BA (Hons) Concept Art for Games and Film (with a foundation year) Bachelor's degree at Staffordshire
BA (Hons) Concept Art for Games and Film (with a foundation year) at Staffordshire. You'll develop concept art from initial idea through to finished visual design, learning how practitioners approach storytelling through imagery.
About this course
BA (Hons) Concept Art for Games and Film (with a foundation year) is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at Staffordshire, based in Stoke on Trent Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Computer games and animation graduates from this provider, 87% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 63% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, 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)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 35; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 87% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 85% (2021-23; 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.
Year 0 5 modules
- 2D FoundationsCompulsory20 credits
- Digital Painting FoundationsCompulsory20 credits
- Figure Drawing DevelopmentCompulsory20 credits
- Introduction Into Games ScholarshipCompulsory20 credits
Module details
The games industry is a melting pot of different creative and technical roles. In this module, you will begin your journey as a games developer in training, understanding the roles and career opportunities within the games industry and beyond. You will also be exposed to the reality of the industry, exploring the ethical, economic, and societal impact of games. We will also support you in the creation of a career action plan, helping you to develop as an independent learner.
- Introduction To Collaborative EnterpriseCompulsory40 credits
Module details
Video games are interdisciplinary pieces of interactive art that require a range of specialist skills. The majority of the games that you have played will have been developed by a team of individuals. Games Developers rarely work alone. This module will challenge you to capitalise on your skills and individual creativity while working with a mixed disciplinary team of games developers. Beyond developing a video games artefact, you will be exposed to the tools, practices, and transferable skills
Year 1 6 modules
- 3D Asset DevelopmentCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Games Art and Concept Art both make extensive use of 3D modelling, texturing and rendering. This module will introduce you to the techniques used in industry to produce assets for a variety of uses.
- Character Concept DesignCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module has been designed to provide a solid foundation for the fundamentals of character design. With an emphasis on visual shape language, nonverbal communication and narrative ques, this module will allow students to tackle character design for a variety of industries.
- Digital Painting Theory And PracticeCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module will help you to build a solid theoretical foundation to expand upon and refine your digital painting skills and intuition, allowing you to visually communicate and present concepts in a more compelling way.
- Environment Concept DesignCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Learn the fundamental skills and industry practises that inform the skills required to produce Environment Concept designs. You will produce design sheets and the necessary callout sheets that convey the visual characteristics of the design.
- Fundamentals Of Technical DrawingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Students will learn how to look and observe with artistic intent to reproduce using digital media. They will learn to assess light and shadow, capturing shape and form through observational drawing, which they will then apply to their own designs. They will learn how to self-critique and evaluate their own progress.
- Life Drawing: Anatomy And FundamentalsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module provides practical traditional workshop experience of working from primary sources: a demand invigorated by needs of new industries. It focuses on producing realistic, believable figures that convey appropriate physicality diversity such as body mass, gender, age, strengths, skills, body adornment etc. It also seeks to address to common problem areas such as hands, feet, likeness, and foreshortening /perspective to ultimate give you a vital edge in the competitive job market. This mo
Year 2 6 modules
- Creature Concept DesignCompulsory20 credits
Module details
On this module you will explore the fundamentals of creature design, study animal anatomy and delve into key aspects for crafting visually compelling and believable creatures. Additionally, you will learn to identify technical aspects of the creature design pipeline to ensure your designs successfully translate from 2D concepts to 3D sculpts.
- Digital Sculpting TechniquesCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module has been developed to provide student with a solid foundation in digital sculpting. Utilised by a variety of industries, a proficient digital sculptor can open career pathways in games, film, practical effects and product design. Digital sculpting is the crossover between artistic expression and technological fluency, as such, this module has been designed to develop a students artistic progression in the medium and to navigate the technical considerations for the use of industry sof
- Junior Collaborative Games DevelopmentCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Students will work in a junior role in a group comprised of students from across the suite of games development courses to mimic a games development studio. They will work with other juniors and level 6 students who take the role of seniors, to make a vertical slice of a game.
- Life Drawing: Character And CostumesCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Lifedrawing: Colour and Costume adds these features to the practical traditional workshop experience of working from primary sources to enhance an audiences perception of the reality the student is portraying. It focuses on producing believable characters based on observation and working with our team of professional models. It addresses commonly avoided areas such as a full range of dynamic flesh colours and pose with 360° views. This module features regularly clothed and unclothed models.
- Mastering Study To ConceptCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module will allow the student to partake in the classic art educational practise of studies and masters studies. They will reproduce, using digital painting techniques, various reference images. After this, they will adapt what they have painted into new original concept design.
- Vehicle And Prop DesignCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Learn the specific techniques and skills required to design cars, bikes, aircraft, spaceships, weapons and more. Ideation thumbnailing will then move onto considering form following function and the ways that designs can be rendered in clear detail.
