Concept Art & IP at UCA

Every great film or game begins as a spark of imagination that grows into worlds, characters and stories that audiences fall in love with. Concept artists are the architects of these universes. Our MA in Concept Art & Intellectual Property (IP) will give you the tools, knowledge, and industry experience to transform these artistic visions into lasting cultural touchstones. 

This postgraduate degree places a focus on developing creative outputs through project work and creative sessions. This practical work is supported by theoretical sessions that will explore the historical and cultural aspects of concept art and intellectual property. 

The degree is taught at UCA’s Farnham School for Creative & Cultural Industries, which places it within the hub of games and high-tech companies in the South East of England. This means we have strong connections with the industry and you’ll be encouraged throughout your degree to engage with industry projects via work placements and industry briefs. 

We also run a Games & Creative Technologies Incubator where as a UCA graduate you can access support to develop your IP and take your products to market. 

You’ll be taught by academics and industry professionals, giving you the chance to learn real-world skills from those who are using them in their daily professional lives. 

By the time you graduate, you’ll be leaving UCA with more than just a portfolio. You’ll leave with creative IPs, advanced concept art skills, and the confidence to promote your ideas. Whether you choose to collaborate on major industry projects or launch your own original worlds, you’ll step into the creative industries as a professional ready to make an impact. 

Please note: this course is subject to validation. 

Key information

Campus
UCA Farnham
Start date(s)
September 2026
Duration
1 year full-time
Jump to...
Entry requirements
Tuition fees

Upcoming webinars

We offer a range of webinars throughout the year that Concept Art & IP students may be interested in.


19 Nov 2025

How to write a personal statement for a creative degree

Are you looking to write a memorable personal statement and make a strong impression? In this webinar, our expert team will talk through how to approach the three questions and what to include. Book now: How to write a personal statement for a creative degree

3 Dec 2025

Creative Careers & Life After University

If you’re interested in working in the creative industries, then this webinar is a great place to start and find out why a creative degree is the perfect first step to turn your dreams into a reality.   Book now: Creative Careers & Life After University

10 Dec 2025

Supporting Students at University - Information for Parents & Guardians

Is your child thinking about applying to university? Are you unsure of how to support them through this important application? We’re here to help you and your child navigate through the UCAS application process.   Book now: Supporting Students at University - Information for Parents & Guardians

14 Jan 2026

Making an Outstanding Portfolio & Applicant Day Advice

We know that creating an outstanding portfolio can be difficult when you’re not sure where to start, so we’re here to get you started with our top tips on what to include and how to submit it.   Book now: Making an Outstanding Portfolio & Applicant Day Advice

28 Jan 2026

Postgraduate Opportunities – A focus on Masters & PhDs

At UCA, we offer a range of creative postgraduate opportunities that we’ll discuss during this webinar. Join us to learn more about our postgraduate courses and the application process.  Book now: Postgraduate Opportunities – A focus on Masters & PhDs

18 Feb 2026

How to Apply to Accommodation

Applying for accommodation can be a confusing process when you’re unsure of what to look out for, from different room options to staying in halls or in private accommodation off-campus, there’s a lot to consider. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.   Book now: How to Apply to Accommodation

This includes subject talks, masterclasses, application proccess advice and student life guides. Check out our upcoming webinars and book your place today.

What you'll study

What you'll study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

Fundamentals of Concept and IP 
This unit will introduce you to the foundational principles of concept design and intellectual property (IP) creation. You'll explore the critical elements of concept art, including visual storytelling, world-building, and character development.  

The unit also covers the basics of IP creation, focusing on how to develop unique and marketable creative content. Through case studies and practical exercises, students will understand how concept art is critical in film, games, and animation industries. 

Research Methods in Games and Creative Technologies 
In this unit you will learn to blend theoretical research methods and industry practices to analyse and assess applications and interactive experiences. This unit will enable you to apply what you learn to your own practice through a reflective report. 

Advanced Concept and IP 
Building on the foundational knowledge from what you'll have learnt up to this point, this unit delves deeper into advanced concept art and IP creation techniques. You'll engage with complex design challenges, working on larger-scale projects that require a refined understanding of narrative coherence, design consistency, and aesthetic innovation.  

The unit will focus on creating fully realized IPs, from initial concept to detailed development, that are ready for industry application.  

Topics may include advanced visual design techniques, IP branding, and the legal aspects of protecting and commercializing creative works. 

Concept Art IP Lab 
This workshop-based give you the opportunity to apply your learning to a practical production project, with the potential of working with students from other games and creative technology postgraduate courses at UCA. 

