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Computer Game Design and Enterprise (with Industrial Placement)

Entry requirements


A level

C,D,D-B,B,C

Accepted alongside A-Levels as part of overall 80-112 UCAS Tariff requirement.

80-112 UCAS Tariff points

80-112 UCAS Tariff points

Accepted as part of overall 80-112 UCAS Tariff requirement.

80-112 UCAS Tariff points from International Baccalaureate Certificates

80-112 UCAS Tariff points

Accepted alongside Irish Leaving Certificate Higher Level as part of overall 80-112 UCAS Tariff requirement.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMP-DMM

80-112 UCAS Tariff points

80-112 UCAS Tariff points

UCAS Tariff

80-112

Accepted as part of overall 80-112 UCAS Tariff point requirement.

About this course


Course option

4years

Sandwich including industrial placement | 2024

Subject

Computer games programming

Why choose this course?

Join a UK leading course designed to develop strong technical game design, business and production skills so you can be a future industry leader.

The team work closely with organisations such as UK Games Fund, Games Wales, BAFTA Cymru and the British Computing Society to ensure that our students always have access to cutting-edge industry-related training and knowledge.

We are home to the innovative Games Talent Wales programme and a UK regional Tranzfuser hub that is sponsored and supported by the UK Games Fund and UK Games Talent. Our business incubation centre is home to several award-winning student-owned game studios.

Students on this course will:

- Develop essential game design and business start-up and management skills.

- Learn about the workings of the games industry and the tools and platforms that are critical to success.

- Gain valuable experience and insight into the game development process and the management of an independent game studio.

- Enjoys the benefits of close industry engagement with regular visits, guest speakers, presentations, discussion groups and social events.

- Work with a personal mentor with games development experience to help develop your skills and knowledge.

- Have access to our in-house business incubation centre and the latest tools and technology in a specialist game development studio.

- Develop a professional game development portfolio and critical employability skills.

- *Study a course that is part of a subject area rated 3rd in the UK and 1st in Wales for satisfaction with teaching, and 2nd in the UK and 1st in Wales for satisfaction with the course in the Computer Science and Information Systems subject league tables, The Guardian University Guide 2022.

- *Study a course that is part of a subject area rated joint 2nd in Wales for teaching quality and 4th in UK for student experience in the Computer Science subject league tables, Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

- *Study a course that is part of a CHA3 subject group ranked 2nd out of Welsh universities for the teaching on my course in the National Student Survey 2022.

This course is also available with foundation year (4 years) UCAS code: GEFY - or without foundation year and industrial placement as a 3 year degree UCAS code: GE17

Key course features:
- Regular contact with games and media industry professionals through guest lectures, seminars and local & national events.

- You will be taught by an award-winning teaching team with professional industry backgrounds and experience.

- Engage with an active indie game development community and national talent development programme.

- Learn how to manage a professional game development team using industry-standard methodologies and practice.

- The course is an official BAFTA Cymru Games Awards partner and sponsor.

- Access to our in-house games business incubation centre.

- Work with the latest tools and technology in two specialist game development studios dedicated to designing, production, motion capture and VR.

- The optional Industrial Placement Year gives students the opportunity to experience the workplace first-hand and gain valuable employment experience for the future.

Modules

What you will study

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)
Level 4 introduces both theoretical and practical skills as you will work as part of a small game development team and learn the basics of 2D & 3D design and development along with an understanding of the hardware used for gaming and media. There is a strong emphasis on production management along with building knowledge of business processes and entrepreneurship.

You will also explore the broader context of game development and the critical issues facing the industry today.

MODULES

Game Design & Interaction
Real-Time Environmental Art for Game Engines
Game Asset Development
Game Environments & Narrative Design
Game Industry & Agile Production Methodologies
Professional Development in Computing: Information Engineering

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5)
Level 5 builds on and expands your portfolio of skills to focus on product innovation and commercialisation along with an understanding of digital publication platforms and their associated business models. You will also develop your knowledge of digital sculpting and 3D modelling.

Critically, during the second semester you will further enhance your development and management skills by working on two substantial group game projects utilising industry-standard management methodologies and supporting tools. You will be expected to employ your management skills by acting as a scrum master during these development phases.

