Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments (Game Design)

Gain practical game design experience, along with knowledge of storytelling, immersion and design theories, to acquire the skills needed to craft intriguing and unique game worlds. 

Highlights

• Gain hands-on game design experience and knowledge of narrative and immersion (drawing the player into the game) and learn design theories (both general and specific to games) to provide the skills necessary to create exciting and unique game worlds.
• Cover both the technical and creative aspects of game development.
• Be prepared for a career in game design, animation, special effects development, or mobile entertainment development.
• The QUT Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments degree is the most successful degree of its kind in Queensland. It has solid connections to local game industries and other industry partners in game-based technology.
• Join Queensland's leading video game industry, which is responsible for titles such as Hellboy, Fruit Ninja, the children's game Viva Pinata Party Animals, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. 

Why choose this course?

• The Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments (Game Design) allows you to join the growing industry of digital environments and electronic games by acquiring expertise in developing computer games and other forms of interactive media. The course has a strong foundation in information technology, design and creative thinking.
• This major will give you practical skills in games design and development. You will acquire underlying theoretical knowledge across various disciplines, including psychology (for example, motivation) and sociology (for example, cultural impact) and become proficient at effectively communicating design ideas and proposals.
• You will gain experience in game and interaction development, from identification and evaluation of ideas, creation of design concepts, critique of existing and potential products, analysis of cultural impact and industry trends, and developing and delivering a final product.

Explore this course

• Choose your career path in this multibillion-dollar industry. This degree allows the development of creative skills ranging from the technical to the artistic. You will gain experience in game and interactive media development, from identification and evaluation of ideas, creation of design concepts, critique of existing and potential products, analysis of cultural impact and industry trends, and developing and delivering a final product.
• You will learn about the games and interactive environments industries through interacting with industry members, reviewing the development process of games and related products, participating in class discussions and studying industry literature.
• You will discover visualisation, interaction and communication techniques applied to games and interactive media. A strong foundation in entertainment technology and creative skills is complemented with options in games programming, including graphics programming and game artificial intelligence. You will be introduced to generic programming concepts and problem-solving strategies, teamwork, and the ethical and social responsibilities of an interactive media professional.
• Given the growth in small, independent game development worldwide, you'll be introduced to the ideas of game development entrepreneurship from your first year of studies. You'll gain the knowledge and skills related to succeeding as an independent game developer. In your major capstone experience, you'll work as part of a team to develop and publish your own game.

Careers and outcomes

• In 2022, Queensland saw an 11 percent increase in full-time game-related jobs. This translated into over 300 new local positions, accounting for nearly half of all game development jobs created nationwide!
• As a graduate of the Game Design Major, you can apply your knowledge and skills in roles such as game designer, level designer, game producer and mobile game designer. The skills learnt can also be applied outside the games industry to create engaging tools and environments in other domains.

Professional recognition

• If you complete a Software Technology Minor as part of your degree, you may be eligible for associate membership of the Australian Computer Society (ACS).

Research pathways

• You may wish to take your passion further and extend your studies with an honours research program.
• Honours is an ideal pathway for high-achieving graduates to enter the doctoral program (PhD), and provides a wider range of career opportunities including research, analytic or teaching positions. Consult your course coordinator in the second or third year to assess what projects may be available within your areas of interest.
• To be eligible for an honours course, you must have a bachelor degree in information technology, mathematics, science or property economics (depending on the course) or its equivalent, completed within the last five years, with a minimum grade point average of 4.5 (on QUT’s 7-point scale).

Possible careers

• Animator
• Computer game programmer
• Computer games developer
• Computer-aided designer
• Digital content designer
• Digital content producer
• Games developer
• Programmer
• Sound designer