MA Independent Games and Playable Experience Design
12 monthsProgramme duration
15,500 GBPTuition Fee/year
Sep-2026Starting Month
Programme overview
Main Subject
Art and Design
Degree
MA
Study Level
Masters
Study Mode
On Campus
This programme seeks to provide relevant skills to reflect recent and rapid changes in the
games industry which have been driven by the burgeoning independent and alternative
sectors over the past decade. Appealing to wider audiences than the traditional console
market, indie games employ broader ranges of visual aesthetics and narrative development
often critically engaging with contemporary themes. The scene has attracted diverse players
through the rise of casual gaming platforms which use mobile and online platforms. Through
cutting edge physical technologies and virtual reality, the industry has expanded further into
neighbouring sectors and forms such as advertising, museums, medical training,
psychology, education and theatre. The result has been the rise of the integration of games
and game elements into a vast range of experiences with media. With their broad
audiences, technologies, and themes, independent games contrast strongly with the
console sector which narrowly focus on predominantly male markets. The MA, with its
peculiar design first approach, will provide students with all the tool to access this new
thriving markets as well as the more traditional AAA environment with the long-term aim of
becoming a creative director in the interactive entertainment and experience design field.
Programme overview
Main Subject
Art and Design
Degree
MA
Study Level
Masters
Study Mode
On Campus
This programme seeks to provide relevant skills to reflect recent and rapid changes in the
games industry which have been driven by the burgeoning independent and alternative
sectors over the past decade. Appealing to wider audiences than the traditional console
market, indie games employ broader ranges of visual aesthetics and narrative development
often critically engaging with contemporary themes. The scene has attracted diverse players
through the rise of casual gaming platforms which use mobile and online platforms. Through
cutting edge physical technologies and virtual reality, the industry has expanded further into
neighbouring sectors and forms such as advertising, museums, medical training,
psychology, education and theatre. The result has been the rise of the integration of games
and game elements into a vast range of experiences with media. With their broad
audiences, technologies, and themes, independent games contrast strongly with the
console sector which narrowly focus on predominantly male markets. The MA, with its
peculiar design first approach, will provide students with all the tool to access this new
thriving markets as well as the more traditional AAA environment with the long-term aim of
becoming a creative director in the interactive entertainment and experience design field.
Admission Requirements
176+
3.3+
6.5+
92+
62+
1 Year
Sep-2026
Tuition fees
Domestic
10,450 GBP
International
15,500 GBP
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