Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production

About the studies

Description

Game Design and Production 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 Production cultivates a strong community of students from diverse backgrounds seeking to support and collaborate with one another.

Graduates of the programme will graduate with a Master of Science (Technology) degree (diplomi-insinööri in Finnish). Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS) offers a “sibling major” of the same name that leads to a Master of Arts (in New Media) degree. The M.Sc (Technology) path is recommended for students with a strong technical background, but students should apply 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. 

Upon graduating from the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production, 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 has allowed graduates 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 Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production, the language of instruction is English.

Content of the 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 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.

Topics

Through the courses in the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production, 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! (3-5 ECTS)
• Game Design (5 ECTS)
• Computer Graphics (5 ECTS)
• Human-Computer Interaction (5 ECTS)
• Introduction to 3D Animation (4 ECTS)
• Introduction to Sound Design and Music (1-5 ECTS)

See the curriculum

Doctoral track

The Game Design and Production 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. Applicants must explicitly indicate their possible interest for the doctoral track in their motivation letter when applying for the Master’s programme. The best doctoral track applicants will be interviewed. Read more >>

Methods

The programme follows a hands-on with minds-on approach that forms a dynamic combination of theory and practice. Throughout 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 and 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 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 game industry events in Finland and abroad during the studies.

Structure

Overall, the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production 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)

See the curriculum

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 best, it shows where students are with their studies and sets concrete milestones for them to follow.

Internationalisation

In the Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production, 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:

• 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

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.

Multidisciplinary opportunities

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.

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.

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 top game studio as, for example, a game designer, game artist, programmer, producer or scriptwriter. Our students and alumni have gone to work at major Finnish game studios such as Supercell, Remedy, Rovio, and Redlynx.
• 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 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.

Post graduate opportunities

The Master’s Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Game Design and Production at Aalto is considered as a great foundation for doctoral studies and post-doc positions. Depending on the annual research finances – subject to change each year – exceptional students may also be offered research assistant opportunities through the honours student and doctoral track programs.

Contact information

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 study-option-specific application documents, doctoral track or studies in the programme, please contact Learning Services at Aalto University School of Science at [email protected].