Trinity College partners with industry to launch new video game masters degree

Posted on: 04 July 2007

Microsoft supports the course with the XNA Gamelab giving students access to the latest Xbox 360 and XNA game development technology

Addressing the growing global opportunities presented by Interactive Entertainment and the potential for Ireland to become a centre of excellence for the global gaming industry, Trinity College Dublin has announced details of a one-year full-time Masters Degree in Interactive Entertainment Technology starting in October 2007. This course has been designed in collaboration with many of the world’s top game industry companies such as Microsoft, Demonware and Radical Entertainment. It represents the first post graduate course in Ireland to focus on the science and technology behind the video game and entertainment industries. The deadline for students interested in the course is 31st July, 2007.

The course provides students with a state-of-the-art learning environment including the Microsoft sponsored XNA Gamelab – the first in Ireland. It couples the very latest technology with classes given by world experts in computer graphics and animation, computer vision, networking and distributed computing. Students will use the very latest tools and technologies providing the perfect preparation for a career in game development and entertainment technology.

Ireland’s media and gaming industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in IT and has been identified in recent government reports to be potentially of significant strategic value to Ireland’s future economy. The global video game software industry is worth over $20 billion a year and is growing at 25% per annum. The course differs from other gaming courses though its focus on the technologies behind the entertainment and media industries and its engagement with leading companies to prepare graduates with the necessary skills to shape the futures of these industries.

Dr. Steven Collins, Course Director Trinity College Dublin, and previously co-founder and CTO of Havok said, “Interactive entertainment is one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas of global industry right now. It presents a fantastic opportunity, not just for students and individuals, but for the country. If we can continue to grow the skills and knowledge available in Ireland in key areas, building on our research strengths, we have the ability to make Ireland a specialised hub for this business. The quality of this course, coupled with the support of industry leaders such as Microsoft, Demonware and Radical Entertainment provides students with access to the very latest thinking, techniques and technology. We’re attracting local and international students and with only a month left before applications close, time is running out!”

Orla Sheridan at Microsoft commented, “Ireland has been incredibly successful positioning itself as a successful international technology location. Interactive entertainment is one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas of business today and we believe that Trinity’s new course presents a fantastic opportunity to broaden the pool of expertise in Ireland. There is a huge demand for skills in this technology both from established global players and also from smaller companies based here and abroad. The growth of online technology means that the skills students will learn on the course will be relevant and in demand.”

The course is open to only 25 students annually, each of whom will have achieved a minimum of a 2.1 in Computer Science or a related degree. Students meeting these requirements will be required to sit an interview as part of the selection process. The course features modules delivered by world class researchers taken from TCD research groups including the graphics vision and visualisation group. The second half of the year-long course will focus on individual research on a chosen dissertation topic and contribution to a significant group project developing a complete application (e.g. a game). Students will be encouraged to build a portfolio of work and enter international competitions such as Microsoft’s Imagine Cup.

The course also has an Advisory Board drawn from the gaming and technology industry. The Board includes representatives from Microsoft, Intel, Demonware, Radical Games and Silicon & Software Systems.

More information for students interested in the course please visit http://www.cs.tcd.ie/courses/msciet/