BSc (Hons) Games Design & Development (Top Up)

Your progress is reviewed through regular feedback, milestone reviews and one-to-one supervision to ensure clear direction throughout the Top-Up year.

Lecturers will:

• Provide ongoing feedback on practical work, portfolios and research activity
• Give clear written comments linked to honours-level assessment criteria
• Use critiques and presentations for verbal feedback during studio sessions

You will also attend scheduled supervision meetings, particularly for research modules and the final major project, to:

• Review progress against milestones
• Identify strengths and development areas
• Support independent decision-making and workload management

Additional monitoring includes portfolio reviews, planned milestone checks and reflective evaluation tasks. This continuous approach supports steady improvement and professional growth.

Assessment is entirely coursework-based with no formal written exams and is designed to reflect graduate-level professional practice.

You may be assessed through:

• Advanced practical projects and specialist outputs
• Professional portfolios demonstrating depth of specialism
• Research-informed written analysis and reflective evaluation
• Presentations and project defences

Most modules include two or three assessment components, allowing you to demonstrate both technical capability and critical understanding. Clear assessment criteria and detailed feedback are provided throughout.

This is a full-time honours-level course designed to mirror the independence and responsibility expected in graduate employment.

• Attend college 3 days per week for workshops, lectures, studio sessions and tutorials
• Teaching days usually run 6–7 hours
• Independent study includes portfolio development, research and assessment preparation

Students are expected to commit up to 37.5 hours per week in total, combining timetabled teaching with independent work. This structure supports strong professional habits, autonomy and self-management.

Formal placements at honours level can be limited and competitive within the games industry. Instead, this Top-Up Degree prepares you for graduate employment by embedding professional practice and industry workflows directly into the curriculum.

You will gain experience through:

• Advanced portfolio-driven projects aligned to graduate standards
• Professional production pipelines and technical workflows
• Senior collaborative studio projects reflecting real team dynamics
• Research-informed decision-making similar to professional environments
• Guest lectures, specialist workshops and portfolio critiques

The Final Major Project provides a significant opportunity to demonstrate independent capability, specialist identity and readiness for employment, freelancing or postgraduate study. Students are also encouraged to pursue external opportunities such as game jams, freelance commissions and industry networking to further strengthen their graduate profile.

There are a variety of ways in which you can get help with fees and funding while studying. For detailed information on funding options and bursaries, please visit our Funding and Financial Support page.