Computer Games Technology – BSc (Hons) / MSci

Do you want to have a successful career in the computer games industry? Our BSc (Hons) / MSci Computer Games Technology course has been developed with input and feedback from leading professionals as well as our own students.

While studying your computer games degree, you will use our state-of-the-art computer games technology lab, which is kitted with high-performance PCs, Sony PlayStation development kits, as well as a variety of industry standard software.

Our collaborations with Microsoft and Sony, and state-of-the-art technology will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in the games industry and beyond.

What’s covered in the course?

On the course, you will learn a range of technical and professional skills, including understanding fundamentals and advanced coding practices, graphics programming, network communications and artificial intelligence. You will work independently and in teams, as well as develop strong written and oral communication skills.

The course philosophy highlights the importance of going beyond your studies – therefore, we encourage you to participate in many extracurricular activities. As we are located in the heart of Birmingham city centre, we are close to many independent game studios, who host events throughout the year. We also regularly participate in international game development competitions such as Global Game Jam and Microsoft’s Imagine Cup, all of which give you the opportunity to showcase your talent on a wider stage, and network with others in the industry.

You will not only learn about mainstream and traditional video game development, but also explore allied and emerging disciplines such as serious and educational game development, augmented and virtual reality, as well as simulations.

Studying computing with us puts you at the heart of an exciting, innovative community. Part of your first-year assessment will involve taking part in our annual Innovation Fest, where students get together to solve society’s problems with creative technology. Previous projects have included medical assistance drones, accessible gaming controllers, and smart housing solutions. The event brings together students, academics and industry guests, so it’s a great way to have fun, build experience and network, and win prizes!

Upon graduation, you could progress into a range of careers in the game industry, for example game or graphics programmer, tools programmer or QA tester in either larger companies or independent studios. You will also have the skills to enable you to work in allied disciplines such as a serious or educational game developer. Alternatively, you could work in more traditional computing or software engineering roles, start your own company or progress into further education.

Why Choose Us?

• The School of Computing and Digital Technology has a range of state-of-the-art computing facilities, including a dedicated computer games development lab. This houses high specification game development PCs, Sony PlayStation Dev Kits and a range of industry standard software.
• We have strong ties with the games industry including Microsoft, Sony and many local independent studios.
• We have an established research reputation in the application of computer games technology to healthcare and medicine. We actively encourage our students to collaborate and explore how computer games can be used to solve problems in other fields and disciplines.
• By exposing you to current industry standard technologies and encouraging the development of your practical computer programming skills, we make you more employable across a range of computing disciplines.
• The course encourages you to engage with industry, allowing a number of flexible paths to gaining work experience, including work-based learning modules, taking a placement year and working on your own commercial products within the University.