Games Art BA (Hons)

Course overview

As a games artist, you can work in one of the largest and most agile creative industries in the world.

• You have the opportunity to develop games art skills such as storytelling, narrative, sociology, spatial design, architecture to anatomy, and character/environment design.
• We teach you about industry practices in a simulated games studio environment, so you can gain a solid grounding in visualisation techniques, character, environment and concept design.
• This exciting course is developed in conjunction with games industry employers like Radiant Worlds and helps you build the skillset you need to be a successful games artist.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

• You may have opportunities to work with animators and illustrators to develop your core skills in drawing, perspective and concept development2. You will also be taught the trends and technical developments within the games industry.
• A flexible approach enables you to individually develop your creative practice and portfolio, setting you up for a wide range of potential career paths.
• Opportunity to take a placement or study abroad year2.
• The opportunity to learn about virtual and augmented reality using HTC Vive/Oculus Rift and game engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity.

Art and Design Graduate Showcase 2024

The Coventry Degree Showcase is an annual event to celebrate and showcase our graduating students’ work.

What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Common first year courses

• Animation BA (Hons)
• Digital Media BA (Hons)
• Games Art BA (Hons)
• Games Design and Development BA (Hons)
• Visual Effects (VFX) BA (Hons)

Modules

Year one

• Skills Lab – 20 credits
• Hacklab and Creative Play – 20 credits
• Narrative and Storytelling – 20 credits
• People, Pipelines, and Production – 20 credits
• Prototyping, Concept Development and Design – 20 credits
• From 2D to 3D: Developing Visual Skills – 20 credits

Year two

• Designing Game Worlds – 20 credits
• Character Design and Animation – 20 credits
• The Creature Workshop – 20 credits
• Experimental Games Project – 20 credits
• Collaborative Practice – 20 credits
• Professional Practice in the Games Industry – 20 credits

Placement year

• UK Work Placement – 0 credits
• International Study/Work Placement – 0 credits

Final year

• Extending Games Art Contexts – 20 credits
• Games Challenge and Experimentation – 20 credits
• Professional Practice Portfolio – 20 credits
• Working in Collaboration – 20 credits
• Final Major Project – 40 credits

How you'll learn

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learnt and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you'll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods are 100% coursework based with various practical and written projects in each module.

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

• UK: 112 UCAS points
• International: IELTS: 6.0 overall (with at least 5.5 in each component area)

Portfolio

You may be required to attend a portfolio showcase, activity session or audition or submit a portfolio via email (as is appropriate to your course), either virtually or face to face, as is practical to arrange. Invites for these sessions will be sent directly to your contact email. Each application will be considered on its merits.

Fees and funding

Student | Full-time | Part-time ---|---|--- UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | 2026/27 fees TBC 2025/26 fees: £9,535 per year | Not available EU | 2026/27 fees TBC 2025/26 fees: £9,535 per year with EU Support Bursary** 2026/27 fees TBC 2025/26 fees: £19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary** | Not available International | 2026/27 fees TBC 2025/26 fees: £19,850 per year | Not available

Facilities

In our Mac and PC CAD labs, you can become digitally literate in presentation and design skills using the Adobe suite of software.

• Hyperstudio – The Hyperstudio is designed to be an experimental space where staff, students, community, and industry can collaborate to solve real world problems. It is a cube with high-speed connectivity and power, that is both a making and showing space into which an array of physical and digital technologies can be brought to support project needs.
• Immersive media studio – The immersive media studio is a studio space designed to allow design, collaboration and testing of immersive experiences that combine audiovisual elements in diverse ways. It is centred on performance capture and high-end XR capabilities and includes capability for immersive audio integration.

Games Technology lab

Our gaming lab is a technological paradise, equipped with high-end gaming PCs that have all of the industry-standard software necessary for your course4. It also houses virtual reality game development and motion capture technology.

Printing Studio

We have print pressers dating back to when we first started as Coventry School of Art and Design back in 1843. This studio consists of two studio spaces for all printing needs from screen printing to etching4.

Delia Derbyshire Building

The Delia Derbyshire complex includes a hyper studio designed for cross-disciplinary projects and immersive studios with cutting-edge virtual reality and mixed-reality technologies for students across all disciplines to collaborate on projects together, a gallery space and an events atrium.

Careers and opportunities

The course should prepare you for the rigours of the professional world by simulating the challenges that you may face as a practitioner. It aims to develop your independent thought, innovation, imagination, critical reflection and confidence in your practice, as well as transferrable skills suitable for employment across the full breadth of the creative industries.

When you have successfully completed this course, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• the representation of human and animal form, anatomy and motion, natural environments, architecture and artefacts
• the aesthetics of photography, film and narrative animation and your impact upon games art
• the communicative and immersive role of design for user interfaces
• a broad range of image manipulation technologies including 2D and 3D design and rendering applications
• augmented Reality and Virtual Reality using HTC Vive/Oculus Rift, Game Engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity
• technical requirements of art assets produced for integration into programmed elements of games
• working processes and cross-disciplinary roles in the games and related industries~~.~~
• ethical dimensions relevant to the representation of interpersonal and social interactions.

Where our graduates work

As a graduate, you may find employment as a character designer, animator, environment designer or concept artist. Previous graduates have started successful careers in the games industry, this includes working for the likes of Rocksteady and Applio.

Some students may choose to enter the teaching profession after PGCE study and others go into further study: into our own postgraduate programmes or elsewhere within the UK or internationally.

---

Overview:

• Founded in 1843 as the Coventry School of Design
• Received university status in 1992
• Over 30,000 students from over 150 countries
• Campuses in Coventry, London, and Scarborough
• Known for its focus on practical, industry-focused education

---

Student Life:

• Over 150 student clubs and societies
• Sports teams in various disciplines
• Student support services include counseling, mental health support, and disability support
• Campus facilities include a gym, swimming pool, and student union

---

Academics:

• Offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a wide range of subjects
• Faculty with industry experience and research expertise
• Teaching methodologies include lectures, seminars, workshops, and project-based learning
• Academic support services include writing centers, math labs, and peer mentoring
• Unique academic programs include:
  • Centre for Applied Science and Technology
  • Centre for Business in Society
  • Centre for Intelligent Systems

---

Top Reasons to Study Here:

• Ranked among the top 150 universities in the UK (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023)
• Excellent industry connections and partnerships
• Specialized facilities such as the National Transport Design Centre and the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing
• Notable alumni include:
  • Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine
  • Sir David Attenborough, naturalist and broadcaster
  • Sir Patrick Stewart, actor

---

Services:

• Counseling and mental health support
• Health center
• Accommodation services
• Library with over 1 million books and resources
• Technology support
• Career development services