Computer Games Programming and Design with Placement with Digital Arts Foundation Year
Solent University (Southampton)
UCAS Code: CGP4 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
From a minimum of two completed A levels.
AQA Level 3 (Foundation) Technical Level (360 glh)
AQA Level 3 Technical Level (1080 glh)
AQA Level 3 Technical Level (540 glh)
AQA Level 3 Technical Level (720 glh)
In combination with other qualifications.
In combination with other qualifications.
In combination with other qualifications.
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma
OCR Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma
In combination with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
T Level
Pass grade (D or E)
UCAS Tariff
From A-levels, a?BTEC Extended Diploma at PPP or BTEC Diploma at MP or?equivalent. An `optional’ online portfolio submission may be required as part of the selection process. We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds. Applicants who are not in possession of the minimum entry requirements but are able to demonstrate aptitude, enthusiasm and motivation will be considered on an individual basis and may be admitted subject to satisfactory interview and/or portfolio. Please contact us for further details.
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
About this course
If you’re looking to study a computer games or digital arts degree, but don’t have the relevant qualifications or experience, this foundation year will help you develop the core skills and knowledge to progress onto one of our related industry-focused undergraduate degrees.
You’ll cover key subject areas such as game art, game design, animation, CGI, VFX and code, and work on exciting practical projects designed to help you learn key digital design skills. You’ll also be supported to develop key transferable skills in preparation for your degree level studies.
To aid study, you’ll have full access to Solent’s industry-standard facilities, including specialist labs and high-end dual computers equipped with industry software such as 3ds Max, Maya, Substance, Photoshop, Unreal Editor and Unity.
You will be taught by passionate staff who are experts in their fields, with a wealth of real-world experience and knowledge.
Learn from staff who are experts in their field and who have vast industry experience.
**What does this course lead to?**
This foundation year will help you build the relevant skills and knowledge to enter onto one of our related degree programmes. This can lead to a career in the multi-billion pound games industry in areas such as video game studios and art production, to film and animation studios.
**Who is this course for?**
Solent’s Foundation Year in Digital Arts is intended for students without the required UCAS points for direct entry. This could be mature students returning to education, students without the required qualifications, or students looking to change career path after completing further education qualifications
Modules
FOUNDATION MODULES
Digital Art Design
Digital Art Industries
Digital Art Projects
Digital Art Discovery
Digital Art Final Project
Digital Art Portfolio
On successful completion of this foundation year, you will automatically progress onto Year 1 of the BSc (Hons) Computer Games Programming and Design with Placement course where you will study the following modules:
YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
Collaborative Game Development
Gameplay and Game Design
Maths for Games
Object Oriented Development
Programming Fundamentals
Scripting for Game Engines
YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Artificial Intelligence for Games
Gameplay Programming
Gamer Psychology and UX Design
Producing Games
YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES
Computer Games Major Project
Indie Game Development
Project Research and Professional Development
Studio Practice
YEAR 2 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run)
Cinematic and Narrative Design for Games
Level Design and Rapid Prototyping
Network Game Programming
Tools Programming and Engine Architecture
YEAR 3 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run)
Casual and Competitive Game Design
Graphics Programming
PLACEMENT
Computer Games Placement
Assessment methods
The course adopts a balanced, student-centred teaching and learning strategy programme of study combining critical thinking and practical skills. Students are encouraged throughout the course to develop their own thinking and creative skills across a range of topics and scenarios as they work towards their degree. Delivered through lectures, labs, seminars, and workshops, learning and teaching is structured to allow a logical, coherent and progressive attainment of knowledge and skills.
Lab based teaching enables students, guided by tutors, to develop key concepts and skills to tackle briefs that increase in complexity each year. During lab sessions, students have frequent one-to-one opportunities to interact with tutors and fellow students, and consequently lab sessions are used as an effective tool to develop the sense of community and belonging. As project work is used extensively throughout the Computer Games courses, lab teaching provides the ideal environment for students to explore, develop and formulate responses and present solutions in relation to module learning outcomes and project briefs.
Students are expected to engage proactively with their learning. This includes taking responsibility to attend all timetabled sessions and understand that attendance and full participation in the course will impact upon their ability progress and achieve.
Level 4 introduces students to fundamental concepts in game design and programming skills, underpinning the knowledge and skills needed to study in this field. Students will also be introduced to essential skills including research, academic writing and referencing, both creative and critical thinking and use of relevant software as well as a first touch with cross-course collaborative modules (studio modules) to improve their team-work skills. Whilst students are encouraged to embrace the challenge of studying at higher education, approaches to teaching and learning at Level Four are designed to provide students with ample opportunities for formative feedback and support such that by the end of this level students become confident learners ready for progression.
Level 5 extends the knowledge and skills base to a higher order of intellectual thinking, analysis and synthesis. Level 5 students explore progressive concepts, subjects and, as a consequence, knowledge and understanding in greater depth and breadth. Students have the opportunity at level 5 to explore advanced theories in computer game design as well as software development principles, and gain sophisticated asset development techniques and visualisation skills that can be applied to larger projects and wider contexts. Furthermore, students acquire more in-depth team-based development soft skills that are essentially for projects of much larger scope.
On successful completion of Level Five students will have acquired practical, cognitive and transferrable skills manifested in the application of knowledge to complex scenarios and deployed through critical judgement and increased levels of confidence and self-assurance.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries
The Uni
Solent University (Southampton)
Department of Film and Media
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
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
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
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.
£20k
£26k
£27k
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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Post-six month graduation stats:
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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:
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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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