Our students

Why Teesside?

As soon as I saw the campus I knew I wanted to study there, it just felt inviting. Middlesbrough is really student-focused, which made settling in so easy. And the gaming facilities are incredible.

Why computer games programming?

Gaming has always been a passion, I used to play Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Mega Drive while I was getting ready for school. I wanted to create computer games to give people the same energy and excitement I had as a child. It's such a young innovative industry, every day is different.

Best thing about your course?

The lecturers, they were great. A lot had worked in industry and brought real-life examples to their teaching which made the subjects so interesting.

I really enjoyed using my creativity to develop games from scratch. And I gained confidence in areas I struggled with. I don’t like maths, but the lecturers supported me to overcome this and gave me the time I needed to develop my skills.

Tell us about Middlesbrough?

Everything is super close to campus and shops, bars and restaurants are student focused. Try not to get addicted to Middlesbrough’s delicacy, a parmo – me and my friends still talk about them to this day, you’ll never find one as nice anywhere else! I also always felt really safe, even in the early hours coming home from labs, the cinema or bars.

Any extra-curricular activities?

I was in the Music society and helped set up the Games Creation society. They were a great way of meeting new people, especially outside of the course, and we had some good nights out. I also went to the cinema a lot, thanks to my student discount card.

What skills did you gain?

Numerous, but three particular skills have helped me in my career:

1. Presenting – I do this every day at work, so learning this skill at university helped prepare me.
2. Time management – the games industry works to tight deadlines so meeting assignment deadlines helped.
3. Networking – I met so many new people personally and professionally, which prepared me for networking at big events and interviews.

What are you doing now?

I’m a Global Marketing/Brand Manager for Koch Media GmbH.

I’m continuing to work on some great games and hope to have my own publisher in the future.

Any advice about university?

No matter where you go, university is what you make it. You can achieve a good degree, have a great experience and better yourself as a person. The most important part is to have fun.

Would you recommend Teesside University to others?

100%, especially to study games. There are so many amazing opportunities including work placements, Animex international festival of animation, VFX and games, and industry input from indie companies like Double Eleven, Coatsink and Radical Forge. You’ll have a great experience and leave with the skills for your chosen career.