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The subjects taught will all be applied in the context of making products - toys and games in all their manifestations (eg. as sports therapy, as educational products, as smart textiles, as intelligent robots etc.)
In addition to traditional academic skills development, students will take workshops in CAD and use of 3D printing and laser cutting facilities, in order to complete projects at Metropolitan Works, our provider of tools and facilities for prototyping, manufacture, research and experimentation.
The Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing incorporates two highly successful businesses - Gamelab London, nominated for numerous Baftas for their innovative and creative accessible media, and provider of internships and placements for students and graduates, and WoW, the agency that gives students and graduates a start on the career ladder by matching their skills with suitable clients. In addition, we have a number of SMEs and larger established toy companies who make up our industry steering group - providing advice on syllabus and student experience as well as potential internships for graduates.
The coursework includes a project, which is the production of a fully realised prototype physical toy or game, and a mandatory piece of client-defined work for one of our toy industry partners.
Teaching methods include lectures, seminars and workshops. These are expected to be supplemented by directed reading, investigation and private study.
Tutors include researchers and practitioners in the field of toy design and development, as well as guest lecturers from the toy and games industries.
Teaching and facilitating will be conducted face to face in small labs, as well as more formally, via online facilities (such as video lectures) and presentations. Students will be encouraged to develop their creativity as well as their technical skills and knowledge, and helped to realise their ideas as physical products. This fits with the idea of discovery, as much of the material will be taught in a practical hands-on way so that students enhance their craft skills as well as understand how to make their concepts become real.
Career opportunities
This Masters degree is envisaged to give graduates a springboard for launching new ideas and products, as well as prepare them for work in the growing digital product development sector of the toy industry.
Industry is looking for graduates with both the creative flair to envisage new applications and novel interfaces for existing items, and the technical skills to develop these ideas into real products. As websites and digital apps have become more and more gamified, to provide users with a stimulating interactive experience and engage their imaginations, so are products being reinvented with more playful interfaces.
Many UK toy companies have in-house product development teams, and it is envisaged that graduates should expect to find work in this area.
Course Structure
Students will take 5 core modules, a designate and a project.
Core modules:
* Product Design and Development includes CAD and use of rapid prototyping facilities at Metropolitan Works (20 credit)
* Work Related Learning for toy industry client (20 credit)
* Practical AI and Robotics for playful applications such as smart pets, racing cars, game agents (20 credit)
* Interfacing Toys and Games - psychological aspects of play, new concepts in toy design, hacking and prototyping, networking and connectivity (20 credit)
* Advanced Embedded Controllers and Standards (20 credit)
* Project (60 credit Autumn, Spring, Summer)
Designate modules can be chosen from a selection including:
* Mobile Application Design and Development (20 credit)
* Mobile and Wireless Device Programming (20 credit)
* Artificial Intelligence Applications (20 credits)
Assessment
Students are assessed through a mixture of practical work, including log books and prototypes, written coursework, examinations and a project dissertation and viva.
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