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Games Design BA

Course code

I620

Start date

September

Subject area

Games Design

Mode of study

3 years full-time

Fees

2024/25

UK £9,250

International £21,260

Entry requirements

2024/25

AAB - BBC (A-level)

DMM (BTEC)

29 (IB)

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Overview

If you want to design the games you play and be a part of the booming games design industry – this is the course for you.

From the start, you will be encouraged to think and work as a games designer and be given the skills to develop your own ideas. You will design and prototype your own games, pitch games and develop skills in digital asset creation, wire-framing, and 3D modelling. You will also learn the core theories, concepts and methods of analysis of games which will help you create games that are based on a rich foundation of knowledge.

The Games Design BA gives you the flexibility to explore what really interests you. In the first year, you will study a range of modules including: Introduction to Games Design, Introduction to Games Studies as well as Historical and Business Contexts. This approach is designed to help you decide where your particular interests lie so that you can begin to consider where to specialise in the second and third year.

In the second and third year, you have the choice to focus on design, art, technology, game studies or sound and music. Making this choice allows you to begin to specialise in your chosen field of games design and to build your portfolio around your future ambitions whilst you’re still studying. This means you can hit the ground running when you graduate because you will have a clear focus on where you want to work and the kind of role you want to pursue.

By the end of the course you will have a comprehensive portfolio and a range of skills sought after by the games industry in areas such as: game design, game production, game art, game development, game analysis, and game research, as well as giving you transferable skills that are relevant to broader fields.

Brunel’s Games Design BA covers all the skills needed to design, develop and understand games, giving you training that will help you to reach your potential in the games industry.

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.

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Course content

From UI design, animation and commercial games to experimental games, and game analysis, this intensive course gives you the confidence and skills you need to be successful in the booming games industry. 

The Games Design BA consists of both compulsory and optional modules. Depending on the pathway selected these may be altered to keep up-to-date with changes and technology advances. This ensures that you will always be work-ready and familiar with any new challenges that may emerge in the games sector

The following types of modules are offered throughout the course:

  • Design modules which will help you to create strategies for generating game design ideas and projects – leading to a practical understanding of creative design
  • Theory modules to help you to understand the cultural and social significance of games and their historical contexts – which will lead you to develop formal design perspectives
  • Asset and story creation modules which build your skills in image creation and manipulation programs - these will develop the visuals and narrative of your game
  • Application modules which cover the communication tools used in the games industry such as presenting and prototyping skills
  • There will be additional optional modules. These will teach you how to improve your design projects and increase your skills for working in the games industry, such as Setting and World Design or Game Genre modules

The compulsory and optional modules listed below are dependant on the pathway you choose to take.

Please see the table below for more information on modules offered throughout the course for each pathway. 

This course can be studied 3 years full-time, starting in September.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

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Careers and your future

Your degree will equip you with a number of transferable skills, such as effective communication, leadership, self-management, initiative and personal responsibility, as well as design methodology and systems. This could lead to a career in a variety of areas outside the gaming industry, including project management, marketing, and web design. 

Previous students have also found roles in a variety of games studios and organisations including Rovio, Rockstar, and Ubisoft. They work as junior game designers, animators, game artists, and operations executives. Alongside your involvement in the games community by attending conferences, networking, and participating in gaming jams, the portfolio that you work hard to develop will be an impressive demonstration of your talent and skills.

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UK entry requirements

2024/25 entry

  • GCE A-level AAB-BBC.
  • BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DMM in any subject.
  • BTEC Level 3 Diploma DM in any subject, with an A-level at grade C.
  • BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma M in any subject, with A-levels grade BB.
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma 29 points.
  • Obtain a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3. 
  • T levels : Merit overall

A minimum of five GCSEs are required, including GCSE Mathematics grade C or grade 4 and GCSE English Language grade C or grade 4 or GCSE English Literature grade B or grade 5.

Brunel University London is committed to raising the aspirations of our applicants and students. We will fully review your UCAS application and, where we’re able to offer a place, this will be personalised to you based on your application and education journey.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

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EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
  • Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
  • BrunELT: 63% (min 55% in all areas)
  • TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)  

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

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Fees and funding

2024/25 entry

UK

£9,250 full-time

International

£21,260 full-time

Fees quoted are per year and may be subject to an annual increase. Home undergraduate student fees are regulated and are currently capped at £9,250 per year; any changes will be subject to changes in government policy. International fees will increase annually, by no more than 5% or RPI (Retail Price Index), whichever is the greater.

More information on any additional course-related costs.

See our fees and funding page for full details of undergraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Please refer to the scholarships pages to view discounts available to eligible EU undergraduate applicants.

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Teaching and Learning

How the course will be delivered

Required equipment

How you'll learn on your course

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Assessment and feedback

Practical work is assessed by a range of projects throughout the course, some of which are carried out in groups.

You will also be assessed through written essays which accompany projects and which require evaluation of your own work using a range of theoretical and critical tools.

Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.

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