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Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year
University of Derby
Entry requirements
Here's what you will need to get a place on the Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year course at University of Derby.
Select a qualification to see required grades
A level
D,D,D
Tuition fees
| Location | Fees |
|---|---|
| England | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Scotland | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Wales | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Northern Ireland | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| Channel Islands | £9,535 per year (provisional) |
| EU | £16,900 per year (provisional) |
| International | £16,900 per year (provisional) |
Course summary
What this course is about
UCAS code: G45F
Here's what University of Derby says about its Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year course.
Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change.
This highly-regarded computer games programming degree gives you the theoretical grounding and the practical skills you'll need to develop computer games – either for entertainment or for serious applications.
KEY FEATURES OF THE COURSE
-
REQUIRED SKILLS: If you’re serious about making it in the computer games industry, you’ll need a sound understanding of computer science as well as practical games development skills – this degree gives you both.
-
OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES: You will take part in team projects and have the chance to develop a game in your final year which will be exhibited at our annual Games Expo.
-
PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: If you choose to take the optional year in industry, your chances of success will be even greater. Past students have worked for companies like Kuju, Frontier Developments and Sumo Digital.
-
NO EXAMS!: We’ll assess you with other methods throughout your degree.
HOW YOU WILL LEARN You’ll learn in our industry labs that hosts a range of software including Unreal Engine, Unity Lab and Steam. Our XR (cross-reality) lab is a dedicated space for mixed-course games development and visualisation projects.
Your lectures will be intentionally interactive, incorporating questions and answers and simulation. Seminars and tutorials will give you the opportunity to develop understanding and its application in both familiar and unfamiliar circumstances. Practical sessions will give you the chance to develop your skills in both equipment use and the evaluation of experimental procedures and data. Team working will also allow you to develop interpersonal and communication skills – an important skill for the workplace.?
YOUR CAREER This computer games programming degree will equip you for roles such as Gameplay Programmer, Tools Developer and AI Programmer. However, its solid grounding in computing and software engineering opens doors to other software development roles too.
STUDY OPTIONS This course is also available without a Foundation Year option.
Source: University of Derby
Course details
Qualification
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Department
Department of Computing and Mathematics
Location
Main Site | Derby
Duration
4 Years
Study mode
Full-time
Subjects
• Computer games programming
Start date
September 2026
Application deadline
14 January 2026
University of Derby reviews
Showing 306 reviews
3rd year
Forensic science
The student union care for the university and its students ensuring we are happy, healthy and thriving during our time in university. They put on events with freebies to boost morale as well.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The halls and university are really close to the city so getting around is easy, especially with the university buses. The city is definitely a student friendly place with plenty of clubs and late night food places, as well as a variety of shops and other entertainment for those who aren’t into club...
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The university is definitely value for money and so are the halls. There is financial support available for those who need it and the union ensures that you still have fun even if you are on a strict budget by hosting free events on campus.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The university and halls have a great support system which ensures you get the help you need quickly and from a diverse team of professionals.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
The facilities are very clean and up to standard for our labs and lectures. Any maintenance is quickly sorted as well.
9 months ago
3rd year
Forensic science
Forensics is an amazing course to study with a blended mix of lectures and labs, you are sure to have a broad knowledge about every main path of forensics. The staff are very knowledgeable and supportive and the sessions are action-packed and full of useful information. Labs are weekly and are criti...
9 months ago
National Student Survey (NSS) scores
The NSS is an annual survey where final-year students are asked to rate different aspects of their course and university experience.
Here you can see ratings from University of Derby students who took the Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year course - or another course in the same subject area.
Select an option to see a detailed breakdown
Teaching on my course
83%
med
Teaching on my course
83%
med
How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?
83%
med
How good are teaching staff at explaining things?
92%
med
How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?
79%
med
How often is the course intellectually stimulating?
79%
med
Learning opportunities
72%
low
Learning opportunities
72%
low
To what extent have you had the chance to bring together information and ideas from different topics?
70%
low
How well does your course introduce subjects and skills in a way that builds on what you have already learned?
71%
low
How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?
79%
med
To what extent have you had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth?
67%
low
To what extent does your course have the right balance of directed and independent study?
75%
med
Assessment and feedback
85%
med
Assessment and feedback
85%
med
How well have assessments allowed you to demonstrate what you have learned?
83%
low
How fair has the marking and assessment been on your course?
83%
med
How often does feedback help you to improve your work?
88%
med
How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
87%
med
How clear were the marking criteria used to assess your work?
83%
med
Academic support
90%
med
Academic support
90%
med
How easy was it to contact teaching staff when you needed to?
92%
med
How well have teaching staff supported your learning?
88%
med
Organisation and management
60%
med
Organisation and management
60%
med
How well were any changes to teaching on your course communicated?
67%
med
How well organised is your course?
58%
med
Learning resources
87%
med
Learning resources
87%
med
How well have the IT resources and facilities supported your learning?
79%
med
How well have the library resources (e.g., books, online services and learning spaces) supported your learning?
81%
med
How easy is it to access subject specific resources (e.g., equipment, facilities, software) when you need them?
96%
high
Student voice
68%
low
Student voice
68%
low
How clear is it that students' feedback on the course is acted on?
52%
low
To what extent do you get the right opportunities to give feedback on your course?
83%
med
To what extent are students' opinions about the course valued by staff?
71%
low
How well does the students' union (association or guild) represent students' academic interests?
65%
med
Other NSS questions
Other NSS questions
During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions, and beliefs?
91%
med
How well communicated was information about your university/college's mental wellbeing support services?
73%
low
Student information
See who's studying at University of Derby. These students are taking Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year or another course from the same subject area.
| Most popular A-levels studied | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Grade | |||||
| Computer Science | D | |||||
| Mathematics | C | |||||
| Physics | E | |||||
| Chemistry | D | |||||
| Biology | B | |||||
Graduate prospects
What graduates do next
Facts and figures about University of Derby graduates who took Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year - or another course in the same subject area.
Graduate statistics
80%
In a job where degree was essential or beneficial
95%
In work, study or other activity
60%
Say it fits with future plans
60%
Are utilising studies
Top job areas
21%
Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
10%
Process, plant and machine operatives
10%
Web and Multimedia Design Professionals
7%
Skilled trades occupations
Graduate statistics percentages are determined 15 months after a student graduates
Earnings after graduation
Earnings from University of Derby graduates who took Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year - or another course in the same subject area.
Earnings
£24.8k
First year after graduation
£29.6k
Third year after graduation
£35k
Fifth year after graduation
Shown here are the median earnings of graduates at one, three and five years after they completed a course related to Computer Games Programming with Foundation Year.
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
Discussions
Discussions
Students are talking about University of Derby on The Student Room.
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