Overview
The games and tech industries continue to dominate the globe, and they're always seeking game designers and developers. Become their next rising star on our BA (Hons) Computer Games Design degree course.
With help from our teaching team of games industry experts, you'll dive into the theory of game design and development. You can specialise as a programmer or artist, designing, developing, and testing games for different audiences using our advanced game development facilities. For an extra boost to your professional experience, you can complete an optional work placement.
Discover what it takes to become an industry-ready games designer at Portsmouth, two-time winner of the TIGA Best Educational Institution Award (2021, 2014).
Course highlights
- Explore how games are constructed by learning a variety of theories – including systems, gameplay, psychology, user experience, and narrative
- Work with next-gen technologies in our impressive facilities including the UK's first ever Centre for Creative Immersive and Extended Reality (CCIXR)
- Enhance your teamworking skills by collaborating with other Games students on game projects – including or prize-giving annual University GameJam event
- Learn from an expert teaching team with strong links to local, national and international games companies –including Rare, Codemasters, Jagex, Climax and Stainless
- Gain valuable professional experience by completing an optional work placement – with a company or self-employed
- Broaden your cultural experience by studying abroad in Europe
- Impress your future employers by showcasing your work at our annual Graduate Showcase
Careers and opportunities
With an estimated global value of $131.23 billion (£97.95 billion) in 2020, the computer games industry is a force to be reckoned with. In the UK, it contributed £2.2 billion to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019/20, and the number of workers in the field grew to 18,279 (TIGA, 2020).
As the game industry and its workforce continue to expand – especially across sectors adopting its technologies and systems – multi-skilled and specialist graduates are more in demand than ever before.
Areas you can work in with a Computer Games Design degree
Game design positions in industry tend to be segmented into various responsibilities, including:
- gameplay
- narrative
- level
- concept design
Your theoretical, programming, and art skills from completing this course will allow you to pursue a career in any of those fields – with a graduate level design role as a starting point.
Jobs you can do with a Computer Games Art degree
You can work in various design roles, such as:
- Level Designer
- Narrative Designer
- Gameplay Designer
- Games testing (Quality Assurance)
- Game Audio
As you further your career, you can advance to senior management positions like Creative Director.
Continuing your studies
If you wish to continue your education, our course provides a natural path to a Master's degree. You can study Game Design at an MSc or MA level, or you can study MA Art or MSc Computing courses based on your specialisation.
