Games Development Cert HE

Experience university-level study, equivalent to the first year of a degree.

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 Development Cert HE course is designed to put you on track to become a games developer or programmer. You will begin to develop your programming skills and get to grips with the game development life cycle.

Further to this, you will also:

• Develop the knowledge and skills to program 2D games and gain an understanding of their role in the wider games creation process.
• Develop the ability to describe and interrogate the games design and development process
• Get to know the games development project life cycle; from specification, design and development, through to production, release and testing.
• Understand the dynamics of development teams and look at the fundamental legal, social, ethical and professional issues associated with games development.
• Learn how to build efficient algorithmic solutions and understand the essential mathematical techniques linked directly to solution formation.
• Develop logical thinking skills to become an effective problem solver and games programmer.

After completing the Games Development Cert HE, you have the option to progress into the 2^nd year of the degree course. This is where you would advance your developer skills across multiple devices and platforms, with exposure to all aspects of games development. For example, you will explore elements such as character and AI, player input and movement, physics, graphics or decision strategy. In order to build realistic, intelligent and responsive games of the future.

The gaming market is continuing to grow at a fast pace and games developers and programmers get some of the highest salaries in the industry. The Games Development Cert HE will prepare you for a successful career in computer game development, whether you chose to work for one of the major games’ producers, smaller independent companies or as a freelancer. You will have a broad range skills that will enable you specialise in one of the many sub-sections of the profession, such as character and AI, player input and movement, game physics, graphics or decision strategy.

By studying the Games Development Cert HE 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.

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.

Find out more about Character and Personal Development at UA92.

As a student on the one-year, Cert HE 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.

• 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.