Computer Games

Ever played a terrible game and thought you could design something better? Or been so gripped by one that you wish you had come up with the idea? Then think about a course in computer games design.

The games designer makes great ideas become real, designing the rules and structure of a game. It involves working with many different people, understanding the specialists who need to work together to create games.

You develop 2D and 3D design skills alongside an appreciation of game mechanics and its relationship to game play, including conceptual, story, character, level and visual design. You also study the industry technologies and compare their capabilities.

*This course has a Foundation Year for applicants who don’t meet the requirements for Year 1 entry. Limited places are available.

More about the Foundation Year Games and Animation

How you learn

For each module you learn in a series of lectures and tutorials. The lecturers provide you with specific theoretical information related to the subject while the tutorials focus on developing your practical skills. In the later tutorials you will work on assessments and use this time to get feedback and advice from tutors. Further support will be offered online in the form of extra learning material. You are expected to manage your time to complete work outside the tutorial sessions.

How you are assessed

We believe that is essential for you to learn through the experience of doing. Assessment for all modules is in the form of practical projects, which you work on throughout the year. You will develop a portfolio of design work throughout the course. In year 2, the Journeyman group project provides you with essential teamwork skills ready for industry. The Project in the final year allows you the freedom to set your own project based on your skills and interests.

Professional placement

You may apply to take a year-long supervised work placement between your second and final years. Placements provide an opportunity for you to improve your employment prospects by developing new skills and deepening your understanding of the subject.

The placement year is assessed and contributes to your final degree award. Students have been placed in games companies, such as Rare, Blitz Games and Ubisoft Reflections, and animation companies, such as Triffic Films. Students are selected by employers and are normally paid by the host organisation during the placement.

Career opportunities

This specialist degree offers the skills you will need for a career in the games industry and provides generic skills which open up numerous other career paths. Future employment opportunities include creative director, games designer, scriptwriter, level designer, concept/storyboard artist, interface designer and games tester.

Graduates from our games degrees have gone on to work as level designers, junior game designers, mission designers and artists and in a wide range of companies including 3rd Dimensions, Atomic Planet, Bizarre Creations, Blitz Games, Codeworks, Eutechnyx, Halch, Media Molecule, Microsoft Rare, Streamline, Frontier Rebellion, Rockstar North, Sega, Streamline, Traveller's Tales, Ubisoft Reflections, Venom, Virtual Playground, Volatile, Weta Digital and many more.

Entry requirements

A typical offer is 280 tariff points including at least two A levels (or equivalent). You're expected to come for an interview and present a portfolio of your artwork.

If you don't have an appropriated educational background for this course, you may receive an offer in a related but more suitable area.

More information

• Computer Games
  More information and courses in Computer Games