Games Design

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Start date: September 2024

Deadlines for on-time applications

2024 entry application deadlines

For courses starting in 2024 (and for deferred applications), your application should be with us at UCAS by one of these dates – depending on what courses you apply for. If your completed application – including all your personal details and your academic reference – is submitted by the deadline, it is guaranteed to be considered.

16 October 2023 for 2024 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. You can add choices with a different deadline later, but don’t forget you can only have five choices in total.

31 January 2024 for 2024 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – for the majority of courses.

Some course providers require additional admissions tests to be taken alongside the UCAS application, and these may have a deadline. Find out more about these tests at https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/admissions-tests

Check course information in the search tool to see which deadline applies to you at the application weblink below.

Apply as soon as possible: Student funding arrangements mean that as offers are made and places fill up, some courses may only have vacancies for students from certain locations. It’s therefore really important that you apply for your chosen courses by the appropriate deadlines mentioned above, as not all courses will have places for all students.

All applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing - find out more about Clearing at https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/clearing-and-results-day/what-clearing

Overview
A highly creative course focused on skills, knowledge and creativity for the design and development of games using specialised tools and practices.

Summary
From The Last of Us to Angry Birds, PlayStation to mobile, the video games industry is the biggest entertainment market in the world. Game Designers are an integral part in the development of games and often develop the initial game ideas, structures, rules and gameplay features.

During the course you will study key game design principles and theories that underpin the development of successful games. You will learn practical skills in game prototyping, UI design, level design, game testing and game narrative techniques. Students will have the opportunity to create games for traditional and emerging platforms including contemporary technologies such as Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality devices allowing you to explore new possibilities in games. As games are developed in a highly collaborative environment you will learn essential teamwork and communication skills through the development of interdisciplinary group projects.

The aim of the course is to provide you with the necessary skills to fulfill a range of diverse employment opportunities in a rapidly growing area locally and internationally.

Foundation Year
A foundation diploma year gives you the opportunity to explore a range of art and design approaches and disciplines to help you choose your undergraduate specialism.

About
The aims of the programme are to provide students with specialist knowledge and experience in designing, testing and developing gameplay experiences through the use of industry standard tools and practices associated with computer game design. The course also provides an environment to fully explore opportunities for collaboration, allowing students to realise theoretically and critically informed game designs, locating their work in contemporary commercial and cultural contexts.

The aims of the course are to:
- Expose students to a professional set of tools, methods, processes and knowledge related to computer games design and production in support of the development and enhancement of their own creative, academic and game design skills.

- Develop practical, professional and transferable skills to contribute for their chosen profession or to pursue further study.

- Enable students to acquire a high degree of knowledge, understanding and experience in game design disciplines and studio development.

- Simulate game studio experiences that enhance skills in teamwork, through a number of group projects.

- Enable students to pursue a high level of intellectual enquiry, independence and critical awareness through academic conventions and creative practice of game design.

- Offer the opportunity to work on live projects, industry generated initiative and competitions, in order to gain essential work based learning experience and develop the transferable skills essential to succeed in the creative and cultural industries.

- Enable students to acquire experiences, technical skills and knowledge appropriate to the professional contexts of game design disciplines.

Structure and Content
The structure and content of the BDes Games Design during full time study are designed to maximise the acquisition of a creative and technical skill set across a 3 year period. Each module has a heavy emphasis on practice based content and outcome, with written components focusing on reflective reports and primary research into industry standards. There is also a firm focus on collaboration and team development, with two 40 credit points modules during the second year providing the opportunity for students to work on group projects. The final 80 credit points module will provide the opportunity to incorporate the skills acquired into an original project that reflects each individual student's professional interests and ambitions.

Year 1 (Level 4) is focused on the fundamentals of game design, research and the acquisition of skills focused on the development of game prototypes. The 20 credit points Game Design module in semester one builds core game design theory along with key planning techniques for game development. Technical implementation skills are then developed in the first semester Gameplay Scripting module with a focus on visual scripting and computer logic through the use of a contemporary game engine. The second semester Game Prototyping Module, will enable students to develop a game prototype through the use of a contemporary game engine, build up knowledge, understanding and skills in games testing methodologies, testing analysis and an iterative approach to game prototyping. Semester one will also develop student's, analytical skills and awareness of past and contemporary issues found within the games industry. The Asset development for games module focuses on the technical and creative process involved in the creation of various art assets for game prototypes.

Year 2 (Level 5) will also broaden the scope within the nuances of game design roles, the core game design skills from semester one will help lay a foundation for exploring different roles associated to game design through the Level Design module and User Interface Design module found in semester 1 and 2 .This will allow students to start to diversify and build skills in new areas, in which they may choose to focus on during the two group projects found in Year 2.
The first group project will be through the development of a game or application in the Extended and Experimental Game Development module. Students will also have access to VR and AR equipment allowing them to explore the new creative avenues that these technologies possess.

In the second semester students will participate in another group project through the development of a narrative driven game that will introduce students to storytelling theory and narrative techniques in games in ‘Launch Title’. The ‘Launch Title’ module will also focus on a large scale, multi-disciplinary group project where students develop a game with a team made up from multiple disciplines from other courses such as animators and graphic designers. This will help simulate and give students insight into their specific role within a game studio. This will introduce students to the professional and team skills that are required to work within groups. Students will also learn game production skills ensuring that scope and timescales are adhered to in larger projects.

Year 3 (Level 6) allows students to focus in an area of their choice. A large proportion of the year will be through the Major Project module. This 80 credit points module spans two semesters allowing students the time to explore and develop their skills in a specific area of game design whilst developing a significant body of work. Students will also develop their research, analysis and understanding of issues surrounding the games industry through the completion of a dissertation. Best business practices, PR, marking and funding opportunities will be explored along with the development of an original IP in the Game Studio Development module.

Modules
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Year 1
Asset Development for Games
Game Design
Game Studies
Gameplay Scripting
Game Prototyping
Extended and Experimental Game Development

Year 2
Level Design
Launch Title
User Interface Design

Year 3
Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP/DPP(I)) - Optional
International Academic Studies - Optional

Year 4
Major Project
Games Design Dissertation
Game Studio Development

Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.

Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.

Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.

Associate awards
Diploma in Professional Practice DPP
Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS
Diploma in Professional Practice International DPPI

Work placement / study abroad
Students are strongly encouraged to undertake an optional work placement and/or take advantage of the excellent study abroad programe leading to the award of a Diploma in Professional Practice or Diploma in International Academic Studies. The DPP is generally European-based and studio orientated. The DIAS allows for further study at an institution in either Europe or in the USA, under the Erasmus scheme, the Study USA scheme or the Year abroad scheme. You will obtain the appropriate award in addition to your degree's classification on successful completion of your Final Year.

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