Program Overview

Games Design and Production

Overview

The Games Design and Production course at the University of Salford is a three-year undergraduate program that prepares students for a career in the digital creative industries. The course focuses on the development of skills and experience in game design, art, and programming, with an emphasis on teamwork, problem-solving, and industry-standard practices.

Course Details

Year One

• Game Design Fundamentals: Students learn the fundamentals of game design, including theory, design methods, and process.
• Visual Arts: Students engage with creative processes and practices, developing their independent creative capabilities.
• Entertainment Technologies: Students study technologies from the past, present, and future, and conceptualize and build interactive prototypes.
• Principles of Digital Game Design: Students work in production teams to build their first 2D digital game.
• Digital Graphics: Students learn about photographic theory, composition, digital image theory, and image retouching.
• Introduction to Programming: Students receive a solid introduction to the foundations of computer programming.

Year Two

• Game Development Foundations: Students work in production teams to build their first 3D digital game.
• Human Data Interaction: Students learn about the theoretical principles of human-computer and data interaction.
• Advanced Gameplay Development: Students work in groups to produce functional polished product.
• Optional Modules:
  • Digital Environment Art: Students learn to design, develop, and deploy 3D virtual games environments.
  • Games Engine Programming: Students learn to build an understanding of more complex underlying programming paradigms.

Year Three

• Creative Portfolio: Students focus on the realities of finding meaningful employment in the digital creative industries.
• Final Project Proposal and Prototyping: Students define their own production groups, genre, narrative, and technology.
• Final Project Development: Students work on a full-scale production of their game prototype.
• Practice-Based Dissertation: Students develop a purely written or practice-based dissertation.

Assessment

• 60% Coursework
• 40% Presentations

Teaching

• Production-based modules are delivered primarily through workshops.
• Theory modules are delivered through combined lecture/seminar sessions.
• Project work allows students to produce work tailored to their individual interests.

Facilities

• TV studios
• Green screen facilities
• Audio production
• MakerSpace
• Stop-frame studio
• Computer Suites and Editing Studios
• Equipment stores

Employment and Stats

• Graduates have gone on to work at world-renowned development companies, including Rockstar, Sony, EA, Saga, and Namco.
• 90% of students are in work or doing further study 15 months after the course.

Requirements

• GCSE English and maths grade C/grade 4 or above.
• UCAS tariff points: 104-112 points.
• A-level: 104-112 points.
• T-level: Pass (C in core subject).
• BTEC National Diploma: MMM-DMM.
• Access to HE: 104-112 UCAS Tariff points.
• International Baccalaureate: 28 points.
• European Baccalaureate: Pass in Diploma of at least 73-78% overall in a relevant subject.

Tuition Fees

• Full-time home: £9,535 per year (2025/26), £9,535 per year (2026/27).
• Full-time international: £17,650 per year (2025/26), £18,120 per year (2026/27).

Scholarships

• International students may be eligible for scholarships.

Related Courses

• BA (Hons) Animation
• DipHE Creative and Digital Media
• BSc (Hons) Creative Computing

Student Information

• Terms and conditions
• UCAS information: Course ID G470, Institution S03

Data

• 78% of students say staff value students' views and opinions about the course.
• 74% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.
• 90% of students are in work or doing further study 15 months after the course.