Video Game Development, Postgraduate Taught - MA / MSc - 2022/23 entry

On Gamer Camp: Pro, you'll eat, sleep and breathe game development, receiving intensive tuition from industry pros with experience at big-name developers like Free Radical Design, Electronic Arts and Codemasters.

The course was founded by Oliver Williams (Deputy Head of the Birmingham Institute of Creative Arts) and Guy Wilday, former Studio Director at SEGA Racing Studio (SEGA Rally) and Head of Studio at Codemasters (Colin McRae Rally), currently Development Director at Sony's London Studio. It was developed in partnership with the industry to provide a ‘finishing school that produces work-ready graduates with the practical skills they need to be successful. Many companies recruit directly from the course, giving you access to jobs that you would not come across elsewhere.

You will get specialist skills training, mentoring and support from leading game developers, the chance to develop a working game that can be published, and experience every stage of the game development cycle. You will receive real game briefs, training and mentoring from industry partners such as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Exient, Mediatonic, Rare and Codemasters.

Working in teams in your own game development studio, you will be provided with all the software you need for the duration of the course. You will create a fully working game for a series of platforms, culminating in the development of a working PlayStation4 game prototype for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Bachelor Degree from a recognised university with a minimum grade of 60% / Good / 2.5 / C+

Even though you may have met the stated requirements, if your first language is not English, we may ask you to take an additional English Language Test when you arrive.

Based on the results of the test, you may be required to attend regular English classes to improve your level of competence. English classes are provided free of charge and are available to all non-UK students who wish to attain greater fluency in English.

Enhancing employability skills

The Gamer Camp: Pro courses directly answer the industry call for “T-skilled” workers in the creative media industry, (Skillset. Strategic Skills Assessment for the Creative Media Industry, London. 2009: 20). Here, professional employability is defined by proficiency across disciplines and specialist expertise within them.

With this skillset, the programme’s graduates have an advantage and are often employed by industry soon after finishing the course.

Typically, Gamer Camp: Pro graduates at work are delivering professional game content in either AAA or indie game development studios. Here, their choice of MA or MSc award, their final Masters-by-Practice project and continuing specialist professional development will have directed them towards their end career goal:

• MSc graduates are C++ programming specialists and the course will have helped shape their core discipline within this field.  Whether that be tools, graphics, physics or framework, each programmer will have the skills necessary to work within the highly competitive game development industry.
• MA graduates as art specialists are frequently employed within a multitude of industry-specific roles.  These range from concept, environment, character and GUI artist positions. The course ensures that each art student focuses on a core art discipline, which ensures they are ready to work within the highly competitive game development industry.

Feedback from Employers

- David Stephen, Managing Director of Feral Interactive Limited

- Dr. Maria Stukoff, Head of Academic Development at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

Graduate jobs

Freddie Pitcher
Junior 3D Artist at Holosphere VR

“If there’s anything potential employers look for most, it’s experience. GamerCamp provides the environment that emulates real-world game studios and offers an opportunity to work within a multi-disciplinary team of Coders, Designers, Artists and Producers.

What I enjoyed most about GamerCamp was the hands-on attitude to the work involved. The best way to learn about the complexities of game development is to simply make games! GamerCamp throws you into a room full of other like-minded individuals with varying specialisms and tells you to make a game.

What you learn as a direct result of the maelstrom that follows is invaluable to anyone wanting a career in game development. I'm currently working as a Junior 3D Artist at a VR company based in Birmingham called HolosphereVR. It's a great place, the work is always interesting and the people are awesome!”