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Games Design BA (Hons)

DIGITAL

MEDIA

Want to know how to create the next generation of video games? Become a games designer with the creative technical skills to enter a fast-growing gaming industry.
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STUDY OPTIONS

OVERVIEW

STUDY LEVELS

BA (Hons)

DURATION

3 Years

START DATE(S)

Sept / Nov / Jan / Feb / Apr / Jun

ENTRY YEAR

2024/25

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

104*

*In line with the UA92 Contextual Admissions Policy, UA92 can accept below the 104 UCAS Points stated above. Alternatively, we have alternate course options that we can discuss with you.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Video games play a major role in modern society. Billions of people, all over the world, play video games on a regular basis. And it’s not just for entertainment. Video games are applied within many other sectors, including education and sport.

The Games Design degree course will develop both your creative skills, alongside your understanding of the game design process. Using your theoretical knowledge of modern games design, you will learn how to create original and engaging 2D and 3D game characters, compelling narratives and believable worlds, in order to capture the imagination of the user.

There’s an emphasis on developing your practical skills, with plenty of opportunity to bring your game ideas to life and develop your own game prototypes. Alongside this, you will prepare for your future career by understanding the role of a Game Designer in the context of a Games Studio environment. You will build the essential skills needed to operate as part of a multidisciplinary team and collaborate with others.

Further to this, you will also:

  • Develop the ability to describe and interrogate the games design and development process.
  • Expand your knowledge of research methods and understand the techniques used to gather informative data.
  • Understand human and creature anatomy, personality, physiological aspects and expressions, that bring animated characters to life.
  • Reflect on your own gaming history to consider game feel, player motivations and the psychology of gamers.
  • Explore the relationship between innovation and technology and experiment with immersive platforms such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR).
  • Learn how to design a compelling narrative and believable worlds for deeper player engagement.
  • Create a fully animated playable or non-playable character within a game engine.
  • Consider how users interact with games in different ways and how games can be designed to maximise inclusion for all.

WHAT ARE THE CAREER OPTIONS?

The gaming market is continuing to grow at a fast pace and Game Designers are in high demand. This degree aims to prepare you for a successful career in game design, whether you chose to work for one of the major Games’ Studios, smaller independent companies or as a freelancer. You will have developed a broad range of skills that will enable you to specialise in one of the many sub-sections of the profession, such as character, narrative, gameplay, level or UX/UI design.

HOW WILL YOU LEARN IT?

By studying the Games Design degree course, you will gain a solid foundation for your chosen career path. There’s a strong focus on providing practically applicable skills that employers within the industry need and value. Also, with both academic and practical experience, you will be prepared to unlock your future career aspirations.

  • Your theoretical understanding will be enhanced by opportunities to learn, develop and demonstrate a wide range of practical and applied skills and competencies.
  • You’ll work closely with our industry partners such as Microsoft in order to gain a full insight into the digital working environment. Microsoft also provide mentorship to students and online sessions, with other partners including TalkTalk and KPMG getting involved too with guest lectures.
  • No traditional end-of-year exams. Assessments will be practical and competency-based where possible* including individual and group work in a range of formats such as case studies, essays, reports, literature reviews, reflective logs and diaries, self and peer evaluations, audio/visual projects and presentations.

DEVELOP MORE THAN SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

UA92 provides you with more than just a degree, we aim to prepare you for life. Each academic year, in addition to your four subject modules, you’ll study an extra credit-bearing module, which focuses entirely on character and personal development.

  • Take on a real-life project, based on a live scenario, set by one of our industry partners.
  • Experience first-hand the current issues facing the industry
  • Develop transferable skills and key competencies such as leadership, resilience and well-being, communication, problem-solving and team-working.
  • Meet regularly with your own personal development coach throughout years 1 & 2.

Find out more about Character and Personal Development at UA92.

HOW WILL YOU STUDY?

As a student on a three-year, full-time, Games Design degree course your academic year is split into six blocks, of which you will study for four. Each study block is six weeks long, therefore your course will be delivered over a total of 24 weeks per year.

  • In each block you will study just 1 subject module, allowing you to focus your learning. You’ll study topics in depth, often working in small groups with academic experts and advanced practitioners.
  • We offer a straightforward AM/PM timetable. If you are a morning student your classes will be from 9am-1pm every weekday except Wednesdays. Afternoon students, classes will be from 2pm-6pm.
  • Digital Wednesdays are your time to catch up on independent learning, assignments, projects or play for your UA92 sports team.
YOU CAN APPLY TO JOIN UA92 NOW THROUGH UCAS OR LEARN MORE ABOUT UA92 BELOW.
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  • Year 1 (Level 4)

  • 2D Game Design and Development

  • Games Fundamentals

  • Character Design for Games 

  • The Design of Play 

  • Year 2 - Level 5 modules

  • Innovation and Technology

  • Games Studio 

  • Gamification

  • Narrative and World Building  

  • Year 3 - Level 6 modules

  • Professional Portfolio and Research

  • Advanced 3D Modelling and Animation Tools

  • Animate Player and Creature Production 

  • Project

  • Level 3 Entry Requirements (Degrees and Accelerated)

  • UCAS Points: 104

  • A Levels: BCC (104 equivalent)

  • BTEC National Extended Diploma: DMM

  • BTEC Diploma: D*D

  • T Levels: M

  • Scottish Advanced Highers: AB

  • IB: 28 points with 14 from Higher Level Subjects

  • IELTS: Overall score of 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5

  • Level 2 Entry Requirements (Degrees and Accelerated)

  • All degrees, other than those listed below*: 5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above including English Language

  • Accepted Alternatives: Functional Skills Level 2 (English and Maths)

*BSc (Hons) Cyber Security: Maths at Grade C/4 must be one of the 5 GCSEs *BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance: Maths at Grade C/4 must be one of the 5 GCSEs *BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science: Maths at Grade C/4 must be one of the 5 GCSEs 

BASED AT OUR OLD TRAFFORD CAMPUS

Old Trafford Campus

This is where our story began, back in 2019. The UA92 Campus is in the heart of Old Trafford, Manchester. Inside there’s a fully equipped Sports Performance Centre, Media Studio and Digital Academy. The tram stop is a 1 minute walk, which gets you into the heart of Manchester city-centre in under 10 minutes.

 

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UA92 Campus

Brian Statham Way

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M16 0PU

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