Program Overview

Game Art and Design – BSc (Hons)

Course Overview

The B.Sc. (Honours) in Game Art & Design targets the creative needs of the games industry by producing graduates who can develop high-quality game content, design game levels, and work with industry-leading content creation tools, scripting languages, and game engines.

In addition to developing students' artistic skills, students of the programme acquire the skills to produce compelling game content for various gaming applications and platforms. The graduates of this programme possess a well-developed understanding of both the creative and technical processes involved in producing game content.

The programme is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to work in the games industry as games artists, content creators, and designers. The programme embodies the multidisciplinary nature of the games sector and seeks to address the demand for game art and design skills both nationally and internationally.

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of 2 H5 & 4 O6/H7 grades in six Leaving Certificate subjects, including Mathematics and English or Irish.
• TUS accepts QQI-FET/FETAC awards for entry on all courses of study.
• Mature applicants may be required to attend an interview and may be requested to take an aptitude test to prove their suitability for a place on this programme.
• International applicants should apply directly to the International Office at TUS, allowing plenty of time for completing the visa process.
• A portfolio assessment is required, with a minimum score of 240 out of 600.

Course Modules

Year 1 – Semester 1

• Digital Technology Fundamentals (5 credits)
• Professional Culture And Communication (5 credits)
• Creative Coding 1 (5 credits)
• Gaming Fundamentals (5 credits)
• Visual Design For Games (5 credits)
• 3D Modelling I Game Props (5 credits)

Year 1 – Semester 2

• Interactive Audio Storytelling (5 credits)
• Team Psychology (5 credits)
• Creative Coding 2 (5 credits)
• UI For Digital Experiences (5 credits)
• 2D Asset Creation (5 credits)
• Material And Lighting For Game (5 credits)

Year 2 – Semester 1

• Rigging For Games (5 credits)
• Drawing Principles For Games (5 credits)
• Game Engine Programming I (5 credits)
• Game Design I (5 credits)
• Concept Art (5 credits)
• 3D Modelling 2 Game Character (5 credits)

Year 2 – Semester 2

• Animation For Games I (5 credits)
• Game Art Studio 1 Portfolio (5 credits)
• Game Engine Programming II (5 credits)
• Critical Game Design (5 credits)
• FX For Games (30 credits)
• 3D Modelling 3 Game Character (5 credits)

Year 3 – Semester 1

• Animation For Games 2 (5 credits)
• XR Design And Development 1 (5 credits)
• Level Design and Prototyping (5 credits)
• Game Environments 1 (5 credits)
• Professional Career Skills (5 credits)

Year 3 – Semester 2

• Game Art Studio 2 Production (5 credits)
• XR Design And Development 2 (5 credits)
• Game Team Project (5 credits)
• Modelling, Texturing And Lighting, Game Environments 1 (5 credits)
• Employment Placement

Year 4 – Semester 1

• Games Based Learning and Instructional Design (5 credits)
• Designing Game Projects (5 credits)
• Architectural Visualisation (5 credits)
• Open World Scene Management (5 credits)
• The Game Industry (5 credits)
• Electives (Choose One) – Lighting And Look Development or Mobile Game UI (5 credits)

Year 4 – Semester 2

• Electives (Choose One) – Major Games Project or Industry Internship (30 credits)

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this course can work in a range of roles including:

• Animation: 2D, 3D animation generalist, Creature Animator, Character Animator, 2D/3D Rigging, Creature FX animation, Lead Technical Animator
• 2D Designer/Concept Artist: Character Concept Artist, Environment Concept Artist, Texture Artist, Storyboard & Layout, Matte Painting
• 3D Modelling: Character Modeller for Games, Creature Modeller for Games, Modelling Technical/Lead Artist, Senior Asset Artist
• Technical Artist: Lighting Artist, Lead Lighting and Look Development, Environment Artist, FX Artist
• Game Design: Lead Game Designer, Level Designer, User Interface Designer

Further Study

Successful graduates of this programme are eligible for Level 9 and 10 postgraduate programmes within TUS and/or elsewhere.