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Postgraduate

MSc Creative Computing

Close up of student working with technical equipment
Anna Tsuda in the studio, 2021, MSc Creative Computing, UAL Creative Computing Institute, ©Alys Tomlinson
College
UAL Creative Computing Institute Start date
September 2024 Course length
1 year 3 months full-time (45 weeks across a four-term model)

MSc Creative Computing is an exciting mix of advanced computing and creative practice set in the context of a world-renowned creative university.

Course summary

Applications closed 2024/25

We are no longer accepting applications for 2024/25 entry to this course. Applications for 2025/26 entry will open in Autumn 2024.

Applying for more than 1 course

From September 2025, you can only apply for a maximum of 3 postgraduate courses each year at UAL (excluding online or low-residency courses and Graduate Diplomas). Find out more in the Apply Now section.

About this course

Explore creative computing and build your expertise in evolving areas such as advanced visualisation, physical computing and machine intelligence. Explore the advanced skills of coding such as Python, JavaScript and processing, and gain experience with development frameworks such as Open Frameworks and Unity.

This course explicitly explores computational thinking and this will enable you to engage with the cultural agency of computational technology.

The integration of computing and creative practice in MSc Creative Computing will help you gain the specialist skills required to build a successful career in creative practice, the creative industries or within the digital technology sector more broadly.

Great reasons to apply:

  • Learn the skills sought after in industry: Creative Developers are sought after in industry with their ability to both translate creative direction into code and deliver creative direction themselves. As a graduate from this course, you will be able to develop for the dominant frameworks that underpin much of the creative digital industries and lead creative work with technology.
  • Interdisciplinary teaching: you’ll be exposed to different modes of learning and develop a strong technical fluency with computational technologies with discovery-based learning rooted in creative practice.
  • High-quality research informed teaching: the course is significantly informed by the research themes of the newly established UAL Creative Computing Institute (CCI). The CCI’s research themes of Creativity, Machine Learning and AI; Human Computer Interaction; Platforms, Big Data and Digital Citizenship are imbedded in units throughout the course.
  • Critical engagement with technology: through critical studies and creative practice the course will provide you with opportunities to question the trajectory of technology development and understand the role of technology in producing the future.
  • UAL Creative Computing Institute (CCI): this newly established UAL is located within the new building at Camberwell. You will have access to purpose built facilities and technical support, and exposure to creative computing research.
  • A material understanding of computational technologies: develop an appreciation of what computation is in both a technical and cultural sense. This understanding will enable you to challenge dominant ways of deploying technology at the level of code, for example re engineering facial recognition algorithms to challenge cultural basis.

Follow CCI online

Twitter: @ual_cci

YouTube: @ual_cci

Instagram: @ual_cci

Course overview

The MSc Creative Computing is an exciting mix of computing and creative practice set in the context of a world-renowned creative university. Students will extend their coding skills to include the advanced frameworks that underpin innovative creative computing practice in the crafting of bespoke digital experiences. Students will also explore evolving areas such as advanced computational creativity physical computing, and tangible media, machine intelligence and more. In this context, students will acquire an advanced set of applied computing skills covering the advanced computational workflows that support innovation in the digital technology sector and creative practice. Building on these skills, and through creative practice, students will also develop their ability to innovate and explore advanced computational practice. The course explicitly explores computational thinking, and this will enable students to critically engage with the cultural agency of computational technology. This integration of computing and creative practice will ensure students have the opportunity to build a successful career in creative practice, the creative industries or within the digital technology sector more broadly.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

All 20 credit units carry an expectation of approximately 12-15 study hours per week minus the direct contact time shown. The hours outside of direct contact time are for self-directed study, library, technical resource access and associated practice. 40 credit units are double the above.

Term 1

These units are delivered in parallel:

  • Critical Coding One: Advanced Creative Coding (20 Credits)
  • Creative Making: Advanced Physical Computing and Tangible Media (20 Credits)

Term 2

These units are delivered in parallel:

  • Critical Coding Two: Advanced Frameworks (20 Credits)
  • Creative Making: Advanced Computational Creativity and Responsive Environments (20 Credits) 

Term 3

These units are delivered in parallel:

  • Critical Coding Three: Engaging Machine Intelligence (20 Credits)
  • (Continued for term 2) Creative Making: Advanced Computational Creativity and Responsive Environments (20 Credits) 

Term 4

  • Creative Making: MSc Advanced Project (60 Credits)

Programme specification

Download course specification (PDF File 383.8 KB)

Learning and teaching methods

The course is delivered through a series of lectures introducing core topics, providing context and explaining the purpose of tasks. In labs, students will work both individually and in groups to develop knowledge through a series of practical and creative exercises, undertaken throughout the course. Students will work in a programming environment suitable for the creation of real-time, interactive software. In creative making units, subjects will be introduced through a range of studio-based workshops and assignments supported where appropriate by lectures, seminars, critiques and visits. Independent creative practice is also required.

Assessment methods

  • Course work
  • Set tasks
  • Presentations
  • Creative Practice Based Thesis Essay

Watch the online open day

Staff

Fees and funding

Home fee

£13,330

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£28,570

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Additional costs

You may need to cover additional costs which are not included in your tuition fees. These could include travel expenses and the costs of materials. For a list of general equipment needed for all UAL courses, visit our living expenses and additional costs page.

