MSc in Computer Games & Entertainment
Our groundbreaking MSc has been developed in response to a pressing need to offer a high quality postgraduate programme serving the industries of computer games and entertainment, with an emphasis on programming, maths and graphics, business, IP, entrepreneurship, team management, 3D animation, AI and physics in games.
The programme is delivered by a mix of professionals from the industry and from the research world. We work closely with industry leaders to offer internships at studios including Sega and Sony.
1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.
If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline. Find out more about funding opportunities for home/EU applicants, or funding for international applicants.
See our tuition fees.
During the course of the programme, we organise multiple meetings of students with industry representatives which often lead to summer term internships; most students who complete sucessfully an internship (which may contribute towards their final MSc project) get a job offer by the end of the programme.
Find out about how you can visit Goldsmiths at one of our open days or come on a campus tour.
Example of coursework by one of our students (Real-time ray tracing, by Matt Wash, 2011)
The computer games and entertainment business is a fast growing multi-billion dollar worldwide business, with games platforms ranging from Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, mobile and handhelds including iPhone, iPad and Android phones, PC-based, and massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) involving tens of thousands of people.
With ongoing strong demand for graduate computer games programmers from the UK and abroad, this MSc will produce graduates who are well positioned to get a job in this exciting worldwide industry. Potential employers include EA, Ubisoft, Sony, Activision, Microsoft, Cinesite, Framestore, and many more.
"We were so impressed with James (Huxtable) and his talent, that at the end of his internship, we have offered him a full time role at the studio and believe he will be a very important part of the team for years to come."
Miles Jacobson, Managing Director, SEGA Sports Interactive October 21, 2010
In a wider sense, the influence of computer games programming is spreading to other digital media industries outside games, as seen in products such as Second Life, Habbo Hotel and Bebo, or as seen in other entertainment industries such as special effects for television, videos and movies.
Computer games are starting to fundamentally change the way people interact with computerised systems.
(Goldsmiths is a member of TIGA)
The MSc in Computer Games & Entertainment recently received Creative Skillset accreditation.
Quote from one of our alumni, Kieran:
"I have thoroughly enjoyed studying the MSc Computer Games & Entertainment course at Goldsmiths. Having been taught industry standard techniques by industry professionals has allowed me to expand my portfolio dramatically.
The course has good links to the industry which has been exploited fully with regular guest lectures and the opportunity to engage in gaming culture from a developer’s perspective.
Group assignments have been structured in such a way that they emulate industry working environments.
The course has given me the ability to approach and tackle real world game programming challenges with confidence."
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What you study
(1) Advanced Programming
Object oriented programming (C++); other languages including managed coding (C#), XNA, OpenGL, scripting (Python, Lua), mobile (iPhone, Android), casual, on-line games programming (Java); debugging (assembly).
The course also looks at special topics of current (and future) concern to the industry: middleware, procedural programming, multicore parallel processing and design, computer vision (e.g. kinect technology).
(2) Computing in Geometry, Graphics & Vision
(o) Review of linear algebra (vectors, matrices, quaternions) used in games and graphics; review of calculus; interpolation, splines, surface meshes. etc.
(i) Fundamentals and advances in computational geometry; flocking behaviours (animation of crowds), space syntaxes, 3D bucketing and parallel processing.
(ii) Fundamentals and advances in computer graphics: rendering/shaders, 2D/3D interactions and representations; non-photorealistic rendering (NPR), procedural algorithmics, growth and evolutionary systems etc.
(iii) Models of human (visual) perception, overview of computer vision, including image processing and pattern recognition.
(3) Games & Interactive Entertainment Industries
Gives an overview of the industries and teaches you the main management methods.
Main topics include:
(i) Industrial domains.
(ii) How games are made: from concept to shrink wrap; how development is different; the use of middleware and tools; team work (Tuckman, Empowerment, psychology etc).
(iii) Entrepreneurship: how to do it yourself; financing, IP, marketing, hiring etc.
(4) Additional Modules (other important topics for these industries)
AI and physics in games; 3D character animation; audio-visual processing, shaders.
(5) Final Project & Dissertation
Mimics the industrial team-work environment; prepares you to join the industry by helping you polish your portfolio.
Working in small teams, you'll be required to build a level of complete ‘First Playable’ prototype game (or ‘The Vertical Slice’) for PC, or consoles or mobile platforms of a quality to be suitable to be shown to a publisher. Possibility of internships at games or post-production studios.
More details here.
Assessment
Exams, coursework, essays, final project and dissertation.
Register your interest
If you register your interest in this programme we will keep you informed about open days and send you relevant further information. If you subsequently decide to apply for this programme you will be able to use the same login details to apply.
Applying and entrance requirements
You can apply directly to Goldsmiths via the website by clicking the ‘apply now’ button on the main programme page.
Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments.
