Creative Technology MA/MSc

Imaginative, original and full of ideas, Creative Technology combines technical and creative skills to create the technologies of the future. At Middlesex, you'll have the opportunity to learn through doing, experimenting with different types of technology to design and build your own inventions.

Why study MA/MSc Creative Technology at Middlesex University?

Technology has become fundamentally important to art, design and culture. We increasingly engage with creative technology in our daily lives through print and broadcast, virtual and augmented experiences, games, film and music. We recognise the importance of combining the skills associated with the once-separate creative and technical worlds and have designed this masters course to ensure that you benefit from cross-faculty teaching between the Arts and Creative Industry and Science and Technology faculties. Our multi-disciplinary approach to teaching will equip you with the skills required to work as a professional within creative tech industries, as you’ll learn by experimenting with technologies and exploring creative and innovative solutions.

The course has a practical focus with an emphasis on collaboration and experimentation. You’ll be encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and tackle something new, benefitting from support and guidance from our practice-based staff who are active in research and constantly seeking new and creative ways to ensure that the course meets the needs of industry and employers.

You'll collaborate with your peers on group projects undertaking live briefs from Industry to get a feel of the professional world. In  the past students have created immersive VR and AR environments, Hololens environments, 360° videos, projection mapping projects, locative mobile apps, novel gaming environments, wearable tech and an interactive cushion.

Working within the current public distancing guidelines, we will be enhancing our online teaching with access to our cutting-edge facilities such as TV, radio and sound studios, 3D workshops and workshops for high-end digital work, green screens and gaming and video editing computers. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to delve into your creative projects and take advantage of our award-winning facilities throughout your degree.

We welcome students with a range of skills, knowledge and from any background on this course.  If you don’t have programming skills, we can help you to learn what is needed in order to realise your ideas.  We encourage students to work collaboratively on projects to develop transferable skills such as team-building, networking and ideation. Past students have included journalists, artists, designers, programmers, marketing and TV executives, engineers, biologists and teachers. It's an unusual opportunity for students with diverse skills to work together, and it's this variety that gives our course so much character.

Course highlights

• You’ll gain a wide breadth of knowledge learning from our highly experienced staff with combined areas of expertise in AR and VR research, the use of novel interfaces, textiles and product design, fine art. installation skills, music and sound technology, social media, interactive technologies, visual and digital imagery, gaming, creative software and managing creative projects. Our staff are active in research and industry so you’ll graduate well versed to meet the needs of industry and employers
• You'll have the opportunity to work on real industry briefs. In the past, students have worked with various games companies, Sony, The London Bridge Experience, Troika, Imogen Heap and designer and engineer, Moritz Waldemeyer (whose work you can see in the banner at the top of this page)
• You’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. Past students have demonstrated their work in World Skills, New Scientist and Thorpe Park
• You’ll benefit from learning in a diverse classroom where you’ll have the unique opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge in new and different areas. Our courses are designed to ensure that you are exposed to an array of technical and creative elements, enabling you to broaden your skill set and enhance your employability prospects. Our staff have a network of industry contacts that support and shape the future direction of the programme.
• You’ll get to choose, via negotiation with course tutors, the nature of your final project.  This will determine whether you exit with an MA or MSc qualification.

What will you study on the MA/MSc Creative Technology?

The focus of the programme is making projects. You will be building, testing, entering hackathons, interacting, brainstorming, prototyping, working with clients on at least one live project per year, entering competitions – and having fun. We are always looking for ways of getting students involved in exciting, current projects, including, if possible, placements.

What will you gain?

In addition to an in-depth knowledge of creative technologies, you will also become competent in computer programming, the various methods of completing research, and organising and planning projects. You’ll work with students from a range of academic backgrounds where you’ll gain team building and ideation skills as part of group work.

There are plenty of opportunities to enter competitions such as the Hackathon Awards where you’ll have the chance to win cash prizes. Past students have won the Richard Branson Entrepreneur Prize. You will also have an understanding of business models, users and audiences, ethics, copyright, intellectual property, and licensing.

