Master's Programme in Game Design

Games have become one of the most important and influential cultural media of the 21st century. It has found its using areas within and beyond the entertainment sector. Studies related to gaming has become an important part of various research fields and is used to address social and personal issues. Today, you see games everywhere in our daily life, in forms of digital, non-digital or hybrid. It is on living room screens, in cell phones, or in alternate realities, urban spaces, hospitals, schools, therapists' offices and homes for the elderly.

Game Design is a young and growing discipline. In the two-year Master's Programme in Game Design at Uppsala University Campus Gotland, you will combine theory and practice to push the boundaries of what games and players can accomplish. You will learn how to make games that are unique and can make a difference in the world. The focus is not only on designing experiences that are fun or engaging, but also the experiences that cause players to see the world and themselves with fresh eyes - that provoke reflection, insight and action beyond the gameplay itself.

Good books and movies plant seeds in us - seeds that help us grow as people. Games can do that too. This is not about making "serious games" - this is about making awesome games, deep games - games that have something to say and say it well. It is about games that invite players into evocative and emotionally-rich possibility spaces that can lead to self-inquiry, insight, reflection and change.

As such, our students - who do not need to have previous game development or programming experience - are exposed to a wide range of theories and ideas to aid in the development of their own views. As a student in the programme, you will learn to think holistically, broadly and deeply, because creating inspiring experiences for others starts with developing your own perspectives.

The skills and knowledge gained in this programme can be applied to all areas of game design. Beyond that, they open career paths in academia and industry and can greatly contribute to all areas and professions that require effective, compelling communication, leadership and problem-solving skills.

If you already have an undergraduate degree in Game Design, the Master's programme offers opportunities to develop your creative, reflective practice and push the boundaries of games as an expressive medium. Design research can establish connections to other departments at Uppsala University and beyond. This will enrich game design practice with theoretical approaches from other fields of study, e.g. psychology, sociology, linguistics, health and philosophy.

Academic requirements
A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university.

Language requirements
All applicants need to verify English language proficiency that corresponds to English studies at upper secondary (high school) level in Sweden ("English 6"). This can be done in a number of ways, including through an internationally recognised test such as TOEFL or IELTS, or through previous upper secondary (high school) or university studies.
The minimum test scores are:

• IELTS: an overall mark of 6.5 and no section below 5.5
• TOEFL: Paper-based: Score of 4.5 (scale 1–6) in written test and a total score of 575. Internet-based: Score of 20 (scale 0–30) in written test and a total score of 90
• Cambridge: CAE, CPE

You need to complete 120 credit hours to successfully obtain this degree. Please check detail of study units at https://www.uu.se/en/admissions/master/selma/program/?pKod=HSD2M

Students are selected based on:

• a total appraisal of quantity and quality of previous university studies;
• a statement of purpose (1 page); and
• a digital portfolio of 1–5 items.

The statement of purpose should include artistic/academic goals and reasons for applying to the MA. Students are encouraged to be specific, vivid and focused, taking the programme description into account and connecting their own creative work and/or background to the nature of the programme as described in the programme description.

You can join one of the following careers:

• Game Designer
• Game Developer
• Game Programmer