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Computer games design and programming courses

If you love gaming why not turn this passion into a career in the dynamic interactive media industry? Most computer games courses give you the opportunity to gain design, technical and business skills, with modules in computer animation and 3D modelling, game analysis and testing and game production. Some courses focus more on games design and need creative thinkers; others focus on programming and the technical side, and would suit computer literate students with ability in maths.

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Example course modules

Computer systems
Digital graphics
3D modelling
Drawing concept art for computer games
Stop motion animation
Multimedia design
Developing computer games
Object-orientated design for computer games
Website production
2D animation production

Teaching hours / week

Average for this subject

Hours

Average for all subjects

Average hours for this subject: 15 (Low N/A - High N/A). Average hours for all subjects: 14.

The time you'll spend in lectures and seminars each week will vary from university to university, so use this as a guide.

More on studying and contact hours at uni

Who studies this subject

Female : 16%

Male : 84%
Mature : 21%

School leaver : 79%
Full-time : 97%

Part-time : 3%

Student

The content, my course being a games one, is programming-heavy, with some maths skills required. The majority of the work is practical programming, but there are some exams for ...

3rd year, Sheffield Hallam University

Student

I'm a programming student, so my classes are about 20% lectures and 80% practical work. Most of my work is done in the computer labs, and is mostly practical with a bit of writi...

2nd year, Glasgow Caledonian University

Subjects you need

A-levels (or equivalent) usually required

Maths

Useful to have

Further maths
Physics
Computing
Philosophy
ICT

Application checklist

Here's a guide to what to expect from the application process - also check individual university entry requirements, as these may differ.

January application
October application
Personal statement
Portfolio
Interview
Entry test
Work experience
Audition

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement is a core part of your university application, and getting it just right takes time. Before you start work on yours, take a look at our five quick tips on writing a personal statement. We'll help you past that writer's block!

This is a newly-classified 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 over time we can expect more students to study gaming-related degrees – and there could be new opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years.

Professional and accrediting bodies: