UNDERGRADUATE. Degree programmes in. Games Design. Games Design BA Games Design and Creative Writing BA Games Design & Film and Television Studies BA

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1 UNDERGRADUATE Degree programmes in Games Design Games Design BA Games Design and Creative Writing BA Games Design & Film and Television Studies BA

2 2 Our strong industry links give you access to established games designers and producers who will get to see your work

3 Welcome UCAS Codes Gaming is about so much more than play. Our Games Design BA opens up the whole process of games creation and consumption for you to study and analyse while you acquire skills in communication, creativity and practical design. We welcome applications from all appropriately qualified gaming fans. And while no previous programming or art experience is necessary we ll teach you all you need to know great enthusiasm for the subject is a prerequisite. We hope to see you here soon. Professor Sarah Niblock Head of Department Games Design BA Years (FT) Games Design and Creative Writing BA WW28 3 Years (FT) Games Design & Film and Television Studies BA WW26 3 Years (FT) Brunel University London Code B84 BRUNL Apply online at The qualifications you need You will need one of the following: GCE A-level BBB (all subjects considered). BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma DDD in a related subject. BTEC Level 3 Diploma DD in a related subject with an A-level at grade B. BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma D in a related subject with A-levels grade BB. IB Diploma 30 points. Access to Higher Education Diploma Complete and pass in a related subject with 45 credits at Level 3 with Merits in all units. This information was correct as we went to print but it s always a good idea to check the website for updates and specific entry criteria. 3

4 Profile Why choose Games Design? Gustav Andreasson (Games Design BA) It s a tired expression, but the Games Design BA degree at Brunel University really was a life-changing experience for me. The Brunel Game Design course has knowledgeable and friendly lecturers with a firm grasp of all the intricate facets of making games. Their approach to teaching games design is both practical and theoretical. They taught me how to design, not what to design, and helped me build a framework of knowledge surrounding the art and craft of making games. You ve probably grown up surrounded, and fascinated, by digital games. You ve thought about designing your own maybe you already have. The games industry is young, dynamic and changes at speed. To create successful games it s vital to understand the factors that shape the industry and the debates that surround it. Why choose Games Design at Brunel? The Games courses at Brunel University London are supported by industry affiliates such as Eidos, Kuju, Lionhead Studios, Edge magazine, Media Tonic and Supermassive Games. We are highly regarded by many games studios, many of whom send guest speakers to talk to our undergraduates. We re also regularly visited by Brunel graduates enjoying successful careers in the games industry. During your time with us you ll therefore be able to network with many key figures in the industry and have the opportunity to pitch your own ideas direct. You will be taught by a team made up of specialist researchers in the theoretical analysis of digital games and professionals who are working or have worked in games production. In addition to our Games Design BA we also offer joint honours in the following areas giving you the chance to tailor your studies: Games Design and Creative Writing BA Games Design & Film and Television Studies BA 4

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6 Games Design and Creative Writing BA It doesn t get more cutting edge than this. Brunel s Creative Writing BA is regarded as one of the best in the UK. Adding the study and creation of literary texts to your design and analysis of digital games will give you a rich understanding of how narratives are created and played out across contemporary media. We ll bring you up to the moment in your understanding of current thinking in both areas. Games Design & Film and Television Studies BA Combine Games Design with Film and Television Studies to gain a deeper understanding of how screen-based media relate to history, culture and identity. You ll acquire the conceptual and theoretical skills necessary to engage with film and television products as well as games, and analyse how they work at aesthetic, social-cultural and institutional levels. 6

7 Our students get to work on team projects for Octopus 8 and have the chance to publish their games on the Apple App Store and Google Play 7

8 What we teach As well as thinking about how the games industry works, you will learn to prototype, write games design documents, pitch games and develop skills in image manipulation, animation and 3D modelling. Here s an outline of what you can expect: Games Design BA Level one (year one) Introduction to Games Design Introduction to Games Studies Wire-framing The Ludic Sketch Asset Creation 1: Art Fundamentals Historical Contexts Business Contexts Creative Development Level two (year two) Core Mechanics & Economies Concepts & Analysis Games Development Advanced Techniques Options Select 2 from the following: 3D Modelling for Games Animation Game Engine Game Genres Game User Research & Experience Setting & World Design New Hollywood Cinema Science Fictions Level three (year three) Core Further Design Socio-Cultural Contexts Options Take 2 of the following: Commercial Games Experimental Games Game Assets Game Based Learning Team Project Business & Development Design Game Analysis People, Communities, & Cultures Traditional Games World Design Further options Concept Art Project Concept Communication Game Analysis Video Essay Psychogeography 8

9 Games Design and Creative Writing BA Level one (year one) Games Design 1: Introduction to Games Design Introduction to Games Studies Wire-framing Business Contexts Introduction to Writing Fiction Introduction to Writing Drama Introduction to Writing Poetry Level two (year two) Core Mechanics & Economies Concepts & Analysis Options Take 1 of the following: Games Development Game Genres Game User Research & Experience Setting and World Design Take 3 of the following: Writing Contemporary Poetry Writing Journalism Writing the Short Story Screenwriting Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Level three (year three) Core Socio-Cultural Contexts Options Take 2 of the following: Commercial Games Experimental Games Game Assets Game Based Learning Team Project Business & Development Design Game Analysis People, Communities, & Cultures Traditional Games World Design Creative Writing Special Project Further options Psychogeography The Creative Industries Writing Modern Drama Writing Modern Fiction Writing Comedy 9

