Games Studio Development MA
Study level: Postgraduate
Explore the exciting world of digital games development in an industry-relevant studio model that prepares you for the workforce. The MA in Games Studio Development is an industry-facing course which aims to provide you with the skills and experience necessary for a career in developing video games.
Year of entry
2023-24
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
1 year full-time
Up to 2 years, with professional experience
Course code
AHT090
AHT095 (with professional experience)
Start date
September 2023
Course overview
This course has specifically been co-created with the games industry and incorporates input from industry collaborators to meet a clear demand for more appropriately skilled practitioners to join the industry.
The course covers the full extent of the games development process from initial story ideation to final product testing and you can expect towork in cross-functional teams to conceptualise, design, build, test and market playable games.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- Experience the full production pipeline of games development end-to-end rather than focusing on one specific technical or creative element of the process, while deepening your specialist skills focus. You will be able to realise your existing skillset within the process of games development but also to see how it might be applied to other parts of the process, and how all the different elements of the production pipeline link together.
- This holistic approach to real-world learning is particularly valuable as it is designed to enable you to become an agile practitioner, able to flex across a range of roles within small independent games studios as well as to become a skillset-specific practitioner in the very large games studios with an awareness of the wider workflow.
- Access state-of-the-art facilities4 complemented by experimental immersive studios and digital and electronic hacklabs.
- You will benefit from a strong academic base and the excellent links the University has with gaming companies in “Silicon Spa” - the concentration of games developers based near the university around Leamington Spa.
- Mentorship from the industry as well as academic practitioners as it is delivered collaboratively in a studio model. This will build your professional experience and networks. You will also have access to working games studios through field trips and masterclasses2.
Collaborations
We work in collaboration with The RSA (Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), and upon successful completion of the 'Creative Futures and Social Change' module, you will receive RSA digital badging.
What you'll study
Optional placement2
The course is structured so that students complete two semesters of taught modules and then could spend three semesters on professional experience placement2. The modules are zero credit and do not contribute to the classification of the award but must be passed to complete the placement. Upon completion of the work placement, students would return to Coventry to complete the final semester during which time they undertake their project module which may be informed by the learning acquired during the professional experience.
The optional placement may also be subject to additional costs, visa requirements being met, subject to availability and/or competitive application. Professional experience opportunities are not guaranteed but you will benefit from the support of our Talent Team in trying to find and secure an opportunity2.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
The learning-by-doing studio model means that you apply your skills and learning as you would in the industry context, through large projects designed, developed, and tested in interdisciplinary teams.
You’ll apply specialist skills across all parts of this pipeline, but also gain experience and understanding of the different phases of games development.
Teaching contact hours
In a typical week you will have approximately 12 contact hours of teaching comprising seminars, talks and lectures, as well as guided studio practice, workshops, project support and skills training.
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a further 300 hours of self-directed study each semester, e.g. working on course assignments, group project activities, independent and collaborative production-related activities, related practice and studying. You will be supported by skills sessions.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
A range of assessment formats are used to ensure that all types of learning is accommodated in ways that reflect the professional games production pipeline, and you have different opportunities not only to evidence your learning, but also to reflect on it.
Assessment forms include presentations, group projects, live simulations, individual application development work, portfolios, and written documentation. You develop skills in the assessment tasks through formative tasks embedded within teaching and learning.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Co-developed with industry, this course reflects the experience of a working games studio, drawing on expertise from industry and academia to develop graduates ready to explore the many opportunities of the growing and vibrant games sector. It provides students with the opportunity to explore new and emerging technologies relevant to games development in state-of-the-art facilities.

Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Fees and funding
2023/2024 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK | £11,200 | Not available |
International | £18,600 | Not available |
The work placement opportunity2 (Extended Master’s) enables you to apply in semester 1 for an optional work placement of 9 to 12 months, extending the duration of your master’s to 24 months. The placement provides an opportunity for you to develop expertise and experience in your chosen field with the aim of enhancing your employability upon graduation.
Please note that the optional work placement incurs an additional tuition fee3 of £4,000.
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
You will have access to cutting-edge new facilities4 in the Delia Derbyshire building, which features post-production studios, games and animation studios, immersive studios with performance capture facilities, electronic and digital hack labs.
- The high-end studios allow you to develop working playable versions of your games using state-of-the-art hardware and software used in the industry.
- The immersive studios include performance capture, object tracking and audio capabilities allowing you to engage with development methods across the games design and development pipeline.
- The electronic and digital hack labs allow you to experiment with new and emerging technologies and electronics in the context of games development.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion, you will be able to:
- Advance and refine creative, practical, and studio skills, demonstrating flexibility, initiative, and currency of knowledge in the development of games.
- Demonstrate a sound and sophisticated knowledge of the variety of roles within the games industry, operational studio environments, agile development, and innovation processes at the forefront of the industry.
- Critically understand and apply the video game development process and all its constituent components including the development lifecycle from concept to release through experiential processes.
- Exercise high-level collaborative skills and complex decision-making in the context of creative and multi-disciplinary teams to maximise opportunity across sectors, locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Practice inclusive leadership and entrepreneurship within and across the range of roles within the games industry through the articulation, application and evaluation of complex ideas, processes, and practices in a live industry context.
- Demonstrate a systematic and critical awareness of the evolving business and technological landscape to make ethically, legally, and economically valid decisions when producing a commercially viable product.
Where our graduates work
Recent graduates have gone on to undertake PhDs, to lecture, to work as graphic designers for Leisure concepts, BYG Systems Limited, Opus books and Country Wide groups.
How to apply
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UK students
To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.
For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International students
Full-time international students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2023/24 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.