DARE ACADEMY Computer Game Design Summer School
10 July - 11 August 2017 Dundee Scotland – the city where Grand Theft Auto originated Combine summer school with trips to Scotland’s cities and world famous attractions
Where we are Experience Scottish education, culture and student life at Abertay University this summer! Abertay University is in Dundee, Scotland, the country’s fourth city. Abertay University is ranked by the Princeton Review as the top university in Europe to study computer games. We’re a designated Centre of Excellence in Game Education and offer undergraduate and maser degree programs in game design and production, game application and development, game technology, computer arts and sound and music for games. We offer a wide array of summer schools, from game design to business to environmental science, highlighting our excellence in these educational fields. We are a global community, hosting students from over 70 countries, but thanks to our small size and city center location there is a real “Abertay family” feel to our campus. Our summer schools give you not only a rigorous academic experience but also the opportunity to experience the beauty and uniqueness of our wee country. Scotland is distinctive and inspiring, with history, excitement and adventure around every turn.
By Rail
By Bus/Coach
Dundee train station is a less than 10-minute walk from Abertay and provides regular, direct services to and from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. It takes just over an hour to get to each city from Dundee.
Dundee’s bus station is just five minutes from our campus. Scottish Citylink, National Express, Stagecoach Group and Megabus services regularly arrive in Dundee from major cities across the UK, including London.
It takes just six hours to reach Dundee from London’s Kings Cross station. This service stops at various locations on the way, including Peterborough, Doncaster, York and Newcastle.
There is also a great network of local bus services covering the whole city and its surrounding area.
There’s also an overnight sleeper service.
By Air
Aberdeen
Dundee Airport receives two FlyBe flights a day from London Stansted, and you are just over an hour away from international airports in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Dundee Glasgow Edinburgh
Newcastle
Discover what Abertay has to offer and begin your own Scotland story!
Belfast
Dublin
Manchester
Birmingham Cardiff
London
7 reasons to come to Abertay and Dundee 1. We’ve a reputation for being ground-breaking We have a lot of firsts under our belt. We were the first university in the world to offer degrees in Computer Games education and Ethical Hacking and we’re renowned for both. Grand Theft Auto was created by an Abertay student and the game originated in the city. 2. GQ Magazine describes Dundee as “the UK’s coolest little city”* A hub for the digital and creative industries, Dundee is a city bubbling with arts, culture, bars and restaurants. It’s vibrant and edgy, but also friendly, compact and incredibly affordable. Oh, and did we mention the stunning Scottish countryside just 30 minutes away? 3. Learn from industry experts Our lecturers aren’t just brilliant academics – they come with years of industry experience. 4. Study at the same time as other students This summer school will run parallel to Abertay’s accelerated degree program, so international students will reap the benefits of collaboration and teamwork with local Abertay students. With staff and students from many
different countries and a variety of cultural backgrounds, DBS offers you a diverse and rewarding international experience. 5. Dundee is breathtaking Dundee is Scotland’s sunniest city and in June it will be daylight from early morning to 10pm so you can make the most of summer nights after you finish lectures. The city is built on a river, close to the sea and we have a beach on our doorstep. In spring and summer dolphins visit our waters. Join the dog walkers on the beach trying to spot them (two hours before high tide is best). At the centre of the city is an extinct volcano with spectacular 360 views. 6. Convenient location Britain is a small country. Dundee is only a 90 minute flight from London or there’s a direct train. Or you could choose to fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow and take the train to Dundee (it only takes an hour). Dundee has excellent transportation links to Scotland’s key cities. 7. Affordability With the US dollar buying close to 25% more British pounds than it did this time last year, there’s hasn’t been a better value time to visit in years.
Summer school in Scotland About the learning Abertay University’s international summer schools consist of a varied schedule of lectures, seminars and workshops, along with field visits to industry locations using our staff’s impressive professional contacts. This combination of classroom learning and external visits is designed specifically to complement and enhance your learning through personal observations and development of your critical thinking skills, while improving your social and cultural awareness and helping you to gain meaningful, hands-on experiences directly linked to academic and professional objectives.
