Bedford College Group has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework.These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Games development is a rapidly growing industry, with the UK market for video games reaching a record £7bn in 2020, an increase of 30% (UKIE). The games industries workforce grew 25% in December 2021 (TIGA). These figures are looking to keep increasing as the industry shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Games Development is a multifaceted area of study that allows for numerous areas of specialisation; there’s a wide range of careers from the more artistic asset, environment, and character designing to the more technical sides involving programming and developing the actual mechanics of the game. All these roles are also enveloped by overarching game theory, which helps steer the direction of what is being created to provide interactive and compelling experiences for the user. We uniquely benefit from being located in Bedford as a number of popular game studios such as Creative Assembly, Team17, Jagex, Warner Bros. Games and Sumo Digital are all less than 25 miles away. London also being a short train journey, which hosts many games studios such as Rocksteady and Sony Studios (PlayStation). We are also soon to be hosts to the new Sunset Studios located just to the South-East, where the skills and knowledge gained through studying Games Design are more than transferable to more traditional film and TV production. This course is delivered by a range of practicing specialists within the Games Design/Development and related industries along with visiting professionals from Games Design companies and publishers. Students of the course will have access to well-equipped studios, one-to-one tutorials and feedback, and industry relevant softwares. The course consists of two assessment units which cover the development of core aspects of the industry: contextual knowledge, idea generation and development, technical knowledge and skills, professional practice, and communication.
Modules
Unit 1: Concept & Development Through this unit, you’ll develop an understanding of the fundamentals of Games Design, enabling you to begin your journey into the interactive media industry. Unit 2: Creative Project This unit is designed to apply your learning from Unit 1 through the production of a final outcome that concludes all skills learnt in that year. You will have the opportunity to work individually and collaboratively on projects that explore: Concept Art Game Asset Prototyping 2D Game Engine Exploration 3D Game Engine Exploration Game Theory Player Management and Interaction File and Project Management Bug Testing and Quality Assurance Marketing and Post-Production In the first year of the course you’ll be introduced to a range of software including: Unity, Unreal Engine, Maya, Blender, Substance Painter and the Adobe Creative Suite.
Assessment method
Project briefs with set deadlines are issued for tasks within each module. These will be primarily practical, but will include levels of research and justification; case studies will be looked at and, along with some projects, may require longer-form writing to engage in properly. These are assessed and graded upon hand-in, and an overall qualification grade is calculated based on performance across all module activities. There are no formal examinations.
How to apply
31Jan
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
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
We are unable to consider international applications due to UKVI regulations
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
To join the course, you will need either a National Diploma, Foundation Diploma, T-Level, or equivalent Level 3 qualification in one of the following subject areas: Art & Design, Creative Media Production, or Computing. Applications from A-Level programs who display high levels of creativity and passion for the subject, along with mature students, who will be considered individually on experience rather than qualifications. Entry to the course will be subject to a successful interview, where you will be asked to present a portfolio of work related to the subject. This course does look at all areas of Games Development, so the ability to be able to communicate creative and technical ideas must be shown, as well as some creative flair. Whilst there will be coding aspects of the course, this is not a mandatory aspect of a successful portfolio, though experience of the coding mindset will be beneficial. Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who have not undertaken their final two years of schooling in English will need to demonstrate capability in English at a standard equivalent to: Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level B2 Pearson Test of English(PTE) Academic 51 IELTS 5.5; Reading and Writing must be at 5.5 Or equivalent
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 | £6000 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £6000 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £6000 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £6000 | Year 1 |
Additional fee information
Fees subject to change
Material printing approx. £500
Software: Creative Cloud License: £16 p/m
Laptop or MAC compatible with Creative Cloud
Optional trips: £300+
Provider information
Bedford College
Cauldwell Street
Bedford
MK42 9AH