COURSE CURRICULUM

The BSc (Hons) in Games Development is a three-year program designed to prepare students for professional careers in the dynamic and rapidly growing games industry. In Year 1, students build a strong foundation in communication, mathematics for graphics, human-computer interaction, interaction design, 2D digital art, concept art for games, game design, and programming, including object-oriented programming. This first year equips students with the creative and technical skills necessary for interactive digital design and software development.Year 2 focuses on the practical aspects of game development and advanced technical skills. Students study computer architecture for game devices, motion graphics, gameplay programming, 2D and 3D game programming, user interface programming, assembly programming, object-oriented programming, agile software development, and software engineering for programming. These modules allow students to design, build, and optimize games while integrating strong programming principles and software development practices.Year 3 emphasizes applied learning and professional experience, with modules in data structures, artificial intelligence algorithms, web development, databases, 3D graphics, and gameplay programming for mobile devices. Students also complete a major project in computer games development, along with opportunities for work placements or study abroad, allowing them to gain industry experience and produce portfolio-ready projects.Throughout the program, students gain hands-on experience using industry-standard tools, programming languages such as C++, C#, JavaScript, Python, and HTML5, and frameworks including Unity 3D, Unreal Engine, SFML, and OpenGL. Collaboration is encouraged from the first year, particularly with peers from Interactive Digital Art and Design, enabling the creation of playable game concepts, portfolio titles, and technical demonstrations. Graduates emerge as creative, technically skilled, and industry-ready games developers, equipped to contribute to Ireland’s growing games sector and the international games and interactive media industry.