Computer Games Design
Entry requirements
A level
112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels. A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
112-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma. Must be accompanied by relevant experience or additional qualifications related to art/design/creative computing or graphic arts.
Cambridge Pre-U score of 46-50. A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
3 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English and Mathematics/3 GCSEs at grade 4 or above to include English and Mathematics.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
25 points from the IB Diploma, to include 3 Higher Level subjects. A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3,H3,H3,H3,H4-H3,H3,H3,H3,H3
A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
112-120 Tariff points to include a minimum of 2 Advanced Highers. A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
Acceptable when combined with other qualifications.
T Level
A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
UCAS Tariff
112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, or equivalent. A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
112-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 1 A level, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate. A relevant qualification or experience in art/design/creative computing or graphic arts is required.
You may also need to…
Present a portfolio
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**This is a Connected Degree**
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.
**Overview**
The games and tech industries continue to dominate the globe, and they're always seeking game designers and developers. Become their next rising star on our BA (Hons) Computer Games Design degree course.
With help from our teaching team of games industry experts, you'll dive into the theory of game design and development. You can specialise as a programmer or artist, designing, developing, and testing games for different audiences using our advanced game development facilities. For an extra boost to your professional experience, you can complete an optional work placement.
Discover what it takes to become an industry-ready games designer at Portsmouth, two-time winner of the TIGA Best Educational Institution Award (2021, 2014).
**Why study Computer Games Design at Portsmouth?**
You'll be able to:
- Explore how games are constructed by learning a variety of theories – including systems, gameplay, psychology, user experience, and narrative
- Work with next-gen technologies in our impressive facilities including the UK's first ever Centre for Creative Immersive and Extended Reality (CCIXR)
- Enhance your teamworking skills by collaborating with other Games students on game projects – including or prize-giving annual University GameJam event
- Learn from an expert teaching team with strong links to local, national and international games companies –including Rare, Codemasters, Jagex, Climax and Stainless
- Gain valuable professional experience by completing an optional work placement – with a company or self-employed
- Broaden your cultural experience by studying abroad in Europe
- Impress your future employers by showcasing your work at our annual Graduate Showcase
Modules
Year 1
Core modules in this year include:
- Design Studio
- 3D Modelling
- Games Design and Context
- Coding and Scripting for Games
- Art Skills for Games
- Game Development
There are no optional modules in this year, although you can take NCTJ examinations in a variety of subject areas.
Year 2
Core modules in this year include:
- Design Games
- Project Initiation and Career Management
- Prototyping and Iterating Game Designs
- Student Enterprise For Games
Optional modules in this year include:
- Commercial Asset Production for Real Time
- Creative Technologies Study Exchange
- Design and Visual Research for Cinema and Game
- Designing for Animation
- Engaged Citizenship Through Interdisciplinary Practice
- Gameplay Programming
- Modern Foreign Language (IWLP)
- Maths for Games
- Professional Experience
Placement year (optional)
On this course, you can do an optional work placement year between your 2nd and 3rd years to get valuable experience working in industry. We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.
Year 3
Core modules in this year include:
- Final Year Project
- Real-Time Interactive Group Project: Stage One
- Real-Time Interactive Group Project: Stage Two
Optional modules in this year currently include:
- Advanced Graphics Techniques
- Create Worlds
- Games Research
- Implementing Game Audio
- Programming AI for Games
- Psychological Theory For Game Designers
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry and some optional modules may not run every year. If a module doesn’t run, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Assessment methods
You'll be assessed through practical artefacts, presentations (video and in-person), written reports, and exams. You'll be assessed during modules and you'll receive feedback to help improve your learning.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
University of Portsmouth
Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries
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.
£22k
£27k
£31k
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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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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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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