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

Are you interested in learning game design and production with leading professionals in an international atmosphere? Game Design and Production is a Major Subject within the Master’s Programme in New Media focusing on game design for interactive digital media. The education is project-oriented and provides a unique possibility for developing game design skills while also building conceptual understanding on games. You will deepen your skills based on a personal study plan. Multidisciplinarity is emphasized by the highly diverse backgrounds of students – one can apply with any Bachelor’s degree, and the students include programmers, 3D artists, animators, creative writers, architects, and even psychologists. The teacher network includes top game industry professionals and game scholars. The programme is taught in English, and students can write their thesis in Finnish, Swedish or English.

Learning outcomes

Graduates will be able to understand games as systems, take a key part in a game production group and have a broad enough understanding of the different competences needed in game production and a holistic view of games. Students will have knowledge about different game theories and game design. They will be able to analyze their own games and other games with these theories in mind.

Studies can be complemented with courses from related fields such as 3D animation, interactive storytelling and interaction design. The Major Subject provides an excellent basis for an international career. A significant number of the department’s students, teachers and researchers are from abroad. Students and researchers are encouraged to network internationally and have an option to spend a part of their studies abroad.

Career opportunities

The game industry is an exciting and growing field. You can find careers in game design, game programming, game art, game production, game scriptwriting and game research, depending on your study choices. Entrepreneurial skills can also be gained, e.g., through minor subject studies in the university-wide Aalto Ventures Program. Many students have started their own game companies, and all graduates will have completed projects in their portfolio.

The graduates are independent professionals who have the capacity to lead and manage the development of their professional field internationally. The curriculum of the programme is being developed in cooperation with other academic institutions and the industry, which supports the students' career planning. The Master's Theses of the students are being co-advised by external experts from the academia and the private sector.

Maisteriohjelmassa opiskelijat syventävät taitojaan pelisuunnittelussa ja tuotannossa. Ohjelman tavoitteena on kehittää opiskelijoiden pelisuunnittelutaitojaan sekä lisätä teoreettista ja käsitteellistä ymmärrystä peleistä.