Creative Computer Games Design, University of Wales Trinity Saint David

University of Wales Trinity Saint David the United Kingdom

For more information about Creative Computer Games Design at University of Wales Trinity Saint David, please visit the webpage using the button above.

The award
BA

How long you will study
3 Years

Domestic course fees
GBP 9000 per year

How you will study
full-time

Course starts
find out

International course fees
GBP 14900 per year

All study options

About Creative Computer Games Design at University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Course Overview

The BA (Hons) Creative Computer Games Design course introduces students to the essential skills and practices used within the Games Industry along with the ability to academically analyse and evaluate their own game ideas and designs.

The modules all feed into a single game idea over the first two years of the course, allowing students to work within a production group to develop work using a simulated development cycle. The first year of the course will have the students working within their teams to produce all concepts, characters, assets and game documentation.

The second year of the course will have each student (still within their production teams) implement all work from the first year into a game engine environment and eventually into the creation of a working game demo.

The third year develops these ideas further with the students producing a game demo/proof of a concept, based on their own specifications, as part of their final major project.

Academically the students evaluate their work in the form of reports and analytical documents throughout the three years of the course as well as a dissertation and major project report in the third year.

100% of UWTSD's BA (Hons) Creative Computer Games Design students were satisfied with their overall experience - NSS 2016.

Key Features

This programme gives priority to the creative exploration of computer games design. You are given all the necessary knowledge to develop new and innovative work in the fields of character creation, 3D graphics, animation, motion-capture systems, character and environment modelling, texturing, interface design, and concept art. Games mechanics and rule systems ("ludology") are explored often using paper-based concept mock-ups. You are encouraged to explore and develop your ideas in and around the subject area in a series of thought-provoking contextual study modules.

Student learning is primarily through practice: the degree is focussed on your producing working computer games of your own design, and culminates in a series of personally directed projects which allow you to direct your studies towards a preferred specialist area. The emphasis is on personal expression!

The School of Film & Digital Media has excellent links with games production companies both locally and nationally. Through dialogue with industry and the application of the latest developments in games, graduates from this programme are suitably equipped to enter their industry as practitioners. Areas of employment might include: Level Artist, Environmental Modeller, Character Artist, Character Modeller, Texture Artist, and Traditional/Digital Concept Artist.

Modules

Year 1/Level 4

  • Game Design & History
  • Visual Studies for Film & Digital Media
  • Character Design & Animation
  • Ways of Thinking
  • Ways of Perceiving
  • Creative Practice 1
  • Creative Practice 2
  • Environment & Level Design

Year 2 / Level 5

  • The Game Designer's Context
  • Creative Practice 3
  • Creative Practice 4
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Creative Research
  • Research Practices
  • Game Design & Asset Creation 1
  • Game Design & Asset Creation 2

Year 3 / Level 6

  • Dissertation
  • SFDM Major Project Stage 1
  • SFDM Major Project Stage 2
  • Game Design & Critical Analysis
  • Critical Review

International

Erasmus

During your time with us you will have the opportunity to study abroad with the Erasmus exchange programmes currently running with Universities in Norway, Barcelona and Sweden.

Study Abroad

Students can also take up the opportunity to study a semester in the USA and Canada.

For more information please click here.

Course Tutor(s)

  • John Carroll
  • Julian Hainsworth

Assessment

A majority of assessments on the course are practically-based assignments (for example, a full designed and built game environment)

The taught part of each module will typically comprise a tutor-led exposition, together with supported practical/seminar sessions. Students are strongly encouraged to interact with the lecturer during the taught sessions to ensure that they fully understand the material. Problems that require a significant amount of thought or further reading will be set as exercises to be discussed at a subsequent session.

On the days where there are no taught modules it is expected that students will be reviewing the material from previous lectures and undertaking further study based on the recommended reading list. Most importantly, students should be working to complete all the exercises and assignments set during the programme and investigating problems set or encountered during tutorials.

Career Opportunities

Graduates from the BA (Hons) Creative Computer Games Design programme could develop specialisms in any of the following industrial contexts:

  • Web and Mobile Gaming: designer, 2D artist, 3D artist, project director.
  • 4th Generation Platform Games Development: level designer, character designer, character modeller, animator, materials artist, lighting artist, storyboard artist, assistant level designer, assistant character modeller, lighting assistant, assistant texture artist, assistant concept artist, trainee game designer, asset modeller, game Q&A.
  • Animation Production House: character designer, character modeller, animator, materials artist, lighting artist, storyboard artist, project director.
  • Game journalist.

Students from the course have worked on a number of critically acclaimed games over the past few years including: Grand Theft Auto 5, Alien: Isolation, and Lego Star Wars 3. The course has links with games companies such as:

  • EA
  • Rockstar North
  • Rockstar Leeds
  • Codemasters
  • Rare
  • Lionhead Studios
  • Microsoft Studios
  • Traveller's Tales
  • Oysterworld
  • Creative Assembly
  • Chaos Trend
  • XD Studios

Related Courses

  • BA 3D Computer Animation
  • MArts Creative Computer Games Design
  • BA Music Technology
  • Certificate of Higher Education Art and Design Foundation

Additional Costs

Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources, which in most cases are sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities. However, it is likely that art and design students will incur some additional costs to extend their investigation of their personal practice. For example, purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, joining in optional study trips, and printing.

Study options for this course

  • The award How you will study How long you will study Course starts Domestic course fees International course fees
  • The awardBAHow you will studyFull-timeHow long you will study3 years
    Course starts find outDomestic course feesGBP 9000 per yearInternational course feesGBP 14900 per year
  • The awardMArtHow you will studyFull-timeHow long you will study4 years
    Course starts find outDomestic course feesGBP 9000 per yearInternational course feesGBP 14900 per year
  • The awardMArtHow you will studyPart-timeHow long you will study8 years
    Course starts find outDomestic course feesGBP 9000 per yearInternational course feesGBP 14900 per year

Entry requirements

Entry Criteria

We are interested in creative people that demonstrate a strong commitment to art and/or design and therefore we welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. To assess student suitability for their chosen course we arrange interviews for all applicants at which your skills, achievements and life experience will be considered as well as your portfolio of work.

Our standard offer for a degree course is 120 UCAS tariff points. We expect applicants to have a grade C or above in English Language (or Welsh) at GCSE level, together with passes in another four subjects. Plus we accept a range of Level 3 qualifications including:

  • Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, plus one GCE A-Level in a relevant academic subject
  • Three GCE A-Levels or equivalent
  • BTEC Extended Diploma in a relevant subject, with minimum grades of Merit
  • International Baccalaureate score of 32
  • Other relevant qualifications can be considered on an individual basis

Qualifications are important, however our offers are not solely based on academic results. If you don't have the required UCAS points then please contact the courses admissions tutor or email artanddesign@uwtsd.ac.uk as we can consider offers to applicants based on individual merit, exceptional work, and/or practical experience.

See our Interview Guide for more information.

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