BA (Hons) - Games Design
Turn your passion for gaming into a career, shaping the future of one of the world’s most exciting industries. This degree gives you the creative vision and technical know-how to become a standout game artist and designer.
From your very first day, you’ll dive into the art and design of games—building a professional portfolio that blends traditional skills like drawing and concept art with advanced techniques in 3D modelling, texturing, and game engines. Using industry-standard software in our dedicated design labs, you’ll create playable prototypes that bring your imagination to life.
But it’s not just about the tools—it’s about you. You’ll learn how to collaborate, pitch ideas, and work as part of a team, developing the confidence and creativity that employers in this multi-billion-pound industry are looking for.
Join a vibrant, supportive community of designers, artists, and storytellers, and graduate ready to make your mark in the fast-growing world of gaming.
Course Overview
This is a design-led games degree focused on the creative development of interactive experiences rather than traditional programming.
Throughout the course, you’ll explore how games communicate ideas, tell stories, create emotional impact, and engage players through design, interaction, and visual world-building.
You’ll develop expertise in:
Concept art and visual storytelling
Character and environment design
Drawing and visual communication
3D modelling and digital asset creation
Texturing and material workflows
UI and UX design
Interactive prototyping
Level design and gameplay systems
Visual scripting using Unreal Engine
Research and professional practice
Around 75% of the course is delivered through practical studio learning, giving you extensive opportunities to experiment, collaborate, and produce portfolio-ready work.
You’ll complete individual and collaborative projects throughout the degree, culminating in a final-year major project and group game production experience that reflects professional studio practice.
Alongside creative production, you’ll also explore:
Game theory and player experience
Cultural and ethical awareness in games
Industry workflows and professional practice
Creative entrepreneurship and portfolio development
Research methodologies and critical thinking
By graduation, you’ll have developed the creative confidence, technical skills, and professional understanding needed to pursue careers across games and the wider digital creative industries.
On this course you will...
- To allow you the opportunity to creatively explore current opportunities within Games Design, encouraging innovative thinking and critical engagement with emerging industry practices
- To develop your practical and intellectual capabilities in regard to the complete production of game artefacts and to be able to manage that process effectively.
- Learn computer games-specific topics like drawing and concept art, character design, environment design, 3D modelling, texturing, level design, and game theory.
- Have the opportunity to take trips outside of the lab to gain inspiration and improve creative thinking. In previous years, they have included games expo - EGX and Develop: Brighton.
- Develop a wide range of transferable digital skills allowing you to take up a number of internships during your studies.
- Have access to borrow our motion capture software and VR headsets.
Related Courses
BA (Hons) - Games Design (with integrated foundation year)Student and Alumni Work
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Location
Carlisle - Brampton Road Campus
Located just outside the city, right on top of Hadrian's Wall, the Brampton Road campus is full of history, buzzing with excitement, creativity, and a sense of endless possibility. The home of creators, entertainers, rule breakers, and change-markers.
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Find out more about studying with us
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