Game Design and Development is a multidisciplinary major that offers a unique mix of technical and artistic aspects of game development. The major is known for producing visionary, out-of-the-box thinkers who have the ambition to push the boundaries 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 diverse backgrounds seeking to support and collaborate with one another.
Upon graduating from the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development, graduates will have:
Want to hear more about the Master's Programme in Art and Media – Game Design and Development? Watch the webinar recording from fall 2020 where programme representatives and students tell more about the studies and answer some of your questions.
The Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development comprises a total of 120 ECTS credits. The two-year programme consists of:
Graduates of the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development will graduate with a Master of Science (Technology) degree (in Finnish, "diplomi-insinööri"). Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS) offers a sibling Game Design and Development programme that leads to a Master of Arts degree. The Master of Science (Technology) path is recommended for students with a strong technical background, but applicants can apply to either/both programmes according to the academic degree they wish to have. By their content, the two programmes are alike and organised in close collaboration with one another.
The Game Design and Development 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 major 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.
Through the courses in the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development, 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:
The Game Design and Development major offers also a competitive doctoral track where a limited number of top students can be admitted. Students selected for the doctoral track can tailor their studies towards pursuing PhD studies and can start working towards a PhD in one of the department’s research groups already during their Masters’ studies. The best doctoral track candidates will be interviewed. Read more >>
In the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development, the topics and themes are universal and global, 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:
Aalto University is international by nature, welcoming thousands of degree and exchange students from abroad each year. These students join the diverse Aalto community not only through their studies, but also through multiple free time events, celebrations and extracurricular activities around the campus. Programme administrators, active student tutors and student support services work rigorously to help international students integrate into Nordic culture and welcome them at home in Finland.
The programme qualifies for doctoral studies (Doctor of Science in an applicable field).
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:
Thanks to the flexible curriculum, many Aalto students work already during their studies and guarantee themselves with an entry position even before graduation. There is also a very active entrepreneurship community at Aalto, working as a springboard for founding a company.
The studies in the programme are closely related to the research conducted at the Department of Computer Science and Department of Media.
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 with 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.
The teacher network includes both games industry professionals and scholars. The programme also welcomes internationally acclaimed visiting specialists and guest speakers. There are also multiple visits organised to international game industry events in Finland and abroad during the studies.
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.
Game Design and Development applicants meeting the general eligibility criteria for master's studies are evaluated according to the below Evaluation criteria. The evaluation process is described under Applicant evaluation process. In addition to the obligatory application documents, this study option asks the applicants to submit also the documents listed under Requested documents.
Applications to Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development are evaluated based on the following criteria:
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What is evaluated? |
Contents and scope of previous studies compared to demands/ |
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What we look for in an applicant?
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A bachelor’s degree in a technical area related to game development, e.g., computer science, media computing, human-computer interaction, mathematics. In particular, all applicants are expected to have completed university-level courses in mathematics (e.g., linear algebra) and computer programming and/or software design. |
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Method of demonstrating competence |
Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
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What is evaluated? |
Grades of the previous degree(s) and pace of studies |
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What we look for in an applicant? |
Good grades in one or more areas relevant to game development, e.g., computer graphics, software engineering, mathematics, machine learning, artificial intelligence. The recognition and quality of the applicant’s home university affects the final interpretation of the academic performance. |
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Method of demonstrating competence |
Transcript(s) of records, degree certificate(s) |
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What is evaluated? |
Applicant’s overall applicability to the study option, based on background, experience, motivation, and commitment for studies. |
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What we look for in an applicant?
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Method of demonstrating competence |
Motivation letter, CV, and other materials (e.g. links to an online portfolio, videos of completed games, Github, Artstation) will be evaluated as a whole. Note, however, that the evaluators have limited time per applicant - thus, materials should be carefully curated, e.g., to only include the applicant’s best work that is the most likely to make the applicant stand out. At the same time, multidisciplinarity is valued, so if an applicant can, e.g., create high-quality game art in addition to game programming, examples are appreciated. Note that if you provide links in a .pdf file, the links may be broken when the files are processed by the admission system. Thus, full URLs must be visible to ensure that the evaluators can access them. Please note also that the evaluators will not be able to download and install any software. |
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What is evaluated? |
Applicant’s capability for independent creative work, analytical thinking, and communicating the results. |
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What we look for in an applicant?
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Method of demonstrating competence |
Interview, portfolio, and 2. phase assignments. The assignments are revised each year, but it is reasonable to expect, e.g., a board/card game design exercise with a given theme and writing a short essay. |
The selection process for those Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development applicants who meet the general eligibility criteria comprises of two phases.
Phase I
In Phase I, the applications are evaluated based on the following criteria
These criteria will be assessed based on the materials sent by the applicant, including a CV and a motivation letter.
Only the applications who fulfil the requirements/are ranked highest in the preliminary evaluation will be invited to phase II in the selection process.
Phase II
In Phase II, the evaluation is based on the following criterion:
These will be further assessed based on the preliminary exercises the applicants are asked to submit in the second phase and an interview, where also a portfolio of earlier work is presented.
The final selection decisions will be made based on the evaluation conducted in Phase II.
In addition to obligatory application documents, applicants to Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Development are requested to provide the following programme-specific documents:
It is recommended that the motivation letter or CV provides a link to an online portfolio or similar materials, e.g., images and videos of games, designs or interactive experiences that the applicant created or participated in creating or an Artstation or Github profile.
For enquiries regarding the application process, required compulsory application documents or English language proficiency, please contact Admission Services at [email protected].
For enquiries regarding the programme-specific admission requirements, doctoral track or studies in the programme, please contact Learning Services at Aalto University School of Science at [email protected].
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