Students have graduated from the programme to become Creative Technologists, UX consultants, VR entrepreneurs, audio specialists, Lecturers and researchers – and movers and shakers in the Creative Industries.

Modules

We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we've learnt during recent years by enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning. Please regularly check this section of the course page for updates.

How is the MA/MSc Creative Technology taught?

As well as working on your projects and attending practical workshops, you'll also be taught through lectures, seminars and presentations by visiting speakers. This is a very collaborative course and you'll be in constant discussion with staff and other students about your work, whether in class or through social media.

We encourage innovative ways of submitting work, including group blogs, content management systems and online environments, and your written assignments can include videos, animations, images, sketchbooks, spreadsheets, diagrams and flowcharts.

In addition to placement opportunities, you may also have the opportunity to visit and learn from practising creative technologists. When you are not at the University, you'll be expected to do your own independent study, reading and online learning.

Assessment

Although there are no exams you will be assessed via coursework. This will include practical projects, both individual and group, written analyses of real-life projects or products, business plans, project proposals, presentations and pitches. Some of this assessed work will be done in groups.

As well as receiving regular feedback and support from your tutors, students will assess and give feedback on each other's work. You'll also keep a record of your own progress, aims and areas for development, which will form part of your overall assessment.

For your final creative technology project, you'll develop and conduct a piece of original research, with reference to existing research, either individually or in groups of up to four. You will also have the option to complete the project with an external company - you will receive support to help find a placement if you wish to do this. You will be assessed through a written report. If you do your final project in a group, each student will write an individual report, and you'll be assessed both individually and as a group.

Teaching and learning from 2022

We have reviewed our approach to teaching and learning for 2022 entry and beyond. We've learned a lot about how to give you a quality education - we aim to combine the best of our in-person teaching and learning with access to online learning and digital resources which put you more in charge of when and how you study. We will keep you updated on this throughout the application process.

Your timetable will be built around on campus sessions using our professional facilities, with online sessions for some activities where we know being virtual will add value. We’ll use technology to enhance all of your learning and give you access to online resources to use in your own time.

The table below gives you an idea of what learning looks like across a typical week. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.

You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.

Outside of these hours, you’ll be expected to do independent study where you read, listen and reflect on other learning activities. This can include preparation for future classes. In a year, you’ll typically be expected to commit 1200 hours to your course across all styles of learning. If you are taking a placement, you might have some additional hours.

Definitions of terms

• Live in-person on campus learning – This will focus on active and experiential sessions that are both:
  • Led by your tutors including seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations We’ll schedule all of this for you
  • Student-led by you and other students, like small group work and presentations.
• Live online learning – This will include lectures, tutorials and supervision sessions led by your tutor and timetabled by us. It also includes student-led group work that takes place online


• Tutor set learning activities – This covers activities which will be set for you by your tutor, but which you will undertake in your own time. Examples of this include watching online materials, participating in an online discussion forum, completing a virtual laboratory or reading specific texts. You may be doing this by yourself or with your course mates depending on your course and assignments. Outside of these hours, you’ll also be expected to do further independent study where you’ll be expected to learn, prepare, revise and reflect in your own time.

Support

You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.

Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.

You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

How can the MA/MSc Creative Technology support your career?

This course has such a wide scope that the variety of careers which will be open to you is almost endless: Creative Technologist, music producer, games developer, application designer or developer, website producer, digital platforms engineer or social and locative media engineer / designer are just some of the many, many roles you could do. You could work for a wide range of employers in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, or even start your own business. Graduates have also gone on to study for a PhD and begin an academic career.

As well as in-depth knowledge of your subject, our course will provide you with many transferable skills. It will improve your research, data collection and interpretation and presentation skills, as well as your confidence and your ability to work under your own initiative and manage your own time. The strong focus on principles and concepts will help you develop the capacity for lifelong independent study.