- The email address details of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic soft copy of your academic reference.
- A personal statement. This can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online.
- If available, an electronic soft copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory).
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
When to apply
We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
If you're applying for funding you may be subject to an application deadline. Find out more about funding opportunities for UK/EU students and international students.
Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.
Selection Process
You will be required to demonstrate sufficient proficiency at programming in a major language, such as C, C#, C++ or Java, before being accepted on the programme. This may take the form of text or – during an interview – a practical challenge to programme a well-known method or algorithm. A portfolio of relevant work (such as programming samples, art-based/sketch book, games assets, or games programmed/designed) will strengthen your application.
Entrance Requirements
You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in computing, engineering or mathematical sciences, and an interest in - and capability for - working in interdisciplinary contexts.
You might also be considered if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant commercial experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.
We also accept a wide range of international equivalent qualifications, which can be found on our country-specific pages. If you'd like more information, please contact the Admissions Office.
Deposit
Due to the popularity of this programme, successful applicants will be required to pay a deposit of £100 to secure any offer of a place on the programme. The deposit will be credited against your tuition fees when you enrol. Please note: you'll only be required to provide a deposit if you are offered a place, you don't need to pay a deposit in order to apply.
English Language
If your first language isn't English, you need to demonstrate the required level of English language competence to enroll and study on our programmes.
Please check our English Language requirements for more information.
Find out more about applying
- Entrance requirements
- English Language requirements
- Returning your work
- Associate Graduate and Associate Research Students
- Fees and Funding
Contact us
Get in touch via our online form
UK/EU
+44 (0)20 7919 7766
course-info@gold.ac.uk
International (non-EU)
+44 (0)20 7919 7702
international-office@gold.ac.uk
Skills
You'll develop excellent games programming skills. These skills are highly transferrable, as games programming is viewed by other industries as being very demanding and requiring a high level of technical ability.
Careers
The global computer games industry is valued at 60 billion USD and is predicted to continuously grow in years to come. It's a mature industry with companies such as EA, Ubisoft, and Blizzard Activision giving long-term career prospects, shares, and benefits. There is a big skills shortage in this growing sector. Less than two months after finishing their MSc in Computer Games and Entertainment, all eight of our MSc graduates of 2010-11 have secured good positions in games studios or technology/graphics companies (including one self-starter/entrepreneur).
Suggested Preliminary Reading
- “Game Programming Gems,” Vol. 1-6, Mark DeLoura, 2000-6.
- “Massively Multiplayer Game Development,” (vols. 1 & 2), T. Alexander, 2005.
- “Death March,” E. Yourdon, 2nd ed., 2003 ( www.yourdon.com ).
- “Waltzing with Bears: Managing Risks on Software Projects,” T. Demarco & T. Lister, 2003.
- “Computational Geometry,” M. Overmars & O. Schwarzkopf, 2nd rev. ed., 2000.
- “Texturing and Modeling: A Procedural Approach,” D. Ebert et al., 3rd ed., 2002.
- “The Animator’s Survival Kit,” R. Williams, 2002.
- “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art,” S. McCloud, 1994.
- “Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering,” D. Freedman, 2003.
- “3D Game Engine Design,” D. Eberly, 2006.
- “3D Game Engine Architecture,” D. Eberly, 2005.
- Graphics Gems Series, http://www.graphicsgems.org/
- GPU Gems Series, http://developer.nvidia.com/object/gpu_gems_home.html
- ShaderX series, W. Engel.
- “Agent-Based Software Development,” M. Luck, R. Ashri & M. d’Inverno, 2004.
- AI Game Programming Wisdom series, S. Rabin, 2002-6.
- “Creating Music and Sound for Games,” G. W. Childs, 2006.
- “Fundamentals of Audio & Video Programming for Games,” P. Turcan & M. Wasson, 2003.
- “Real-Time Collision Detection,” C. Ericson, 2004.
- “Game Physics,” D. Eberly, 2003.
- “Effective C++,” 3rd edition, S. Myers, 2005.
- “More Effective C++,” S. Myers, 1996.
- “Effective STL,” S. Myers, 2001.
- “C++ Coding Standards,” Stutter & Alexandrescu, 2004.
- “Exceptional C++,” Stutter, 2004.
- “Code Complete,” 2rd rev. ed., S. McConnell, 2004.
- “Peopleware,” 2nd ed., T. DeMarco, 1999.
- “Software project Survival Guide,” S.McConnell, 1997.
- “Professional software development,” S.McConnell, 2003.
- "Beyond the C++ Standard Library -- an intro. to Boost," B. Karlsson, 2006.
- "Mathematics for 3D game programming & Computer Graphics," E. Lengyel, 2nd edition, 2003.
- "3D Math Primer for Games & Graphics Development," F. Dunn & I. Parberry, 2002.
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Telephone: + 44 (0)20 7919 7171
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