Computer Games Development

University of Westminster, London

Our Computer Games Development course combines technology and creativity in a multidisciplinary way.The games industry is an expanding and challenging sector with continually evolving ideas and cutting-edge technologies. It requires practitioners to exercise more flexibility in software specifications and functionality, through adapting their approaches to design and management while keeping abreast of broad changes to technology.This course covers all major technical aspects of the games development process, from design to production. It aims to prepare you for a career in software development with a particular emphasis on computer games. The course provides you with a solid understanding of game technologies, including programming, applied maths, computer graphics and game engines. You'll develop a broad range of knowledge and skills including mobile and web application development, 3D modelling and animation, and human-computer interaction. To enhance student employability, the course offers a number of talks from the creative industry and will support your participation in prestige game competitions and digital fairs, as well as industrial placements and internships.The primary language you'll learn is C++, but you'll also have the opportunity to engage with other languages and software, such as C#, Python (Machine Learning, Algorithms), JavaScript and Swift. For character development we use Adobe Maya, Photoshop, 3DS Max and 3D Coat. The course focuses on using Unral Engine 4 and Blueprints technology, but students will have the opportunity to engage with any of the commercial engines across the course.The course will prepare you for work in an increasingly challenging and rewarding field by giving you a clear perspective on the current nature and practice of games development. You'll be equipped with the required technical and creative skills for the new era of game developers. You'll gain a thorough knowledge of programming, computer graphics and game project management, together with an appreciation of the industrial environment. The course also includes opportunities to work on group productions, including multidisciplinary game projects that simulate a real game industry environment.Professional accreditationOur course is intended to fulfil the requirements of the British Computer Society (BCS), which means it complies with rigorous academic and professional standards as set out by the BCS. It also allows graduates to gain registration as a Chartered IT Professional (CITP) and partial registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).Career developmentOn graduating, you will have a maths/games-orientated programming degree, which is highly sought after by the computer games industry.The course was created in response to the acute shortage of game programmers and designers within the industry and is designed to meet the industry requirements outlined by industrial panels such as TIGA and Skillset.There are frequent opportunities for students to gain work experience on the course, which in the past have included games testing opportunities at local studios, such as Bossa and King, summer internships at companies, such as Natural Motion, and placements in a range of software engineering and mobile companies that include:Bossa StudioMicrosoftNatural MotionSegaSumo DigitalJob rolesThe course prepares you for roles in a range of sectors including:Game developer, designer and testerMobile app developerMultimodal Interactive Applications (VR, AR, XR)QA consultantSoftware developer (including artificial intelligence gaming, mobile, algorithms etc.)Graduate employersGraduates have found employment as games, graphics and network programmers in a wide variety of areas, ranging from creating console games for Microsoft Xbox, to programming the latest mobile devices.