SAE Institute has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
The gaming industry has exploded in recent years thanks to exciting technological advances that have opened the door to dynamic, immersive experiences like never before. With gaming companies on the lookout for talented game designers, programmers and testers, now’s the perfect time to study a games design degree course. At SAE, you’ll learn how to design and develop next-level video games while advancing your game development and programming skills in 2 years rather than 3. Beat the competition by graduating industry-ready more quickly than at a traditional university – while saving money on course and accommodation fees too. Across your 2 years at SAE, you’ll explore level design and narrative construction by completing real-world project briefs in a simulated games studio environment. You’ll gain advanced skills in industry-standard software packages, such as Unreal Engine 5, Unity 3D, Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk Suite (Maya) and Visual Studio, plus expert proficiency in programming languages C# and C++. SAE’s highly experienced Experts will introduce you to the professional world of game design, showing you the ropes in object-oriented programming (OOP), UI/UX design and industry workflows. As you explore common game engines and core mathematical principles, you’ll complete group projects and test the games you’ve developed, validating your understanding of game design theory and frameworks. As you progress your studies, you’ll get ready to embrace real-world success thanks to SAE’s focus on practical learning, business planning skills and games industry knowledge. In your final trimester, you’ll complete a Major Project in a chosen area of specialism – a perfect opportunity to connect with industry experts with a view to future game design employment. At the end of your time with us, you’ll graduate equipped with the skills of a professional game developer and ready to launch into the industry as a game designer, game developer, concept artist, multimedia specialist or software engineer. Simply put, SAE’s accelerated Games Design degree really puts you ahead of the game.
Modules
Three year standard degree Year 1: Trimester 1 - Game Programming Basics, Games Development Basics Trimester 2 – Applied Game Design, Games and Culture Year 2: Trimester 3 - Creative Studio 1: Industry Workflows Trimester 4 - Creative Studio 2: Collaboration and Business Year 3: Trimester 5 - Creative Studio 3: Research and Practice Trimester 6 - Major project
How to apply
29Jan
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
Applicants must meet the general entry requirements outlined below. You will also need to provide evidence that you are proficient in the English language. More details can be found at http://www.sae.edu/gbr
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 72 points
A level - A* - D
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - D*D*D* - MMP
Access to HE Diploma - D: 45 credits M: 42 credits P: 3 credits
Scottish Higher - A - C
GCSE/National 4/National 5
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
| EU | £9535 | Year 1 |
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| International | £15750 | 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
For London, Leamington Spa, Leeds and Liverpool campuses
For applicants who are residents of the EU a bursary is available towards the cost of the tuition fees.
For those selecting the 3 year degree a bursary of £4,500 per academic year is available for SAE London, SAE Liverpool, SAE Leeds and SAE Leamington (subject to applicants meeting criteria).
For Glasgow Campus:
For applicants who are residents of Scotland applying to the SAE Glasgow campus, a bursary is available towards the cost of the tuition fees (subject to applicants meeting criteria).
Provider information
SAE Institute
Georgia House
38 Pall Mall
Liverpool
L3 6AL