BSc (Hons) Games Programming
Course Overview
The global games industry continues to grow. Worth a projected $280 billion in 2024, this value is predicted to rise to over $360 billion by the end of 2027 (1). Games offers lucrative careers at the cutting-edge of technology and talented games programmers are always in demand in the UK, Europe and the USA.Offering a broad education in games programming, design, development and technology, our Games Programming degree emphasises the technical aspects of game production. We aim for you to become a skilled programmer and you’ll use C++, the principal programming language in the games industry, at each stage of the course. We assume no prior knowledge of programming but a good knowledge of mathematics, especially algebra, will help you succeed on the course. We’ll guide and support you throughout your studies to help you master object orientated programming and design techniques and learn about advanced programming data structures and algorithms for game development.
Games and interactive applications are becoming more cinematic in look and feel so we teach maths and physics in a very practical way to help you learn to create 2D and 3D environments where behaviour and movement looks realistic. You’ll also have opportunities to gain experience of multi-platform programming and artificial intelligence techniques used in the development of efficient and robust games.
(1) https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/digital-media/video-games/worldwide/ accessed on 23 April 2024
Highlights
- Our Computer Science courses are 5th in the UK for student satisfaction, according to The Complete University Guide 2024.
- Our Computer Science courses are also placed in the top 5 in the UK for teaching quality by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
- University of Bolton games graduates have been enjoying careers in the games industry for longer than most – we were one of the first UK universities to offer games courses.
- We’ll help and support you to develop a portfolio of work that demonstrates your skills in readiness to impress potential employers.
- Team working skills are essential so you’ll have opportunities to work with students from our Games Design and Games Art courses on projects that mimic the multi-disciplinary teams found in the industry.
- Our Game Jams are great opportunities to build your social network and practice your programming and problem solving skills.
- We collaborate with games development companies on beta testing, offering you the chance to test upcoming games before they go to market. Previously, students have even got their names mentioned in game credits.
- Industry experts from the leading games studios in the UK, along with Bolton graduates now successful in the sector, are regularly invited to give guest lectures on aspects of games development.
Key Features
- Teaching staff on the games courses have a vast range of industry experience and an extensive network of contacts in the games industry.
- The course covers both 2D and 3D game environments and game engines for traditional gaming (PC and console), mobile gaming (cloud, social and casual) and virtual reality gaming, along with game play analysis and hardware specification.
- We organise studio visits and field trips to games development companies, and will encourage and support you to undertake work experience and industrial placements.
- We design the course assignments and projects so that they mimic industry pipelines and standards to give you a real feel for a career in the games sector.
- Our dedicated games labs feature high-specification hardware and industry-standard software.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- 104 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
- Your Level 3 subjects must include at least one relevant subject; for instance, A-level Mathematics, Computing or Physics or BTEC Extended Diploma in Computing or Engineering.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
- If you don’t meet the standard entry requirements but have a technical computing background, we’ll be happy to consider your application. You’ll need to attain a minimum mark from a diagnostic mathematics test and attend an interview.
- You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
A Games Programming graduate will be able to demonstrate the programming skills required to work on games and entertainment software. The technical skills you’ll develop include the ability to develop interactive software including graphics and sound, an understanding of programming language, including the use of artificial intelligence techniques, and multi-user and multi-processor programming.
What can I do with this qualification?
Many programmers start in junior programming positions. As you develop your programming skills, you can choose a specific area of video game programming to specialise in. Each aspect of a video game requires a detailed set of code, so a programmer may work on audio, physics, artificial intelligence, graphics, or any other single area required to make a video game function. Once programmers become more experienced, they may consider pursuing a lead programmer position, which involves leadership and management duties in addition to programming.
Alternative career options
The knowledge and skills developed on this degree programme will underpin a number of other areas of computing such as mainstream programming jobs, mobile app development or web development. Other career areas associated with this degree include:
- Software development
- Systems analysis
- Computer and information systems management
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
If you wish to apply to multiple institutions or courses for September, then apply through UCAS
You can apply for up to 5 courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £27. Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant's fee of £22.50 is applicable.
The online application form and guidance notes are available on the UCAS website.
You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:
Institution Code Name: BOLTN
Institution Code Number: B44
Tel: 0870 1122211
Web: www.ucas.com
International Applicants
The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.
This course is not currently accepting international online applications.
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Partner Organisation Applicants
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Teaching & Assessment
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you achieve your potential. The core concepts and theoretical aspects of programming, maths and physics are introduced and developed through lectures, seminars, tutorials and critiques, as well as online sessions and support. These types of sessions also offer insights into the business and financial sides of the games industry.
Helping you learn how to apply this knowledge to practical games programming problems, design projects and in the development, analysis and testing of game elements is an important focus of our tuition. We support and guide you through technical introduction and support classes, laboratory and workshop sessions, demonstrations and activity-based assignments.
Practical activities and projects also offer opportunities for you to develop softer skills such as team working, problem solving, organisation and communication that are highly valued in the games and interactive entertainment industry. Guided independent study and self-directed learning are also essential to your success; for instance, library research and background reading, preparing for practical activities and working on projects.
In terms of formal assessment, you can expect assignments, projects, in-class tests, examinations, presentations, and others. These contribute to your final module mark and allow you to demonstrate that you’ve met the learning outcomes. We also use other forms of assessment to help you learn, provide you with feedback and inform your development, though these don’t count towards your final module mark.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Introduction to Games Programming and Analysis
- Introduction to Games Design
- Object Orientated Games Programming
- Level Design
- Data structures and Software Engineering for Games
- Games Hardware Development
- Game Dynamics
- Portfolio
- Advanced Games Programming
- Group Portfolio Project
- Major Project
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 70% Practical exams 20% Written exams 10% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 67% Practical exams 8% Written exams 25% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 70% Practical exams 15% Written exams 15% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 72% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 28% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 73% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 27% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 83% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 17% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
