Games Design

Throughout this course, students studying Games Design will have a choice of elective modules in each Semester (except Semester 2 in Honours Year). This will provide students with the opportunity to create a unique pathway through the course, reinforcing skills and allowing students a chance to diversify on experience, and appreciate the wider context for which the related subjects of computing operates.

Year 1

Your first year on the course offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary introduction to Computing, emphasizing your chosen course. You'll explore diverse modules from the School of Computing, gaining a broader perspective on Computing's context and be presented with the opportunity to begin tailoring your pathway experience through elective modules. You will develop crucial technical skills, first with intensive study that introduces important programming fundamentals, and then onwards with problem solving and core design skills, exploring creative design and visual development fundamentals. Additionally, you will engage in hands-on investigative tasks, fostering personal and professional growth through both individual and group work.

Year 2

Stage 2 of Games Design continues to offer a choice of electives this year, and encourages you to begin mastering experimental game mechanics, more contextual programming and furthermore, gain a fuller understanding and appreciation for diverse development pipelines, offering a chance to showcase your proficiency in prototyping and problem-solving within an appropriate game engine setting. You will explore projects in real world scenarios to reinforce professional skills and make considerations for important legal, ethical, professional, social and copyright/licensing issues. You will explore research fundamentals within a relevant area in your subject and begin a deep dive into game design and gameplay, understanding the importance of quality assurance within games but also, concerning the wider context of Computing.

Year 3

Stage 3 (Degree Year) again, continues to provide a choice of electives during the year and the chance to explore further group working on an interdisciplinary level, where you will take a lead role in the planning and sprint based approach towards the development of a client driven product. Your professional skills will further extend into entrepreneurial thinking and relevant business model development, whilst you also begin exploring concepts of non-game scenarios and the subject of gamification practices. Both visual effects and immersive technology are also key to this year, providing more advanced techniques in VR development, game engine techniques and compositing. This year is unique as you will have the opportunity to explore an even fuller appreciation for design through interdisciplinary study that explores visual communication and delves into both team working and design based sprints for iterative development, with a focus on various themes such as storytelling and branding.

Year 4

Stage 4 (Honours Year) offers a unique structure in the course, where you will first explore human computer interaction and consider factors such as user experience, and how these relate to games and the wider context of Computing. You will then delve into games development, where you implement learned skills up to this point in the course and understand how games design practices factor into more expansive project settings. There will be the opportunity to expand your skill set further in AI for games, and then a final elective choice to finalise the first Semester. You will embark on a Capstone Project in the second Semester, where you will capitalise on learned skills in an expansive final project surrounding a chosen topic. This project integrates further interdisciplinary practice through project supervision, and will see you expertly manage resource constraints, consider client/project needs and industry standards and craft solution surrounding a chosen topic and that promotes innovative/creative practices.

Learning Methods

This course is designed with an emphasis on the integration of theory, practical skills, and application, and, on a truly interdisciplinary experience with diverse skill building. It enables the student to acquire and develop the subject knowledge and understanding necessary for successful professional employment and supplies methodologies for the adoption of a disciplined approach to games design and important development tasks such as problem analysis, specification, critical design, implementation, and quality assurance.

Lectures share theory, whilst practical laboratories and tutorials put to practice complimentary skills and techniques. Class sizes of around 40 are commonplace within the course, with teaching lasting roughly two to three hours, with intervals for discussion, practical activity, breaks and further instruction/clarification or recap.

Activity Summary

Year 4

• Lectures - 40 students per group, 4 hours per week
• Project Supervision - 1 - 5 students per group, 1 hour per week
• Practical class or workshop - 40 students per group, 8 hours per week

How long is a BSc (Hons) Games Design course?

A BSc (Hons) Games Design degree can be successfully completed in 4 years (5 years if the optional year-long placement or study abroad options are selected), in which the opportunity to receive the necessary skills are obtained.

Independent Study

Independent study allows you to engage fully with the wider context of the subject being taught in supervised classes. It allows you to fully cement what has already been taught and be fully prepared for the next session. Independent study should amount to around three hours a week per module.

Staff Delivering on This Course

You will be taught by experienced academics with industry and/or research experience within Computing and Digital Media. In addition, this interdisciplinary course is supported with vital expertise from Gray’s School of Art.

Staff members on the course are frequently recognised by the student body through the annual STAR (Support and Teaching Staff with Appreciation and Recognition) Awards, which is voted for by students and organised by RGU:Union. In recent years, staff members on the course have been recipients of a number of nominations and awards, including two Lecturer of the Year awards, Supervisor of the Year, Personal Tutor of the Year, and multiple awards for Continued Excellence.

Many of our academic staff are Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy, or are working towards this accolade. This is a professional recognition of practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning.

