Game Art
Wrexham University
UCAS Code: 305D | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
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)
80-112 UCAS Tariff points
80-112 UCAS Tariff points
UCAS Tariff
Accepted as part of overall 80-112 UCAS Tariff point requirement.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
Present a portfolio
About this course
Why choose this course?
This skill-based degree is ideal for those wishing to pursue a career in the game art and associated design industries. The degree explores all key aspects of game art production processes using a variety of techniques from 2D concepts to 3D production on screen. This includes 3D modelling, sculpting, level design and mixed screen-based media.
You will:
- Have the opportunity to collaborate with game developers and enterprise students.
- Have access and utilise industry standard software and techniques, as well as working with Unreal Engine
- Be guided and supported by an award-winning team of lecturers on live projects
- Be given the chance to apply for funding, attend EGX trade fair, and enter competitions to showcase your portfolio.
- Gain experience in the design skills and techniques used to bring projects from concept to screen through digital painting, 3D modelling, 3D sculpting, 3D animation and game engine.
- Develop a mix of design and technical skills like environment/character design and creation, 3D modelling, texturing, level design, level creation, live briefs, and games production.
- Gain a sound knowledge of game and concept art, with an emphasis on innovation, design and creativity rather than the programming and technical aspects of the gaming industry.
- Use the latest industry-standard software.
- Have the opportunity to get hands-on work with industry professionals on real-world projects to help develop your skills and experience.
- *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.
Key course features:
- Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further study.
- Enjoy the benefits of close industry engagement with regular visits, notable guest speakers, presentations, discussion groups and social events.
- Gain valuable experience and insight into the game development process and the management of an independent game studio.
- Benefit from 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 art portfolio and critical employability skills.
- Develop your professional, communication, and entrepreneurial skills so that you are well equipped to enter a diverse and rapidly changing industry.
- Strong links with industry and professional bodies such as Skillset, NAHEMI and various associations. Our Creative Futures modules play host to a large range of visiting guest speakers from the creative industries.
- There are industry-focused visits to gain first-hand insight into how creative media companies function and the variety of employment opportunities that are available in the development of your career aspirations. There are also other study trips to festivals and Video Game expos.
- Opportunities to enter competitions.
- Our purpose-built Centre for the Creative Industries features specialist facilities, such as our TV studio with green screening, and software such as Maya, Mudbox, Unreal Engine 4, Substance Painter/Designer and Creative Cloud for creating Game Art and playable levels.
- There is strong pastoral care within a friendly creative community with an emphasis on team building and collaborative work. Contact time with tutors is high with enthusiastic and supportive staff who are knowledgeable, research-active practitioners.
Modules
YEAR 0 (LEVEL 3)
• Design and Technology
• The Skills You Need
• Game Studies
• Game Design Fundamentals
• Game Design Project
• Contextual Studies
YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)
MODULES
• Game Asset Production
• Game Design & Interaction
• Game Industry & Agile Production Methodologies
• Character Design and Digital Sculpting
• Game Design Workshop
• Game Environments and Narrative Design
YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5)
MODULES
• 3D Modelling & Animation for Game Engines
• Real-time Environmental Art for Game Engines
• Digital Sculpting for Game Engines
• Group Project
• Serious Games Technology
• Indie Studio Management and Game Production
YEAR 3 (LEVEL 6)
MODULES
• Advanced 3D Modelling & Animation
• Game Design, Marketing and Monetisation
• AAA Asset Production
• Future Technologies
• Project
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. Students will focus on developing technical 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 code, producing 3D models and audio files.
At higher levels of the course, students must also provide statistical evidence of work hours with supporting evidence as part of key assessment outcomes.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
On this course teaching and learning is designed to support students from a variety of backgrounds with diverse needs and to promote the supportive learning environment and pastoral care the School of Art and Design provides. Timetabling is developed to help learning, teaching and assessment methodologies and provide clear and effective feedback to students.
There is strong support for students with learning differences and who can also receive additional help from support assistants through Student Support Services.
The programme is structured to enable you to work in a multidisciplinary manner, to be flexible and enable you to develop individually. This is supported by a personal tutor/tutorials system that provides you with guidance throughout all aspects of the programme.
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
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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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a newly-classified subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. Over time we can expect more students to study them — there could be opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years. But at the moment this looks to be a good degree if you want to work on the technical side of film and TV and this is the most common industry for new graduates.
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
£27k
£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.
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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:
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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?
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