Master of Design in Games Design and Development

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

Energy – based on fossil fuels and, increasingly, renewables – is an essential component of our existence. The cost, availability and efficient utilisation of energy are increasingly strong focal points in the strategies of governments world-wide, as they realise that the 'raw material' for most of the energy used today has a finite life.

Large industries and small households alike depend on a reliable provision of energy. Energy includes not only electricity, but also heat and transportation. The course will make you aware of the relationship between demand and supply of energy, a relationship that consists of much more than its technical component. It includes political, economic and social issues and has to be viewed on a global as well as a local scale with respect to energy provision, consumption and the costs it might incur – both in the monetary as well as environmental terms.

We have seen countries go to war over energy supplies and we can see the effect of our energy consumption on the global climate. The concept of sustainable energy moves into focus as the finite nature of our main element in our current energy chain of supply – fossil fuel – becomes more obvious. The Paris Treaty is just one example of international and national policy actions which have subsequent implications for legislation affecting industries and communities.

We try to reflect the broad range of disciplines covering energy in this multi-disciplinary degree, which offers courses relevant to energy resources, power generation, process engineering, environmental legislation and environmental impact assessment, energy in buildings, as well as business courses in collaboration with the Edinburgh Business School.

It is the aim of the Energy MSc/Diploma to provide a balanced, integrated course which will equip the participant with the tools needed to positively influence his/her organisation in to developing new business strategies relevant to 'energy', or in reacting to the growing portfolio of environmental legislation. The course is also supported by industrial suppliers and users of energy, who are committed to an ethical environmental policy.

An optional project and dissertation in an engineering subject, which might be a company-specified topic or one selected by the participant, is also available.

We are ranked 5th in the UK for Town and Country Planning in the Complete University Guide 2021.

Studying urban planning and property development at Heriot-Watt prepares you for a professional career in real estate investment, development, or urban planning and design. It brings together theoretical, practical and policy content from both town planning and real estate.

Our Urban Planning and Property Development course combines real estate management with urban and regional planning and design to provide a broad knowledge of the sector. You will learn key field work skills in surveying, mapping and key research skills whilst learning core modules in statistics and data analysis. Cross disciplinary working helps students acquire a mutual understanding between professions.

Sandwich year:

• A sandwich year option is available, giving students the opportunity to spend one year in a paid placement before completing the final year of study.

Heriot-Watt University's Interpreting and Translating MSc degree is a twin-focus programme of study which will prepare you for an exciting, international career as a professional translator and interpreter in one or two of the following languages combined with English:

• Chinese
• French
• German
• Spanish

This specialist programme has been tailored to meet the needs of industry and will allow you to develop the ideal balance of theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Studying MSc Interpreting and Translation at Heriot-Watt University will give you access to our excellent translation and interpreting facilities which include our recently refurbished interpreting labs.

Your learning will focus on developing a professional standard of expertise in specific areas of interpreting and translation such as:

• Technical and scientific translation
• Subtitling and audio-visual translation
• Use of Computer Aided Translation tools
• Sight translation
• Simultaneous interpreting
• Consecutive interpreting and note taking
• Sight translation

You will develop these skills to the highest standard and learn about the different approaches and skillsets required from interpreters when working in distinct professional contexts such as healthcare, court and legal, educational and conference interpreting.

Business Management at the Edinburgh Business School was ranked third in Scotland and top 10 in the UK in the Guardian University League Tables 2018. It also achieved the seventh highest level of student satisfaction in the UK in the National Student Survey 2018.

This degree, MA (Hons) International Business Management, puts specialist business theory through a real-world filter. It develops the specialist knowledge and interpersonal skills needed to thrive in the positions, organisations and industries of the future.

The theory taught at Edinburgh Business School is informed by the industry experience and research expertise of our staff. They bring their subjects to life with a dynamic mix of lectures, tutorials, interactive workshops and case study-informed learning.

In Year 1 you will study a common suite of mandatory courses to provide you with a solid, universal understanding of the key principles and practices of modern business. Maintaining a consistent programme of study across all seven International Business Management pathways in Year 1 means it is easy for students to switch their specialism as they move into their second year.

Year 2 introduces functional areas of business and management such as marketing, operations management and human resource management. Years 3 and 4 offer greater choice to allow you to tailor your degree to your career aspirations.

In addition to specialist business knowledge, you will develop important transferable skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and team working, as well as creativity, confidence and research abilities. These skills will help you succeed in your career and personal life.

