Why Do a Master's Degree in Games Development?

Are you a third-year student doing your games programming, games art, or games design degree? If you’ve been thinking about what you’re going to do next, the University of Bolton’s MA Game Development course could be a fantastic investment in your career.

Here are just some of the ways that a master's degree in games development can help you get your dream job in the video game industry.

Take your skills to the next level

A master’s degree in games development is a natural progression for students doing a games programming, games art, or games design degree. While it’s possible to get a job straight off the university as a programmer or designer, upskilling in games development gives you the enhanced knowledge required for professional advancement.

A games developer has a much larger scope of work, and can easily move into management positions to oversee projects. By investing in your career with a master’s, you’ll get the opportunity to nurture a wide range of skills, including in-depth technical skills, effective design planning, and creative vision.

Improve your employability

The purpose of this master’s degree is to grow your skills ready for industry while extending your knowledge of the games business. This makes you highly employable when you graduate because a master’s degree demonstrates a high level of commitment and achievement.

It also shows potential employers that you care about honing your craft, as well as continued learning and development.

While the video game industry is one of the fastest-growing, competition is still fierce at all levels. A master’s degree can help you stand out, increasing your visibility in a crowded job market.

Let your creativity flourish

For those studying a games art or games design degree, this postgraduate course will enrich your learning and foster your creative confidence.

If you’re studying programming, the games development master’s is a huge opportunity to diversify your skills. While a programmer focuses on specific coding tasks, developers have to combine technical aspects with creativity, while also managing teams of people.

Bolton’s MA Game Development focuses on helping students turn their creative ideas into viable projects, balancing vision with commercial requirements.

Build your collaborative skills

In addition to cultivating technical and creative skills, and combining them with business know-how, our master’s degree course also supports students in their personal development. Our passionate course leaders are here to help you grow in the areas you’re concerned about, including soft skills.

Designers, developers, and programmers are required to work together on projects, so having excellent people skills is non-negotiable. You can be a technical genius or an artistic prodigy, but if you don’t know how to collaborate with others, you won’t be employable.

During your master’s degree in games development, you’ll get the opportunity to work independently, and in groups. Our well-equipped, dedicated games studio has been designed to emulate conditions in the industry, so you can learn to co-manage projects in a realistic workplace environment.

We also organise regular game jams, which are essential events for creative inspiration and relationship-building. And with smaller class sizes, you’ll be able to build stronger partnerships with coursemates while getting the support and attention you need from mentors.

As a leading Greater Manchester university (and one of the first UK universities to offer games courses), there’s nowhere better to upskill and gain industry-related experience.

If you want to invest in your career, increase your employability and boost earning potential, stay on at Bolton and continue enjoying #UniAsItShouldBe!

To find out more about applying in 2022/23, see our course page for details.