Whether you're an artist, a gamer, a programmer or a writer, or just someone who knows they have a brilliant idea, this highly project-driven course brings together the best minds in Computer Science, Product Design, Games Development, Art and Design, Creative Writing and Business Development.
Students on the Masters Degree in Games and Play (Technology and Culture) will be challenged to explore the upper limits of their creative potential, to prototype the interactive media and digital play experiences of tomorrow. Successful projects may be taken further using our industrial partners and funding opportunities to develop products for license or market.
This is a truly multidisciplinary Masters degree. With involvement from Computing and Technology, Arts and Humanities, Social Studies and Art and Design, it unlocks the full potential of study at Master's level.
The course is launched in anticipation of a very rapid expansion in the roles of gaming and play within our everyday lives, overtaking film and television as the main form of entertainment. Games and play touches all our lives, in the home, at work, and in the community, there is an ever increasing presence of interactive digital technologies and media for business and pleasure, for therapy, education and for community purposes. The demand for specialists and innovators is growing.
For course related enquiries contact
Russell Murray
Telephone: +44(0)115 848 3257
Please note the following information for applicants
The course looks at gaming and play in the broadest of their senses, taking into view the following rapidly evolving fields:
- Traditional computer gaming
- New interface dimensions (Wii, MS Kinect, gps, tilt, touch screen)
- The mini-games and app economy
- Computer recreations
- Social networking and writing
- Alternate and augmented reality games
- Round the table games and board games
- Creative play and games
- Playing with music and Interactive music
- Writing for interactive experiences
- Digital Toys
- Ubiquitous and ambient systems and play
- Serious games for Health, Wellbeing and Education
- Games as Art.
NTU, through the Centre for Contemporary Play, GameCity and the National Videogame Archive has long-standing connections and partnerships with local and national industry providing a foundation for professional partnerships and an opportunity to engage in practice professional for our students.
How do you study?
The general delivery of this course is that of a studio-based theatre of learning. Lectures are used to introduce concepts and knowledge, and seminars provide an opportunity for students to examine and develop an in-depth understanding through discussion. However, at this level there is a particular concern with the development of students as independent learners and the nature of these subjects requires that students develop the ability to apply concepts in practical situations. There is therefore a strong emphasis on seminars and workshops where staff can introduce working methods and demonstrate the use of technology. Students can explore technology; get formative feedback on their practical work and where the key issue of the link between theory and practice can be developed, by one-to-one discussion with tutors or on a group basis with the opportunity to test ideas by practical application.
Comprehensive teaching materials are available to support the learning process such as written information, recommended reading, tutorial questions and assessment tasks. Most of this is provided on NOW, the University's virtual learning room. This medium is the main channel for communication with students outside of face-to-face teaching and is central to being able to support students in independent learning activity.
It is a normal practice for external professional staff to contribute to learning material and to give lectures on a 'visiting faculty' basis. This strengthens the links with industry as well as providing the opportunity to bring students into contact with specific up to date, high quality expertise.
Assessment
The ethos of combining theory and practice is strongly reflected in the nature of assessments. These are coursework based, usually requiring students to undertake practical work, which may simulate a real-world problem, together with research and critical evaluation in order to demonstrate the link between theory and practice. A learning contract is provided to students and care is taken to provide students with timely and constructive feedback.
Students are expected, either individually, or in teams, to identify and pursue a project through to realisation. Assessment is then based on the outcome of the project, measured against two criteria. The first criterion is the ability of the student to have identified and set appropriate goals, and so is relative to the ambition of the student, the second is a more "absolute" appraisal, where the outcome is judged against national standards, and industry expectations.
The programme incorporates the Main Project module that integrates the knowledge base of all the taught modules. It enables students to develop highly specialised knowledge and research skills and to demonstrate a wide range of postgraduate qualities including critical awareness of current problems, critical evaluation, creativity, self-direction, project management and originality.
Assessment is coordinated between modules to ensure diversity. General criteria for assessment are published in the Programme Handbook and module specific criteria in module handbooks. These are guided by the University and School statements on levels of achievement and defined in each module by specific learning outcomes.
The field of Games and Play is rapidly expanding with career opportunities opening up at many levels. After graduating from this programme, students will be equipped with the technical, creative and professional skills to find employment in the industry
Through regional and national partners, industry and community commissioned projects, and the potential offered by showcasing you work at the annual GameCity Festival and GameCity Nights event, you will have ready-made network of contacts in the field.
In addition, those who wish to continue their academic study at PhD level will have had a thorough grounding in research methodologies and the history and context of the filed.
Click the Apply online button at the top of the page to complete your application.
Click the Apply online button at the top of the page to complete your application.
