Master of Art in Game Art

at Falmouth University - Penryn Campus United Kingdom

While you learn, you’ll be able to put these skills to the test on live projects with industry partners, creating technology with a purpose. By the time you graduate, you’ll be equipped with the skills and knowledge to bring new and exciting technologies to a range of different industries.

You will:

• Develop immersive experiences that have the power to fundamentally change the way we interact with technology.
• Collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams designed to simulate working in a way that connects to live research and industry partnerships.
• Graduate with a varied portfolio of VR and XR experiences.
• Work alongside a community of game artists, animators, designers and writers.
• Have the chance to be the first to market with new, interesting and disruptive technology.

You'll collaborate with other students in the Games Academy – from animators through to sound designers – to develop a multi-disciplinary approach with creativity at its heart. By the time you graduate, you'll be confident in pursuing a career in software development, in the games industry and beyond.

You will:

• Get under the hood of video game engines like Unity and Unreal while learning a range of programming languages like C#, Python, and C++
• Engage with the latest technologies, including procedural content generation, cloud systems and mixed reality to develop broadly transferable skills
• Blend art and science while developing teamwork and communication skills that are highly desired in the industry
• Develop an 'optimisation mindset' by learning to work within platform constraints
• Make games collaboratively with artists, animators, composers, designers, writers and other programmers

Through this highly practical two-year course, you’ll be equipped with the technical know-how to succeed in many diverse areas of the industry. Led by practicing experts, you’ll be empowered to take a creative, collaborative and proactive approach to your work. 

You will:

• Work in AMATA’s purpose-built professional studios and performance spaces. 
• Benefit from a year-round performance programme, which features respected artists from all over the world. 
• Learn from practicing technical and academic staff and work with skilled technicians. 
• Gain nationally recognised qualifications in equipment use, processes and health and safety. 
• Have the opportunity to interact with professional theatre and production companies, such as Kneehigh and WildWorks, as well as music festivals and producers, theatre venues and tourism events throughout Devon, Cornwall and beyond.

• Gain skills in fashion styling and creative direction from commercial to high-end conceptual fashion applications.
• Develop a knowledge and understanding of the entire fashion styling process, including a history of fashion and exploring the way that different cultural themes and issues are materialised in clothing and trends.
• Learn how to become a confident leader – managing teams and the expectations of senior crew and talent. 
• Learn self-management skills, such as budget control, scheduling and personal financial management as a freelance practitioner.
• Have access to facilities, such as industrial sewing machines and specialist construction equipment, our dye lab and our dress and textile archive, containing costume pieces from contemporary history.  

Guided by a team of industry professionals, expert academics and technical tutors, you'll learn about music composition, performance, recording, editing, mixing and mastering. You'll also hone skills in creating sound and music for a wide range of media, including game engines and interactive installations.

You will:

• Develop as an industry-ready artist with the creative, technical, academic and professional attributes needed to succeed
• Work in high-spec studio facilities with a range of digital and analogue hardware, software instruments and plug-ins and surround sound monitoring
• Access a wide range of industry-standard equipment including microphones, portable recorders, amps, synths, drum machines and controllers
• Collaborate with musicians, filmmakers, game designers, dancers, animators and designers on other Falmouth courses
• Work in a vibrant community of research-active lecturers with industry connections. Recent visitors include Ed O'Brien (Radiohead), James Young (Darkstar) and Professor Jonty Harrison (Electroacoustic composer)
• Grow in experience and skills through optional modules, industry placements, overseas study and/or starting your own company

This course is underpinned by intensive practical and collaborative work. You’ll explore every aspect of the creative process, from devising individual performances to directing and producing work with others. As a reflective practitioner, you’ll test the theories you learn in lectures through your own work, research and performances. 

You will:

• Benefit from AMATA’s year-round performance programme, which attracts top artists and performers.
• Build industry links through workshops, guest lectures and visits led by world-class companies such as Gecko Theatre, Kneehigh, Prodigal Theatre and The Young Vic .
• Learn to use our extensive range of technical sound, lighting and recording equipment. 
• Work with highly skilled and experienced practitioners, artists, academic staff and creative technicians. 
• Create and take part in a range of projects, including a major production at the AMATA Festival. 

You'll learn how different specialisms work together, how to work effectively in a team and to develop the role you play in it. These courses simulate how industry operates, in a studio environment that's built to mirror a real games development studio.

You will:

• Build your own games from day one and have the opportunity to establish your own company in your third year
• Work in one of the largest and best equipped dedicated game-making spaces of any university in the UK
• Work in a department dedicated to gaming and be surrounded by people working in all aspects of
  the industry
• Develop a multi-disciplinary approach, using Unity and Unreal to touch upon all aspects of game creation
• Have the flexibility to change your area of specialism based on your skills and interests

Find your passion and pursue it. Investigate, experiment and specialise in all forms and industries including poetry, literature, children's fiction, non-fiction, screenwriting and digital games. You'll gain practical experience with our partners in publishing, literary festivals and professional writing, learning valued critical and technical skills.

You will:

• Design and run a student-led collaborative project as part of your third year. Previous projects have included producing illustrated anthologies, sitcoms and podcasts while working in collaboration with schools, charities and businesses
• Attend our guest lecture series, where you'll build relationships and contacts within all facets of the literary world.
• Participate in literary events, such as The London Book Fair and the North Cornwall Book Festival.
• Take inspiration from The Lighthouse (pictured above) – the glorious workspace at the heart of our community – which hosts everything from skills and craft workshops to board game sessions, literary quizzes and poetry readings
• Contribute your own work to Falwriting: our student-led online magazine
• Use our state-of-the-art Soundhouse and edit suites to record audience-ready productions.

Falmouth is one of only a few UK universities to offer a bespoke drawing degree and is the ideal location to grow your skills and critical and contextual understanding of this exciting field of practice.

You will:

• Work in our purpose-built, dedicated suite of studios with like-minded peers where you can engage in critical discussions and student-led debates
• Engage with Cornwall's unique landscape and heritage
• Study a variety of approaches and processes to the discipline, including life drawing, printmaking, etching, digital methods and the moving image
• Have the opportunity to take part in a range of informative study visits
• Have opportunities to go on a work placement in your second year and make industry connections while exploring the practical applications of drawing in professional contexts
• Have the chance to exhibit your work throughout your degree. Previous spaces have included Trelissick House, Wheal Martyn Clay Works, Gallery Tresco, R.K. Burt Paper Gallery and ShelterBox Truro

You'll benefit from the collaborative environment at AMATA, where you'll have the opportunity to work with students from multiple disciplines and gain access to world-class dance studios, as well as practice and performance spaces.

You will:

• Develop your physical and technical skills, as well as performance and choreographic capabilities, while engaging with dance histories, theories and contexts
• Build industry links through workshops, guest lectures and visits from celebrated international practitioners such as Company Chameleon, Ballet Lorent and Siobhan Davies
• Benefit from AMATA's year-round performance programme, which attracts top artists and performers from all over the world
• Learn to utilise our extensive range of technical sound, lighting and recording equipment, to enable and realise your production ideas and visions