Games Development, (BSc Hons)

This degree in game design and development provides the creative and technical skills you need for a career in the video games industry. Dive into the exhilarating world of video games development with our bsc hons games development degree, which offers a comprehensive blend of theory, practice, and technology, all crucial for your future career in the games industry. 

You’ll delve into games programming and the creative aspects of games development as you work with cutting-edge computer technologies through hands-on projects with industry-standard tools like Unity and Unreal Engine. This programme allows you to specialise in exciting areas such as gameplay programming, 3D modelling and animation, game AI, graphics programming, user interface design, virtual reality or game audio.

Our degree is proudly accredited by TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry. This prestigious accolade signifies to future employers that you possess the right skills, as TIGA only accredits top-tier courses that produce industry-ready graduates. TIGA have praised aspects of the course such as the inclusion of industry guest talks from Sony PlayStation, and opportunities for collaborative cross-disciplinary work on our vibrant group project modules and game jams.

Our computer labs are equipped with high-spec gaming computers featuring RTX graphics processing units (GPUs) and dual screens, housed within our state-of-the-art games and digital media suite. Our unique facilities on the bank of the Thames also play host to Sony PlayStation 5 Development Kits, Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headsets, and regular events ranging from visits to games studios to industry workshops. The games course is not only a programme of study, but a rich community of creative and technical experts, where you will be inspired by staff and your fellow students. By the end of the course, our graduates have in-demand technical and communication skills that allow them to land prestigious jobs in the video game industry, IT, serious games, virtual reality and digital industries.

What you should know about this course

• You will have the opportunity to build a broad range of technical skills in games development, specialising in programming or technical art
• This course is designed for those who wish to pursue a career in computer games development and/or related areas of IT where games technology skills are used
• The degree is accredited by TIGA, the trade association for video games, to ensure the content is relevant for careers in the games industry
• All of our modules have been designed and contextualised for games students
• You will have access to High Spec Gaming PCs with RTX 4090 GPUs and dual screens in our state-of-art computer labs.

Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory modules.

• 3D Modelling (15 credits)
• Accessible Interface Design (15 credits)
• Physics and Mathematics for Games Development (15 credits)
• Version Control and Asset Management (15 credits)
• Games Design (30 credits)
• Object Oriented Programming for Games (15 credits)
• Programming for Games (15 credits)

Year 2
Students are required to study the following compulsory modules.

• Agile Development with SCRUM (15 credits)
• Career Development (15 credits)
• Games Portfolio (30 credits)
• Physical Computing (15 credits)
• Research Methods for Games (15 credits)

Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.

• Games Technology (30 credits)
• 3D Animation Techniques (15 credits)
• Game Engine Rendering Techniques (15 credits)

Year 3
Option Set 1

Students are required to study the following compulsory modules.

• Final Year Group Project (30 credits)
• Final Year Individual Project (30 credits)
• Rapid Prototyping (15 credits)

Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.

• Extended Realities (15 credits)
• Game Audio (15 credits)

Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.

• Artificial Intelligence for Games (15 credits)
• Shader Programming (15 credits)

Option Set 2
Students are required to study the following compulsory modules.

• Final Year Group Project (30 credits)
• Final Year Individual Project (30 credits)
• Rapid Prototyping (15 credits)

Students are also required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.

• Extended Realities (15 credits)
• Game Audio (15 credits)

Students are also required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.

• Character Animation and Control (15 credits)
• Visual Effects for Games (15 credits)

How you will learn
Teaching

• Learning takes place through a combination of timetabled learning and independent study.
• You can view more information about how each module is taught within our 'What you will study' section.
• Seminars and workshops enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your courses and tutorials.

Independent learning

• Outside of timetabled sessions, you'll need to dedicate time to self-study to complete coursework, prepare for presentations, and exploration of game technology
• You can use our Stockwell Street library and online resources to support you in these activities.

We encourage you to join societies such as:

• The Computer Society
• Games Development Society
• And many other student societies supported by the University of Greenwich Student Union.

Overall workload

• Your overall workload consists of lectures, seminars, independent learning, and assessments. For full-time students, the workload should be approximately equivalent to a full-time job. For part-time students, this will reduce in proportion with the number of modules you are studying.
• Each module you study towards this degree is worth 15 or 30 credits. These represent around 150-300 study hours respectively. If you receive 72 contact hours for a 30-credit module, you should expect to commit 228 hours to independent study to complete it successfully.

Assessment

• You can view how each module is assessed within our 'What you will study' section.
• Each course has formal assessments which count towards your grade. Some courses may also include 'practice' assignments, which help you monitor progress and do not count towards your final grade.

Feedback summary

• We aim to give feedback on assignments within 15 working days.

Careers and placements
Will I have a work placement?

• This course can be taken in sandwich mode, which means you can take a year to work in industry between your second and final years of study. Sandwich placements are relevant to your degree subject and are paid roles. It is the very best way of preparing you for successfully finding a job quickly when you graduate.
• For those students who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching you also have the option to select a module for which you will be required to undertake a short-term placement in a school or college.

How long is my placement?

• Sandwich placements last for between 9-13 months. Work-based learning module placements are normally one day a week for either one or two terms depending on the number of credits available from the module.

What are the financial arrangements?

• Sandwich placements are paid roles whereas work-based learning module placements are normally unpaid.

What sort of careers do graduates pursue?

• Former Games and Digital Media students have secured placement years at Disney, Space Ape Games, Nickelodeon, and Warner Brothers.
• Career destinations include the independent and mobile games sectors as programmers, modellers and designers, the Augmented, Virtual and Mixed reality developers, UI and UX designers for digital media and games, games content creators and deliverers, back-end developers and content managers.
• Recent positions secured by Games Design and Digital Media graduates include Motion Capture Technician at The Imaginarium Studios, Serious Games Developer at Arup, Software Engineer at Bossa Studios, and Creative Product Specialist at Celtra.

Are internships available?

• Students are encouraged to take up Summer internships during the Summer holidays, though it is up to the student to find them. Support is available to students from the Employability and Careers Service when applying for placements and internships.

Do you provide employability services?

• Employability activities take place all the time at Greenwich and students are encouraged to take part in as many opportunities as possible. The central Employability and Careers Service provides support for students preparing to apply for placements and graduate roles, such as CV clinics, mock interviews and employability skills workshops. In addition, your School has a dedicated Employability Officer who will be organising work-related activities throughout the year which will help you to build you industry knowledge and networks.