Year 3 7 modules
- Games Art And Concepts Live Brief And EmployabilityCompulsory20 credits
Module details
This module gives you an opportunity to focus your studies on developing an industry standard portfolio piece of Games Art or Concept Art in answer to a given or live brief from the industry e.g., a Games Studio.
- Games Development ProjectCompulsory40 credits
Module details
The Games Development Project module gives students an opportunity to undertake an in-depth piece of research testing and analysis or a high-quality artefact, ready for their portfolio. You can focus your studies on your career aspirations. Whether it's stylised game characters, stalking AI monsters, procedural environments, immersive level design, or a concept for futuristic vehicles. The project allows you the opportunity to work with a supervisor and tailor the project to you. Your supervisor
- Senior Collaborative Games DevelopmentCompulsory20 credits
Module details
Students will work in a senior role in a group comprised of students from across the suite of games development courses to mimic a games development studio. They will work with other seniors to effectively support and lead a team including level 5 students, to make a vertical slice of a game.
- Advanced Character And Creature SculptureOptional20 credits
Module details
As a concept artist wanting to specialise in creature design it is important that you develop a keen understanding in animal anatomy and how to implement it in your designs. This module will introduce you to advanced sculptural techniques and observational skills that will allow you to produce professional creature designs that are grounded in realism.
- Character Design For ProductionOptional20 credits
Module details
Do you want to find your own voice and expand on your previous character and creature design knowledge? On this module you will delve into cultivating your creativity, individual workflow, and style to create immersive and believable characters and creatures with an awareness for the worlds that they live in.
- Environment Design For ProductionOptional20 credits
Module details
This is an exciting opportunity to learn real-world practical skills in high demand in the creative industries to create outstanding Environment design for production. This class is designed to develop your skill in creating outstanding concept art aimed at emulating real-world briefs and focused on delivering exceptional work at a high standard fit to be your opening page of your portfolio. This module will take you through setting up your creative tools, building 3D asset libraries and finally
- Keyframe Illustration For ProductionOptional20 credits
Module details
This is your chance to develop the skill to realise story-driven key frame illustration for Film and games. Using advanced 3D techniques focused on industry standards you will deliver a set of key illustrations to an industry brief the will reflect a narrative brief supplied. The class is focused on developing your skill in interpreting a narrative brief and developing high quality pre-production key frame illustrations that will assist in setting the tonality of a production. The module worksho
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
This degree combines concept art practice for games and film with a broad foundation in visual thinking and design. You'll usually begin with Visual Studies & Design Principles, Materials and Processes, and Contextual Studies, building your understanding of colour, composition and the history informing contemporary practice. In Year 2, a course like this typically moves from foundational skills to sustained studio practice, digital and emerging media techniques, and live briefs with real industry deadlines. By Year 3, you'll develop deep specialist knowledge in areas such as graphic design, illustration, fine art, fashion & textiles, or UX & digital, whilst building your professional portfolio and preparing a final major project for public exhibition.
Who it's for
You're drawn to visual storytelling and want to translate imaginative ideas into images that communicate mood, narrative, and character. You may be earlier in your artistic journey (the foundation year suits you) or returning to structured study. You're curious about how concept art serves production pipelines in games and film, comfortable learning software alongside traditional methods, and willing to develop a critical eye, analysing why certain visual choices work. This course suits someone who thrives on sustained creative projects and values feedback to refine work.
Careers & job market
Across Art & Design courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months, and 55% of those working are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. Graduate starting salaries (15 months after graduating) typically range from £22,000 to £27,000 nationally; after five years, the range is £20,825 to £29,400. Paths vary, some enter studios as junior concept artists, others pursue further study or move into adjacent creative fields. Labour market outcomes depend on your portfolio, location, industry demand, and how you position yourself within a competitive sector.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time degree awarded by the University of Staffordshire, a University with facilities on the Stoke-on-Trent Campus. The course is taught in English and leads to a BA (Hons) qualification, a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding qualification. The university holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023. The university offers bursaries and scholarships. Check its funding pages for details.
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.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 93% |
| another higher-education qualification | 4% |
| an Access course | 1% |
| a foundation course | 1% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
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 (code I614). 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Staffordshire →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 Art & Design 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 | £24,000 | £22,000 – £30,000 | 35 |
| 3 years after | £22,500 | £17,000 – £28,500 | 295 |
| 5 years after | £29,000 | £22,000 – £36,500 | 300 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 35; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 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.
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: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 35; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. 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 Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 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 · 27% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Web and Multimedia Design ProfessionalsSOC 2020 214 · 18% of published destinations · ASHE median £32,574
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
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: 130; response rate: 61%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
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.
Is 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
87% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. 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 8.7 out of 10: NSS 88.1% · in work or study 87% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Staffordshire
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 Stoke on Trent Campus
1,636 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 Staffordshire from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £17,085 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 Staffordshire’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 Staffordshire and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Staffordshire
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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