Accommodation

Find out about accommodation options and how much they will cost.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

If you’ve completed a qualifying course at UAL, you may be eligible for a tuition fee discount on this course. Find out more about our Progression discount.

You can also find out more about the Postgraduate Masters Loan (Home students only) and scholarships, including £7,000 scholarships for Home and International students. Discover more about student funding.

If you’re based in the UK and plan to visit UAL for an Open Event, check if you’re eligible for our UAL Travel Bursary. This covers the costs of mainland train or airline travel to visit UAL.

How to pay

Find out how you can pay your tuition fees.

Scholarship search

Or view all

Entry requirements

  • Computer Science
  • Interactive Media Arts
  • Data Science
  • Computing
  • Game Development
  • Joint Computer Science / Arts, Humanities programme
  • Responsive Environments

Or from a creative discipline with substantial computational practice such as:

  • Game Design
  • Design Media Arts
  • Graphic Design
  • Interaction Design
  • Interactive Media Design
  • Web Design
  • Communication Design
  • Computer Science
  • Digital Design
  • Product Design

or a professional qualification recognised as equivalent to an honours degree in a design-related or creative discipline. Students without the required qualifications, but with professional experience may be eligible to gain credit for previous learning and experience through the AP(E)L system.

Language requirements (International/EU)

If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. For more details, please check our main English Language requirements webpage.

Selection criteria

If students do not have a Science or Mathematics-based A-level, they should normally have at least Grade B/Grade 6 in GCSE Mathematics. Applicants are judged on evidence of technical ability, creative practice, and social impact.

Information for disabled applicants

UAL is committed to achieving inclusion and equality for disabled students. This includes students who have:

     
  • Dyslexia or another Specific Learning Difference
  • A sensory impairment
  • A physical impairment
  • A long-term health or mental health condition
  • Autism
  • Another long-term condition which has an impact on your day-to-day life

Our Disability Service arranges adjustments and support for disabled applicants and students.

Read our Disability and dyslexia: applying for a course and joining UAL information.

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

Applications are now closed for 2024/25 entry. Applications for 2025/26 entry will open in autumn 2024.

Read more about deadlines

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

Applications are now closed for 2024/25 entry. Applications for 2025/26 entry will open in autumn 2024.

Read more about deadlines

How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement and CV.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 500 words and include:

  • your reasons for choosing the course
  • your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans
  • any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Visit our personal statement page for more advice.

CV advice

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If you have any web projects or other media that you would like to share, please include links in your CV. If English is not your first language, please also include your most recent English language test score.

Step 2: Digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit this via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • include work that demonstrates your skills and thinking
  • include 1 page of research
  • 2 pages of coding screenshots showing your project development
  • 2 pages of creative computing projects that you have undertaken
  • 1 page of any other creative work
  • be maximum 6 pages long.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Applying to more than 1 course

From October 2025, you can only apply for a maximum of 3 postgraduate courses each year at UAL. This excludes online or low-residency courses and Graduate Diplomas, which you can apply to in addition to 3 other postgraduate courses.

If you apply for more than 3 postgraduate courses between October 2024 and August 2025, we won’t accept the 4th application. It’s not possible to withdraw an application to replace it with another.

You need to tailor your application, supporting documents and portfolio to each course, so applying for many different courses could risk the overall quality of your application. If you receive offers for multiple courses, you'll only be able to accept 1 offer.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

We do not accept any deferral requests for our postgraduate courses. This means that you must apply in the year that you plan to start your course and you will not be able to defer your place to start at a later date.

Application deadlines

Most of our postgraduate courses have 2 rounds of deadlines: one in December and one in March.

As long as you apply ahead of each deadline we will consider your application alongside all the other applications in that round. We always make sure to hold enough places back for round 2 to make sure we can consider your application fairly, no matter which round you apply in.

If there are still places available after the second deadline, the course will remain open to applications until all places have been filled.

Careers

Developing your skills

Graduates of MSc Creative Computing will possess a material understanding of computational technologies and a set of computing and coding skills in demand across the digital sector. The integration of computational skills and creative practice taught in this course mean graduates will have the skills required in modern and evolving workplaces.

Career paths

Graduates will be well paced to work in the following roles:

  • Creative Technologist
  • Creative Developer
  • Web Developer
  • UX Developer
  • iOS App Developer
  • Software Developer
  • IoT / Smart Products Developer
  • Front – End Developer
  • Digital Strategist
  • Live Events Technologist
  • Technology Researcher
  • Machine Intelligence Developer
  • Broadcast Technologist
  • IT Specialist
  • Digital Project Manager
  • Digital Entrepreneur
  • Digital Creative
  • Interactive Designer

A proportion of graduates may also wish to pursue PhD study.

UAL Alumni Association

Our alumni association offers graduates support and a number of benefits.

Student Jobs and Careers

Find out how careers and employability helps our students and graduates start their careers.

UAL Creative Computing Institute

Contact

Email

cci@arts.ac.uk

Address

UAL Creative Computing Institute
45–65 Peckham Road
London
SE5 8UF