A young male university student in a hoodie working at dual monitors, one showing a game engine editor with a 3D fantasy landscape and the other displaying game programming code, with a gaming controller, headset and character concept art on the wall, representing the design and development focus of Computer Games degrees

DEGREE GUIDE

Computer Games

What do Computer Games degrees involve?

Computer Games degrees teach you how to design, develop, and program interactive gaming experiences across different platforms. You will explore key areas such as game design, 3D modelling, animation, artificial intelligence, and gameplay mechanics. These courses help you build technical and creative skills while working with industry-standard software and game engines. You will also learn about storytelling, user experience (UX), and the business of the gaming industry. Many degrees offer opportunities for team projects, industry collaborations, and portfolio development, giving you the hands-on experience needed to create immersive games and succeed in this fast-growing field.

Example
Modules

Introduction to Game Design and Development: Learn how games are designed and built, from analysing core mechanics to prototyping original ideas using industry tools.

Introduction to Games Animation: Develop animation skills for characters and environments, using key techniques to bring digital scenes to life in gameplay.

Mechanics Prototyping: Create and test interactive gameplay systems, exploring how different mechanics shape the player experience.

Common Degree Names

💼 Many courses offer a placement year in the games or digital industries.
🌍 Study abroad is available at some universities.

BSc (Hons) Computer Games Development
BSc (Hons) Computer Games Programming
BA (Hons) Computer Games Design
BSc (Hons) Games Software Engineering
BSc (Hons) Games Technology

BSc courses focus on technical development and programming; BA options lean towards visual design and storytelling.

A game engine viewport showing a 3D character model alongside a game design mechanics document with level layout sketches, a character rigging and animation textbook, a sketchbook with concept art, a notebook with procedural generation notes and a gaming controller, illustrating the creative and technical skills developed in Computer Games degrees

Level 3 (A-level / IB Diploma (HL) / Scottish Highers)

Computer Games degrees vary widely – some focus on programming and development, while others focus on art, design, or storytelling. Your subject choices should match your intended pathway.

For games programming/development:

Maths – essential for physics engines, AI, and coding
Computer Science or IT – important for programming skills
Physics – helpful for game physics and simulations

For game art/design:

Art, Graphics, or Design & Technology – important for visual work
A strong portfolio – often more important than specific subjects
Media Studies or English – useful for narrative design

✨ For programming routes, Maths is essential. For art/design routes, a creative subject and portfolio matter most.

Universities may also accept:

BTEC Extended Diplomas in Creative Media, IT (being phased out), or Games Design are accepted for both creative and technical pathways; programming-focused courses may prefer A-level Maths alongside
BTEC National Extended Certificates or National Diplomas alongside A-levels that meet the subject requirements above
T-Level in Digital Software Development for programming-focused courses
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) with at least two IB Higher Level subjects (ideally three - see relevant subjects above) alongside your Career-Related Study; an IT or Creative Media pathway would be directly relevant depending on whether your chosen course focuses on programming or art

Make sure to check whether the course focuses on art and design, storytelling, or technical development; this will influence which subjects are preferred or required.

Level 2 Qualifications (GCSE / MYP / National 5)

Most courses require:

GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4/C or above, or equivalent such as National 5s or MYP

📘 Some game development courses may require or prefer higher grades in Maths (e.g. 5 or B), especially if the course includes 3D graphics or physics-based programming.

Computing, Art, or Media can also be a helpful foundation.

💬 Interviews or Portfolio Reviews
Creative or design-focused courses often ask for a portfolio of work (e.g. concept art, game prototypes, level designs). Programming-focused courses may ask to see code samples or project work. Each university will give clear guidelines on what they want to see.

🔍 Work Experience
You don't need work experience to apply for Computer Games. If you have a school placement to fill, a software studio, design agency, or any tech-related setting gives you useful context. Getting involved in modding communities or collaborative projects with other aspiring developers is also a good way to experience working as part of a team — something game development relies on heavily.

✨ Personal Statement Tips

What aspect of game development interests you most - is it programming, design, art, narrative, or how all these elements come together? Game degrees vary widely, so being clear about whether you're drawn to the technical, creative, or design side helps. If you've made games, experimented with game engines, created mods, participated in game jams, or analysed what makes games work, reflect on what you learned from the process. But playing lots of games isn't enough on its own; admissions tutors want to see you've thought critically about games as designed experiences and are ready to create, not just consume. Reading about game design principles, following developers' insights, or studying how your favourite games achieve their effects can show genuine engagement.

If your qualifications don't match the usual entry requirements, there are some other possibilities.

🌱 Foundation Year in Games Design, Computing or Digital Media

Many universities offer a foundation year if you don't have the required subjects or grades. This adds an extra year but leads directly into the full degree.

🎓 Access to HE Diploma (Computing, Digital Media or Art & Design)

Accepted by many universities offering Games degrees. Some courses may also require a portfolio, so check individual requirements.