Data Science, as a discipline, sits at the intersection between Computer Science (including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), Mathematics (including Advanced Statistical methods) and selected areas of Engineering. The proposed programme aims to combine core elements of all these areas. Successful completion of this programme will allow the graduate to become a graduate data science engineer, enabling their company or employer to benefit from up to date knowledge in this area.

Key areas of the programme:

• The primary focus of the Data Science Graduate Apprenticeship programme is on developing the knowledge, understanding and skills outcomes sought by employers.

This programme of study responds to the global demand for graduates with science or engineering backgrounds who can provide technical consultation and deliver specialist solutions to improve sustainability. 

Graduates from MSc Global Sustainability Engineering will work at the forefront of sustainable development. They will be able to call on engineering knowledge to identify existing unsustainable processes and practices and implement strategies for improvement. 

Programme aims

In developing this degree, Heriot-Watt University has built on over 30 years of experience in researching and teaching sustainable engineering. We have taken inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and want our graduates to be advocates of change; to understand how both incremental and disruptive approaches can be harnessed for effective sustainable development.

Courses will break down the barriers between disciplines and promote synergy between different branches of learning so that a holistic view of problems and solutions can be developed.

In the first year of the BEng Engineering course you’ll have the chance to study a range of subjects. Beyond this, you’ll be able to focus on a particular area of expertise to work towards your Engineering degree.

From a wide choice of subjects, you’ll select eight courses to match your interests – usually choosing from two or three subject areas. On the BEng Engineering course, most students choose subjects in  Engineering.  All subjects include some form of industrial design,whether Mechanical, Electrical, Civil or Chemical Engineering.

This popular course meets the high demand for mathematically trained graduates who are aware of the operation of international finance, investment and capital markets, and able to combine expertise in these areas. The course combines courses in mathematics from a foundation level up to the edge of current research with courses in all the key areas of modern finance. Graduates will be able to contribute at the highest level to financial analysis and decision making. As a major financial centre, Edinburgh offers excellent career opportunities.

This course offers broad-based training in modern, pure and applied mathematics, together with a sound knowledge of key areas in contemporary statistics. It allows students to study both mathematics and statistics courses in each year of the course. A blend of compulsory and optional courses in mathematics ensures a broad knowledge base, and the statistics course offers additional expertise in data analysis, rational decision making, and the modelling of random behaviour. The course develops valuable transferable skills in numeracy, analytical and logical reasoning and problem solving which lead to a wide variety of possible careers.

The International Master in Industrial Management (IMIM) is a unique multi-site masters programme offered through a strategic partnership of leading universities in the area of industrial management.

This 24-month programme is studied at Heriot-Watt University (HWU) Edinburgh for Semester 1, then Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) for Semester 2, then your choice of Politecnico di Torino, Northwestern Polytechnical University of Xi’an, Tecnológico de Monterrey, or Heriot-Watt Dubai for Semester 3.

Semester 4, the Master Thesis, can be studied 'anywhere in the world' at a university with links to the IMIM Consortium or other industrial or public organisations - it is organised for you as part of the programme and gives you the opportunity to put your learning into practice.

The overall aim of the program is to provide students from a scientific or engineering-based background with business skills relevant for pursuing managerial careers in internationally orientated manufacturing and service industries.

Following completion of this degree, you will be able to design and manage complex organisations and industrial endeavours, in particular those where technology plays a key role. You will be able to diagnose problematic situations in those organisations and then conceive, and put into practice, alternative solutions and processes of continuous improvement.

We have designed this degree to address the challenges of globalisation in an increasingly digital world. We've created a program structure that offers a coherent but also diverse set of pathways beginning with the principles of management in today’s world through to the value chain and the operations within it. In addition, you are able to specialise in one of three key fields of management – innovation in industry and services; technology and entrepreneurship; or the challenge of execution.

Another key feature of the program is its integrative teaching approach aimed at developing the ability of students to tackle managerial issues in an interdisciplinary manner. The fourth semester is entirely devoted to industry-related project work in close collaboration with companies, forming the basis for a master thesis to be submitted towards the end of the semester.

The international education of IMIM students is a valuable asset to be spent in global companies and makes it easier for our graduates to find a job in one of the 27 EU Member Countries, or outside Europe in companies linked with Europe. IMIM alumni are developing their careers in different functional roles, different industries and different geographical locations.

Successful candidates will achieve both an MSc in Industrial Management (International) from Heriot Watt University and an International Master in Industrial Management from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.