BA (Hons) Games Design with Foundation Year

Program Overview

Students develop practical skills through hands-on projects and learn from industry experts. The program emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, and innovation, preparing graduates for successful careers in the growing games design and development industry.

Program Outline

Games Design with Foundation Year - Canterbury Christ Church University

Degree Overview:

• Develop the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to become a skilled games designer in a rapidly evolving field.
• Acquire industry-leading and dynamic knowledge of the latest techniques, technologies, and trends in the field.
• Build a strong portfolio showcasing your expertise and skills, aiding in future career prospects.
• Learn from passionate faculty with a diverse range of expertise and hands-on experience.

Outline:

• Foundation year: Focus on developing a solid foundation in game design concepts, alongside key academic and transferable skills.
• Core year 1 modules: Communication and Academic Skills, The Big Questions, Introduction to Media and Creative Practice, The Digital Researcher.
• Year 1 optional modules: Games Design Principles, Game Development Tools, Level Design Fundamentals, Introduction to Games Programming.
• Year 2 core modules: Game Design Fundamentals, Game Production Management, Introduction to Games Research, Digital Games Analysis.
• Year 2 optional modules: Multiplayer Games and Networked Platforms, Games for Health and Learning, Creative Audio for Interactive Media, Mobile Game Design.
• Year 3 core modules (honours): Professional Games Project 1, Game Development Technologies, Professional Games Project 2.
• Year 3 optional modules (honours): Serious Games Design for Social Change, Artificial Intelligence for Games, Advanced Digital Games Research.
• Each year includes additional core modules focusing on transferable and professional development skills.
• The course includes various teaching formats like workshops, seminars, demonstrations, individual tutorials, and independent study.

Assessment:

• Primarily a practical degree program with assessment through practical projects like game prototypes, interactive demos, game design documents, or written & video evaluations.
• One essay-based module per year to develop additional critical thinking and writing skills.
• Ongoing "formative" assessments for feedback and improvement throughout the program.
• Summative assessments graded with module-specific learning outcomes and School-level marking criteria.
• Feedback provided for both summative and formative assessments, including individual tutor consultations.

Teaching:

• Experienced and research-active academics with diverse industry expertise guide the teaching, with possible guest lectures or assistance from postgraduates.
• Diverse approach combining individual tutorials, project work, presentations, demonstration exercises, and group-based learning.
• Opportunities to apply learned skills through practical projects, with increasing complexity as confidence grows.
• Active engagement in the games design community through peer collaboration, seeking input from staff, and actively contributing to design discussions.
• Independent study outside of classes for approximately 24 hours per week, working on individual and team projects.
• Overall student workload equates to a 36-hour-per-week full-time job, including independent study.

Careers:

• Successful completion leads to entering a growing UK games design and development industry.
• Developed skills applicable to various creative sectors including advertising, marketing, events, museums, exhibition design, and more.
• Strong potential for career success with 100% of recent graduates employed or in further study within 15 months of completing the course.

Other:

• Students provided laptops for both independent work and research, ensuring access to necessary resources.
• Opportunities to learn from leading figures in the field, such as renowned games researcher Dr. Alan Meades.
• Emphasis on creative expression, problem-solving, and innovation within a supportive learning environment.

UK

Full-time - Foundation Year 0: £9,250 Full-time - years 1-3 : £9,250

Overseas

Full-time - Foundation Year 0: £15,500 Full-time - years 1-3 : £15,500

• The tuition fees of £9,250 / £15,500 relate to 2024/25 only.

Home (UK) Fees

The fees above are for the 2024/25 academic year but may be subject to change following any announcements by the UK Government (approved by Parliament) regarding maximum Undergraduate tuition fee caps for 2024/25. In addition, the University reserves the right to increase all full-time and part-time Undergraduate tuition fees mid-course, in line with any further inflationary increase in the Government tuition fee cap which is approved by Parliament. Students with an Overseas fee status will be eligible for an International student Scholarship fee discount of £1,500, which will be applied to all Full-time Undergraduate courses with a tuition fee of £15,500.