10 Games Design & Film and Television Studies Level one (year one) Core Introduction to Games Design Introduction to Games Studies Wire-framing Business Contexts Critical Perspectives in Film and Television Studies Options Choose 1 of the following: British Screen Culture and Society from 1979 to the present Television Genres Film Practice and Theory Film Style and History Level two (year two) Core Mechanics & Economies Concepts & Analysis Options Choose 1 of the following: Games Development Game Genres Game User Research & Experience Setting and World Design Take 3 from the following: Video Practice: Forms and Meanings New Hollywood Cinema Science Fictions British Film and Television European Cinema Television: Forms and Meanings Asian Cinema The Western Screen Writing and Narrative Theory British Cinema and British Identities Theorizing Celebrity Animation Level three (year three) Core Games Studies 3: Socio- Cultural Contexts Take 2 of the following: Commercial Games Experimental Games Game Assets Game Based Learning Team Project Business & Development Design Game Analysis People, Communities, & Cultures Traditional Games World Design If any Games Design Projects were chosen, the following can be taken: Special Project in Film and Television Studies Further options Psychogeography Documentary Hong Kong Cinema Comedy American Independent Cinema Media Freedom and Regulation Alternative Film and Video Practice Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this brochure and the University will take all reasonable action to deliver courses and services in accordance with the descriptions set out in it. 10

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12 Profile How we teach Katijah Wellings Thomas (Games Design and Creative Writing BA) I chose Brunel as my firm choice after talking to previous students who really enjoyed their time here. The University was one of the few which offered this course and I also loved the idea of staying within London on a modern campus. Games Design and Creative Writing is absolutely brilliant and I am truly excited to attend every lecture. The classes are so comfortable and everybody is so friendly. The lecturers make learning so appealing and fun and the projects we are set very much allow us to express ourselves and be very independent in what we produce. A dynamic mix of lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials and play sessions in our dedicated games lab allows you to take course material on board in lots of engaging ways. We provide plenty of opportunities for designing games too. For the last two years, Games students have taken part in the Global Games Jam. GGJ runs internationally each January, and teams are challenged to create a game over a weekend. 65 Brunel students entered the event in 2015, designing 13 different games. View them here globalgamejam.org/2015/games Getting ready for work During the summer break we offer students the chance to work on team projects for Octopus 8, a games studio run by industry veterans to highlight new talent. The finished games are then published on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Could yours be the next hit? By the end of the course you will have mastered a range of skills sought by the games industry for roles including game design, game production and game analysis. Our students have gone on to work at a wide range of studios including Rovio, Creative Assembly and Supermassive Games. The communication, creative and analytical skills you acquire during your degree appeal to employers across the spectrum. 12

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15 Useful information Accommodation As a first year undergraduate you re guaranteed a room on campus. We accommodate over 4500 students in five different complexes which creates a fantastic live/study atmosphere. Flats come in different sizes accommodating from 4 to 16, and 30 of our 33 halls have en-suite facilities. The Isambard complex incorporates studio flats for co-habiting couples. Adapted and disabled rooms are available in the Isambard Complex, Mill Hall and Fleming Hall. All rooms are fully furnished with bed and bedding, a desk, chest of drawers, wardrobe and free wifi. Accommodation costs vary between to a week (based on costs). Find out more at or take a look at our Flickr account Fees and funding For information about fees and scholarships, go to Disability and dyslexia support We want you to make the most of life at Brunel and fulfill your potential. Please get in touch Come and visit The best way to get a real feel for Brunel s buzzing atmosphere is to come visit us, explore campus and meet our staff and students. Open days We run regular Open Days where you can chat with students and lecturers and explore the campus. Check our website for dates Campus tours We run Campus Tours where our student ambassadors will show you around campus and answer your questions about student life at Brunel. Check our website for dates. Individual visits If you can t make an Open Day, feel free to contact us on openday.booking@brunel.ac.uk and we ll happily arrange for you to come in and chat with a member of staff. Getting here Details on how to find us are online at 15

16 Get in touch. We d love to hear from you: Admissions, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK admissions@brunel.ac.uk +44 (0) Explore and connect, any time with us: /BrunelUniversity /edu/bruneluniversitylondon Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this brochure and the University will take all reasonable action to deliver courses and services in accordance with the descriptions set out in it. A contract is made at the point when an applicant accepts an offer from Brunel, meeting any conditions, and the acceptance is communicated to Brunel or the clearing system acting for Brunel, and this contract is confirmed. All students are required, as a condition of registration, to abide by and submit to the University s statutes, ordinances, regulations and rules, which are published on the University s website (a hard copy is available from the Registry at the Uxbridge address). Note: the information contained within this course brochure is correct at the time of going to print (June 2015) F_i620_261815