teesside university computer games design

Course overview

Have you ever thought about how a computer game becomes an international phenomenon? This business and games design degree gives you an understanding of the business relationships within the field of computer games. Working alongside technical and creative professionals, you make great ideas become reality, and develop strategic plans to take a computer game to market.

Study at Teesside University International Business School

See what it's like to study at our modern, enterprising and dynamic business school

You study business organisation, management, leadership and enterprise combined with specialist modules in games design.

The games designer designs the rules and structure of a game. It involves working with many different people, understanding the roles of specialists who need to work together to create and promote games. You develop design skills alongside an appreciation of game mechanics and its relationship to game play, including conceptual, story, character, level and visual design. You also study game engines and industry technologies and compare their capabilities.

You study at both Teesside University Business School and the School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, giving you complete a business and computer science learning experience.

Top five reasons to study business and games design at Teesside

Financial awards: study this course and you may be eligible for £2,000 off your accommodation in the first year.
Real-world experience: work with industry through live projects, competitions and internships. You are taught by experienced business and computing industry professionals.
Industry input: take part in Animex our annual international festival of games and animation which brings together experts from world-renowned studios including Rockstar, Pixar, Aardman, Disney, ILM, Sony Interactive and Supermassive Games.
Entrepreneurial opportunities: our students have created 500 new business start-ups through Launchpad – a start-up community who provide support and advice for students looking to start a new business venture.
United Nations' PRME initiative – we're a proud signatory of the United Nations' Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative, which aims to globally raise the profile of sustainability and responsible leadership to equip current and future leaders with the skills to deliver positive change for business and society.

An optional work placement year is included, at no extra cost. Alongside this, you can gain valuable experience and engagement with the sector through our shorter work placements, internships and work experience opportunities.
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Professional accreditation

With dual accreditation at Teesside University, as well as the degree you will receive a Level 5 Certificate in Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), which is the only chartered professional body for management and leadership. Dual accreditation means you will automatically receive a second professional qualification upon successful completion of your programme. By adding this CMI qualification to your University qualification, you're really on the road to success.

• You instantly become more employable when you receive a CMI professional qualification that is industry-recognised
• You will gain access to exclusive CMI networking events
• You will have the opportunity to attend lecturers from top level CMI industry-expert members
• CMI's qualifications sit on the RQF framework and are recognised by the European Credit Framework
• CMI qualifications fast-track students into the next stage of training to become Chartered Managers
• During your students you will become a CMI Affiliate member, giving you a host of additional benefits to support your development and employability.

Course details

Year 1 focuses on providing you with the necessary underpinning in terms of broad business and games design knowledge and skills. It introduces key business and management concepts.

Year 2 lets you explore your own interests and deepening your insights as well as having more responsibility for your own learning.

The final year explores more advanced topics within business and game designt and you develop your awareness of your own responsibility as a future leader of business and games design. Finally, you have the opportunity to put your knowledge into action by undertaking a self-managed independent project through the Dissertation module.

Course structure

Year 1 core modules

Business Enterprise

This module will inspire you to think about entering the workplace once you have completed your studies. The module is delivered as an interactive learning experience which will enable you to develop an enterprising mind-set and help to identify some of the skills and attributes you already possess. The module content will encourage you to begin to think about your personal career aspirations, whilst addressing potential gaps linked to your knowledge, skills and experience. You will be encouraged to think in an enterprising fashion; learn new approaches to adapt and enhance your individual style. You will have the opportunity to work independently and as a member of a group by participating in personal challenges and group projects, and will learn to understand the importance of networking. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to hear from and to question experienced external practitioners.

Business Finance

You gain an understanding of the way in which accounting is used in the external evaluation of organisations and develops the ability to use accounting and finance techniques in decision making, control, management and adding value to performance.

Game Design and Mechanics

This module introduces you to the core theories involved in designing games. You examine the pre-production stages of game and level design with a strong focus on game mechanics and their role in designing an engaging and immersive gaming experience.

You develop creative design documentation, plans and diagrams which communicate gameplay, layout and concepts as simply and visually as possible.

Game Production and Project Management

You consider a broad range of skills and methods used in effective project management. And you focus on the role of the project manager in the day-to-day management of teams and production.

You look at how to manage projects from pre-production, through to production, delivery and project closure. You develop your knowledge and understanding of techniques for project scoping, project planning, budgeting and project software, whilst developing an understanding of the role of the project manager throughout the project process.

You are introduced to tools for project management such as standard project management and task management software including cloud-based solutions for collaboration.

Games Prototyping

Learn the core principles and workflows of iterative development processes behind creating games in a contemporary games engine. Prototyping your ideas will result in the most robust and enjoyable gaming experience.

Understanding Organisations

You study some of the general principles of business management, particularly in the context of structure, culture, leadership, organisational behaviour, the business environment and the impact of these areas operationally. You are also introduced to the concept of strategic management with an emphasis on organisational resource and competency. And you consider the impact of organisational behaviour on overall business effectiveness, examining the role of the individual within the organisation and exploring motivation, perception and personal impact.

Year 2 core modules

Agile Management

In a world of relentless and fast paced change the most important question for any company is 'are we agile?' In other words are we able to deal with new situations and changes quickly and successfully. For many the answer is no. In this module you will learn how to get to yes through the greatest resource available: people. You will develop knowledge and understanding of why much of management is no longer fit for purpose (management 1.0), and how a new alternative is emerging (management 2.0) is an alternative fit for the 21st century.

