Games Development BSc (Hons)

Our games development degree is designed for those passionate about creating engaging gaming experiences and aspiring to become industry-ready programmers. You'll have the opportunity to explore various aspects of game programming, including game mechanics, ai, user interfaces, and audio, and to pursue research in areas of your interest. 

Studying Games Development at Chester will equip you with the skills needed for success in the industry. You'll focus on honing your programming and scripting skills, while also developing some design expertise in game design, level design and understanding of the content creation pipeline. Using the same tools and processes as top game studios, you'll master professional techniques and create a portfolio of complete projects, applying your skills in both individual and group work.

Taking a collaborative approach to learning, you'll study alongside students on our Games Design course, enabling you to explore a wider range of perspectives and ideas. This will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of how every role contributes to the creation of computer games, setting you up for success in the diverse world of game development.

The course is situated in the School of Computer and Engineering Sciences. This is a forward-thinking school that prioritises student satisfaction and employability. The University is known for its high-quality teaching, and the staff on our course are no exception. Our team of experienced lecturers brings both research and industry experience to the course. Ralph Ferneyhough, in particular, has 20 years of experience in the games industry and has contributed to over 30+ published commercial games.

What you'll Study

• A Foundation Year, if studied, will allow you to build fundamental skills in scientific and mathematical topics, as well as underlying study practices, to prepare you for a degree.
• The BSc Games Development course contains core modules at each level of study and optional modules at Level 4 and Level 5.  
• In Year 1 (Level 4), you will be introduced to the games industry, its history and its impact on the world. You are also introduced to game design concepts, game engine implementations, creation pipelines, user experience and programming practical skills. There is also an opportunity to study a language or to develop your collaborative development skills in a uniquely analogue fashion. 
• In Year 2 (Level 5), you will continue to develop your practical programming skills in more depth, exploring complex algorithms, multiplayer game development, user interface design and audio design. Industry skills will be developed further through a digital collaborative module and through experiential or placement options. There is also an option to continue studying a language. 
• In Year 3 (Level 6), you will study more advanced topics in more detail, undertaking a large individual practical project in your specialism of choice. The ability to focus on your specialism continues with a larger collaborative module which enables you to work with other specialisms across BSc Games Development and BSc Games Design. You will also explore additional platform development, such as mobile game development, as well as develop your game mechanics programming in more depth. 

How you'll Learn

• This course is designed around in-person study
• You will be assessed in a variety of ways
• Curriculum developed to match workforce priorities
• Study 3 – 6 modules per year

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term students study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately 6 and 12 hours per week depending upon level of study and the complexity of the material being taught. This course is delivered primarily in person but with some minor elements of online learning where appropriate. Students can expect to take part in lectures, workshops and practical labs. 

Students should expect to spend an average of 30 – 34 hours per week on independent study which might include following asynchronous learning material on the University’s VLE, tutorial time with staff, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment. 

There will be a broad range of assessment methods so that students are exposed to the different types of tasks. There is a large emphasis on practical assessment that not only reflects what they might find in a workplace but also assessment that enables students to build a portfolio of work. In some modules students will encounter class tests and collaborative practical assessment. We continuously review the assessment methods used in order that they adequately prepare students for graduate level employment. 

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Study a Common First Year

• This course shares a common first year with students on the Games Design course.
• This means that you’ll learn alongside students studying a similar discipline, helping to broaden your knowledge and exposure to other concepts, perspectives and professions in the first year of your degree.
• As you learn and collaborate with students from other courses, you'll not only widen your social and professional network but also learn new skills that will set you up for success in your industry.
• In your second and third years, you will progress to studying more specialist modules within games developement, developing your skills to become a World Ready graduate.

Job Prospects

• Graduates of this course may enter the games industry in any one of a number of roles, such as programmer, 3D artist, software engineer, level designer, game designer or quality assurance tester. It is also excellent preparation for those wishing to start their own, independent games company after graduation.

Students from our course have gone on to work at these games companies:

• Traveller's Tales
• Lucid Games
• Sports Interactive
• Kwalee
• Universally Speaking
• Criterion Games
• Expression Games
• Creative Assembly
• Frontier Developments
• Bulkhead
• Unicube Studios
• Draw & Code
• Unbroken Studios
• Rockstar Lincoln
• Wexel Gaming
• A wide range of companies in adjacent fields

Careers Service

• The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.
• Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.
• We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.