Games Art and Design BA(Hons)

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Portfolio advice

Admission to this course involves reviewing your portfolio. After you apply, we will ask you to share a link to an online portfolio of your work. This enables us to see your potential and understand your approach and motivations.

We will ask you to log on to Student View to share your portfolio link. We will not be able to progress your application to Brighton until you share your portfolio.

• Find out about the specific requirements for your course.

Creating your portfolio
We’ve put together advice and guidance to help you create and share your portfolio and we run regular online portfolio advice sessions where you can get help from our expert team.

Top reasons to choose this course

• The course covers games mechanics and architecture, experimental image making, visual effects, asset creation and concept art.
• You’ll learn storytelling through imaginative projects using linear and non-linear narratives.
• Games design is explored in response to contemporary culture and society.
• Placement opportunities give you the chance to make industry connections and gain valuable experience.
• There are opportunities to collaborate with other disciplines including music, sound art and design.
• We take an experimental approach and blur the boundaries between digital and analogue processes.
• You will be learning in a city with a thriving digital industry and opportunities for building connections.
• We integrate theory and practice, so you graduate with a strong foundation in both fields.
• Your lecturers are a team of industry professionals.
• You will use specialist software and equipment.
• You will learn how to work to client briefs to collaborating with other disciplines, to self-promotion and use of social media.
• You’ll be able to choose your own creative path through the degree with support from our dedicated course team.
• Businesses work with us and provide students with live project briefs, where you present your work back to the client.

Year 1 

In year 1, you will explore the practical and analytical uses for games art and design through a series of projects. Your work will be nurtured and developed through both group and personal tutorials and inspired by a series of lectures from visiting industry professionals.

Under the guidance of expert teaching staff, you will immerse yourself in an exciting programme of lectures and workshops, shaping your projects and building your portfolio as you progress through the year.

In year 1 you will work alongside Animation students, sharing modules and collaborating on projects.

Modules

• Cultural Contexts

  In this module, you will explore historical and contemporary visual communication, culture, design, screen media and entertainment in relation to games art and design. You’ll examine a diverse range of social, cultural and technological contributors to developments in games art and design contexts. The module will also introduce you to techniques of research, analysis and argument through discussion and debate.

• Introduction to Games Design

  This module provides an introduction to the foundations of games art and design. You will gain the core planning skills needed to create a simple digital game, develop creative thinking skills, and explore creative approaches needed to create art work for digital games. Areas examined include drawing, play rules and theories, game planning, mechanics, structures and environments. 

• Narrative Design

  This module will introduce you to the basic concepts and components of narrative design within games art and design. This will be delivered through project briefs that explore storytelling, form, pacing, play and presentation, alongside an introduction to audience interaction. The module will also introduce you to basic working methods and studio practices and explore emerging digital delivery formats.

• Introduction to Games Art

  This module will provide an introduction to the foundations of games art and design and the core skills required for planning a simple digital game. It aims to facilitate your creative thinking in developing artwork for digital games and will explore a range of creative approaches to digital games. Content will include animation principles, basic compositing techniques, game genres, character design, environment design, importing assets and storyboarding.

Year 2 

In year 2, you will focus on developing your creative potential, building on knowledge gained during your first year.

The projects you will be set have strong links with industry so that the skills you learn and practice reflect those that employers are looking for.

You will be encouraged to work collaboratively with other students to develop ambitious projects within the local and wider professional community. Your research and analytical skills will be developed through group discussion and documentation of project outcomes.

Modules

• Advanced Games Art and Design

  In this module, you will build on your knowledge of games art and design and enhance the skills required for the design of a digital game. You will use software to create advanced artwork for digital game assets and demonstrate an ability to develop creative and experimental game characters, mechanics and/or virtual environments.

• Global Challenges – Visual Communication

  In this module, you will explore how visual communication can influence social, cultural, political and economic views and behaviours. You will consider how creative practice can be an impactful, change-making tool for communicating and highlighting challenges including equality and inclusivity, creative and sustainable economies, wellbeing and climate change.

• Visual and Concept Development

  This module builds upon previous level 4 studio practice modules, supporting the development of directed visuals and concepts within screen-based games art and design. It also includes projects that develop your understanding of how to work creatively and with growing independence in your chosen specialist area. You will be supported to write your own brief to complete a self-led project with a clear creative goal.

