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University of Wales Trinity Saint David

UCAS Code: CGD8 | Higher National Diploma - HND

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff

48

and/or Portfolio of work (related to traditional/digital art, game design, 3D modelling, game modding or similar content).

About this course

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

Course option

2years

Full-time | 2025

Other options

4 years | Part-time | 2025

Subject

Computer science

Are you passionate about creating games? Our Computer Games Design Higher National Diploma is tailored to help you turn that passion into a career. Designed for those eager to become 3D artists, animators, or game designers, this course offers an in-depth exploration of the gaming industry, supported by strong industry partnerships.

Throughout the programme, you will use powerful game development tools like Unreal Engine and Unity, widely recognised in the industry. You will learn from professionals with real-world experience, who will help you develop a portfolio that showcases your skills to future employers.

The curriculum covers a broad range of topics essential for game development. You will study game design theory, level and environment design, and programming. Our state-of-the-art facilities include the latest Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe CC) software, providing all the necessary tools for your studies. With small class sizes, our staff, who have extensive industry experience, can offer personalised guidance and support.

Additionally, you will gain hands-on experience with AR/VR development and animation, learning about the latest technologies in game design. This course will not only teach you technical skills but also help you develop creative, critical, analytical, and interpretive abilities essential for crafting compelling games. The programme encourages both individual growth and teamwork, preparing you to thrive in a collaborative environment.

Upon completion of the course you will be well prepared and ready to progress to the final year of our 3 year degree programme, which will prepare you for a career in the gaming industry.

Modules

We believe in empowering you to design and create interactive projects that truly showcase your game development knowledge. Our course is all about encouraging your creative exploration while ensuring you develop the technical skills needed to succeed in the competitive world of computer games design.

Year 1:
In your first year of the Computer Games Design course, you’ll begin to explore the world of game development. You’ll start with learning the basics of character creation, 3D graphics, and animation. In seminars and workshops, you will explore game mechanics and rule systems through fun, hands-on projects, often using paper-based concept mock-ups to get a real feel for how games are made. Our small tutorial groups mean you get plenty of personalised support from your lecturers, helping you to build your skills and confidence right from the start.

Environment Design (20 credits)
Game Design and History (20 credits)
Introduction to Character Animation (20 credits)
Introduction to 3D Modelling (10 Credits)
Visual Studies (20 credits)
Academic and Professional Development (10 Credits)
Games for Positive Impact (20 Credits)

Year 2:
As you move into the second year, you’ll build on what you’ve learned, tackling more advanced topics like character and environment modelling, texturing, and interface design. This is when your projects start to get more complex and innovative. You’ll also look at the bigger picture with contextual studies, understanding the social and cultural sides of game design.

Advanced Character Animation (20 credits)
Indie Game Development (20 credits)
Game Theory and Design (20 credits)
Evolving your Creative Craft (20 Credits)
Level Design and Development (20 Credits)
Narrative and World-Building (10 Credits)
Sound Design (10 Credits)

Assessment methods

Assessment is carried out through coursework, both written and practical. There are no exams on this course. Students are formatively assessed throughout a module, summative assessment takes place at the end of a module.

In order to maintain academic integrity, a range of strategies are adopted. Most practical work includes formal written elements of some sort: everything from the standard essay format through to things like usability reports, product definition documents, responses to/critiques of seminal academic papers, learning journals, business plans, etc. At Level 6 all students will have to complete a Dissertation.

From L4 onwards students are also widely assessed in presentations, culminating at L6 in the Major Project. We have found the viva voce style assessment well-suited to the work we do within the School, which, whilst having a technical underpinning, often has strong similarities to fine art practice.

The Uni

Course location:

SA1 Waterfront Campus, Swansea

Department:

Computing

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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.

64%
Computer science

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 science

Teaching and learning

73%
Staff make the subject interesting
78%
Staff are good at explaining things
62%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
71%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

66%
Library resources
68%
IT resources
73%
Course specific equipment and facilities
39%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

98%
UK students
2%
International students
79%
Male students
21%
Female students
88%
2:1 or above
24%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
C
E

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 science

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.

£18,000
low
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education
70%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

63%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
13%
Information technology technicians
8%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

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. The subject is linked to important and growing computing industries, and over time we can expect more students to study them — there could be opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years.

What about your long term prospects?

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

Computer science

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

£25k

£25k

£25k

£25k

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.

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the 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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here