Modules
In the “Advanced Game Development” (Modules: Core Elective 1 – 2), students take two out of three electives: “Game Arts”, “Game Design” and “Game Programming”. Furthermore they study “Sound Design”. At the same time, they start to prepare their Master’s project (Modules: MA Project Prep & MA Project Dev), receive theoretical-historical instruction in “Advanced Media and Game Studies” (Modules: Advanced Media & Games Studies I + II) and take part in the events of the module “Reflection & Community” (Mentoring, Lecture Series, Teaching & Research Practice) (Modules: Reflections & Community I – III).
In the third semester, the Master’s project is transferred directly into the work on the Master’s thesis (Module: MA Thesis). The module ends with the final presentation of the Master’s thesis and its evaluation by the supervising instructors.
Advanced Game Development
The “Advanced Game Development” modules impart advanced knowledge and skills in the electives “Game Arts”, “Game Design” and “Game Programming” as well as “Sound Design”. In this way, the students gain new insights and impulses that enable them to contextualize their previous specialization. This broadening of perspective, together with topics such as project management, design management, technical lead, etc., prepares them for later management functions or entrepreneurial activity.
Advanced Media and Game Studies
The courses on “Advanced Media and Game Studies” bring students up to date on the current state of scientific discussion in media studies and game studies. An essential goal of the education is to interest the students in the young field of game research and to give them the opportunity to play a formative role in the development and expansion of this scientific discipline. In addition, the MA Colloquium on Media Studies deals with historical-theoretical topics in the immediate context of the various Master’s projects as well as with questions of the media economy, which in turn are taught with special regard to the specific Master’s projects and in close connection with the practical instruction in media economics in the context of the project work in terms of content and personnel.
Project work
The master project is at the centre of the course. The research and development concepts submitted within the framework of the application procedure should show artistic-practical as well as scientific-theoretical approaches and questions. Further developments of projects from previous BA programs are conceivable, as are completely new concepts. Alternatively, it is also possible to carry out predominantly academic master’s projects, especially in the research fields of game studies and game design theory. The accompanying “MA Colloquium” ensures an intensive and individual supervision of the MA project and then the MA thesis by the respective professors.
Reflection & Community
In the module “Reflection & Community” regular “Mentoring” guarantees the promotion and criticism of the artistic personality of the students. “Teaching & Research Practice” allows MA students – partly instructed, partly self-responsible – to take on tasks in teaching and research; i.e. especially teaching within the BA program “Digital Games” and research in projects of CGL staff and faculty. The MA students acquire new perspectives on the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies and at the same time gain experience which qualifies them for later positions of responsibility in industry or as lecturers or researchers – not least within the framework of their own doctoral projects.
