BA/BSc (Hons) Games Design Bachelor's degree at SAE Institute Ltd
BA/BSc (Hons) Games Design at SAE Institute Ltd. You'll develop design skills through hands-on projects, explore research methodologies and industry practices, and complete a substantial independent project.
About this course
BA/BSc (Hons) Games Design is a Bachelor's degree (BA) at SAE Institute Ltd, based in SAE Glasgow,Leeds Campus,SAE Royal Leamington Spa,Liverpool Campus,SAE London. It runs 2 years, studied full-time.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Trimester 1/Semester 1 2 modules
- Game Programming BasicsCore
Module details
Learn the fundamental knowledge and skills of game development including object-oriented programming (OOP) and common algorithms used for games. Covers programming basics, structured programming, object-oriented programming, introduction to algorithms, vector arithmetic, and version control.
- Game Development BasicsCore
Module details
Gain an overview of the concepts and practice of games design. Learn to create your own games, exploring the functionality and operation of game engines. Covers game design fundamentals, game engine basics, game mechanics, game production, introductory AI & player statistics, and narrative systems.
Trimester 2/Semester 2 2 modules
- Applied Game DesignCore
Module details
Apply theories and frameworks of foundational game design using testing frameworks to validate theories in practice. Learn fundamentals of level design and user interface design through playtesting. Covers asset management and creation, playtesting and QA, data collection principles and ethics, statistics for game design, UI/UX, and level design.
- Games and CultureCore
Module details
Explore a small game project to research and present the context of games culture, focusing on an appropriate genre or game space. Discover fundamental game production methodologies and theories of play. Covers academic research and writing, game production basics, history and culture of games, ethics of video games, theories of play, and narrative in video games.
Trimester 3/Semester 3 1 modules
- Creative Studio 1: Industry WorkflowsCore
Module details
Work on gaming projects in creative studio, learning how to apply iterative design and rapid prototyping to develop all necessary systems and tools for a functional, captivating game world. Topics could cover rapid prototyping, games narrative, reward systems, UI/UX design, and world building.
Trimester 4/Semester 4 1 modules
- Creative Studio 2: Collaboration and BusinessCore
Module details
Work together in a group to create games designed to reach an intended audience, pairing with students from other SAE programmes. Discover commercial, community and marketplace aspects of games development. Topics could cover commercial games, modern marketplaces for games, games product lifecycle, GAAS, mobile and platforms, business planning, and marketing.
Trimester 5/Semester 5 2 modules
- Advanced Specialised ProductionCore
Module details
Expand on existing knowledge and produce work of a professional calibre within your field of expertise. Choose to participate in real-world projects via internships, collaborate with peers across diverse creative fields, tackle simulated briefs or develop your own projects. Topics may include serious games, game economies, playtesting, psychology of games, MDA, accessibility, and level design.
- Research and Professional Development in Creative MediaCore
Module details
Prepare for your final Major Project and craft your project proposal with guidance from SAE Experts. Enhance essential academic and professional skills useful for applying for jobs in the industry or pursuing postgraduate studies.
Trimester 6/Semester 6 1 modules
- Major ProjectCore
Module details
Implement the Major Project designed, scoped and planned across Trimester 5. An industry-focused venture letting you concentrate on a specialism of your choosing, advancing knowledge and skills in that area.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study games design through practical and conceptual work grounded in visual and interactive principles. A course like this typically begins with foundational study of design, colour, composition and form, alongside workshops in materials and processes, from traditional media to digital tools. Year 1 also introduces contextual studies in art and design history. As you progress, you'll undertake sustained studio projects developing a personal creative direction, explore digital and emerging media such as 3D, motion or interaction design, and work on live briefs with real deadlines. In your final year, you'll specialise more deeply, pursuing pathways such as graphic design, illustration, UX & digital, or fine art, whilst building a professional portfolio and completing a major self-directed project for public exhibition.
Who it's for
You're suited to this course if you have a genuine interest in how games work, their design, structure, and player experience, and want to understand both the creative and technical sides of game development. You'll thrive if you're comfortable learning through making, receiving feedback on iterative work, and collaborating with peers. Expect a balance of independent thinking and group project work. This course suits those with stronger creative and analytical aptitudes who enjoy problem-solving within constraints.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 87% of graduates in Art & Design courses are in work or further study 15 months after completing their degree, and 55% of working graduates progress into highly skilled roles or continue studying. Graduate earnings across the sector show starting salaries typically between £22,000 and £27,000 at 15 months post-graduation, rising to £20,825–£29,400 after five years. Paths vary: some enter games studios, others move into adjacent creative industries such as interactive media, education, or self-employment. Actual outcomes depend on your work, network, and choices during study.
University & format
SAE Institute Ltd is a recognised UK degree-awarding body offering this BA/BSc (Hons) Games Design over 2 years, full-time, at campuses in Glasgow, Leeds, Royal Leamington Spa, Liverpool and London. Teaching is conducted in English. Your degree is nationally recognised.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at SAE Institute Ltd →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Art & Design graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Art & Design graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Leeds Campus
4,633 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Around SAE Royal Leamington Spa
1,295 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to SAE Institute Ltd from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by SAE Institute Ltd; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check SAE Institute Ltd’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with SAE Institute Ltd and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at SAE Institute Ltd
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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