Game Interface Design

You are introduced to the creative and practical processes of planning and developing front end and heads-up display (HUD) interfaces for games. You are encouraged to explore a variety of creative methods including 2D and/or 3D software tools in the development of interface elements which are brought together into fully functional interfaces.

You explore design theories, interactivity, accessibility, rational navigation and interface psychology through a series of lectures and lab based sessions.

International Business and Management

You develop an understanding of the main issues affecting international business in the global economy and explore topics including globalisation, trade, economic growth and development. You focus specifically on examining these topics across different cultures. As the module progresses you become able to differentiate cultural variations and the impact of cultural difference on individuals and key organisations. You also have the opportunity to study a culture of your choice in-depth.

Journeyman

You work in a team to produce a game experience within a current game engine. This provides you with experience of working within a production environment, and also with an opportunity to target specific production skills within your chosen field of study.

Research Methods

Building on prior learning within various stage 1 modules, this module develops your understanding and awareness of the principles and practicalities underpinning ethical and rigorous research. Through interactive seminar sessions with research-active academic staff, the module develops the practical skills you require for conducting a rigorous and ethical research study. The skills developed and knowledge gained will link to the stage 3 Dissertation module.

Optional work placement year

Work placement

You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.

You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.

Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:

· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.

Final-year core modules

Contemporary Issues in Business Management

You develop an understanding of the challenges faced by organisations and explores the controversies and dilemmas of contemporary management thinking and practice. You study three key interrelated contemporary issues facing businesses - internationalisation; technological innovation and sustainability.

Game Publishing

With the rise of independent developers and alternative distribution platforms, it has become easier than ever to get games to market. You examine the various platforms of game publishing and distribution, examining the various procedures and methods involved in getting your game to market in the modern games industry. This module consists of studio-based practical sessions, seminars, tutorials and individual work. You develop a new business proposal related to the field of games, complete with a marketing/funding pitch for a concept.

Sustainability, Strategy and Society

You gain knowledge and skills in effective strategic management and responsible leadership in the wider context of business and enterprise. The current context of the macro environment will be explored and contemporary issues will be considered, specifically relating to leading change along with leading and implementing strategy. You identify personal leadership qualities and skills and improvement strategies which will promote change and organisational development.

Upskill

You evaluate and identify an area of your personal skillset that is underdeveloped and take steps to develop it before undertaking your major project.

You negotiate a brief with your tutor to enhance your skills in a relevant area of current or emergent practice in games development. You research and identify appropriate academic or industry resources that are relevant to your work on practical modules, as well as the computer games industry, and use them to develop a personalised development project that can be practical or academic.

and one optional module

Computing Project

You complete a large scale piece of work, under the supervision of an academic staff member. You produce a substantial artefact relating to the computing field, and complete your report and viva consisting of a presentation, demonstration and discussion of the artefact.

You are guided to develop an appropriate sense of work-discipline coupled with a professional outlook. You take responsibility for the planning and execution of an extended piece of work including the consideration of associated legal, social, ethical and professional issues. You are able to explore in depth a chosen subject area, and thereby demonstrate your ability to analyse, synthesise, and creatively apply what has already been studied on the programme while demonstrating critical and evaluative skills and professional awareness.

Dissertation

Your final year dissertation is an opportunity to do an independent piece of research, demonstrating that you know how to take a systematic approach to research, analysis and evaluation within a structured business-orientated framework. It also encourages you to reflect and critically evaluate your personal development.

Modules offered may vary.

How you learn

You learn through lectures, seminars, practical workshops, work-based activities and group work. Teaching staff use a range of web-based technologies to deliver content, assess, provide feedback and communicate with you.

How you are assessed

You are assessed in a variety of ways, including assignments, examinations, group work, presentations and live practical projects.

Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services

Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs

Entry requirements

A typical offer is 80-104 tariff points from at least two A levels (or equivalent).

We welcome applications from mature students without conventional entry requirements. We take into account any alternative qualifications or other experience you may have.

For general information please see our overview of entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country

You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL

Employability

Career opportunities

Our students progress to a range of businesses and sectors, securing roles from general business manager to digital marketing executive, international business representative to social entrepreneur, and new business adviser.

We provide an environment that allows you to develop the extra practical employability characteristics that make you more interesting to employers in the job market in the years to come.

This course helps you to develop your employability skills in addition to your subject knowledge. Our staff utilise their extensive business connections to provide many and varied opportunities to engage with potential employers through fairs, guest lecture sessions, live projects and site visits. In addition we offer a series of workshops and events in the first, second and third year that ensure all students are equipped with both degree level subject knowledge, plus the practical skills that employers are looking for in new graduate recruits. We also offer extensive support for students to find and secure industry year placements which have been shown to make have significant positive impact on a student's career prospects on graduation.

Our careers service works with regional and national employers to advertise graduate positions, in addition to providing post-graduation support for all Teesside University alumni.

Through collaborative projects with our international partners, you gain the skills and confidence to succeed in the world of work on a global scale. You work with SMEs and large corporate organisations, developing practical business skills by formulating solutions to real-world challenges. We ensure that you acquire a unique mix of ability, knowledge and experience to secure the perfect role.

Information for international applicants

Qualifications

International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.

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