Overview
Develop art skills relevant to the fast-moving computer games industry on our full-time Computer Games Art degree in Cambridge, accredited by TIGA. Get support to find work placements, and study modules designed with the help of gaming industry professionals. Discover how you can use visual research, creative experimentation and technical development to forge a career as a games artist.
- Join a course that scored 92% for „The Teaching on my Course” in the National Student Survey 2019
- Our TIGA accreditation gives you a badge of excellence to show future employers
- Improve your prospects with guest speakers and live briefs from companies like Sony, Sumo Digital, Jagex, and Frontier
- Take part in events with industry reps like gaming festival Brains Eden, hosted every year by ARU, where games studios snap up the latest talent
- Study in Cambridge, where 18% of the UK gaming industry is based (nesta.org.uk)
- Receive ongoing support to find placements and work experience
Our BA (Hons) Computer Games Art degree will equip you with 3D computer games skills in modelling, texturing and animation, enabling you to create characters, environments and special effects.
You’ll learn how to plan your designs using concept art and bring them to life using animation and interactive games software such as Unity 3D. You’ll also be given access to the latest technologies, supported by a dedicated Computer Graphics Technical Officer.
According to Microsoft, „65% of today’s students will be doing jobs that don’t even exist yet”. Our flexible modules will allow you to explore different aspects of the digital arts as well as specialise in your chosen area, helping you future-proof your career.
Thanks to our close links with other Cambridge School of Art courses, you’ll also have the chance to work with illustrators, animators, graphic designers and film students, preparing you for future collaborations and employment in creative industries outside of gaming.
With help from industry-based lecturers as well as our own teaching staff, you’ll be shown the most up-to-date practices for artists working in computer games. We have links with many local games companies including Ninja Theory, Jagex and Frontier. We’re also partners with the Global Science & Technology Forum, giving you access to cutting-edge research materials.
Careers
We work with employers to make sure you graduate with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need. They help us review what we teach and how we teach it – and they offer hands-on, practical opportunities to learn through work-based projects, internships or placements.
ARM, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Frontier and Just Flight have recently offered internships and work opportunities to our students.
Find out more about our placements and work experience, or the faculty’s employability support.
The skills and knowledge you’ll learn on our Computer Games Art course will not only help you get a career in the gaming industry, but are also in demand across other sectors including film and television production, marketing, advertising, web design, production and broadcast media.
The management skills you’ll pick up can be transferred to project management roles in many different industries.
Our industry partners not only provide expert speakers for the course – they also get involved with our annual festival Brains Eden, co-organised by local gaming network Games Eden. This four-day event includes:
- a 48-hour games Jam, in which teams of students and major studio reps compete to create a game
- a series of talks that bring together the education and game development communities
- exhibitions of student and industry work
- a Careers Clinic
- an awards event for teams taking part (games students from Sweden, France, Spain, Holland and Belgium and the UK).
Modules & Assessment
Year one, core modules
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Introduction to Computer Games Arts
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Concept Art and Drawing for Computer Games
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Computer Games Art
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Digital Compositing
Year one, optional modules
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Digital Sculpting
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Computer and Video Games Studies
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English for Study 1 & 2
Year two, core modules
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Advanced Computer Games Art
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Character Rigging and Animation
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Computer Games Development
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Digital Practice
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Debates and Practices
Year two, optional modules
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Design for the Screen
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Business for the Creative Arts
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Writing for Sequential Images
Year three, core modules
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Major Project
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Specialised Practice in Computer Games
Year three, optional modules
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Research Project
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Research Assignment
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Working in the Creative Industries
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Academic English: Written Text
Assessment
For a full breakdown of module options and credits please view the module structure (pdf).
You’ll show your progress through a combination of written and practical work.
Where you’ll study
Your department and faculty
Using our creative expertise and industry connections in Cambridge and beyond, we create experiences that entertain, educate, inspire and improve lives.
At Cambridge School of Creative Industries, we believe in the importance of experimentation and risk-taking to create experiences that entertain, educate, inspire and improve lives.
Whether writing bestselling fiction, creating challenging documentaries or sharing a piano with people on the autism spectrum, the expertise of our staff goes far beyond teaching. Their research produces significant funding success, leading to important publications and international conferences.
