Computer Games Programming And Design

Computer games programming and design is a degree that addresses the two core creative and technical disciplines of game-making, giving you the flexibility to specialise in the area that best suits your skills and ambitions. Games programming provides the technical foundation for everything that happens in a game, from physics and rendering to artificial intelligence and networking. Games design asks the creative and conceptual questions: what is the player doing, why does it feel satisfying, and how does the experience hold together as a coherent and engaging whole.

Combining both gives you a rounded understanding of how games are made and the ability to contribute meaningfully to both sides of a development team.

At Southampton Solent University, this three-year full-time programme is industry-focused and designed around practical studio-style experience on real games projects. You will develop your skills in design, development, or programming, building a portfolio of work that demonstrates your technical and creative abilities to future employers. The programme includes a foundation year for students who benefit from additional preparation before the main degree, and a sandwich placement year with work placement opportunities gives you direct professional experience in a games studio or related environment.

Solent's applied approach reflects the practical realities of what games studios are looking for in graduates.

Graduates from games programming and design programmes go on to work in games studios of all sizes, from independent teams to major publishers, in roles including games programmer, games designer, level designer, gameplay engineer, tools developer, and technical artist. The programming and design skills developed are also relevant in adjacent industries including animation, virtual reality, simulation, and interactive media. Many graduates also go on to build independent games, participate in the indie development scene, or pursue postgraduate study in games technology or interaction design.