Curriculum Information

This module introduces and develops a basic understanding of key concepts within Game Studies and relates those to practice.

Students are encouraged to develop the ability to research, debate and communicate intellectual ideas through writing and presentation, laying the foundation for future academic and intellectual enquiry.

More specifically, this module explores a wide range of perspectives provided by contemporary Game Studies, not to establish a single vision of how games can be understood, but to provide access to the debates that surround games development and culture. The module will invite students to question and debate their assumptions about game development and to challenge stereotypical views about the medium. Contemporary and historical aspects of digital games will be critically discussed, regarding their cultural significance and broader contribution to the field. Furthermore, students will develop their understanding and engagement with Game Studies as a field of academic enquiry, relating theory to their own practice as critically engaged practitioners.

Throughout the module, students will be encouraged to play and analyse both digital and non-digital games, developing the ability to identify game play structures within various genres.

Students will engage in theoretical debates, acquiring the analytical, literary and debating skills necessary to evaluate game artefacts This develops their critical language vocabulary and enhances thought processes, providing a foundation for further academic enquiry.