As well as academic members of staff, some teaching may be undertaken by industry experts, postgraduate research students, library staff, study skills and careers service staff.

Assessment

Students will experience a variation of assessment styles throughout the course consisting of portfolios, practical skills assessments, project outputs, group critiques, oral presentations and written assignments. These will ultimately culminate in Stage 4 (Honours Year) where students embark upon a final Capstone Project in Semester 2, where a project dissertation is compiled surrounding a chosen topic.

Year 1

• 2 Portfolios
• 1 Set exercise
• 2 Project outputs
• 2 Practical skills assessment
• 1 Group critique

Year 2

• 2 Portfolios
• 6 Practical Skills Assessment

Year 3

• 1 Written assignment, including essay
• 1 Portfolio
• 1 Oral assessment
• 4 Practical skills assessment
• 1 Group critique

Year 4 

• 1 Written Assignment, including essay
• 1 Dissertation
• 2 Project outputs
• 3 Practical Skills Assessment

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of hand-in for all written exams, coursework and practical exams.

Academic Support

The Inclusion Centre advises and supports students who disclose a sensory or mobility impairment, chronic medical condition, mental health issue, dyslexia and other specific learning differences. Applicants are encouraged to arrange a pre-entry visit to discuss any concerns and to view the facilities.

Online Learning & Support

All undergraduate and postgraduate students, whether you are learning on campus or by online learning, benefit from using our collaborative virtual learning environment, CampusMoodle. You will be provided with 24/7 online access to your learning material and resources, along with the ability to interact with your class members and tutors for discussion and support.

Study Skills Support

The Study Support Team provides training and support to all students in:

• Academic writing
• Study skills (note taking, exam techniques, time management, presentation)
• Maths and statistics
• English language
• Information technology support

Library Support

The Library offers support for your course, including the books, eBooks, and journals you will need. We also offer online reading lists for many modules, workshops and drop-ins on searching skills and referencing, and much more.

Placements

Optional, paid short (3-months, Summer) or long (12-months, Year-long) placements can be undertaken in this course.

You will be supported by a dedicated Placement Coordinator within the school who oversees the placement modules. You will also be assigned a Placement Supervisor who will carry out regular visits to your placement provider and meet with you and your employer.

The confidence and experience you could acquire during a placement will make you more employable and put you one step ahead of the competition when you graduate.

Please note, placements are not guaranteed.

Study Abroad

You will have the opportunity to undertake an optional 12 month period of Study Abroad at one of our partner universities across the world. This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in a different culture, whilst gaining a valuable and tailored educational experience, building upon the expertise gained within the first few years at RGU.

Job Prospects

Our collaboration with industry and the industrial placement scheme will provide you with the opportunity to be engaged in emergent trends and developments within a diverse and fast-paced creative industry. In addition, as your skill set extends into entrepreneurial thinking, you could consider starting your own company within the subject area and furthermore, invest in your own project ideas as you develop yourselves within the programme of study.

Is Game Design a good career choice?

This course aims to provide you with a range of design and practical development tools, alongside more advanced technical and professional skills in order to prepare you for a range of careers within a diverse creative industry. These may include but are not limited to:

• Game Designer
• Level Designer
• UX Designer
• Game Developer
• Gameplay Programmer
• AI Programmer
• Generalist Programmer
• 3D Modeller/Animator
• Environment Artist
• Technical Artist
• Technical Animator
• UI Artist
• 2D Games Artist
• 3D Generalist
• 2D Generalist
• 2D Animator
• VFX Artist
• Marketing Artist/Illustrator
• QA Tester

What is needed for a BSc (Hons) Games Design course?

Standard Entry Requirements

Year 1 entry

• SQA Higher: BBCC and two further passes to include English and Maths at National 5 grade C or above if not held at Higher.
• GCE A Level Year 1 entry: CCC and two further passes to include English and Maths at GCSE grade 5 if not held at A Level.
• Irish Leaving Certificate Higher: H3H3H3H3 and two further passes to include English and Maths at grade O3 or above if not held at Higher.
• IB Diploma Year 1 entry: 26 to include a pass in Standard Level English and Maths at grade 4 or above if not held at Higher Level.

Minimum Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements for widening access applicants are:

• SQA Higher: BCC/CCCC and two further passes to include English and Maths at National 5 grade C or above if not held at Higher.

Alternative Qualifications

We welcome applications from those with equivalent qualifications to those stated, including SVQs/NVQs, access programmes and overseas qualifications. Applications from students with non-standard qualifications or work experience will be considered on an individual basis.

Partner Colleges or Advanced Entry

Applicants who are interested in applying for advanced entry will be considered on an individual basis.

Students who are interested in applying for this course as part of the Degree Link programme from one of our partner colleges will be contacted separately by the ACCESS RGU team.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English should have an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5, or an equivalent.

We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.