Game Design and Development - Art and Media, Master of Arts (Art and Design)

Description

Game Design and Development is a multidisciplinary major that offers a unique mix of technical and artistic aspects of game development. The major produces visionary, out-of-the-box thinkers who have the ambition to push the boundaries in the world of game design. Using a project-based, hands-on with minds-on approach, the major in Game Design and Development cultivates a strong community of students from highly diverse backgrounds. Students can apply for the major with any Bachelor’s degree, and accepted students include programmers, 3D artists, animators, creative writers, architects, and even psychologists.

Graduates of the programme will graduate with a Master of Arts (Art and Media) degree. Aalto University School of Science offers a “sibling major” of the same name that leads to a Master of Science (Technology) degree (diplomi-insinööri in Finnish). The M.Sc (Technology) path is recommended for students with a strong technical background, and students should apply according to the academic degree they wish to have. Content-wise the two programmes are similar and organised in close collaboration with one another.

Upon graduating from the Game Design and Development major, graduates will have:

• Deep understanding of games and game players from a psychological and behavioural viewpoint. Graduates are able to analyse games and determine what makes a game entertaining. They also understand the emotional and cognitive aspects of human beings and know how to design engaging gaming experiences.
• Wealth of skills and knowledge fueled by the latest research, technologies, and design tools. The “hands-on with minds-on” approach allows students to deepen their existing expertise and build a strong set of cross-disciplinary skills based on their personal interests.
• Extensive portfolio of games. Graduates will have a portfolio of completed projects, which helps in getting into the games industry.
• A visionary and groundbreaking mindset to shape the future of games. Graduates have the confidence and experience needed to make their unique vision come to life and bring forth a new generation of games.
• Capability to take responsibility for various design decisions. Graduates can effectively adjust to unforeseeable and changing situations that may arise during the design and implementation processes.

Language of instruction

In the programme, the language of instruction is English.

Tuition fees and scholarships

Aalto University’s tuition fee for master’s programmes taught in English is 15 000 euros per academic year. Tuition fees apply to citizens of countries other than those of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Aalto University has a scholarship programme to support non-EU/EEA citizens who study in a fee-charging degree programme. The scholarship may cover 100% or 50% of the tuition fee.

More information on tuition fees and scholarships at Aalto University is available at the Scholarships and Tuition Fees webpage.

Structure of studies

The programme is tailored so that students have the freedom to put together a highly personalised study plan based on their specific areas of interest. The compulsory courses intend to give students a broad understanding of game design, i.e. set the foundation for their unique expression. Optional courses allow students to complement their core competencies with fields such as 3D animation, interactive storytelling, sound design, interaction design, and machine learning and AI tools for art and design.

Additionally, students may choose courses from all Aalto schools according to the personal study plan. It is strongly suggested that students venture outside their comfort zone as the greatest ideas often happen at the intersection of disciplines.

Topics

Through the courses in the Game Design and Development major, students are immersed in a wide range of topics such as level design, game balancing, games user research, and game design psychology. To give concrete examples of the topics covered, here are some courses picked from the programme’s extensive curriculum:

• Games Now!
• Game Design
• Computer Graphics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Introduction to 3D Animation
• Introduction to Sound Design and Music

Methods

The programme follows a hands-on with minds-on approach that forms a dynamic combination of theory and practice. Through various group projects, students develop their communication and negotiation skills as well as advanced project management skills. Communication skills are practiced not only through teamwork but also by developing and pitching game concepts, as well as creating game marketing materials.

A concrete example of developing students’ creativity and proactivity is the Game Project course where students design, develop and publish their own games. The faculty finds it crucial to help students develop a strong game design portfolio that enables them to stand out in the industry.

The teacher network includes both games industry professionals and games scholars. The programme also welcomes internationally acclaimed visiting specialists and guest speakers. Other learning methods include regular excursions to game companies, industry and peer feedback on students’ games, as well as thesis advisors from the industry. There are also multiple visits organised to international games industry events in Finland and abroad during the studies.

Overall, the Master's Programme in Art and Media, major Game Design and Development comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:

• Major (40-65 ECTS)

• Possible minor (20-25 ECTS)

• Elective studies (25-35 ECTS)

• Master's thesis (30 ECT)

Personal Study Plan (PSP)

The Personal Study Plan (PSP) is a practical tool to define a student’s own study path, compiling an optimal selection of courses that are aligned with the student's interests and programme requirements. PSP is also a useful tool for students to keep track of their studies. At its best, it shows where students are with their studies and sets concrete milestones for them to follow.

More information on the programme content and curriculum can be found in the Student guide.

Specialisations

The nature of the Game Design and Development major is multidisciplinary and each student will receive a personalized study plan based on their background, goals and interests. Game Design is taught to all as it connects to all aspects of game development and we want our students to have a holistic understanding of games, but apart from that, the specific courses any student should take depends on the study plan.

Internationalisation

The topics and themes in the Game Design and Development major are universal and global, and thus graduates can take their skills to any country in the world. As Finland is a gaming industry hub, the programme attracts a high number of international students. In addition, students can develop their global competencies by:

• spending a semester at one of Aalto University’s partner universities around the globe
• taking a summer course abroad
• carrying out practical training abroad
• carrying out master’s thesis research abroad
• acting as a tutor for first-year students

Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad every year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through studies but also via multiple free time events, celebrations and extracurricular activities around the campus. Active tutoring programs and support services work hard to help international students integrate into the Nordic culture and feel at home in Finland.

Further study opportunities

Completion of the MA degree makes a graduate eligible to apply for doctoral studies, for example, doctoral studies in the School of Arts, Design and Architecture at Aalto University.

Career opportunities

Video and mobile games are a thriving industry both in Finland and abroad, and the career opportunities pertaining to the creation of games are growing continuously. Typical career paths can be divided into three main categories:

• Working in a game studio as, for example, a game designer, game artist, programmer, producer or scriptwriter
• Taking an entrepreneurial path and starting one’s own company. Our best student games, such as Pako and Shadow Bug have enjoyed worldwide success and critical acclaim.
• Following an academic path and becoming a researcher in the field

Thanks to the flexible curriculum, many Aalto students work already during their studies and guarantee themselves industry positions before graduation. There is also a very active entrepreneurship community at Aalto, working as a springboard for founding a company.

Research focus

There are a number of research groups at Aalto focusing on games from different perspectives. Topics include but are not limited to gameplay innovation through emerging technologies, exergaming, motivation and emotion in games, the study of games as created (game design praxiology), and the interplay between game mechanics and game narrative.  Aalto researchers are also applying and utilizing games in various contexts like medical technology and design games.

Co-operation with other parties

Game design is a multidisciplinary field by nature, bringing together experts from various backgrounds. The programme embraces a multidisciplinary approach that supports the development of “T-shaped” skills, providing students the benefits of both specialisation and generalisation. While students have the opportunity to dive deep in a single field of their interest, the programme strongly embraces collaboration across disciplines which fosters creativity and provides students with a breadth of knowledge. Students are also encouraged to take on very unique and personalised study paths, enabled by the large variety of elective courses available.

Overall, Aalto University is well-known for bridging disciplines of business, arts, technology and science. The lively campus and freedom of choosing elective courses across the university bring students from different fields under one roof. This spontaneous multidisciplinary environment sparks new ideas, gathers enthusiasts around them and gives birth to friendships, networks, and every so often, startups.

Contact information

Learning services of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

For enquiries regarding programme-specific application documents or studies in the programme, please contact Aalto ARTS Learning Services.

[email protected]

Admission Services

For enquiries regarding the application process, obligatory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services.

[email protected]