Course summary

Join the thriving and in-demand industry of game development and game design in the UK and across the world. As a qualified developer, you could find yourself working on games for a wide range of purposes including entertainment, education and business. This course will cover the theory, practice and application of computer game development. Additionally, you will learn industry-standard development tools and will explore specialist areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the economic and social impact of games. We encourage a highly practical approach to games and game asset development, so during the course you will be able to create a portfolio of your work. This will be showcased online and you can share it with future employers to demonstrate your talent and experience. This course is accredited by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. What you'll study On this game design course you will develop your knowledge, understanding and practical skills to harness technology and create compelling gaming environments. During the course you will work on: • professional development tools, such as Unreal Engine 4 • current game design techniques • key team skills • related topics, such as artificial intelligence (AI), human computer and interaction design. From the start, you will gain a good foundation for game development and start building your digital identity and online portfolio. As you progress, you will enhance your skills in computer graphics and your understanding of how they work. You will also examine specialist topics in computer games technology, including mobile application development and simulation and virtual worlds (GSVW). Your studies in the latter will give you the chance to work on serious games. There will also be an opportunity to work on group projects. One example could be developing a game or simulation together, which will also test your ability to work as part of a team. As you approach the end of your course, you will focus on a range of advanced games technology topics, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber security. You will also have the chance to develop your own complete game, application or simulation. This personal project will form a key part of your assessment at the end of the year. The foundation year course is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to continue onto your Honours degree. You will study a range of subjects that will underpin your future study and also gain valuable experience of university life, with full access to campus facilities. Successful completion of the year allows you to progress straight onto Level 4 of this course.