BSc (Hons) Game Production and Design Bachelor's degree at the University of Plymouth
BSc (Hons) Game Production and Design at University of Plymouth leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
About this course
University of Plymouth - BSc (Hons) Game Production and Design From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Game Production and Design is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Plymouth, based in University of Plymouth Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Computing graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Computer Science, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 80% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 89% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Stage 1 1 modules
- Placement PreparationCore
Module details
This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking a company placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.
Year 1 7 modules
- Design PracticeCore
Module details
Explore board game design through playful experimentation, collaboration, and ethical thinking. You'll develop mechanics, themes, and narrative tone to shape inclusive player experiences. Workshops support prototyping, visual research, and video production, helping you build creative confidence through reflective practice.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Interactive ExperienceCore
Module details
Explore how storytelling and gameplay work together to shape player experience. Learn how worldbuilding and narrative choices guide interaction and build immersion. Use wireframing tools to prototype interactive stories, and experiment with how design, mechanics, and narrative combine to create meaningful, player-driven experiences.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Introduction to Game EnginesCore
Module details
Discover how game engines evolved from arcade origins to today's powerful platforms. Learn to navigate engine interfaces, understand render pipelines, and analyse core structures for efficient development. Explore solo and team workflows, and gain practical insight into how to plan, structure, and deliver game projects using industry-standard tools and practices.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Game ProgrammingCore
Module details
Learn core programming skills using C++ and Visual Scripting to bring interactive experiences to life in game engines. Build a short playable project through hands-on workshops, and discover how smart coding choices shape great design. Develop a strong foundation for technical design roles by combining creativity with practical programming insight.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Game Mechanics DesignCore
Module details
Build your programming skills to develop modular game systems that support designer interaction. Learn how to expose variables, use interfaces, messaging tools, and events to connect systems. Track your progress with project tools, collaborate effectively, and refine your code through testing and feedback, developing clean, efficient solutions for real-world game development.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- UI DesignOptional
Module details
Discover the art of UX and UI design for games by analysing real-world examples and experimenting with fonts, colours, and logos. You'll explore how design shapes identity and accessibility, then apply your skills to build a complete game menu system that balances style, usability, and player experience through iterative design.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Sound DesignOptional
Module details
Explore the principles of sound design for games by creating and manipulating effects, music, and dialogue to enhance player experience. You'll use industry-standard tools to build dynamic soundscapes and learn how audio integrates into gameplay to shape mood, immersion, and interaction.
Year 2 8 modules
- Critical DesignCore
Module details
Develop your ability to reflect critically on design strategies and explore wider theory that informs game development. You'll apply these insights to your own creative practice and document your learning through a digital journal, supported by media-rich content that captures your evolving design thinking.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Professional PortfolioCore
Module details
Propose and develop a personal project in your chosen area of game design, supported by a dedicated tutor. You'll shape your online portfolio to showcase your work professionally, while learning tools and techniques for time management, regular reviews, and iterative development to keep your creative process on track.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Studio PracticeCore
Module details
Collaborate across digital disciplines to learn professional communication and development processes while creating an immersive experience. Work in teams to design and develop small interactive projects that demonstrate your creative practice, technical skills and professional collaboration.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Mechanics and SystemsCore20 credits
Module details
Take your game development skills to the next level by building networked systems with modular, replicated mechanics. You'll explore how servers and clients communicate, manage data flow securely, and use editor tools to support designers and artists. Learn how to structure multiplayer-ready projects and work confidently with complex systems in real-world scenarios.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Rigging and AnimationOptional
Module details
Learn the principles of object and character animation, exploring weight, stretch and diverse styles. You'll experiment with techniques to suit your creative goals and produce a range of animations, while developing the ability to critically analyse animation style, form, and its role in gameplay.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- VFX for GamesOptional
Module details
Explore visual effects pipelines for games, from particles to shaders. Learn how effects work with sound, lighting and mechanics to boost player engagement. Through practical briefs, you'll build a portfolio showcasing efficient workflows and strong visual design skills for real-time experiences.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Scanning and PhotogrammetryOptional
Module details
Create accurate digital models from real-world data using photogrammetry and 3D scanning. Learn how to capture, process and analyse spatial information to create accurate 3D models. Get hands-on with professional software and hardware, and explore how these techniques are used in archaeology, architecture, engineering, gaming and virtual reality.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Motion CaptureOptional
Module details
Learn how to run a professional Motion Capture shoot from start to finish. Explore stage setup, team roles and data workflows, then clean and deliver high-quality motion data. Build a portfolio that showcases your skills across the full pipeline, from shoot etiquette to final output, and gain insight into the creative and technical demands of real-world mocap production.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
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 the design and technical production of video games, combining programming and creative disciplines. A course like this typically begins with programming fundamentals, usually in languages such as Python and Java, alongside computer systems architecture and discrete mathematics. Year 2 usually moves to algorithms, data structures, databases and software engineering practices, alongside artificial intelligence and machine learning. In your final year, you'll choose specialist options such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, systems and networks, or human-computer interaction. The programme culminates in an individual project: a substantial supervised game build where you apply what you've learnt.
Who it's for
This course suits those interested in game development and computer science. You'll explore specialisations such as Software Engineering, Data Science, AI & Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Web & Mobile, Cloud & DevOps, and HCI alongside games-focused study. Entry requirements typically reflect a UCAS tariff of 112–127 points, though half of accepted students came in with another higher-education qualification. Check the university's admissions pages for current entry criteria and any additional requirements.
University & format
This degree is studied full-time at the University of Plymouth Campus in England. The course runs for 3 years and is taught in English, leading to a BSc (Hons) award. The University of Plymouth is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; your degree is nationally recognised. The university holds Gold status for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
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.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| another higher-education qualification | 50% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 47% |
| a previous degree | 2% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 1% |
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.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Plymouth →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
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 Computer Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £32,500 | £26,500 – £42,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £27,500 | £22,000 – £35,000 | 250 |
| 5 years after | £37,500 | £27,500 – £51,000 | 250 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate / Junior DeveloperFirst engineering role · 0–2 yrs
- 2Software EngineerShipping features end-to-end · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / Lead EngineerOwning systems and mentoring · 5–9 yrs
- 4Principal / Engineering ManagerArchitecture or leading teams · 9+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Computer Science nationally
National figures for Computer Science 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.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Computer Science courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,820 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 50; response rate: 70%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Computer Science 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
- Boilerplate and scaffolding code
- First-pass tests and docs
- Routine debugging and refactors
- Standard data wrangling
More human than ever
- System design and architecture trade-offs
- Reviewing and owning correctness & security
- Translating fuzzy problems into software
- Leading delivery and mentoring
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Computer Science 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
- Tech companies
- Banks & fintech
- Consultancies
- Government (GDS) & startups
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Computer Science graduates.
Software Developer Placement Programme No experience neededIT Online LearningSoftware Developer - .NET & Azure for Green Energy ProjectsOfgemSoftware Developer Backend (SFIA5)ZaiziSoftware Developer (Mobile Apps) in Guildford - ECM Selection (Holdings) LimitedJava Script WorksSoftware Developer (Contract) – Higher Education Projects (UK)Burman RecruitmentSoftware Developer – Distributed Scheduling & Workload OrchestrationCGG Services (UK) LimitedIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.3 out of 10: NSS 79% · in work or study 80% · continued 89%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Plymouth
Computing across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Plymouth Campus
3,218 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 Computer Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Plymouth from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Plymouth; 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 University of Plymouth’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 University of Plymouth and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Plymouth
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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