MODULES

Serious Games Technology
3D Modelling & Animation for Game Engines
Game Production & Distribution Technology
Real-Time Environmental Art for Game Engines
Group Project
Indie Studio Management & Game Production
During Level 5 (year 2) of the programme, you will attend tutorial sessions about the placement year, including the process of finding a suitable placement, the expectations of your placement year and guidance on producing your proposal. In semester 2 you’ll work with a Placement Coordinator to submit your proposal, which will then be considered and reviewed. If you’re successful during this process, you’ll go on to do your Industrial Placement during your third year and them come back to us for Level 6 (year 4 in total).

YEAR 3 (INDUSTRIAL PLACEMENT)

YEAR 4 (LEVEL 6)
Level 6 further expands on the previous skills acquired, with a focus on professional quality and management alongside advanced practical skills.

The innovative final year group project is designed to deepen your understanding of your chosen role and responsibilities as a professional developer, further preparing you for the workplace. You will form a game development team and specialise in a technical role of your own choosing for a full academic year. You and your team will present the finished game at the annual LeveL Up Expo event attended by both members of the public and industry representatives.

Through our Business Accelerator programme, you will have the opportunity to work closely with Business undergraduate students and access to our business incubation centre with a view to starting and managing your own game development studio.

There is an emphasis on independent study throughout, developing a professional portfolio and pursuing exciting career prospects through continual assessment and dedicated project supervision.

MODULES

Project
Game Design, Marketing & Monetisation
Advanced 3D Modelling & Animation for Games
Future Technology
Games Enterprise

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Assessment methods

Teaching & Assessment

This course is portfolio focused and as such, there are no formal exams. Instead, students will focus on developing technical design, business and theoretical skills via practical assignments and research & development activities.

Assessment methods include the production of digital (and non-digital) games, writing technical and academic reports, compiling and analysing production data, giving presentations, writing business plans, producing 3D models and game assets.

At higher levels of the course, students will also be required to provide statistical evidence of work hours with supporting evidence as part of key assessment outcomes.

Independent learning is an important aspect of all modules, as it enables students to develop both their subject-specific and key skills. Independent learning is promoted through the use of digital management tools such as Jira, and through feedback given to students, which takes several forms including small group and one-to-one discussions.

Wrexham Glyndŵr University is committed to supporting our students to maximise their academic potential.

We offer workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making and preparing for assignments. Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors dedicated to helping deal with the practicalities of university work. Our student support section has more information on the help available.

In terms of particular needs, the University’s Inclusion Services can provide appropriate guidance and support should any students require reasonable adjustments to be made because of a recognised prevailing disability, medical condition, or specific learning difference.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,000
per year
Scotland
£9,000
per year
Wales
£9,000
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Wrexham (Main Campus)

Department:

School of Applied Science, Computing and Engineering

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

50%
Computer games programming

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer games and animation

Teaching and learning

50%
Staff make the subject interesting
63%
Staff are good at explaining things
56%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
63%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

56%
Library resources
50%
IT resources
75%
Course specific equipment and facilities
25%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

98%
UK students
2%
International students
90%
Male students
10%
Female students
70%
2:1 or above
21%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

D
C
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Computer games and animation

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,000
low
Average annual salary
78%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

52%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
10%
Other elementary services occupations
6%
Secretarial and related occupations

This is a relatively new subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. Gaming is a growing industry, and if it continues to grow we should see the rather high unemployment rate coming down over the next few years. Much the most common jobs for graduates who do get work after six months are in programming roles - but as things stand, be aware that jobs in the field are very competitive and personal contacts - either through family, friends or via specialist employment agencies - are a crucial way into the industry so be prepared to talk as well as code!

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Computer games and animation

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

£27k

£27k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
Kingston University | Kingston upon Thames
Computer Games Programming (with Sandwich Year)
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Sandwich including industrial placement 2024
UCAS Points: 112-128
Lower entry requirements
Glyndwr University, Wrexham | Wrexham
Computer Game Design and Enterprise (with Foundation Year)
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Sandwich including industrial placement 2024
UCAS Points: 48-72
Nearby University
Staffordshire University | Stoke-on-Trent
Computer Games Design and Programming (with a Placement Year)
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Sandwich including industrial placement 2024
UCAS Points: 112-120
Same University
Glyndwr University, Wrexham | Wrexham
Computer Game Development (with Foundation Year)
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Sandwich including industrial placement 2024
UCAS Points: 48-72

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here