Games Design and Development (Virtual Reality), BSc Hons
Build your technical and creative skills and prepare for a career in video game design, with a focus on virtual reality gaming.
This games design and development degree combines all the aspects of theory, practice and technology essential to your future career. You'll learn games programming and discover the creative aspects of the games industry through practical projects. Our pathway in virtual reality gives you a chance to focus on an exciting and fast-growing sector within gaming.
This degree is ideal preparation for careers in the thriving video games industry. Graduates have been employed in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality focused companies, such as the award-winning Rewind, Sky VR, and architects Arup, as well as smaller independent studios.
UCAS points
112 (full requirements below)
Course/institution codes
G421 G BSc/GDDVR
Department
Campus
Duration
- 3 years full-time
- 6 years part-time
- 4 years sandwich
Start month
September
Home/international fees
2021/2022 fees
What you should know about this course
What you will study
About the course team
This degree course employs a range of innovative teaching and learning methods. Lectures and labs/tutorials are dynamic and interactive. You will be taught by an experience team of lecturers, which include senior academics and technical officers, and the majority of our lecturers hold a teaching qualification
Come and meet us
Given the current situation with Covid-19, we are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.
Next Open Days
Got a question?
To find out more about our Open Days and Campus Tours or if you need any assistance, please email opendays@gre.ac.uk.
Entry requirements
If you are
For entry in September 2021, you will require:
- 112 UCAS points from A-Levels (we also accept UCAS points from alternative Level 3 qualifications including: BTEC Nationals, the International Baccalaureate and Scottish and Irish Highers)
AND YOU WILL ALSO REQUIRE:
- GCSE English (Language or Literature) AND GCSE Maths at grade 4/C or above. We also consider equivalent qualifications in English and Maths at Level 2, in place of GCSEs.
For more information, contact courseinfo@greenwich.ac.uk or 020 8331 9000.
You can also read our admissions policy.
The University of Greenwich accepts a broad range of international qualifications for admission to our courses.
For detailed information on the academic and English language requirements, please find your country in our directory.
Alternatively, please contact us:
- By telephone: +44 (0)20 8331 8136.
- By email: international@gre.ac.uk.
Further information about entry
Please note: Applicants to whom the University wishes to consider making an offer will first be interviewed.
If you have any query on - and for more information about - our entry requirements, please contact courseinfo@greenwich.ac.uk or call 020 8331 9000.
You can also read our admissions policy.
Available to overseas students?
Yes
Can I use prior learning?
For entry: applicants with professional qualifications and/or four years of full-time work experience will be considered on an individual basis.
For exemption: If you hold qualifications or courses from another higher education institution, these may exempt you from courses of this degree.
How you will learn
This section helps you understand more about how you’ll learn based on standard delivery of teaching and learning on campus.
However, as a response to COVID-19 we are currently operating a ‘blended model’ of teaching and learning. This means a combination of face-to-face sessions on our campuses with online lectures. There is additional support for any students who are unable to attend campus because they are ill or shielding. We’ll continue to offer blended learning to all our students, in line with government guidelines, for as long as we are advised to. If government or local authority rules require it, we may be limited to offering online-only learning but will return to blended learning as soon as we are safely able to do so.
You can find out more about how we are supporting our students.
Teaching
In a typical week teaching takes place through a combination of timetabled and independent learning.
You can view more information about how each module is taught within our ‘What you will study’ section.
Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your elective courses and tutorials.
Class sizes
Information coming soon.
Independent learning
Outside of timetabled sessions, you'll need to dedicate time to self-study to complete coursework, prepare for presentations, and exploration of game technology. You can use our Stockwell Street library and online resources to support you in these activities.
We encourage you to join societies such as:
- The Computer Society
- Games Development Society
- And many other student societies supported by the University of Greenwich Student Union.
Overall workload
If you are studying full-time, you should expect the workload to be similar to a full-time job (around 40 hours per week in total). For part-time students, this will reduce in proportion with the number of courses you are studying.
Each module you study towards this degree is worth 15 or 30 credits. These represent around 150 or 300 study hours respectively. If you receive 72 contact hours for a 30-credit module, you should expect to commit 228 hours to independent study to complete it successfully.
