BA (Hons) - Games Design (with integrated foundation year)
Turn your passion for gaming into a career shaping the future of one of the world’s most exciting industries. Our BA (Hons) Games Design with Integrated Foundation Year degree gives you the creative vision and technical know-how to become a standout game artist and designer.
Your journey begins with an introductory foundation year, designed to develop your skills, confidence, and core knowledge in a supportive and creative environment. This year helps you build strong artistic and academic foundations, ensuring you’re fully prepared to progress smoothly into the undergraduate degree.
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.
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Course Overview
Turn your ideas into exciting new games. Seventy-five percent of your course is practical – designing, developing and creating new game experiences to create a portfolio for future employers.
This games design degree is all about the art and design work related to video games, creating storyboard concepts and turning them into playable prototypes. You’ll gain the skills to compete in this growing industry.
Industry-standard 3D and games engine software will help you develop essential skills including drawing, modelling, texturing and using the games engine. Our dedicated arts campus will allow you to mix with other creatives, allowing you to work on joint projects and develop your own network of creative practitioners.
On this course you will...
- Have access to dedicated Games Design labs with industry-standard software, providing a friendly, collegiate, and supportive environment.
- You learn games specific topics like drawing & concept art, character design, environment design, 3D modelling, texturing, level design, and game theory.
- Have the opportunity to take a range of trips outside of the lab to gain inspiration and improve creative thinking. In previous years they have included games expo – EGX and Develop: Brighton.
- Take part in our annual Game Jam that culminates in an award ceremony featuring Industry experts as judges and delivering a keynote lecture.
- Develop a wide range of transferable digital skills allowing you to take up a number of internships during your studies.
- To allow you the opportunity to creatively explore current opportunities within Games Design, encouraging innovative thinking and critical engagement with emerging industry practices.
Stay Focused. Go Far.
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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
Attend an Open Day at Cumbria
An Open Day is your opportunity to explore one of 5 campuses, meet your lecturers, and find out how the University of Cumbria could become your new home.
