Game Art MA

Program Overview

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Game Art MA

Overview

The Game Art MA at Falmouth University is designed for artists with a passion for games. The program helps students develop their skills to meet the challenges of the games industry. Students work on individual game art projects and within multi-skilled teams to create innovative and arresting art for games.

Key Details

• Location: Penryn Campus
• Course duration: 1 year
• Attendance: Full-time

Course Overview

The program helps nurture students' creativity as they collaborate with like-minded artists in an inspired and focused studio environment. Students learn to produce game art to a high standard, collaborating effectively as a member of a game development team and conducting cutting-edge research and development independently.

Modules

Study Block One

• Development Practice
  • Deepen knowledge of game development practice by working in interdisciplinary teams, employing specialist skills to devise small-scale artefacts.
  • Carry out a personal reflective case study that will help to enrich and expand practice.
  • (30 credits)
• Concepts and Contexts
  • Focus on the processes and techniques used in the visual development of games.
  • Explore methods and tools that can help in the development of a compelling visual concept.
  • Research and prepare a proposal for a set of visual concepts while exploring different workflows and methods used within the industry.
  • (30 credits)

Study Block Two

• Crafting and Refining
  • Cultivate key analytical and research skills to enhance craft and practice as a game artist.
  • Explore differing workflows and methods across a range of disciplines, which will help take a divergent, creative and critical approach.
  • (30 credits)
• Game Development Project
  • Design a game based on an original concept.
  • Implement, play test, and refine a working prototype of the game.
  • This process will help to enrich knowledge of rules and parameters in structuring the game and its gameplay.
  • (30 credits)

Study Block Three

• Major Project
  • Work on a major research and development project.
  • Under the guidance of a supervisor, work in teams or individually to devise, develop and execute the project.
  • Can choose to build upon the material previously produced in other modules or develop a new concept.
  • The work produced for this module is expected to be fully realised, polished and of a publishable quality.
  • (60 credits)

Accolades and Awards

• Falmouth University's Games Academy was ranked in the Top 13 games schools worldwide and No.1 for Games Design in England, by the Princeton Review.
• Ranked in the 2024 Top Creative Schools by The Rookies.
• Proud to be an Academic Partner with Unreal Engine.

How You'll Learn & Be Assessed

• How You'll Learn:
  • Regularly timetabled support sessions from the course team and project supervision throughout.
  • Produce game art to a high standard, collaborating effectively as a member of a game development team and conducting cutting-edge research and development independently.
  • Gain stylistic and technical skills through practical, hands-on learning.
  • Including demonstrations, studio practice, project supervision, lectures, seminars, practical workshops, crit sessions, tutorials, guest speakers, and mentoring.
• How You'll Be Assessed:
  • Assessment for the Game Art MA is 100% coursework.
  • Learning is situated in an environment that mirrors the industry, helping to prepare for working in a game studio environment.
  • Assessments are composed of practical activities underpinned by critical analyses of the workflows and practices applied in the module to further support learning.

Facilities

• Modern i7 machines
• Specialised computing hardware
• Access to industry-standard hardware and software, including Adobe and Autodesk suites, Cintiqs and Intuos Pros.
• Access to AR/VR technologies, including Hololens, Hololens 2 and Meta Quest 3 & 2.
• A well-equipped life drawing room
• Dedicated space in a well-resourced game development studio, open late during term time

Staff

• Lee Montgomery
  • Course Leader
  • Joined Falmouth’s Games Academy as Course Leader for Game Art in 2021.
  • Prior to working in the education sector, Lee worked in the games industry for over 10 years.
• Phoebe Herring
  • Senior Lecturer
  • Joined Falmouth University as a lecturer in BA(Hons) Game Art after freelancing on a number of projects.
  • Phoebe has a strong background in game art and has worked on a number of AAA titles.
• William Pryn
  • Senior Lecturer, Games Academy
  • A veteran 3D artist always looking out for new adventures and exploring new realms of possibility using the latest technologies.

Careers

• Graduates could become character, concept or technical artists, pursue more specialist roles in areas such as UI, environment, cinematic or trailer art, or found their own startup games companies.

Entry Requirements

• 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.

Language Requirements

• If English isn’t your first language, you'll need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for successful completion of your studies.
• We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications that are 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.

Fees, Costs & Funding

• Tuition Fees:
  • £9,200 per year - full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees.)
  • £17,950 - full-time EU/international (£500-£2,500 acceptance fee payable depending upon your status. This is deducted from tuition fees)
• Typical Course Costs:
  • Adobe Creative Suite - you may be eligible for discounted licenses through Adobe's education pricing
  • £120 - suggested reading
  • To complete your coursework, you'll require a laptop at an expense of around £1,500. Read about the latest laptop specifications we recommend
  • £30-£150 for a headset with a microphone
  • £25-£100 for a webcam
  • Internet access with at least 5Mbps speed to enable livestreaming of content

Postgraduate Funding

• There are loans, awards, graduate discounts and alternative funding sources for postgraduate studies. Read about them on our Postgraduate Funding page.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

• The Game Art MA program aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to create innovative and captivating game art within a studio environment.
• It emphasizes collaboration, fostering a space where students can work alongside like-minded artists to develop their creative potential.
• The program welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds, including illustrators, fine artists, sculptors, graphic designers, and anyone passionate about the visual aspects of games.
• Upon completion, graduates will be industry-ready professionals with a comprehensive understanding of game art pipelines and the ability to contribute significantly to the field.

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Outline:

• Study Block One:
• Modules:
• Development Practice (30 credits) - Gain theoretical and practical knowledge about game development through teamwork and individual reflection.
• Concepts and Contexts (30 credits) - Focus on visual development processes and techniques using an iterative model, exploring tools and methods for compelling visual concepts.
• Study Block Two:
• Modules:
• Crafting and Refining (30 credits) - Elevate your artistic skills and explore diverse workflows and methods in various disciplines.
• Game Development Project (30 credits) - Design, develop, and playtest a working game prototype with interdisciplinary teams, applying knowledge of game rules and parameters.
• Study Block Three:
• Module:
• Major Project (60 credits) – Conduct an extensive research and development project individually or in teams, culminating in a fully realized and polished piece of work.

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Assessment:

• Assessment for the program is entirely coursework-based, mirroring the industry environment and preparing students for professional life.
• Assessments combine practical activities with critical analyses of workflows and practices used in each module.
• Regular feedback and guidance are provided by module leaders and supervisors to help students refine their artistic, technical, and academic skills.

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Teaching:

• The program provides a blend of teaching methods, including:
• Demonstrations
• Studio practice
• Project supervision
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Practical workshops
• Crit sessions
• Tutorials
• Guest speakers
• Mentoring
• The teaching team comprises industry leaders, professional artists, and game art practitioners, offering expertise from individuals who have worked on renowned titles.

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Careers:

• Graduates can pursue diverse career paths as character, concept, or technical artists.
• They can specialize in areas like UI, environment, cinematic, or trailer art.
• Opportunities also exist for founding their own game startup companies.

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Other:

• The program emphasizes industry-standard facilities and equipment, including:
• Modern i7 machines
• Specialized computing hardware
• Access to industry-standard software like Adobe and Autodesk suites, Cintiqs, and Intuos Pros.
• Access to AR/VR technologies like Hololens, Hololens 2, and Oculus Quest 2.
• A dedicated life drawing room

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Tuition fees 2024-25 £9,200 per year - full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees.) £17,950 - full-time EU/international (£500-£2,500 acceptance fee payable depending upon your status. This is deducted from tuition fees)