Assessment
Students are assessed through a combination of course work, exams and practical assessment where relevant. You can view more information about how each module on this course is assessed within our ‘What you will study’ section.
Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your elective courses and tutorials.
Feedback summary
We aim to give feedback on assignments within 15 working days.
Dates and timetables
The academic year runs from September to June.
Full teaching timetables are not usually available until term has started. For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.
Fees and funding
Your time at university should be enjoyable, rewarding, and free of unnecessary stress. Planning your finances before you come to university can help to reduce financial concerns. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.
2021/2022 fees
| Full-time (per year) | Part-time (per 30 credits) | |
|---|---|---|
| View fees |
Accommodation costs
Whether you choose to live in halls of residence or rent privately, we can help you find what you're looking for. University accommodation is available from just over £100 per person per week (bills included), depending on your location and preferences. If you require more space or facilities, these options are available at a slightly higher cost.
Funding your study
There is a range of financial support options available to support your studies, including the Aspire@Greenwich award for study resources that many full-time students will receive.
Discover more about grants, student loans, bursaries and scholarships. We also provide advice and support on budgeting, money management and financial hardship.
Other costs
Technology: There are no compulsory costs beyond your tuition fees. However, we may recommend that you purchase a backup device (such as a portable hard drive).
Software: We provide licences for certain software to use on your own computers, depending on your course. This may include Virtual Desktop access, Tableau Desktop, Microsoft Azure Devtools for Teaching (including Visio, Project, SQL Server, etc). You will also have access to Nvivo, SPSS Modeler and SPSS Amos. Any licences for software outside of our range will come at your own cost.
Will I have a work placement?
This course can be taken in sandwich mode, which means you can take a year to work in industry between your second and final years of study. Sandwich placements are relevant to your degree subject and are paid roles. It is the very best way of preparing you for successfully finding a job quickly when you graduate.
For those students who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching you also have the option to select a module for which you will be required to undertake a short-term placement in a school or college.
How long is my placement?
Sandwich placements last for between 9-13 months. Work-based learning module placements are normally one day a week for either one or two terms depending on the number of credits available from the module.
What are the financial arrangements?
Sandwich placements are paid roles whereas work-based learning module placements are normally unpaid.
What sort of careers do graduates pursue?
Former Games and Digital Media students have secured placement years at Disney, Space Ape Games, Nickelodeon, and Warner Brothers.
Career destinations include the independent and mobile games sectors as programmers, modellers and designers, the Augmented, Virtual and Mixed reality developers, UI and UX designers for digital media and games, games content creators and deliverers, back-end developers and content managers.
Recent positions secured by Games Design and Digital Media graduates include Motion Capture Technician at The Imaginarium Studios, Serious Games Developer at Arup, Software Engineer at Bossa Studios, and Creative Product Specialist at Celtra.
Are internships available?
Students are encouraged to take up Summer internships during the Summer holidays, though it is up to the student to find them. Support is available to students from the Employability and Careers Service when applying for placements and internships.
Do you provide employability services?
Employability activities take place all the time at Greenwich and students are encouraged to take part in as many opportunities as possible. The central Employability and Careers Service provides support for students preparing to apply for placements and graduate roles, such as CV clinics, mock interviews and employability skills workshops. In addition, your School has a dedicated Employability Officer who will be organising work-related activities throughout the year which will help you to build you industry knowledge and networks.
Support and advice
Academic skills and study support
We want you to make the most of your time with us. You can access study skills support through your tutor, our subject librarians, and our online academic skills centre.
Where appropriate, we provide support in academic English and mathematics. If you need to use particular IT packages for a specific module, we provide training for this.
Accommodation information
Not quite what you were looking for?
We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our undergraduate prospectus or check our related courses below.
Games and digital media at the University of Greenwich
Our digital media degrees are accredited by the British Computer Society. Study at Greenwich for access to high-spec labs and facilities including Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets.
Visit our games and digital media subject page.
Ian Livingstone CBE: Fighting Fantasy and Tomb Raider
Dubbed 'the godfather of gaming', Ian Livingstone co-founded the Games Workshop, wrote the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, and released Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as Chairman of Eidos in the 1990s.
Games and digital media courses
Games and digital media subject page Subject page Search our digital media courses All courses
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