Games Design and Animation Diploma

Course information

UAL Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production & Technology

Do you love games? Are you passionate about platformers, barmy for board games and know your RPG stats inside out? Then why not come and join us on the Games Design course and find out what you are capable of!

UAL Games Design is a two-year, coursework based, practically focused course where you learn the skills needed to move onto University or your first steps into the ever-expanding UK games industry. We focus on the development of games and game art and assets, so you don’t need to be a coding master to succeed!

From developing pixel art 2D levels to fully textured 3D environments and characters we help you bring your ideas to life through our student focused curriculum. We’ll teach you how to apply essential theories to your thinking and your game products, will support you develop your own games (both digital and physical) and take your aspirations and career aims and make them our number one goal. In the first year of Games Design and Animation Diploma, you will even create a fully realised board game, use 3D printing techniques and a full production process to launch the product in a live premiere event – and all in just ten days!

Making use of the most up to date games development and digital media software you will learn to create with Adobe Creative Suite, including Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Animate, After effects and more...3d modelling software such as Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya. Game engines like Construct 3 and Ue4 and learn to work with the latest gadgets like the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality System.

This course is offered at both our Camborne campus and our St Austell campus where you will benefit from access to everything that we offer in the Dance, Drama, I.T. and Multimedia courses and will be involved in developing our social media presence through Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

So, if playing games is your first step to making games, come and join us and let's work together to turn you from a gamer into a games designer!

UAL Awarding Body - University of the Arts London

What You Will Learn

In year one you will look at the analysis and design of games, create 2D and 3D levels, undertake market research of your own game ideas and prepare those ideas for development, learn employability skills and manage teams to create products, investigate web design and analyse and create sound effects for games.

Year 2 will see you create social action games, research and produce academic essays, apply for University and get your career goals set up alongside making your own 3D animated characters.

Both years will see you create your own final projects for end of year assessment.

Entry Requirements

We expect four GCSE’s at grade 4 and above, one of which should be in either English or maths. You will also need to attend either a face to face or phone interview with the Study Programme Manager. Portfolios of work can be presented or emailed at interview alongside any other certificates, qualifications or experience you feel is beneficial for us to know about.

For those students that don’t quite meet the entry requirements we also run a one year, Level 2 UAL course in Media Production designed to feed directly into the Games course the following year.

Work Experience

Work experience could include games retail or journalism, supporting a games design team at a company in Cornwall or beyond, 3D modelling for artists and clients, supporting live game events such as Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon and so much more! At our St Austell campus the creative academy has links to several professional roles within the local industry and as such you will be ideally placed to find practical and exciting work experience placements.

Assessment

You will be assessed in a range of developmental projects throughout the year, with feedback from staff identifying your strengths to develop and skills to improve. Once those formative modules are complete, you will design, pitch and create your own final project that will determine your mark for the entire year of work. This will be graded at either a PASS, MERIT or DISTICTION, and these can take any form; from full games, to cut-scenes, essays, animations, levels and characters…anything that demonstrates your skills and learning!

Progression

This course is designed to meet the needs of the UK games industry, where 86% of the UK workforce have at least one degree, so our main progression route is HE education for most students. However, our course is also designed to create mature, hardworking and confident graduates so entry level employment is also viable for those that complete in a wide range of industries and areas, not just gaming! Students have progressed into advertising, special effects design, media production, education, publishing and more! With games design becoming one of the UK’s biggest cultural exports, the sky is the limit!

Cornwall College Camborne

Cornwall College Camborne

Our Camborne campus has served as a vocational training hub for nearly a century. The iconic Tamar tower and the ‘big top’ that covers our construction and engineering provision, are landmarks known throughout the area. This legacy, combined with an exciting modernisation programme, has made Cornwall College Camborne the home of cutting edge facilities, dynamic learning experiences and fantastic student spaces. Open and modern learning areas, electric vehicle training labs, esports gaming facilities, chill out areas, an award-winning restaurant and plenty more besides, makes this the perfect place to have your #careercollege experience.

Read more on the exciting developments at St Austell & Camborne

Find out more about our Camborne campus

Cornwall College St Austell

Cornwall College St Austell

Set at the top of St Austell, with incredible views over the bay, our campus boasts ground-breaking facilities and exceptional student spaces. The Keay Theatre area plays host to our famous Altitude Dance Academy and performing arts, while our award-winning student restaurant Cloisters is recognised as one of the best in the country. Brand new electric vehicle training labs set within our modern construction and engineering buildings showcase just some of the incredible opportunities for people in St Austell and beyond.

Read more on the exciting developments at St Austell & Camborne

Find out more about our St Austell campus

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