COURSE CURRICULUM

The Game Design and Development degree builds skills progressively, combining creative design with technical expertise. In Year 1, students focus on core foundations such as Narrative Game Design, Designing Game Mechanics, and Level Design with Rapid Game Prototyping, gaining experience in creating engaging gameplay and immersive worlds. Modules in Game Monetisation, Analytics and Engagement introduce commercial and player-focused strategies, while Specialist Practice in Gaming allows for early skills specialisation, supported by the Into ARU module. Year 2 develops technical capabilities with Mobile Game Programming, Augmented Reality Development, and VR Game Development & Optimisation, alongside the Ruskin Module to broaden academic and creative perspectives. Team-Based Game Development mirrors industry workflows, giving students experience in collaborative production environments. In the final year, the focus shifts to advanced and professional practice with modules such as Advanced Game Programming and Experimental Practice in Gaming, encouraging innovation and experimentation with emerging technologies. The capstone Game Studio Design and Development module provides a real-world style project, allowing students to create a polished, portfolio-ready game. Across all years, the course integrates design, programming, and project management, preparing graduates for versatile careers in the gaming industry with strong creative, technical, and collaborative skills.