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Games Programming

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,C

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, students should have: a minimum of grades CCC in three A levels (or a minimum of 88 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, e.g. BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma/Diploma; or Advanced Diploma; or Progression Diploma; or Access to HE Diploma of 60 credits)

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English and Mathematics at grade C (grade 4 from 2017) or above (or equivalent)

UCAS Tariff

96

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Part-time | 2024

Subject

Computer games programming

**Why study this course?**

The Games Programming BSc degree will enable you to develop the specialist knowledge and key skills needed to join this thriving industry. You'll be joining a supportive and friendly community of highly motivated games students who work hard to achieve their goals

**More about this course**

You'll start by building a strong base in C++ programming, with mathematics and physics for game development, as well as gaining skills in console hardware architecture and game design. As you progress through the degree you'll use different graphics libraries and engines to make 2D and 3D games.

You'll develop specialist skills in physical computing, virtual reality and artificial intelligence while becoming proficient in a range of relevant programming and scripting languages.

Each year there are core modules on this course that enable artists and programmers to work together and achieve common goals - designing and producing innovative games. This aspect of the student experience is highly commended by our games industry partner TIGA and our industry steering group, as it mimics professional practice.

We actively encourage you to engage in public competitions and gaming events such as gamejams, and we hold an annual Summer Show where students at all levels have the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider professional audience.

Modules

First year modules include:

Game Design
3D Modelling
2D Game Programming
Computer Gaming Hardware Architectures

Second year modules include:

Modelling and Texturing
Digital Toy Design
Core - Game Portfolio
Core - C++ Programming for Games - 30 credit

Third year modules include:

Project
Advanced Scripting for Graphics and Games
Work Related Learning II
Prototype Development
Artificial Intelligence
AI for Games

Assessment methods

Students will be assessed (primarily) by summative coursework assignments. On-going formative assessment is also undertaken during set (timetabled) classroom times.

Formative assessment will be a regular feature of the semester, encompassing peer review, opportunities for QA (Quality Assurance), detailed feedback and guidance from tutors.

Summative assessment such as coursework, presentations and group work will require students to:

Meet programming briefs
Demonstrate an understanding of work flow and project management
Demonstrate good communication skills - write and present reports on development
Demonstrate subject knowledge and research techniques

The course assessment on the degree is spread over a period of time to give students the maximum opportunity for achievement. This should also ensure that students are able to submit work to a standard that meets the assessment required on each module and that they have the opportunity to work at the highest level possible.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£17,600
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£17,600
per year
International
£17,600
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£17,600
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Holloway

Department:

School of Computing and Digital Media

Read full university profile

What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer games and animation

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

93%
UK students
7%
International students
78%
Male students
22%
Female students
87%
2:1 or above
21%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
A
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer games and animation

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
low
Average annual salary
90%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

This is a relatively new subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. Gaming is a growing industry, and if it continues to grow we should see the rather high unemployment rate coming down over the next few years. Much the most common jobs for graduates who do get work after six months are in programming roles - but as things stand, be aware that jobs in the field are very competitive and personal contacts - either through family, friends or via specialist employment agencies - are a crucial way into the industry so be prepared to talk as well as code!

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Computer games and animation

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£19k

£19k

£26k

£26k

£29k

£29k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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