Course summary

Love playing videogames? Why not be part of a team that develops them? On our practical degree, you will have the opportunity to gain technical skills and theoretical knowledge to help you become a confident and competent computer games developer. From programming, software design and asset development to character animation, this course will cover the industry latest to help you stay up-to-date, ensuring you’re ready for the working world upon graduation. This course is offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme. Why study at Buckinghamshire New University? This degree will help you gain a strong knowledge and competence in software development, focusing on your development of software for computer games. It provides a balance of theory and practice in software engineering, systems, computing and games development, preparing you for employment in this exciting field. While the course focuses on software development in the context of games, the skills and knowledge you acquire are equally applicable to the production of software for sectors such as banking, manufacturing and retail. The relevance of the degree is also underpinned by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Curriculum Framework (2008). We are a member of the PlayStation® Vita Academic Development Programme run by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), which provides access to professional console development hardware and software tools. We are an NVIDIA CUDA Teaching Centre. We are also a member of TIGA, the trade association representing the UK's games industry. What will I study? In the Foundation Year of this four-year course, you’ll build essential academic study skills. This year will help you gain confidence in your abilities. You’ll also identify your strengths and areas for development. Together, these will prepare you for progression to the undergraduate degree. During the first year you will develop your programming skills (C#) and apply them to the development of 2D mobile and console games and 3D levels within a commercial game engine. Other modules provide a taste of other disciplines in the games industry, including an introduction to games design and 3D modelling. In second year you will continue to develop your programming skills (C++) and apply them to the development of realistic AI and graphical applications using a graphics library. You'll be taught about the processes involved in managing the development of complex games in large teams and as a member of your own team, develop a game in collaboration with students on other courses. During your third year, you will develop a physics engine and integrate it into a games engine. You will also extend your understanding of the more complex AI techniques used in games and gain an insight into how games companies operate. A major component of the final year is the project, which provides an opportunity to develop a game or related software application. What are my career prospects? You will be well placed to pursue a career within the growing games and media sectors. Alternatively, you may use the transferable skills gained to follow a career in the mainstream software industry.