• Virtual Games Studio

  In this module you will develop advanced knowledge and skills by producing a body of work in response to a professional practice brief relating to contemporary games. Course content includes pitching and networking skills; research methods; opportunities for interaction with audiences; creative outputs; developing imaginative ideas for industry-style briefs; presentation in professional formats; user feedback; and engaging with audiences.

• Critical and Professional Perspectives

  This module focuses on critical theories concerning contemporary visual culture, design, screen media and entertainment in relation to game design studies. With an emphasis on critical approaches to games art and design, the module is designed to expand your cultural and intellectual horizons by introducing viewpoints that offer a broad world view of visual media.

You’ll be learning alongside other School of Art and Media students at our Edward Street building in the centre of Brighton.

Placement year

Gain valuable experience and earn money during an optional placement year following year 2. You’ll return to the final year of your degree with added confidence, additional real-world experience and valuable contacts. 

A placement year gives you the chance to work with established professionals in design studios, galleries, film sets, music labels, creative agencies, newsrooms and many other environments. You’ll be able to get an insight into creative workflows and come away with a portfolio filled with real-world projects that will stand out in a competitive job market.  

It can also help you discover your creative direction and passion for a particular area of work, helping you grow artistically as well as professionally.   

Our dedicated Placements and Employability team will support you in getting a placement that suits your interests and career goals by helping you with your CV and cover letter writing, applications, online testing and more. Plus, they’ll provide support and guidance when you’re on placement and make sure that everything is going well. 

Final year 

In your final year of the Games Art and Design degree the knowledge and skills that you have developed so far come together as you work on a final personal project. You will also write a dissertation in conjunction with Historical and Critical Studies.

Final year lectures and tutorials are taught by teaching staff and visiting industry professionals. They include practical information about professional development, preparing you for your professional or academic life after university, and one-to one personal tutorials offering in-depth, personalised support for your continued development.

Modules

• Context and Consolidation

  The Context and Consolidation module enables you to further develop your games art and design practice, refine your personal voice and connect theory of practice to a practice-based, creative outcome. Through lectures, group activity and self-directed study, you will cover areas including narrative design; prototyping and development; sound; advanced games design, animation, film and moving image; visual effects; and advanced research methods.

• Extended Research Project

  This module is a chance for you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of a chosen topic of study relevant to your area of interest and develop the necessary written and verbal presentations skills required to complete an extended research project. Particular emphasis is placed on critically discussing and analysing the topic to contextualise your practice in relation to contemporary and historical art and design.

• Final Major Project

  In this module you will complete a Final Major Project focusing on games art and design. You will establish your individual identity and visual language and prepare for your final exhibition, graduation and showcasing your work in a professional setting. Content includes storyboarding and prototyping, sound, visual effects, media and delivery formats and interactivity and user experience.

• Professional Practice

  This module supports development of your professional practice, consolidating understanding of your specialist area and preparing you for job applications post-graduation. You can undertake a work placement and/or a live brief and/or compete in game jams/hackathons to give you practical professional knowledge. As well as gaining real-world experience of your subject, you will develop personal and professional networks, points of reference and contacts.

Meet the team 

Professionals from the games and animation world support the course, keeping the curriculum at the forefront of modern practice and ensuring you develop relevant technological, artistic and communication skills.

Judith Ricketts, lecturer

Judith is an artist and creative coder specialising in mobile, screen-based and immersive serious games. Her areas of expertise include photography, moving image, creative coding, augmented reality, virtual reality and data analysis, with a focus on immersive interactive storytelling.

She has been a guest speaker at events such as FACT//University of Sussex, Heritage Network Brighton and Hove, Brighton Digital Festival and Digital Inequalities on subjects related to digital humanities and digital geographies.

She is also a visiting lecturer on the university’s Photography BA(Hons), a board member of the Centre of Digital Cultures and is involved in outreach as a STEM Ambassador.

Dr Darius Malek, lecturer

Darius draws on his broad design background to ensure students are prepared to enter a video game industry that is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. He provides students with a strong understanding of the game development pipeline. He also draws on his research and connections to industry professionals to provide students with the knowledge and skills to either transition into employment or postgraduate studies. Read Darius’ full profile.

Summer shows 2024

Every year our brilliant art and media students show their work at the University of Brighton Summer Shows. The shows are finished for 2024, but you can still take a virtual wander and explore our students’ creative work.

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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