You’ll examine specialist tools, methods, concepts and processes relevant to concept art through a series of projects, workshops and advanced technical sessions. You will then undertake one of the following two options:  

  • A collaborative professional practice group project: This will include group tutorials, seminars (including from industry professionals) and, where appropriate, skills development sessions.  
  • A creative business start-up option: Developed with UCA’s Epsom School for Creative Business, Fashion & Enterprise, this option is based on active-reflective learning. Real-world practical business experience is at the core of the unit component. You’ll undertake workshops, expert lectures, advisory surgeries, coaching, practical and reflective work, pitching, discussions, and, finally,  develop your own creative startups. 

Final Major Project 
This is a culmination of your skills, understanding, passions and creativity you have developed throughout your degree. Your project should be ambitious but achievable and framed within how you want to promote yourself as a Concept Artist. You will have developed your interests, tested your ideas and planned the production of a body of work before or at the start of this unit.  

You will produce a creative, challenging, detailed and logical proposal for a body of work that you’ll complete in the final semester. You’ll plan the production of this work using a common industry methodologies and alongside the project, you will be compiling a showreel of work to showcase your mini-projects and prototypes thus far.   

The unit and year will finish with an exhibition which celebrates the prototypes and projects completed for this unit and throughout the course. 

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Fees & funding

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees - Sept 2026

  • MA course: £10,800

Tuition fees - Sept 2026

  • MA course: £10,800

We offer a fee reduction to the equivalent of UK student fee for duration of the course. This is available to all applicants who are a national of an EU country and a resident in the EU or UK. The scholarship will be automatically awarded if you meet all the eligibility criteria. You do not need to complete an application form, see fee discount information.

Tuition fees - Sept 2026

  • MA course: £18,540

The fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only, for details of previous years please see the full fee schedules.

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of scholarships and fee discounts available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Current UCA students and alumni may be eligible for a tuition fee discount.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our financial support information.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. 

Facilities & equipment

We have studios with high-end PCs with Alienware towers, 4k dual screen monitors and Wacom Cintiq graphics tablets, all dedicated to games design, with software including Unity and Unreal games engines. There is also a VR development studio, and a dedicated Games Incubator Studio for graduate entrepreneurs looking to set up their own companies or looking to release games to market. In addition, our Farnham campus has sound production and Foley studios, pro tools and a specialist library.

Interior of PC Studio & VR at UCA Farnham

PC & VR Studio

Room: JL11C

  • 20 dual-screen PC workstations
  • Virtual reality play test area with two dedicated PCs
  • Full AV with 2 large screen TVs and full sound
Interior of CGA Incubator Studio at UCA Farnham

CGA Incubator Studio

Room: JL23

  • 6 high-spec PC workstations with dual monitor screens.
  • AV with large screen TV
Interior of Prototype Lab, UCA Farnham

Prototype Lab

Room: JL17

  • 3 Ultimaker 3D printers
  • 1 Ultimaker 3D print washing machine
  • Laptop rental machine storing 12 high-spec gaming laptops
Games Studios, UCA Farnham

Creative Lab

Room: JL11A

  • 26 PC workstations
  • Full AV with 3 large screen TVs and full sound
Games Studios, UCA Farnham

PC & Cintiq Studio

Room: JL11B

  • 22 PC workstations all equipped with Wacom video drawing tablets
  • Full AV with 3 large screen TVs and full sound
Interior of the Large Sound Recording Studio

Large Sound Recording Studio

Room: W107

This room contains:

  • Large Esmono sound booth
  • Rode microphones
  • Foley props
  • Scarlett 20i18 interface
  • iMac
  • Pro Tools Studio
Virtual Production Studio, UCA Farnham

VR and Motion Capture Studio

Virtual Production and Mixed Reality Studio, powered by White Light SmartStage technology.
Student in UCA Farnham library

UCA Farnham

This is our largest library space, which includes:

  • 55 iMac workstations
  • 41 PC workstations
  • 4 study pods with electrical connections and monitor
  • 2 study pods without monitor
  • 5 DSA Loanable laptops (students can borrow from the library only if approved by our Disability staff on DDA grounds, for an agreed period)
  • Large collection of LGBTQ+, Fashion, Feminist, Photography, Mental Health and Illustration Zines
  • Archives
     
Launch the Virtual Tour

Career opportunities

The course team work closely with the careers team to help you set out on your specialised career pathway. With in-depth knowledge of the creative sector, they support you to make the most of industry contacts and continue to offer support after you graduate through online resources and one-to-one sessions. 

Many students choose to freelance once they complete their degree. The careers team offer enterprise-related activities for these students to help prepare for self-employment and to develop business ideas. 

You may want to undertake further study or research to specialise even further.

Entry & portfolio requirements

For this course we may need to see your portfolio for review. You can either submit a digital portfolio or request an in-person portfolio review with the course team.

Please check our Concept Art & IP Development MA portfolio requirements.

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