💼 Level 3 Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships such as Software Development Technician or Content Creator carry UCAS tariff points from 2026 and can support a university application, particularly when combined with a foundation year.

Is this degree right for you?

Members can explore whether this degree fits who they are:

Skills you'd develop and whether they match your strengths
How this aligns with your interests, motivators and values
Career paths and where graduates end up

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Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Use the tabs to explore the kind of person that this would be a good fit for. Do you share the Interests, Motivations, Values, Work identity and skills that people who thrive in this course tend to have?

Not sure what these things are? Explore your Identity Tree with us first.

Interests that connect well with a Computer Games degree

Students who enjoy this degree often share these interests. You don't need to feel strongly about all of them, and interests develop over time. If one or two catch your curiosity, or sound like something you'd like to know more about, that's a good sign.

Games, Apps & Interactive Design: Computer Games is built around game design and how play actually works. You'll study mechanics, prototyping, level design and player experience, learning to design and build interactive systems that hold attention and reward the people playing them.

Technology, Computing & Digital Systems: The technical side runs deep, especially on BSc routes. You'll work in C++ and other industry languages, study computer architecture, build game engines from scratch and learn how rendering, AI and physics systems are programmed, sitting alongside computer science as a discipline.

Visual Art, Craft & Design: The visual craft of games is substantial, especially on BA routes. You'll model 3D characters and environments, design assets, work with animation rigs, study concept art and texturing, and build the visual world the game lives inside.

Mathematics, Patterns & Data: Mathematics underpins game programming. You'll work with the maths behind 3D graphics, physics simulation, collision detection and AI, applying algebra, geometry and algorithms in a hands-on context.

Students who thrive in a Computer Games degree are often motivated by

Entrepreneurship and Taking Risks

You get excited about starting something from scratch: launching new projects, ventures, or initiatives and being willing to take calculated risks to make them happen. It's the act of beginning, of turning an idea into reality, that energises you. You'd rather try something uncertain than play it safe, and setbacks feel like learning opportunities rather than failures.

Creativity and Innovation

You're energised by the act of creating something new or finding a fresh way to approach a problem. Whether it's designing, writing, building, or experimenting, you feel most alive when you're generating original ideas rather than following established methods. The possibility that something has never been done before excites rather than intimidates you.

Trends and Pattern-Spotting

You're energised by noticing what's changing before others do, whether that's emerging cultural trends, shifts in data, new technologies gaining traction, or patterns in behaviour. You find energy in predicting what's coming next and understanding why things are moving in a particular direction. You're drawn to the signals others overlook, and you'd rather be early to the question than late to the answer.

Intellectual Challenge

You're energised by pushing your mind to its limits, tackling difficult questions, and wrestling with problems that don't have easy answers. You're drawn to work that requires deep concentration and rigorous thinking. The harder the problem, the more satisfying it feels to work through it, and you'd rather be stretched than comfortable. Easy work bores you rather than relaxing you.

Storytelling and Communication

You're excited by crafting a compelling narrative, whether that's writing a script, performing a speech, producing content, or simply finding the perfect way to explain something complex. You notice when stories are told well and when they fall flat. Shaping how people understand and feel about a topic gives you real energy, and you're always thinking about how to land a message.

Sharing Your Work with Others

You take pride in showing what you've created to others, whether that's exhibiting artwork, demonstrating an invention, publishing writing, or presenting project results. The moment when someone else experiences or responds to your work gives you a buzz. You create with an audience in mind, even if that audience is small.

Practical Problem-Solving

You're energised by finding fixes to real-life issues, whether they're mechanical, technological, or social. You're motivated by problems you can see, touch, or experience directly, and you get satisfaction from solutions that work in practice, not just in theory. You'd rather build a prototype than write a report about one.

What makes Computer Games click for the students who love it?

What they want is to build a world other people can step into and lose themselves in. They think in stories, characters and mechanics, and they like that the technical craft is demanding: C++, game engines, code that has to run fast and never stutter. They enjoy working out what makes a mechanic fun for players, and keeping an eye on where games are heading next. Watching someone else play something they made, and react to it, is the reward. Many also want to build something of their own, a small solo release or an indie studio.

These are the skills that students who love this degree tend to enjoy using. You don't need to be great at them already, but if they sound like you, that's a good sign.

Skill Name

Skills that suit this degree

You don't need to be great at these already — but if you enjoy using them or want to get better at them, that's a good sign.

Do you enjoy imagining new worlds, characters, or game ideas — and thinking about what would make them fun to play?
Are you drawn to creating visual things — whether that's drawing, making models, or designing characters and environments?
Do you like the idea of building interactive things with code — not just playing games, but creating them?
When something you're making doesn't quite work, do you enjoy experimenting until you find a way to fix it?

Careers a Computer Games degree could lead you to

Computer Games

What do Computer Games degrees involve?

Example Modules

Common Degree Names

Is this degree right for you?

Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Careers a Computer Games degree could lead you to

Example
Modules