Game Design and Development

Game design and development sits at the intersection of creative design, programming, storytelling, and interactive systems. The games industry is one of the largest and most dynamic sectors of the creative economy, and the people who make games must bring together skills from art and design, software engineering, narrative, sound, and user experience in collaborative teams working to demanding schedules and budgets. A degree in game design and development prepares you to contribute to that process from both creative and technical perspectives, developing the versatility that the industry values.

At the University of Bradford, this three-year, full-time programme includes a foundation year, which builds the creative, technical, and computational foundations you need before entering the main degree. The foundation year is particularly useful if you have strong creative interests but need to develop your programming skills, or if you have technical aptitude but want to strengthen your design thinking. From the first year of the degree itself, you will work on game projects that develop your skills in game engines, programming, level design, character design, narrative design, and user interface design.

You will study the history and theory of games as a cultural form alongside practical development skills, and you will build a portfolio of work that demonstrates your abilities to prospective employers.

Bradford has a heritage in film and media alongside its technology and engineering provision, and that breadth informs an approach to game design that takes both the creative and technical dimensions seriously.

Graduates work in games development studios across design, programming, art, and production roles. Some go on to independent development, building their own games as solo developers or in small teams. Others move into related fields such as simulation, serious games for training and education, interactive media, or virtual and augmented reality.

Postgraduate study in game design, computer science, or digital arts is an option for those wishing to develop specialist expertise.