If you want to design the games you play and be a part of the booming games design industry - this is the course for you. From the start, you will be encouraged to think and work as a games designer and be given the skills to develop your own ideas. You will design and prototype your own games, pitch games and develop skills in digital asset creation, wire-framing, and 3D modelling. You will also learn the core theories, concepts and methods of analysis of games which will help you create games that are based on a rich foundation of knowledge. The Games Design BA gives you the flexibility to explore what really interests you. In the first year, you will study a range of modules including: Introduction to Games Design, Introduction to Games Studies as well as Historical and Business Contexts. This approach is designed to help you decide where your particular interests lie so that you can begin to consider where to specialise in the second and third year. In the second and third year, you have the choice to focus on design, art, technology, game studies or sound and music. Making this choice allows you to begin to specialise in your chosen field of games design and to build your portfolio around your future ambitions whilst you’re still studying. This means you can hit the ground running when you graduate because you will have a clear focus on where you want to work and the kind of role you want to pursue. By the end of the course you will have a comprehensive portfolio and a range of skills sought after by the games industry in areas such as: game design, game production, game art, game development, game analysis, and game research, as well as giving you transferable skills that are relevant to broader fields.
Careers and your future
Your degree will equip you with a number of transferable skills, such as effective communication, leadership, self-management, initiative and personal responsibility, as well as design methodology and systems. This could lead to a career in a variety of areas outside the gaming industry, including project management, marketing, and web design.
Previous students have also found roles in a variety of games studios and organisations including Rovio, Rockstar, and Ubisoft. They work as junior game designers, animators, game artists, and operations executives. Alongside your involvement in the games community by attending conferences, networking, and participating in gaming jams, the portfolio that you work hard to develop will be an impressive demonstration of your talent and skills.
