Program Overview

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Games Design

BA (Hons)

Attendance

Full-time

Campus

Preston Campus

Start

September 2025

Duration

3 years

UCAS Code

WG24

Delivery

In-person

Foundation year available

You'll love our Games Design course if you want to design the games you play. From the start, you’ll be designing and developing games, from design and animation to digital modelling.

This games design degree offers you a dynamic and friendly creative environment. You're encouraged and inspired to play, learn and think creatively. Games Design covers the conceptual, visual and digital development of games. You'll be given industry insight that will equip you to seek employment in the trade.

You'll be encouraged to play, to question the nature of games and express the ideas formulated through personal project work. As your skills develop, you'll undertake live projects linked to games developers. You also have the opportunity to undertake structured work experience during your studies.

You’ll work to real deadlines, getting the chance to express your own creative ideas and skills through your project work. All while using the latest industry-standard games software.

Why study with us

• 3rd in the UK for career prospects
• Games Design at the University of Central Lancashire is part of the Unreal Academic Partner Program
• This course has a large dedicated studio with high end PC’s, graphic tablets, VR sets and much more. The studio is open to all students throughout the working week and has a friendly collaborative atmosphere which prepares students for their professional career.
• Many of our graduates are now well-respected games designers and artists. They now work in a variety of high-profile companies in the games industry.

Degree Show

Discover the award-winning creative work produced by our undergraduate Games Design students. The degree show features work in a range of mediums by students from the School of Arts & Media.

What you'll do

• You’ll have the opportunity to work on live projects with companies, adding a real boost to your CV.
• You're encouraged to work like a games designer. You'll have creative freedom and will learn the necessary skills to develop your own ideas.
• We have an established visiting Industry Speaker programme. We host talks from Lead Designers, 3D Artists, QA, Production and Technical Artists. Our speakers come from both AAA and independent game development studios.

Modules

Year 1

• Introduction to Games Design
• Game Structures
• Creativity and Context for Games
• 3D Modelling and Digital Art for Games

Year 2

• Game Development
• Heading into The Games Industry
• Game Loops
• Realising Game Engine Potential

Year 3

• Games Proposal
• Honours Project

Industry links

• The course is part of the Unreal Academic Partner Program. This recognises our provision of experienced staff and high-quality resources. It also recognises our commitment to excellent student experience in preparation for their future careers.

Visit us on campus

Thinking about university? Book an Open Day to explore our facilities and discover what uni life is really like.

Games Design course facilities

• Games Design Studio
• The Library (Preston Campus)
• Student Centre

Adobe Creative Cloud

Unleash your creativity at anytime, anywhere. From September 2024, you'll have access to the industry-standard Adobe Creative Cloud package on both your personal device and on campus. Get hands-on with this widely recognised package and create a portfolio that showcases your skills.

Future careers in Games Design

Our games design degree alumni have gone on to work for a variety of highly successful games companies. For example:

• TT Games
• Ninja Theory
• Sumo Digital
• Lucid Games
• Media Molecule
• Firesprite
• Supermassive Games
• Rebellion

Some of other graduates have built very successful businesses. White Paper Games, set up by our Games and Animation alumni, was founded 10 years ago and we have great relationships with the founders who to this day, support student learning on the Games Design course.

Entry requirements

• UCAS: 96 points at A2
• BTEC Extended Diploma: MMM
• BTEC Diploma: DD
• Pass Access Course: 96 UCAS points
• International Baccalaureate Diploma: Pass including 96 points from Higher Level subjects
• T Level: P (C+)
• IELTS: 6.0 with no component lower than 5.5
• GCSEs: 5 at grade C/4 including Maths and English or equivalent

Fees and funding

• UK: £9,535 per year
• International: £17,325 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

• Care Leaver Bursary
• Estranged student support
• Dependants Bursary
• Financial support package

Learning and assessment

Study is a mix of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical sessions and independent study. Independent study is an important aspect of your degree course. The exact combination of study time is within your module descriptors and depends on your option choices.

The games design course is delivered through a structured series of games development projects. Supported by lectures on game theory, visualisation techniques, digital modelling, and professional practice.

The main teaching activity takes the form of project briefs in a studio environment. These are supported by lectures and workshops which develop specific skills. Lectures are further supported by a programme of visiting lecturers and industry professionals.

Coursework is continually assessed through the project work. There are some specific assignments relating to skill areas. There are no exams.

Industry links

The course is supported by guest lecturers from game developers and other industry professionals. You'll have the opportunity for structured work experience with a games developer. Work experience may include a placement, an internship, a live business project and other opportunities.

You'll get the chance to work on live projects with companies. Many previous students have been able to gain credits for commercially sold games - a real boost to their CVs as they move into the jobs market.

Further information

The course team have a wide variety of skills. They have experience developing your skills in visualisation, creative thinking, digital modelling and games development.

Team members include Bev Bush, Senior Lecturer, who was named in the Women in Games Top 100 (2013). Course staff also includes Associate Lecturers Pete Bottomley and James Burton of White Paper Games.