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Continuing Education Master's Degree in Narrative Design and Video Game Studies (online)

INFORMATION, PRE-REGISTRATION AND REGISTRATION
Own Teachings
Telephone: 91 488 70 40
Academic direction:   Alfonso Cuadrado Alvarado

more information      master's website

Basic Information

Introduction

El Continuing Education Master's Degree in Narrative Design and Video Game Studies It is offered as one hundred percent online training.

Its academic structure is based on unite two key facets of the creation of videogames: cultural studies on videogames and the design of fictional worlds and the narrative structures that convey them.

Objectives

The general objective of this plan is to obtain a student profile who, having been trained in the basic fundamentals of video game design and development, specializes in the creative and organizational part of the production process, who is capable of knowing the variety of genres in those that videogames materialize, their expressive and technical forms, as well as the contents that usually convey the worlds of videogames. This orientation will allow you to expand your skills in the creation of various types of games and therefore better adapt to the various activities of each company, as well as enrich your creative and productive capacity, which will result in an improvement in your chances of employability.

Likewise, the modular structure of the master's degree allows students interested in video game studies (Games Studies) who only take this module, to apply the knowledge acquired in other facets of science or humanities for research purposes.

Competences

General skills:

  • Know the theoretical and cultural bases of the video game and its relations with other ludic formats.
  • Learn about the history of video games.
  • Know the relationship between videogames and other media such as cinema or literature, their common references and their differences in language.
  • Know the types of design and the organization of the phases of the production of a video game.
  • Know the narrative and gameplay fundamentals of each genre, in order to be able to master both the creation and its execution in each phase of production.
  • Know and analyze the main games that are a reference in the industry of each of the genres and their design specificities.
  • Learn about the experience of professionals in the sector in order to improve projects and work.
  • Learn about national and international trends in game design.
  • Develop a versatile profile that can adapt to the various types of games that are produced in the Spanish industry today.

Specific skills:

  • Be able to establish the principles of conceptual design, levels and the concept art of a video game.
  • Be able to adapt literary, cinematographic, television or comic works to video games.
  • Develop the contents of a video game in terms of narration, script and character design.
  • Design the principles of the gameplay dynamics of the different narrative contents of the game.
  • Learn the elaboration of the different documents, prototypes and design materials.
  • Being able to create a video game project according to the standards and needs of the market.
  • Learn to develop a video game project for its dissemination in studies, competitive contests or for the request for aid for the creation of digital projects.

Programme

The master is articulated in three modules:

Module 1. Video game studies: game studies. 27 ECTS

Subjects

ECTS

Game theory and video games

6

Universal narrative plots

3

Board games

3

History of gaming and video games

3

Video games, literature and cinema

3

Game, society and culture

3

Screenwriting

3

Serious Games

3

 

Module 2. Narrative design and video game genres. 27 ECTS

Subjects

ECTS

Narrative design and script

6

Character design

3

world design

3

Ambient Storytelling and VR

3

Thematic genres I: Science fiction, fantastic and horror in video games.

3

Theme Genres II: Action, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery

3

Dynamic genres I: RPG and graphic adventure

3

Dynamic Genres II: Puzzle, Simulation and Strategy

3

 

Module 3. Final grade work. 6 ECTS

Recipients

This degree is aimed at students from other video game studies or related disciplines. Due to its double vision, applied and cultural, the master's degree covers various student profiles, both those who want specialized training in any of the facets of design to guide their professional career and those interested in videogames as an artistic and cultural medium and who wish to carry out research projects.

The teaching methodology of the master focuses on the mentoring, the constant tutoring of the student by a tutor, professional or academic that supervises their evolution and guides them in the achievement of their final project. At the beginning of the master's degree, the student goes through a personal interview whose objective is to assign a suitable mentor to their profile and the type of work they want to develop.

The specific qualifications that facilitate access to the master's degree are:

-Diplomats, graduates and graduates from Spanish and foreign universities in degrees of:

  • Design and Development of Videogames.
  • Audiovisual communication.
  • Journalism.
  • Fine arts.
  • Advertising and Public Relations
  • History.
  • Literature.
  • Comprehensive Design and Image Management.
  • Computer Engineering.
  • Software engineering.
  • Informatics Engineering

Students of the Higher Training Cycle in 3D ANIMATIONS, GAMES AND INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS

Selection criteria:

Degree and academic record

Training and experience in video games and/or related disciplines (script, art, ICT, audiovisual, literature, design, computer science)

For students without these qualifications, CV or professional experience will be valued. Students with a university degree who take the master's degree may obtain an "Own Master's Degree". Students who do not have a university degree may access the master's degree through professional experience, but will obtain a "University Extension Diploma" or a "University Extension Certificate"

In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of places offered, a selection will be made based on the following criteria:

  • Academic record (40%).
  • Professional experience in the sector (40%).
  • Interview, motivation, cover letter and recommendation letters (20%).
  • If it is essential (due to ties), the order of pre-registration will also be taken into account.

Number of places offered: 30

Number of reserved places: 2. When the number of applications that meet the access requirements exceeds the number of places available, a place is reserved for vulnerable groups (disability, victims of terrorism and gender violence, article 50 of the regulation) with the same selection criteria. In the event that said quota is not covered, it will pass to the general quota.

