On our practical BSc (Hons) Games Development degree, you will gain technical skills and theoretical knowledge to help you become a confident and competent Games Developer.
Thanks to our close involvement with the sector, you can be sure you will gain the skills employers are looking for. From programming to developing and character animation, this course will cover the industry latest’s to help you stay up-to-date, ensuring you’re ready for the working world upon graduation.
**Why study this subject?**
Love playing videogames? Why not be part of a team that develops them? A degree in Games Development focuses on how to programme games, from traditional software design and coding to the latest techniques employed within graphics and AI.
**Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?**
Our degree will help you gain a strong knowledge and competence in software development, focusing in particular on your development of software for computer games.
The course provides a balance of theory and practice in software engineering, systems, computing and Games Development, preparing you for employment in this exciting field.
While the course focuses on the teaching of software development within the context of games, the skills and knowledge you acquire are equally applicable to the production of software for sectors such as banking, manufacturing and retail.
The technical element is underpinned by a number of professional certification programmes provided by Microsoft, HP and Cisco that you can choose to take on an optional basis throughout your degree. These can help complement your degree and provide you with a strong advantage when you enter the job market.
The relevance of the degree is also underpinned by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Curriculum Framework (2008). The framework has been developed in collaboration with leading games companies and provides an indicative content of the game’s degree courses.
We are a member of the PlayStation® Vita Academic Development Programme run by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), which provides access to professional console development hardware and software tools.
We are an NVIDIA CUDA Teaching Centre. This is in recognition of the adoption of the CUDA parallel programming technology within the BSc Games Development curriculum.
We are also a member of TIGA, the trade association representing the UK's games industry.
**What will I study?**
During the first year you will develop your programming skills (C#) and apply them to the development of 2D mobile and console games and 3D levels within a commercial game engine.
Additional modules will provide a taste of other disciplines within the games industry, including an introduction to games design and 3D modelling. Further modules provide a theoretical and practical understanding of the hardware on which games are deployed.
In the second year you will continue to develop your programming skills (C++) and apply them to the development of realistic AI and graphical applications using a graphics library.
During your third year, you will develop a physics engine and integrate it into a games engine. You will also extend your understanding of the more complex AI techniques used within games and gain an insight into how games companies operate.
A major component of the final year is the project, which provides you with an opportunity to draw on the knowledge and skills gained in the previous years, to develop a game or related software application.
**How will I be taught and assessed?**
We have a strong computing department at the University, with a dedicated team of academics and professionals delivering industry-relevant courses in a suite of well-equipped computer labs.
You’ll benefit from small class sizes that give you a chance to develop close working relationships with the tutors and other students. You will also learn from guest speakers and benefit from valuable networking opportunities.
Course Details - Modules
Year One: 3D Modelling, Computer Architectures, Consule Game Development, Game Design, Level Design, Maths for Games, Networking, Programme Concepts. Year Two: Argile Software Development & UML, Artificial Intelligence for Games, Character Animation, GPU Programming & Shaders, Game Development (Team Project), Graphical Programming, Object Oriented Analysis and Design, Object Oriented Programming. Year Three: Advanced A1 for Games, Advanced Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms, Game Engine Development, Physics, Engine Programme, Project, The Games Business.
Course Details – Assessment Method
Assessment Methods are not listed for this Course.
Course Details – Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies are not listed for this Course.
How to Apply
26 January This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application Codes
Course code:
GG46
Institution code:
B94
Campus Name:
Buckinghamshire New University
Campus code:
Points of Entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
Year 1
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry (Year 2 and Beyond)
Entry Requirements for Advanced Entry are not listed for this Course.
International applicants
Standard Qualification Requirements
A typical offer will be a UCAS Tariff score of 88 - 112.
A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required.
Every application is considered on an individual basis.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course, can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