Making the most of an extraordinary opportunity It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity studying in Scotland, so we want to make sure you see the best our amazing country has to offer. We’ve organized trips and excursions for you every weekend of the summer school to showcase the magnificent beauty of Scotland, from the rugged castles of the south to the stunning majesty of the Highlands. You’ll also have free time to explore the exciting city of Dundee and make it your home. We want you to most of every moment of your two weeks in Scotland!
Dare Academy About the program
The Dare Academy summer school is a program of lectures, workshops, seminars and master classes led both by Abertay faculty and by visiting designers, artists and lecturers who are world-leaders in their fields. You will have the opportunity to work with peers from all over the world on a project especially suited to your skill level. We welcome any level of skill, from beginners to final year game students, and we will organize the students into teams based on their confidence with the material. Under the supervision of Abertay staff and peer mentors, each team with create a game prototype, which could be anything from a pen-and-paper model up to a fully-fledged vertical slice. These projects will be displayed at a showcase at the end of the five weeks, where they will receive feedback from industry, peers and the general public.
Fees* Abertay’s Dare Academy summer school costs £3,700 ($4,600) per student. This fee includes tuition, accommodation, and transportation for all field trips and cultural visits. It does not include flights, airport transfers or food. To guarantee your space, your application and a 50% nonrefundable deposit must be submitted to Abertay University by May 15, 2017. *Abertay University reserves the right to cancel the summer school if less than 10 enrolments are registered.
WEEK TWO DATE Monday July 17 Tuesday July 18
10 - 12PM
12 - 2PM
2 - 5PM
From concept to prototype: summer school project creation (Session led by guest lecturer Peter Brinson, University of Southern California)
Wednesday July 19 Thursday July 20
Dare Academy Summer School Program 2017*
Friday July 21
Sound and music for games workshop
Saturday July 22
Cultural trip: Edinburgh
Sunday July 23
Free day
Lunch break
Sound and music for games exercises
Monday, 10 July – Friday, 11 August 2017 You should arrive in Dundee no later than Sunday, 9 July.
WEEK THREE
WEEK ONE DATE
10 - 12PM
12 - 2PM
2 - 5PM
DATE
10 - 12PM
12 - 2PM
2 - 5PM
Monday July 24
Development of group project
Lunch break
Development of group project
Tuesday July 25
Development of group project
Lunch break
Special topic lecture by Abertay Staff
Wednesday July 26
Development of group project
Lunch break
Development of group project
Thursday July 27
Development of group project
Lunch break
Special topic lecture by Abertay Staff
Friday July 28
Play testing session
Saturday July 15
Saturday July 29
Free day
Sunday July 16
Sunday July 30
Cultural trip: St Andrews Highland Games
Monday July 10
Welcome breakfast and orientation
Tuesday July 11
Games studies workshop (Session led by guest lecturer Adam Liszkiewicz , University of Southern California)
Wednesday July 12
Lunch break
Free time
Thursday July 13 Friday July 14
Weekend excursion to the Scottish Highlands
WEEK FOUR DATE
10 - 12PM
12 - 2PM
2 - 5PM
Monday July 31
Development of group project
Lunch break
Development of group project
Tuesday August 1
Development of group project
Lunch break
Special topic lecture by Abertay Staff
Wednesday August 2
Development of group project
Lunch break
Development of group project
Thursday August 3
Development of group project
Lunch break
Special topic lecture by Abertay Staff
Friday August 4
Play testing session
Saturday August 5
Cultural visit: Scottish castles
Sunday August 6
Free Day
WEEK FIVE DATE Monday August 7
10 - 12PM
12 - 2PM
2 - 5PM
Final games showcase
Tuesday August 8 Wednesday August 9
Business of games workshop: state of the industry
Thursday August 10
Business of games workshop: organizing and funding a games collective
Friday August 11
Business of games workshop: business planning
Saturday August 12
Departure
Wrap-up party
* Disclaimer: All cultural visits and field trips are indicative only and the timing and location may change depending on the weather conditions.
How to Apply The application and deposit information can be found on Abertay University’s website: abertay.ac.uk/studying/international-summer-schools
Any questions? Don’t be shy, we’d love to hear from you and are here to help. Please contact: Adrienne McLaughlin International Summer Schools Coordinator Abertay University Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG T: 0044 1382 308 E: international@abertay.ac.uk Abertay University is an operating name of the University of Abertay Dundee, a charity registered in Scotland No: SC016040.