MA Games Enterprise
The MA Games Enterprise is an innovative course that will give you the opportunity to develop artistic, design, technical, production and enterprise skills. It builds upon the existing successful teaching at undergraduate degree level within this subject area that has produced award-winning game developers, SMEs, artists, and designers.
The Games Enterprise masters is aimed at those who wish to expand their existing skills and develop their practise within an environment that functions as a small development company, but who also wishes to tailor their learning to their own specialism. Using proven industry simulation techniques and collaborative practices, this course emulates team-based activity as used within the industry.
As part of becoming a video game making master, you will develop several game projects that have robust documentation, detailed business strategy and, of course, a game to be proud of.
See student and graduate work at via our social media platforms; @USWgames on Twitter, USWgames on Youtube and USWgames on itch.io.
In 2020, the Games courses at USW have been ranked amongst the top 20 Game Design & Development Schools in the world by the International CG organisation "The Rookies" (formerly The CG Student Awards), who have also officially accredited the University of South Wales as a Certified School.
Follow USW’s Creative Industries activities on USW Creative Instagram and USW Creative Twitter.
USW ranked Top 25 in the UK for Design and Crafts, Guardian League Table 2021.
| Study Mode
2023 |
Duration | Start Date | Campus | Campus Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 1 Year | September | Cardiff (ATRiuM) | B |
| Part-time | 2 Years | September | Cardiff (ATRiuM) | B |
| Study Mode
2024 |
Duration | Start Date | Campus | Campus Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 1 Year | September | Cardiff (ATRiuM) | B |
| Part-time | 2 Years | September | Cardiff (ATRiuM) | B |
The MA Games Enterprise course will push students to develop their practice as games developers - analytical, artistic, conceptual, design, entrepreneurial, reflective, and technical areas are explored. The use of a wide range of software tools for development and project management is encouraged, which will also facilitate the capturing of developmental evidence for research and development journals and reflection.
Selection of modules include:
• Games Innovation Gauntlet
• Creative Entrepreneurship
• Exploration & Innovation
• Games Specialisation
• End Game
Teaching
The MA Games Enterprise course will be taught through a variety of seminars, discussions, and presentations. With a focus on active and practice-based learning, using live projects and collaboration.
You will study through a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and project supervision. Guest speakers from within the industry will enhance your experience – these might be from within the areas of design, programming, development or enterprise.
Towards the end of the course you will produce a final game with accompanying documentation that exemplifies the design process, play testing and evaluation, promotion and enterprise and, in addition, may have opportunities to showcase your work towards publishing your final game.
Enthusiasm for the industry is essential at every stage and throughout the course; professional industry practice will need to be mirrored in attitude and production.
All staff are active in research, consultancy, or employed within the games industry.
Assessment
To ensure you have the skills to cope in the industry, we assess you through presentations, development journals, reflective, writing project outputs, reports and research projects, providing regular feedback as you progress through the course.
Facilities
Our students benefit from several industry-standard games labs. These provide access to common game engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity 3D, and tools such as Adobe CS, Maya, 3DS Max, Substance and ZBrush along with other more specialist software packages.
Our games labs have been configured to support the latest technologies such as VR and our PC’s have plenty of RAM, graphics cards, SSD boot drives, and secondary storage to handle your creative ambitions. Many of our computers come equipped with ultra-wide monitors too, excellent for improving your productivity and workflow.
Students are able to access lab computers remotely if working off camps and will have access to UniApps which can also allow access to software licences off campus.
We are investing in the future of gaming with our recent purchases of several Vive and Oculus Rift VR kits, some of which can be borrowed. We also have games controllers, graphics tablets, Cintiq screens, a 3D scanner, retro consoles, and our stand-up arcade cabinet containing 100s of classic games. Plus, access to Vicon MoCap, Green Screen, Sound Studios and 3D printing, for which bespoke training can be arranged.
To support your creative use of gaming tech we have an extensive catalogue of games related books and online ebooks within our library, where you can learn the secrets of being a successful video game maker.
Lecturers
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Richard Hurford, course leader
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Lloyd Jones
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Dann Rees
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Corrado Morgana
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Jackson Rolls-Gray
We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
An Honours degree in a related field and/or substantial professional experience in a related field.
You will be expected to have some experience of design, development and production processes, such as asset production, level design, programming or enterprise/production activity. You will be interviewed and expected to bring along a portfolio of work.
Equivalent accredited international qualifications are acceptable. International students need to supply a CD or DVD of their work, or a link to their personal website, to evidence their ability. Commitment to study will be considered. Where possible, video-conferencing, Skype or other communication will be used to contact you.
English requirements
The course welcomes international applicants and requires an English level of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component or equivalent.
However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details.
International Students will be expected to have English to IELTS 6.0 or equivalent. For students not at this level, a range of intensive English courses recognised by UKBA are available at USW. These must be completed prior to entry on the Award.
More information on our intensive English courses.
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.
August 2023 - July 2024 Fees
Full-time UK: £9500
Full-time International: £14950
Part-time UK: £1055 per 20 credits
August 2024 - July 2025 Fees
Full-time UK: TBC
Full-time International: TBC
Part-time UK: TBC
Student Perks
At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.
Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.
Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.
Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Funding
Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs
Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.
USW Postgraduate 20% Alumni Discount 2023/24
The University of South Wales is offering a 20% reduction in tuition fees for all University of South Wales* graduates starting a taught/online*** MA,MSc, LLM,MBA or DBA course from September 2023 (this includes students starting a course in January/February 2024). T's and Cs apply. Click here for more details and eligibility criteria: USW Postgraduate Alumni Discount 2023/24
Successful graduates will be in a position to apply for roles within games development and also have the skills and knowledge to be able to set up their own start-up companies.
Our graduates have gone on to work for companies Activision, Ubisoft, Rockstar North, Codemasters, TT Games, Cloud Imperium, Tiny Rebel Games, Fictioneers, Kwalee, Supermassive Games, Auroch Digital, Run Wild Entertainment, Bonsai Collective, SEGA Amusements, Party Llama Games, Breach VR, Thud Media, Cloth Cat Animation, and Painting Practice
Some have started up their own companies like Mochi Mode, Ironsmith Studios, Big Brain Games and others have gone on to work as freelancers or in games education.
Our students have also had success in graduate completions like Tranzfuser and obtaining IDGA scholarships.
Graduates can also progress to a PhD or research degree.
Our Careers and Employability Service
As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.
This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.
Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.
Our Cardiff Campus is right in the city centre – the perfect home for our creative industries students. We’ve just finished a new phase of campus investment and development, so we can offer even more specialist facilities.
It’s the community and friendships you’ll build that make this place special. Outside your studies you can experience our amazing sport facilities and Students’ Union.
Living in Halls is a great way to meet new people and make friends. We have high quality accommodation in Treforest, Cardiff and Newport.