative and research fields. You will also benefit from talks by visiting lecturers from high-profile gaming companies and backgrounds.
The South East of England, where UCA Farnham is located, is home to a significant proportion of the UK games industry – including Rocksteady Studios, Supermassive Games, EA, Rebellion, Fireproof Games, nDreams, Two Point Studios, Gears For Breakfast, Supergonk, Failbetter Games and Weather Factory – offering many opportunities for off-site visits and trips, games networking events and other cross-course activities.
The campus is only 20 minutes away from Guildford – dubbed the Hollywood of computer games – and just 55 minutes from London – a stone's throw from two of the three largest games industry hubs in the UK, as well as up-and-coming Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) industry. Studying so close to Guildford and London will also give you access to the UK’s largest technology incubation and games industry start-ups.
Jobs & Career Perspectives
15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.
All Design Studies courses of University for the Creative Arts
Current jobs
All courses of University for the Creative Arts
Required skill level of job after 15 months
All Design Studies courses of University for the Creative Arts
Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)
Example below based on all graduates of Games Design MA at University for the Creative Arts
15% | Administrative occupations |
13% | Web and Multimedia Design Professionals |
12% | Managers, directors and senior officials |
9% | Information Technology Professionals |
8% | Artistic, literary and media occupations |
7% | Business and public service associate professionals |
7% | Skilled trades occupations |
3% | Artistic, literary and media occupations |
3% | Elementary occupations |
3% | Business and public service associate professionals |
Entry Requirements / Admissions
UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for Design Studies
All Design Studies courses of University for the Creative Arts
Costs
Tuition Fees Games Design MA
EU | £17500 | year 1 |
---|---|---|
International | £17500 | year 1 |
England UK | £10500 | year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £10500 | year 1 |
Scotland | £10500 | year 1 |
Wales | £10500 | year 1 |
Average student cost of living in the UK
Rent | £518 |
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) | £50 |
Supermarket shopping | £81 |
Clothing | £35 |
Eating out | £33 |
Alcohol | £27 |
Takeaways / food deliveries | £30 |
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) | £24 |
Holidays and weekend trips | £78 |
Transport within city | £17 |
Self-care / sports | £20 |
Stationary / books | £13 |
Mobile phone / internet | £13 |
Cable TV / streaming | £7 |
Insurance | £51 |
Other | £95 |
Average student cost of living | £1092 |
London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.
University Rankings
Positions of University for the Creative Arts in top UK and global rankings.
See all 7 university rankings of University for the Creative Arts
About University for the Creative Arts
The University for the Creative Arts is specifically dedicated to art and design subjects, and has campuses in Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, and Rochester, as well as teaching bases at other institutions such as the Royal School of Needlework and the Maidstone Studios.
List of 285 Bachelor and Master Courses from University for the Creative Arts - Course Catalogue
Student composition of University for the Creative Arts
-
Total number of students enrolled at University for the Creative Arts by level Academic year 2021/22 - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
- undergraduates:
- 5895
- postgraduates:
- 1140
- Total:
- 7035
-
Number of students enrolled in courses of subject “Computer Games”: Academic year - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
Where is this programme taught
Similar courses
Program | University | Student satisfaction | Unemployed | Dropout | Tuition (UK) | Tuition (International) | UCAS Tariff | City | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Computer Games Development (Foundation Entry) MComp (Hons) | University of Central Lancashire | - | - | - | £9250 | - | - | Preston | On campus Full-time | |
Computer Science (High-Performance Graphics and Games Engineering) MEng (Hons) | University of Leeds | - | - | - | - | - | - | Leeds | On campus Full-time | |
Games Development (Programming) MSc | Kingston University | - | - | - | £9860 | £16200 | - | Kingston upon Thames | On campus Full-time | |
Games Design MA | University for the Creative Arts | - | - | - | £10500 | £17500 | - | Canterbury | On campus Full-time | |
Computer Games MSc | University of Essex | - | - | - | £11550 | £22400 | - | Colchester | On campus Part-time | |
Computer Science for Games Programming MSc | University of Hull | - | - | - | £11550 | £12000 | - | Hull | On campus Full-time | |
Games Development (Design) MA | Kingston University | - | - | - | £5423 | £8910 | - | Kingston upon Thames | On campus Part-time | |
Computer Games Development MComp (Hons) | University of Central Lancashire | - | - | - | £9250 | - | - | Preston | On campus Full-time | |
Computer Game Development MSc (PG) | Wrexham Glyndwr University | - | - | - | £2975 | - | - | Wrexham | On campus Part-time | |
Computer Games Technology MSc | University of Abertay Dundee | - | - | - | - | - | - | Dundee | On campus Part-time |