Take your creative ideas and turn them into marketable gaming products on this exciting undergraduate degree. Learn the full production pipeline, from initial concept through to final distribution. Find your niche in an industry that is enjoying soaring growth in both economic value and cultural relevance.
As a BA (Hons) Computer Games (Design) student you’ll be working alongside established academics and professionals with experience in every aspect of game production. Starting with fundamental design tools, you’ll focus on creating compelling games that engage players and deliver great experiences.
As you learn the essential programming, design and prototyping skills needed to make this possible, you’ll benefit from access to dedicated studio space in Solent’s video games academy. This open access teaching area provides all the specialised software you’ll need: Visual Studio, Perforce, DirectX, OpenGL, UDK 4.0, Unity, Source, Torque, Cocos2dx, Photoshop, 3D studio max, Maya and Mudbox to name just a few. You’ll also have access to console development kits, a motion capture studio, a mobile devices lab and a range of consumer gaming/VR hardware.
Bringing a modern game to market requires a broad range of skills and specialisms. Throughout your degree you will learn to collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams, bringing these varied specialisms together to create polished and engaging gaming experiences. If you are particularly interested in the project or business management side of the industry, you have the option to undertake a “business of games” unit in your third year of study.
Links with industry are a major component of the course. You’ll be encouraged to take part in game jams, conferences, gaming conventions and networking events throughout your degree; building connections and discovering your niche. An industry advisory board supports the planning for the curriculum, ensuring that you are learning in-demand skills. Companies represented include Sony Computer Games Europe, Unity Technologies, Sumo Digital, Bitmap Bureau, Stainless Games and Aardvark Swift.
What does this course lead to?
As a graduate from this course, you will be well prepared for a range of roles within game production. This could be working for an established gaming business, a smaller independent studio or your own start-up.
The course offers many opportunities to specialise, allowing graduates to progress into a variety of paid work. Suitable positions include gameplay design, level design, UX design, simulation design, VR design, game programming, usability, quality assurance and software testing.
There are also a growing number of opportunities outside the computer games industry in areas such as board game design, simulation design and toy design.
Who is this course for?
This course is ideally suited to students who wish to learn the full production pipeline for modern computer, card and board games. Candidates typically come from a range of different academic backgrounds including computing, art, design and media.
