18Apr
UndergraduateCourse summary
Games Design at HCA is designed for imaginative creators who want to craft original, meaningful and visually compelling worlds. The course focuses on the full artistic pipeline, from 2D and 3D concept art to character and environment design, visual storytelling and animation. You will be supported in developing your own artistic identity while building creative skills that reflect contemporary practices in digital art and animation for interactive media. Across three years, you will experiment with 2D and 3D workflows, storytelling, visual development and interactive design. You will learn how to communicate ideas through visual mechanisms and environments, and build confidence in designing visual high-level content that resonates with audiences. Working within collaborative digital studio environments, you will be supported to explore your ideas, experiment freely and develop your personal creative voice. Our studio approach priorities your growth and interests, giving you the space to shape your own artistic direction while learning to communicate and collaborate with others. As you refine your practice, you will naturally gain the confidence and experience that can later translate into professional creative settings. You will: ● Develop skills in concept art, visual development, character and environment design ● Explore 2D and 3D games art workflows using industry software ● Develop and present your artistic concepts in interactive or game-inspired showcases through workshops, creative jams and collaborative briefs ● Build a distinctive creative identity supported by regular crits and tutorials ● Create a final major project that showcases your unique creative voice and artistic vision in relation to interactive or game-based art FACILITIES + SOFTWARE You will work in digital studios equipped with high-spec PCs, drawing tablets, VR equipment, and software for illustration, 3D modelling, animation and prototyping. You’ll also access shared workshops for physical model-making, enabling hybrid or experimental projects. Alongside this, you will work with a suite of industry-standard creative tools including ZBrush, Cinema 4D, Redshift, Substance Painter, Substance Designer and Unreal Engine. These platforms are widely used across contemporary digital art, animation and visual effects, giving you hands on experience with the same tools employed by leading studios. Through workshops and guided experimentation, you’ll learn how to integrate these technologies into your own artistic process. This ensures you graduate with both a strong creative voice and the technical fluency expected in professional art and design environments. INDUSTRY LINKS Learn from practicing games artists, designers and creative technologists through visiting lectures, specialist workshops and mentoring. Students take part in real world design projects, game jams and external collaborations that mirror studio workflows. These experiences build confidence in presenting ideas, responding to feedback and producing playable work. Through these connections and real-world commissions, our studio-style teaching becomes a gateway to genuine professional contexts, giving students tangible opportunities to see their work realised beyond the classroom. We are also proud to partner with UK Interactive Entertainment UKIE - the UK’s leading trade body for the interactive entertainment sector - connecting students to the wider games community. CAREERS Graduates progress into roles such as 2D/3D concept artists, environment or character artist, level designer, narrative designer, 3D modeler, VFX artist, indie developer or creative generalist to name just a few. You will build a portfolio that showcases visual development, prototypes and polished game assets, supported by guidance on freelancing, pitching and building an online presence. Info on course modules: www.hca.ac.uk/courses/bahons-games-design
Modules
From your first day at HCA you will work as a creative, developing your skills and your own voice through a series of projects. You will develop your creative practice, practical skills alongside your critical awareness and theoretical knowledge. You will study a range of modules that build your knowledge and confidence and total 120 credits each year
How to apply
14Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- I620
- Institution code:
- H18
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
International applicants
We are currently unable to accept applications from international students (including EU/EEA) for this course.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 96 - 112 points
Mature applicants with relevant experience will be considered.
Additional entry requirements
Portfolio
You will be invited to share a portfolio of your work related to this course. A selection of 20 images showcasing concepts, inspirations, sketches and finished work which can presented in person or digitally via a PowerPoint presentation or PDF document. You will receive an email with full guidance on this after we have received your application. In some cases, we may contact you to arrange a further chat. Don’t worry, this will be an informal meeting either face-to-face or online, to find out more about you and your work.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9275 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9275 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9275 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9275 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9275 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9275 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
In addition to the degree fees, the nature of creative arts practice means you'll need to allow for additional costs, such as the materials you choose to use in your work and for trips to external events & exhibitions. The courses at HCA have been designed to minimise the impact of additional costs; all course leaders have an annual budget with some trips & materials fully funded by the College or heavily subsidised. Typically, a student will choose to spend an additional £250 in the first year, £375 in the second year & £400 in their final year, depending on the nature of their work and materials chosen.
We appreciate that not all students can invest the same money in their work, and staff assessing it will not judge work by the cost of resources. The college shop includes many specialist materials at good value and digital equipment can be borrowed from the media stores at no cost to students.
Students are offered an optional Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for use outside of college. In the 2023-24 academic year this cost £16.24 per month. NB: Adobe Creative Cloud is provided free to use for any student working within the college.
Students on all courses may also have the chance to take part in optional trips that require payments towards their costs. Again, non-attendance will not incur assessment penalties, though trips are designed to help students develop their practice. There is an optional annual cross-course residential trip abroad. In the 2023-24 academic year, the trip was a four-day visit to Paris at a cost to students of £425. This fee included a shared dorm room and all travel costs from Hereford to Paris including Eurostar tickets.
*Support Available from Hereford College of Arts*
The HCA Cash Bursary: is designed to benefit students who are starting Higher Education for the first time; are ordinarily resident in England; the student must be liable to pay the full £9,000 tuition fee for their course and be from a low-income family (£25,000 a year or less). The student must also be in receipt of the full Higher Education Maintenance Loan. Each cash bursary is £1,000 which students receive in their first year only.
*Care Leaver Bursary*
Care leavers will be offered free accommodation with City Heart at Station Approach accommodation for their first year only. Care leaver students will be able to stay there until the end of their first year (not over the Summer) and will also receive the Cash Bursary of £1,000. Care leaver students will also receive a Care Leaver Bursary of £1,000 in both their second and third year. Evidence of being a care leaver must be in the form of an original letter showing Care Leaver Status from your local authority.
*Partner Colleges Progression Bursary*
A Progression Bursary of £500 for full-time study or £250 for part-time is available to students from our progression partner colleges*, in their first year only, who have successfully completed a Level 3 or equivalent course within the last 2 academic years and progress on to a degree programme at HCA.
*Partner Colleges: Bath College, Belfast Met, Bourneville, South & City College, Cirencester College, City of Bristol College, Coleg y Cymoedd, Dudley College, Evesham College, Gloucestershire College – ALL Campuses, Gower College, Grantham College, Halesowen College, Heart of Worcestershire College, Hereford College of Arts, Herefordshire & Ludlow College, Hereford Sixth Form, Malvern Hills College, Newent Sixth Form, NWRC Derry, NPTC group, Plumpton College, Shrewsbury College, South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Stratford Upon Avon College, Swindon College & Worcester Sixth Form.
*Internal Progression Bursary*
All students who have successfully completed a Level 3 course within the last two academic years at HCA and progress to undergraduate study at HCA will be eligible to receive a bursary of £500 for full-time study or £250 for Part-time in their first year only.
Provider information
Hereford College of Arts
Folly Lane
Hereford
HR1 1LT