Master’s degree in Video Games and Digital Interactive Media
Turn your passion for video games and digital interactive media into your career with our master’s degree
Overview
Level of study: Master’s (Bac+5)
Duration: 2 years
Type of course: Full-time study with internships
Number of students: 55
Entry requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- French and English Proficiency
- Competitive entrance exams
Location: Angoulême (France)
RNCP Code*: 38202
*French National Framework for Professional Qualifications (Répertoire national des certifications professionnelles, RNCP)
Note: The Master’s degree programme is often referred to as ‘Master JMIN’ in French communication. JMIN is the acronym of the programme's name in French: jeux et médias interactifs numériques.
Specialisations
Students choose from one of 6 specialisations, all of which correspond to professions in the gaming industry.
- Game Design
- Game Art
- Sound Design
- UX/UR
- Game Programming
- Project Management
Candidates choose which specialisation they wish to major in during the application process and entry exams. Note that there is a Common Core of classes offered during Semester 1 which allows students to gain a solid understanding of the other specialisations.
For more detailed information about the specialisations, see the "Course Content" section.
A diploma which prepares students for all video game professions
The Master's degree in Video Games and Digital Interactive Media is jointly accredited by Cnam and the University of Poitiers. The diploma is delivered by one of the institutions depending on the student’s chosen specialisation. However, Cnam-Enjmin is the sole point of admission for all students.
This is a two-year master’s degree designed to train high-level artists, designers and academic researchers in the fields of video games and digital interactive media.
Our strengths
- Suitable educational environment to promote pre-production (the school has its own incubator programme called "All4GAMES").
- Multi-disciplinary teamwork throughout the course: at the end of each year, students from the various specialisations work on a shared project in real-life industry-style conditions.
- Students participate in numerous international & national events, such as Paris Games Week, Game Developers Conference, Electronic Entertainment Expo, etc.
- We are happy to receive support from Ubisoft and other leading companies.
The master's programme is certified by the French Video Games Association (Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo) and received an A+ qualification level when appraised by the French Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (HCERES, formerly AERES).
The programme, which is delivered at Cnam-Enjmin in Angoulême, combines French-taught (1st year) and English-taught (2nd year) courses.
Candidates who have a bachelor's degree are welcome to apply, whether in initial training or continuing education. The VAE programme (Validation de l’expérience acquise, or in English, Validation of Acquired Experience) allows Cnam to grant full degrees based on work experience.
Dual Degree Programme Cnam-Enjmin and Cologne Game Lab
Our partnership with the Cologne Game Lab (CGL) offers the possibility of a dual degree: Master’s degree in Video Games and Digital Interactive Media at Cnam-Enjmin and MA in Digital Games at CGL. International mobility takes place in the Semester 3 of the programme.
Passarelle Programme Cnam-Enjmin and NAD-UQAC School
A Passerelle (Bridge programme) between Cnam-Enjmin and NAD-UQAC School (École des arts numériques, de l’animation et du design) in Montreal (Canada) is offered to students in the Game Design specialisation. The programme enables them to spend their 1st year in Montreal and obtain the DESS in Narrative Game Design from the NAD-UQAC School. Please note that the Passerelle programme is only available in French. For more information on the dual degree, click here.
Partner of the French Polytechnical School
Cnam-Enjmin has been a receiving institution of students from the French Polytechnical School (École polytechnique) since 2020. Every year, we welcome polytechnical students into the second-year course who have chosen the Cnam-Enjmin as their application school for their 4th year.
Fees
For European students: Nationals of a European Union member country, the European Economic Area, Monaco, Andorra or Switzerland: €335/year (this includes the €243 tuition charges at master level in public institutions, plus the €92 Student and Campus Life Contribution fee known as the ‘CVEC’*). It is possible to obtain a CROUS scholarship on the basis of social criteria and, for those having completed a bachelor’s degree in another French region, a mobility financial aid for graduates.
For non-EU students: You will be required to pay differentiated registration fees if:
- You are enrolling for the 1st time for a master's degree.
- Provided that you are not permanently settled in France.
The French State will thus cover two thirds of the cost of your training. The total registration fee that you will be required to pay will be €3,770 per year (including the €92 Student and Campus Life Contribution fee known as the ‘CVEC’*).
Please note that you can apply to a CROUS scholarship, an Erasmus+ mobility scholarship for foreign students, a French Ministry of Higher education and Research scholarship or one of the many French Europe and Foreign Affairs Ministry scholarships for foreign students.
French regions and towns allocate scholarships to foreign students enrolled on programmes in their region.
*The CVEC applies to all students enrolling for a degree programme in a public or private institution on higher education in France.
Contact
+33 (0) 5 57 59 23 00
Come and play!
Think you've got what it takes to play our students' games? Head over to our itch.io page to try them out!
Trailer of one of previous award-winning student games, Don't Look
What qualification(s) should I take before applying to this Master's degree?
There is no perfect path to enter this programme. We are looking for motivated people who have developed personal projects and a broad general knowledge (audiovisual and video game knowledge is mandatory).
There is no compulsory training course to apply to the Master’s degree in Video Games and Digital Interactive Media.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of academic programmes that previous students had completed before joining the master's degree.
Specialisations
Bacherlor's Degrees or Equivalents of Previous Applicants and Students
May lead to a job as...
Game Design
Screenwriting, Film & Video Production, Audiovisual Communication, French Language and Literature, Communication and Information Studies, Media and Writing...
(Lead) Game Designer, Level Designer
Game Art
Screenwriting, Audiovisual Communication, Communication and Information Studies, Visual Arts, Computer Animation, Art and Design, Animation, Photography, VFX and Animation...
(Lead) Graphic Designer, 3D Modeler, 3D Texture Artist,
Gaming Host
Game Programming
Computer Science, Applied Mathematics...
Technical Director,
(Lead) Engine Programmer,
Gameplay Programmer
Project Management
All types of training, e.g. Management, Philosophy, Computer Networking, Communication...
Executive Producer, Executive Game Producer
UX/UR
Psychology, Cognitive Sciences...
Validation Test Manager, User Interface Designer
Sound Design
Music and Sound Design, Musicology, Sound Engineering, Digital Music...
Lead Sound Designer
(Lead) Game Designer, Level Designer
(Lead) Graphic Designer, 3D Modeler, 3D Texture Artist,
Gaming Host
Technical Director,
(Lead) Engine Programmer,
Gameplay Programmer
Project Management
Lead Sound Designer
What is a master’s degree?
-
A master's degree is an EQF* level 7 qualification above Bachelor's degrees but below PhDs.
-
The master’s degree is a higher education diploma delivered on behalf of the French government. It is awarded to postgraduate students who obtain 120 ECTS** credits.
-
The programme includes theoretical instruction as well as methodological and applied learning. All students undertake internships.
-
The training course introduces students to academic research. They are required, either to write a thesis or work on a personal project.
*European Qualifications Framework
**European Credits Transfer System
A master's degree is an EQF* level 7 qualification above Bachelor's degrees but below PhDs.
The master’s degree is a higher education diploma delivered on behalf of the French government. It is awarded to postgraduate students who obtain 120 ECTS** credits.
The programme includes theoretical instruction as well as methodological and applied learning. All students undertake internships.
The training course introduces students to academic research. They are required, either to write a thesis or work on a personal project.
In the same section
- Our Courses
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science for Video Games
- Bachelor’s degree in Digital Arts for Video Games
- Master's degree in Video Games and Interactive Media
- International Master's degree in Video Games and Digital Interactive Media
- Engineering degree in Computer Science and Multimedia
- Post-Master's degree in Interactive Digital Experiences
- Other courses
- Financial Aid