University of Lincoln
MSc Games Development

Lincoln, United Kingdom

DEGREE TYPE

MSc

DURATION

1 year

LANGUAGES

English

PACE

Full time

APPLICATION DEADLINE

EARLIEST START DATE

STUDY FORMAT

On-Campus

* most of our postgraduate courses have no specific closing date for applications. Please allow enough time for your application to be considered prior to the start date. If you are an international student you may need to factor in time for your visa application. We would advise you to apply as soon as possible

Key Summary

About : The MSc in Games Development is designed for those passionate about creating, designing, and programming video games. This course covers essential programming languages and game engines, equipping students with the skills needed to thrive in the gaming industry. It's a full-time course lasting one year, aiming to combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice.

Career Outcomes : Graduates can pursue various roles in the gaming industry, including game developer, game designer, and software engineer. With a strong foundation in game programming and design, students are well-prepared for careers in both large studios and independent game development.

MSc Games Development and Design is designed to build on students' existing computer programming skills, providing them with the knowledge and expertise to develop contemporary video games using a variety of advanced tools and platforms such as virtual reality.

Industry context is an important aspect of this program, and students can study game design topics that are applicable to working within the sector and to independent game creation, as well as familiarise themselves with research techniques that are appropriate for further postgraduate study.

The course is informed by the work and research of academic staff who specialize in games, with a combination of industry experience and research backgrounds in relevant areas. This environment provides a rich source of inputs and perspectives, as well as many opportunities for constructive and creative multidisciplinary interactions.

Guest speakers from games companies and other related areas contribute to the Frontiers of Games Research module. This is designed to help students develop industry perspectives, and better prepare them for employment or further study.

Research Informed

Students in the School of Computer Science are taught by academics with specialist experience in areas including computer vision and medical imaging, autonomous systems and robotics, cloud computing, data science, and games computing.

The School of Computer Science's highly active research centers is focused on world-leading developments in computer vision, robotics and autonomous systems, and agri-food technologies, with strong links to many industrial collaborators and other universities around the world. We aim to incorporate as much of our research as possible into our taught curriculum and we provide students with opportunities to get involved in our exciting cutting-edge research activity.

Special Features

At Lincoln, we constantly invest in our campus as we aim to provide the best learning environment for our students. Whatever the area of study, the University strives to ensure students have access to specialist equipment and resources, to develop the skills, they may need in their future careers.

Technical resources for Computer Science include research facilities and laboratories, workstations with full development software platforms, and a range of equipment for loan including, Oculus Quest and other VR platforms, smartphones, and robots.

Prioritising Face-to-Face Teaching

At the University of Lincoln, we strive to ensure our students’ experience is engaging, supportive, and academically challenging. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, we have adapted to Government guidance to keep our students, staff, and community safe. All remaining Covid-19 legal restrictions in England were lifted in February 2022 under the Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19, and we have embraced a safe return to in-person teaching on campus. Where appropriate, face-to-face teaching is enhanced by the use of digital tools and technology and may be complemented by online opportunities where these support learning outcomes.

We are fully prepared to adapt our plans if changes in Government guidance make this necessary, and we will endeavour to keep current and prospective students informed.

"This information was correct at the time of publishing (October 2024)"

How You Study

This course comprises a range of core modules, including Advanced Programming; Virtual and Augmented Reality for Games; Frontiers of Games Research, Prototyping, and Evaluation for Games; Advanced Graphics; and Games Design Methods and Approaches. Students can also select from a number of optional modules covering a range of specialist subject areas.

The Research Methods module is designed to cover the fundamental skills and background knowledge needed to undertake research in this area. Students are then able to undertake a substantial research project focusing on an area of particular personal and professional interest, through substantive software implementation and the development of a dissertation.

The postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class students are expected to spend at least two to three hours in an independent study.

For more detailed information, please contact the program leader.

Modules

Advanced Programming (Core)
Frontiers of Games Research (Core)
Prototyping and Evaluation for Games (Core)
Research Methods (MSc Computer Science) (Core)
Research Project (Core)
Virtual and Augmented Reality for Games (Core)
Advanced Artificial Intelligence (Option)†
Advanced Machine Learning (Option)†
Advanced Software Engineering (Option)†
Cloud Development (Option)†
Advanced Graphics (Core)
Game Design Methods and Approaches (Core)
Cross-Platform Development (M) (Option)†
Cyber Security (M) (Option)†

† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.

How You Are Assessed

Students on the program may be assessed through a variety of means, including in-class tests, coursework, projects, and examinations.

The final stage research project enables students to further specialize and complete a piece of work of significant complexity.

The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly - usually within 15 working days of the submission date.