Games Development BSc (Hons)

This unit will introduce you to the fundamentals that underpin all areas of game development. You’ll be introduced to the core programming knowledge a game developer needs, allowing you to create robust and efficient games. You’ll explore methods and practices around concept development and generating ideas for games. You will develop your understanding of game concepts, rules and mechanics, and rapid prototyping through the development of analogue games. Emphasising research, communication, and critical thinking skills important to a creative and scientific practice, seminar discussions and lectures will invite you to interrogate and understand the wider contexts within which games sit and introduce you to the critical and creative debate.

40 credits

In this unit, you’ll investigate the development and key milestones in the lifecycle of games, with a particular focus on understanding the ways game developers shape unique player experiences, through experimenting with techniques, materials, and media. This unit will also introduce you to the fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming (OOP) and programming in Unreal Engine. A clear focus is on practical programming and problem-solving skills, using industry-standard practices, frameworks, and pipeline processes. You’ll be introduced to group discussions and concept pitches, learning to present your ideas and information to a range of audiences through presentations and other visual mediums, to effectively communicate complex ideas succinctly.

80 credits

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus.  The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.

Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.

This unit will enable you to expand your specialist knowledge and skills, taking you to the next level in your personal development. Workshops introduce you to a range of advanced computer programming techniques, game design principles, and game development pipeline processes, all which underpin modern games. You’ll be encouraged to work quickly, think creatively, work collaboratively, and experiment with ideas – providing a safe space for failure as a natural part of the creative process. You will be exposed to an exploration of typical algorithms and data structures to solve several computational challenges. You’ll consider your work within the context of different audiences and a variety of platforms, including console, web, mobile, computer, and augmented and virtual reality. You’ll research into historical, cultural and broader creative influences, and how they can be used to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, to add depth and complexity to your ideas.

80 credits

This unit will introduce you to how collaborative working can help you focus and enhance your creative strengths by working with fellow students and our creative community. This unit will allow you to build upon your knowledge of working to live briefs, while exploring specialist techniques and tools used within the game development pipeline to develop full technical and professional prototypes, with a strong focus on team and communication skills. You will consider group and client liaison roles, taking on group roles in the ‘simulated’ production environment of the classroom, and be introduced to specialised working practice methodologies such as Lean, Waterfall, and Agile in a disciplined development cycle.

40 credits

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus.  The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.

Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.

This is the first and shorter of the two units that make up your final year of study. This unit offers you the opportunity to take a deeper dive under the surface of game engines, exploring the inner workings of industry-standard tools and furthering your proficiency in how to develop games. You’ll develop an individual research project that addresses a question related to your interests and practice. Group and individual tutorials will provide stimulating and supportive sessions to help you advance your research ideas and those of others. Focusing on employability, you’ll explore career options, including researching the skills required to set up your own business, establish yourself as a freelancer, or use as an employee in a business or organisation.

40 credits

This unit will allow you to consolidate your learning from your degree programme into a final project, bringing together ideas and techniques from throughout your study. You will be supported to research, evaluate information, and develop innovative solutions to address a self-negotiated brief. You’ll use the technological knowledge you’ve gained to build significant portfolio pieces, demonstrating your ability to create professional-quality work. You’ll have the opportunity to display your final year project as part of our degree show, Grad Fest, which allows you to showcase your work to our network of industry professionals and prospective employers.

80 credits

The first week of each academic year is called Wayfinding week. It’s an opportunity get your bearings, establish new connections and, after your first year at Norwich, re-establish old ones. Your course team will talk you through the year ahead and explain the expectations for the year. We’ll help you navigate new encounters and identify areas to focus on as you progress through your course.

An important element of Wayfinding Week is taking part in our annual ‘Make it Manifest(o)’ project. Your course team will introduce the project in which we’ll ask you to consider your hopes and vision of the year ahead at Norwich and work with students in other year groups to bring your ideas to life. The project culminates in a celebratory display of work across the campus.  The project will help you to develop your critical creativity through different approaches, concepts, and mediums. You’ll encounter diverse perspectives and build friendships and networks within our university community.

Interchange weeks are opportunities to step away from your disciplinary studies and engage in projects, workshops, visits and talks that extend your knowledge and understanding of the world. Whether you learn a new skill or take part in a global challenge project with students from other courses, you will come away with new insights to take back to your course. Interchange is part of the schedule for all Norwich students with sessions held across and beyond the campus led by university staff, visiting lecturers and students.