Games Design BA (Hons)

Program Overview

The Games Design BA (Hons) program at UCA Farnham provides a comprehensive education in game design, encompassing core skills, industry knowledge, and practical experience. Students engage in hands-on projects, industry briefs, and study abroad opportunities, preparing them for careers in various aspects of the games industry, including level design, character design, and game development. The program emphasizes equality, diversity, and inclusion, fostering a creative and inclusive learning environment.

Program Outline

Outline:

Year One

• Launch Week: Activities include an interdisciplinary Industry Guest Speakers' Series, study trips, studio visits, and Design Sprints.
• Fundamentals of Game Design: Introduction to core game design skills, including game design theory, design documentation, development in game engines, and 3D game asset development.
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Exploration of equality, diversity, and inclusion concepts and their implications on creative practice.
• Board Game Design: Project to design and build a physical board game, focusing on building mechanics, technical design documentation, and artwork.
• Opportunity Week: Activities include game jams, design sprints, study trips, studio visits, and excursions to museums, galleries, and festivals.
• Introduction to Games Production: Introduction to production management, communication tools, game engine and design software, game design theory, and research of existing games.
Development of an academic project reflecting on game design practices.
• Client Brief: Work individually or in teams to respond to a client-facing brief, focusing on skill development, knowledge application, collaboration, and presentation skills.
• Interactive Narratives: Study of popular frameworks and theoretical concepts in narrative design, culminating in the creation of an interactive narrative.
• ATOM Activities: Tiny pieces of diverse individual learning that facilitate interdisciplinary exposure and broaden subject knowledge.
• PLE Digital Outcome 1: A self-directed record of engagement with digital media platforms across the year, such as an online portfolio, blog/vlog, or social media activity.

Year Two

• Launch Week: Similar activities as Year One.
• Rapid Games Prototyping: Advanced understanding of key concepts, tools, development, and production methods in digital game development, with emphasis on experimentation across multiple platforms and software packages.
• The Conscious Practitioner: Exploration of global perspectives and influences on creative practice, drawing upon interactions with varied identities, cultures, politics, and histories.
• Environmental Storytelling (elective): Learn how narrative works in environmental design and build original scenes using game engines and 3D modeling.
• Motion Capture Technologies (elective): In-depth exploration of motion-capture techniques and production with VICON Motion Capture technologies.
• Opportunity Week: Similar activities as Year One.
• Games Studio: Simulation of a game studio environment with a focus on team working and collaboration to a brief.
• Industry Brief: Respond to an industry brief with specific parameters and conditions, focusing on skill development, knowledge application, collaboration, and presentation skills.
• Creature Animation (elective): Creation of a creature's walk cycle, run cycle, and emotive piece showing interaction with an environment.
• Pervasive Game Studio (elective): Design, development, promotion, and engagement of outdoor play enmeshed with various media and technologies.
• Virtual Production Studio (elective): Learn how to use UCA's Virtual Production Stage to produce live or online virtual productions of various disciplines.
• ATOM Activities and PLE Digital Outcome 2: Continued engagement with ATOM Activities and development of PLE Digital Outcome.

Year Three (Professional Practice) - Optional

• Undergraduate students can opt to spend a year gaining valuable industry experience.

Final Year

• Launch Week: Similar activities as previous years.
• Final Major Project: Pre-Production: Development of a project proposal defining the concept, scope, audience, and purpose of the final major project.
• Final Major Project: Critical and Conceptual Influences: Sustained research to develop a methodological approach towards the final major project, resulting in a written piece articulating a clear argument.
• Professional Practice: Develop and present professional promotional materials highlighting strengths and body of work.

Careers:

• Level designer
• Cinematic games designer
• Character designer
• Games design and development
• VR games designer
• Rendering programmer
• London and the South East comprise 47% of the UK games industry, providing ample career opportunities.

Additional Notes:

• This is the Games Design BA (Hons) program offered at UCA Farnham.
• There are other versions of the program with variations in their structure and content.

UK

• Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250
• BA course: £9,250

EU

• Integrated International Foundation Year: £9,250
• BA course: £9,250

International

• Integrated International Foundation Year: £16,950
• BA course: £17,500
If you opt to study the Professional Practice Year, for 2024 you will be required to pay a reduced tuition fee of £1,850. You will also incur additional travel and accommodation costs during your Professional Practice year.