Game Programming MSc

Program Overview

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Game Programming MSc

Get the edge in the highly competitive games industry.

Key Details

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

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 Gaming Programming course will help you to become a confident game developer who can deliver compelling play experiences.

Working with artists and designers in a studio environment that mirrors the industry, you’ll experiment with cutting-edge technologies and game programming techniques. You’ll learn technical, creative and professional skills from experienced game developers and researchers. You’ll also benefit from our industry connections and insights – several of our graduates have founded successful indie game studios.

Study at Falmouth:

• Develop an imaginative approach to problem-solving, complementing your technical expertise and other highly sought-after transferable skills
• Learn from game developers with experience spanning experimental gameplay, human-computer interaction, graphics and simulation, distributed systems, analytics, artificial intelligence, procedural content generation, physical computing and digital creativity
• Be encouraged to explore your unique creative voice and experiment freely with new technologies
• Undertake cutting-edge research under the supervision of subject matter specialists

Course Details

Study Block One

• Development Practice: You’ll deepen your knowledge of game development practices. Working in interdisciplinary teams and employing specialist skills such as C++ programming and git versioning practices, you’ll devise small-scale artefacts. You’ll also carry out a personal reflective case study that will help to enrich and expand your practice. (30 credits)
• Digital Games Technology: Develop your knowledge of mathematics and the technology underpinning digital games by experimenting with low-level graphics APIs, such as OpenGL, to recreate the classics or demake modern titles. (30 credits)

Study Block Two

• Advanced Game Programming: Make use of industry-standard engines, such as Unreal 5, to implement original and compelling gameplay experiences using advanced game programming techniques. (30 credits)
• Game Development Project: Work in a simulated studio environment in multidisciplinary teams – formed of artists, designers and programmers – to rapidly take a game idea from initial concept to a working demonstration that you can pitch for further funding. (30 credits)

Study Block Three

• Major Project: Pursue your own practice-based or empirical research and development efforts under the supervision of a subject-matter specialist. Many choose to situate this work in the game development project they commenced in the previous study block, in an effort to commercially publish their game. (60 credits)

How You'll Learn & Be Assessed

How You'll Learn

• With regularly timetabled support sessions from our course team and access to our studio throughout, you’ll be able to produce games to a high standard, learning to collaborate effectively as a member of a game development team as well as to conduct cutting-edge research and development.
• You'll learn through:
  • Demonstrations
  • Studio practice
  • Project supervision
  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Practical workshops
  • Crit sessions
  • Tutorials
  • Guest speakers
  • Mentoring

How You'll Be Assessed

• Assessment is 100% coursework, with the learning situated in an environment that mirrors industry, helping to prepare you for what it’s like in a real game studio.
• Assessments are composed of practical activities underpinned by critical analyses of the workflows and practices applied in the module to further support your learning.

Facilities

• Modern i7 machines
• Specialised computing hardware for deep learning projects
• Standard software used in the games industry, including Adobe and Autodesk suites
• Access to free software
• Access to AR/VR technologies

Staff

• The Game Programming course is part of Falmouth’s Games Academy, one of the largest dedicated game development studio spaces of any UK university.
• You'll learn from industry experts with years of experience across game development disciplines.

Careers

• As a graduate of this Game Programming master’s course, your career could progress into roles such as:
  • Game / Gameplay Programmer
  • Tools Programmer
  • Game Designer
  • Systems Designer
  • AI Programmer
  • Software Developer
  • Technical Director
  • Entrepreneur
  • Researcher / Further study

How to Apply

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

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

• £10,200 per year – full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees)
• £19,950 per year – full-time EU/international (£500-£2,500 acceptance fee payable depending upon your status. This is deducted from tuition fees)

Typical Course Costs

• 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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Game Programming MSc

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Degree Overview:

This MSc program equips aspiring game programmers with the technical expertise and creative skills to confidently deliver compelling game experiences.

• Master industry-standard game programming methodologies.
• Rapidly transform game ideas into playable demonstrations.
• Gain the expertise to contribute to the development of new algorithms and extensions.
• Gain the transferrable skills for the games industry and software engineering in other domains.

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Learning environment:

• Studio environment that mirrors the industry
• Collaboration with artists and designers
• Access to cutting-edge technologies and simulation platforms
• Guidance from experienced game developers and leading researchers

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Outline:

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Program Structure:

The program comprises three study blocks, each focusing on distinct aspects of game development:

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Study Block One:

• Development Practice: Deepen your knowledge of game development practices, working in interdisciplinary teams and employing industry-standard tools like C++ and git versioning.

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Study Block Two:

• Advanced Game Programming: Utilize industry-standard engines like Unreal 5 to implement innovative gameplay mechanics and compelling experiences.
• Game Development Project: Work in a simulated studio environment, collaborating with artists, designers, and programmers to bring a game idea to life.

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Study Block Three:

• Major Project: Pursue your own research and development efforts, potentially focusing on commercially publishing the game from the previous block.

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Modules:

• Development Practice (30 credits)
• Digital Games Technology (30 credits)
• Advanced Game Programming (30 credits)
• Game Development Project (30 credits)
• Major Project (60 credits)

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Assessment:

Assessment is entirely coursework-based, mirroring industry practices and preparing you for a real-world game studio environment. Assessments involve practical activities supported by critical analyses of workflows and practices.

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Teaching:

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Learning methods:

• Demonstrations
• Studio practice
• Project supervision
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Practical workshops
• Crit sessions
• Tutorials
• Guest speakers
• Mentoring

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Faculty:

Experienced industry professionals with expertise across various game development disciplines.

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Unique approaches:

• Focus on creative problem-solving and innovative thinking.
• Integration of cutting-edge technologies and research into the curriculum.
• Simulated studio environment for immersive learning.

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Careers:

The program equips graduates for various roles within the games industry:

• Game/Gameplay Programmer
• Tools Programmer
• Game Designer
• Systems Designer
• AI Programmer
• Software Developer
• Technical Director
• Entrepreneur
• Researcher
The program also provides access to industry connections and insights, with many graduates founding their own studios or achieving success through the UK Games Fund with support from the University's Employability Service.

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Other:

• The course is part of the Falmouth University Games Academy, one of the largest dedicated game development studios in the UK.
• Graduates have a strong track record of success in the industry and achieving commercial viability with their projects.
• The program provides opportunities for further research and development within the field of game programming.

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Tuition fees 2024-25 £10,200 per year – full-time UK (£250 acceptance fee payable. This is deducted from tuition fees) £19,950 per year – full-time EU/international (£500-£2,500 acceptance fee payable depending upon your status. This is deducted from tuition fees) Tuition fees for September 2025 will be confirmed in summer 2024. Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs