draft BSc (Hons) Games Development

Program Overview

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Overview

The BSc (Hons) Games Development course allows you to specialise in one of two key disciplines within the games industry: games software development or games design. The course will provide you with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to excel as a graduate in the computer games field.

You will select one of two distinct paths within the course, ultimately graduating with either a BSc (Hons) Games Development (Design) or a BSc (Hons) Games Development (Software).

In Year 1 of the course, you'll study the foundations of creating games. In addition, you'll develop the skills required to prototype games using technologies such as Unity and Unreal games engines. After year one you will select your specialisation choosing between one of two streams.

Games Design Stream:

In Years 2-4 you'll specialise in Games Design through a series of individual and collaborative modules. Individual modules will develop your expertise in areas such as Games Narrative, Game System Design, Game User Research, User Psychology, Serious Game Design, Engine Based Development, and facilitate the development of portfolio pieces. Collaborative modules will see you work together with students from other specialised courses within the

Department of Applied Computer Games

such as

3D Animation and Visualisation with pathways for Games and VFX

and

3D Design for Visual Environments

in order to produce games to either internal or industry-specified briefs.

Games Software Development Stream

: In Years 2-4 you'll specialise in Games Software Development through a series of individual, and collaborative modules. Individual modules will develop your expertise in areas such; Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Game Development, C++ and OpenGL, Network Game Development, Engine Based Development, and facilitate the development of portfolio pieces. Collaborative modules will see you work together with students from other specialised courses within the

Department of Applied Computer Games

such as

3D Animation and Visualisation with pathways for Games and VFX

and

3D Design for Visual Environments

in order to produce games to either internal or industry-specified briefs.

The course offers the possibility of undertaking an industry placement in a games company or studying abroad through Erasmus exchanges.

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Graduate prospects

Graduates have gone on to work in companies such as Crytek, Electronic Arts, No Code, King, Media Molecule, Outplay Entertainment, Rockstar North and Sony.

Program Outline

What you

will study

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Trimester A Introduction to Games programming, Introduction to Game Design, Maths for Computer Games, Fundamentals of Computer Systems,

Trimester B Integrated Project 1, Introduction to 3D Modelling, Maths for Computer Games, Fundamentals of Network and Cloud Computing.

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Trimester A Design of Playful Experiences, Working With Game Engines

Trimester B  Integrated Project 2, Human Computer Interaction

Games Design Stream: Games narrative (Tri A) Game Content and Level Design (Tri B)

Games Software Development Stream: Programming Structure and Design (Trim A) Programming with Unreal Engine (Tri B)

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Trimester A Game Preproduction Workshop

Trimester B Integrated Project 3, Research Skills and Professional Issues

Games Design Stream: Game User Research, Serious Games Design (Tri A), User Psychology (Tri B)

Games Software Development Stream: Games Programming 1, Game Artificial Intelligence (Tri A), Games Programming 2 (Tri B)

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Trimester A&B Honours Project

Trimester B Portfolio

Games Design Stream:  Experimental Games, Creative Practice  (Tri A) Games System Design (Tri B)

Games Software Development Stream: Graphics Programming, Network Game Programming (Tri A), Games Programming 3 (Tri B)

Download the Programme Specification

for a detailed breakdown of its structure, what you will learn and other useful information.

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.

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Assessment methods

Assessment methods used to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes include examinations, coursework, class tests, presentations, computer-based exercises and written reports.

In each of their initial three years, our students take part in innovative group projects leading to an individual project in their final year, which improves their academic, practical and employability skills.

Each project incorporates two strands of learning, the first is the essential technical skills needed to undertake a complete product design and this is developed further to allow our students to show their innovative and enterprising abilities.

The second strand furnishes our students with the ‘soft’ skills related to team working, business operations, the project design process and ethical practices. This work helps students to develop a growing appreciation of the practicalities and realities of the application of software processes in the real world. Assessment is by presentation, delivery of design report and, most importantly, demonstration of product prototypes.

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HM Forces

In partnership with HM Forces, GCU has identified this course is being particularly suited to military and ex-military men and women. Visit the

HM Forces Careers Zone

for more information on the services we provide.

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Teaching methods

We aim to be flexible and like to extend our laboratory work so that students can access hardware and software tools for use outside lab hours, allowing students to gain additional, highly valuable experience in developing software systems.

These enhanced practical skills are highly prized by employers and can be the difference when competing for high-quality employment opportunities for industrial placement on graduation.

After successfully completing their Level Three studies, our students have the option to participate in an industrial placement for one year which is recognised on the degree certificate on graduation.

International exchange opportunities are also available, allowing students to spend a semester abroad through the Erasmus Programme or an overseas summer placement through the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) through the British Council.

Finally, the school provides summer placement opportunities to highly motivated students to work on novel applications of electronic and software technologies. Games Jam is an international game design challenge which takes place within GCU every year. It pitches aspiring programmers and designers against the world’s rising stars in the industry in a race to develop the best new title with over a 100 of our students and enthusiasts working round the clock to create and programme new video games from scratch in just one weekend.

3rd

The Guardian ranked GCU 3rd in Scotland for Animation and Game Design