The start of the course is conditioned to the minimum number of students enrolled

Academic Management and Faculty

Director: Alfonso Cuadrado Alvarado (URJC)

The teaching staff of the master's degree is made up of URJC professors, academics from other universities, specialized in various areas of videogames and professionals from the sector with experience in leading companies in the Spanish industry, who also have research work and also have experience teacher.

  • Alfonso Cuadrado Alvarado (URJC)
  • Maria del Carmen Gertrudis Married (URJC)
  • Pablo Sanchez Lopez (URJC)

Teachers and external professionals:

  • Clara Fernandez-Vara (Game Center, New York) 
  • Antonio José Planells de la Maza (Technocampus. Pompeu Fabra University) 
  • Víctor Navarro Remesal (Tecnocampus. Pompeu Fabra University)
  • Dámaso Gonzaáez Pino (Director of the Lightbox Academy video game area)
  • Salvador Gómez (Complutense University) 
  • Marcal Mora Cantallops. (University of Alcalá de Henares) 
  • Daniel Muriel (University of the Basque Country) 
  • Joshua Monchan (Pendulum Studios) 
  • Rubén Sánchez Trigos (Writer and screenwriter) 
  • Juan Luis Gonzalo Iglesia (Rovira i Virgili University)
  • Javier Cadenas (in Complot Studio)

Quality guarantee

BOCM Link

Results report

Once the follow-up of the Master of Lifelong Training has been carried out, the most relevant quantitative information on the results obtained in the follow-up of said Degree is shown.

General information collection plan

Within the quality assurance system of the Rey Juan Carlos University, the following surveys are planned:

- Student profile

- Teacher evaluation

- Degree of satisfaction:

  • Of the students
  • of the graduates
  • From the Faculty
  • Administration and Services Staff

- Labor insertion

- External internships:

  • Satisfaction of interns
  • External tutor satisfaction
  • Employer satisfaction

Survey results:

Improvement actions

The Quality Assurance System of the Rey Juan Carlos University establishes that the degree's Quality Assurance Commission will annually analyze the information derived from the degree's indicators and prepare a report that will include improvement plans if the results so indicate.

Duration and development

Continuing Education Master's Degree in Narrative Design and Video Game Studies

Start date: 28th October 2024

Finish date: June 30th, 2025

Pre-registration period: from May 01, 2024 to September 30, 2024

Enrollment Deadline: from October 01, 2024 to October 22, 2024

Number of places offered: 30 

The dynamics of the master's degree is based on synchronous online classes with the professors, with continuous work by the student both face-to-face and offline, and a final video game creation project that materializes in the TFM. 

Reservation of place and enrollment

Continuing Education Master's Degree in Narrative Design and Video Game Studies

Start date: 28th October 2024

Finish date: June 30th, 2025

Pre-registration period: from May 01, 2024 to September 30, 2024

Enrollment Deadline: from October 01, 2024 to October 22, 2024

Title price: €5700 (there is the possibility of splitting the payment into 8 monthly installments) 

Possibility of scholarship (if applicable): No

Pre-registration: €500. This amount is included in the total cost of the course and will be refunded if your academic application is not accepted. If, once the student's application is accepted, he/she does not formalize the registration, the amount deposited as pre-registration will not be returned.

Number of places offered: 30

Number of reserved places: 2. When the number of applications that meet the access requirements exceeds the number of places available, a place is reserved for vulnerable groups (disability, victims of terrorism and gender violence, article 50 of the regulation) with the same selection criteria. In the event that said quota is not covered, it will pass to the general quota.

The start of the course is conditioned to the minimum number of students enrolled

Documentation to attach, forms and place of delivery

the applicants they will present all the scanned documentation, in the formats allowed through the telematic self-registration application at the time of applying for admission to own degrees. They must compulsorily attach to their request the declaration of the person responsible for the veracity of the data provided in digital format.

At any time, both the Program Management and the Own Teaching Service may request the applicants to submit said certified/collated documentation through the General Registry, located on the Móstoles Campus, or in any of the registries assistants located in the different campuses of the Rey Juan Carlos University, or by sending it through Certified Mail to: Rey Juan Carlos University. General Registry. Avda. Tulipán s/n. 28933. Mostoles. Madrid

The student is responsible for the veracity and correctness of the data provided, exonerating the Rey Juan Carlos University from any responsibility and guaranteeing and being responsible for its accuracy, validity and authenticity.

Required documentation:

Students with a degree obtained from a Spanish university or a Higher Education Institution belonging to another Member State of the European Higher Education Area that authorizes access to own postgraduate degrees must present the following documentation:

  • National Identity Document or equivalent
  • University degree of the studies that give access to the requested postgraduate degree.
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Responsible declaration of veracity of the data provided in digital format
  • Any other document that the Director of the Own Title specifically requires for its acceptance

Students with a foreign degree must present the following documentation:

  • Passport or Residence Card
  • Foreign Higher Education Degree (Graduate, Graduate, Architect, Engineer Doctor...) that give access to own postgraduate degree studies.
  • Certificate certifying that the studies carried out give access to an Official Postgraduate Degree in your country of origin, issued by the University of origin
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Declaration of the person responsible for the veracity of the data provided in digital format
  • Any other document that the Director of the Own Title specifically requires for its acceptance

Applicants with studies completed in foreign University Centers may be requested at any time a certificate of verification of these studies and centers, issued by an authorized Institution.

All documentation provided must be legalized in accordance with Spanish law and translated by an official translator.