BA (Hons) Games Development with Integrated Foundation Year

Program Overview

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BA (Hons) Games Development with Integrated Foundation Year

Course Overview

Ideal for...

Aspiring game makers who wish to create imaginative games and gaming stories through a variety of mediums.

Get in the Game

This year zero course is a preparatory year as part of a four-year BA (Hons) Games Development course. Aimed at students who want more time before year one to develop their skills, this is an ideal entry-level course for aspiring game makers who wish to create imaginative games through a variety of mediums. An entertaining career in games design and computer gaming starts here.

Course Structure

Year 0

The Foundation year (or year 0) is a preparatory year as part of the four-year BA (Hons) Games Development course. The foundation year course is aimed at students who require more time to develop their portfolio and skillset prior to year one of undergraduate study.

Modules include:

• Crafting your Practice 1
• Crafting Your Practice 2
• Exploring Culture and Context
• Developing Creative Skills
• Integrating Creative Skills
• Influencing Culture and Context

Year 1

Year 1 of this course will introduce you to the game's development process and core disciplinary technologies alongside study options that enable a degree of specialisation in one of those core disciplines:

• Games Art
• Technical Design (Engine Technologies)
• Design & Production

You will also engage with and be trained in the use of digital platforms for effective delivery of outcomes including games, presentations, documentation, and prototypes.

Modules include:

• Programming 1
• Design of Play
• Engines & Pipelines
• Environments & Levels
• Professional Life Practice - Developing your Practice
• Professional Life Practice - Exploring your Practice

Year 2

You will work alongside students from other games courses on collaborative projects enabling you to develop team working and help you understanding of key development workflows.

Throughout this stage of the course, you will also be introduced to what currently constitutes innovative practice within games programming and explores the interplay of innovation and technological development. This will be supported by visits and practical workshops from industry speakers and specialists.

Students will have the opportunity to undertake a work-based learning opportunity at the end of semester 2, supporting them in developing their entrepreneurship and employability skills.

Modules include:

• Narrative & Play
• Character Design for Games
• Games Studio
• Professional Life Practice- Applying your Practice
• Work-Based Learning

Year 3

A sizeable proportion of project-based work will be initiated and developed by students themselves, with a view to mastering skills particular to their interests within the discipline.

You will be encouraged to dive deeper into your interests through individual tutorials and self-directed study, utilising online and physical resources. You will complete major projects tied to your chosen discipline at the end of your 3rd year.

Modules may include:

• Pre-Production
• Production
• Professional Life Practice - Situating your Practice
• Postproduction

Entry Requirements

At Ravensbourne we accept a wide range of qualifications for entry onto our courses, whilst also considering the context in which they were achieved. For this course, we would usually require a GCSE Grade 4 or above in English in addition to any of the below:

• Two A Levels at grade CC or above
• BTEC Extended Diploma at grade MPP
• UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
• T Level (pass or above)
• Access to Higher Education Diploma
• International Baccalaureate at grade 24 or above
• Other/Mixed qualifications equivalent to 64 UCAS Tariff points

Selection Criteria

We will use a number of methods to assess an applicant’s suitability for their course of choice.

Primarily applicants are selected on the basis of:

• an applicant’s prior academic achievement/qualifications and/or previous employment/life experience;
• assessment of the applicant’s ability and aptitude to succeed on the course for which s/he has applied.

Career Pathway

You will graduate with strong concept skills and technical expertise.

Graduates work in areas such as:

• Typography
• Editorial Design
• Packaging
• Information Design
• Wayfinding
• Exhibition Design
• User Experience
• User Interface Design
• Art Direction
• Design Strategy

Fees and Funding

Find out more about our tuition fees and whether you qualify for financial support during your studies.

Facilities

The Kit Store provides a wide range of equipment that students can borrow to complete their projects. Staff can also borrow equipment to deliver their practical sessions.

The iMac suite at Ravensbourne University is ideal for design students and computing students.

The Ravensbourne materials library is curated by Material ConneXion, a business that introduces brands to the latest material innovations.

The Ravensbourne University library has a large collection of print, online and multimedia resources available for staff and students to use.