Games Design and Development

The Games Design and Development FdA, validated by Sheffield Hallam University*, equips you with a wide range of conceptual, visual and technical skills for creating games, while exploring the rules, strategies and psychology that shape engaging gameplay experiences.

You’ll develop game prototypes for AAA studios and other professional clients, gaining confidence in collaboration and working alongside industry experts. Based in one of the world’s largest Sony PlayStation‑equipped facilities, you’ll experiment with emerging technologies including VR, AR, XR and generative AI, and work on real development projects with partners ranging from major studios and indie developers to civic organisations and educational institutes - all while refining your own creative approach using state‑of‑the‑art resources.

You will gain a wide range of games development knowledge linked to practical skills gained through research, independent study, directed study and workplace scenarios. You will be involved in vocational activities that help you to develop behaviours and transferable skills required for this industry. Transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, research and analysis, are highly valued in higher education and in the workplace. By the end of this course, you will have sound knowledge of the basic concepts of game development. You will be competent in a range of subject-specific skills as well as in general skills and qualities relevant to key areas of game development.

You will be introduced to industry standard software for games design and development and encouraged to experiment to create curious and original work through practical studio-based sessions. You will gain the fundamental understanding of games development software and the skills necessary to ideate, review and iterate for digital game concepts. The course is designed to broaden your understanding of the potential applications for games design and theory by developing concepts that are relevant to both physical and digital games practice.

The course will equip you with the skills you need to work in multidisciplinary project teams. This will include skills in communication, application of project management techniques, presentation and delivering of constructive criticism of work done by others. You will bring the specialist practical skills and knowledge that you are learning and a game design and development student and apply them to your learning.

*This course is subject to validation for 2026 delivery.

Course modules

• Games Design theory: - 20 credits, semester 1

• Games Design Practice: 40 credits, semester 1

• Digital Prototyping 1: 40 credits, semester 2

• Game Project: 20 credits, semester 2

https://www.barnsley.ac.uk/course/games-design-and-development-foundation-degree-full-time

You will complete project-based assessments which are industry-focused. The teaching will reflect the project approach and will include aspects of teamworking.