Master of Science Games Design with Foundation Year

Graphic Design involves developing your individual skills as a professional designer from the moment you arrive at our purpose-built studios.

You’ll leave with a professional portfolio based on your own interests, an in-depth knowledge of graphic design software (Adobe Creative Cloud), tools (risograph printing, laser cutting and etching, screen printing) and interpersonal skills equipping you to succeed in a competitive industry.

Throughout the course you’ll put your skills to use working with practising designers completing live briefs and entering national competitions. To capitalise on your design work, you’ll learn business and entrepreneurial aspects of the industry through working with a professional design agency.

The course is taught in specialist graphic design studio spaces in the new Daphne Oram building where you will have access to industry-standard software and a range of art and design technologies. We encourage, and support you, to take on freelance commissions throughout the course.

Dr Kate McLean, an internationally renowned creative smellmap designer, leads a team of graphic design industry specialists who care about your passions, your interests and your work.

During the foundation year you'll develop academic skills and learn about core elements of games design, so you're prepared for studying a degree level.

Students on BA (Hons) Games Design are given a gaming laptop to ensure that they have the tools to design games while on and off campus. This helps students to play and study games, and many of our students play multiplayer games with their peers. The laptop is yours to keep at the end of the course.

uring Year 1, you'll develop the skills essential to games design, including a rapid introduction to coding and scripting, and games design software.

The academic year is split into two semesters. Semester 1 focuses on introducing new ideas and concepts such as games design tools, game histories and employment skills for creative careers. It is in the first semester where you'll be introduced to Game Maker Studio, Adobe Creative Suite software, the fundamentals of coding and scripting, and other games design tools.Semester 2 focuses on further developing the skills from the first semester, through making assets and prototypes and working on a student-led games design project. For this project, you'll follow a set brief which will detail the aims and objectives of the game produced, but you'll have the freedom to propose and create a game that you devise.