Games Development

[LEADING TO BA (HON’S) DEGREE]

This is a full-time practical course designed for those who aspire to build a career in the games and interactive entertainment industries. The programme provides hands-on training in game design, animation, asset creation, game engines, and coding, equipping students with the creative and technical skills to produce original playable experiences. You’ll learn how to take an idea from concept to completion, working with industry-standard tools such as Unreal Engine, Unity, Autodesk Maya, Blender, and Adobe Substance 3D.

The HND Level 5 Diploma is a vocational qualification equivalent to the first two years of a UK university degree. It offers a direct route to a BA (Hons) top-up degree or an entry-level role in the games, animation, or interactive media industries. Students will graduate with a professional portfolio showcasing their game design, technical development, and artistic production skills, ready to progress into a fast-growing global sector.

Module A: Process and Practice [Year 1]

Assessment 1: Concept and Development [85 Credits]

This unit introduces you to the creative and technical foundations of games development. You’ll explore the core principles of game design, including mechanics, dynamics, and player experience. Through concept design, illustration, and concept art, you’ll develop your own original game worlds, characters, and environments.

You’ll learn to visualise ideas through storyboards, mood boards, and prototypes, using industry tools such as Photoshop, Procreate, Blender, and Autodesk Maya. You’ll also gain an understanding of level design, narrative structure, and asset creation pipelines, preparing you to build game-ready content. The unit concludes with a concept portfolio including environment sketches, character designs, storyboards, and a playable or visual prototype.

Assessment 2: Creative Project [35 Credits]

In this practical unit, you’ll design and produce a short playable game or interactive demo based on a set brief. You’ll create assets, environments, and animations, and assemble them within a game engine such as Unreal Engine or Unity.
You’ll gain experience in 3D modelling, texture painting, rigging, animation, and basic coding using C# or Blueprints, bringing your designs to life in an interactive space. You’ll also learn about user interface design, camera control, and sound integration. The module concludes with a finished prototype or short playable demo, accompanied by a production journal and reflective evaluation outlining your design decisions and technical workflow.

Module B: Professional Creative Practice [Year 2]

Assessment 1: Personal Professional Development [45 Credits]

This unit focuses on collaboration, industry workflows, and professional identity. You’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team—alongside animators, sound designers, and VFX artists—to deliver a collaborative game project or interactive experience for an external or simulated client.

You’ll take on professional roles such as game designer, level designer, technical artist, or programmer, developing production management and teamwork skills. You’ll learn how to manage a game development pipeline using tools like ShotGrid, Perforce, and GitHub, while enhancing your creative portfolio and professional profile to reflect your chosen career path within the games industry.

Assessment 2: Advanced Specialist Practice [75 Credits]

This capstone unit allows you to specialise in a chosen field within games development such as 3D environment art, animation, technical design, or game programming. You’ll develop and produce a major project or playable prototype that demonstrates advanced artistic and technical ability.

You’ll apply your skills in coding, game mechanics, rendering, lighting, and optimisation, working within professional software pipelines such as Unreal Engine 5, Unity HDRP, or Maya/Blender for asset creation. The unit concludes with a portfolio-ready project, pipeline documentation, and a critical reflection that evidences your readiness for employment or further study within the global games development industry.

Assessment is through a series of assignments including research modules, hands-on practical exercises and group projects. Units are interlinked to replicate “real world” scenarios and offer the opportunity for students to build a range of skills to maximise employment opportunities.