Level 5 HND in Game Development

Higher Education

Course Overview

Our BTEC HND in Game Development is specifically designed to provide you with advanced skills for exciting job opportunities or further advanced study in the field of Games Design and Development.

Our comprehensive program will immerse you in both the creative and technical aspects of game production. You will have access to state-of-the-art equipment including a Virtual Production Studio, and ULTRA high-spec PCs, where you will work with industry-standard technology such as cinema-grade motion-tracked cameras VR headsets and Xsens MVN Link motion capture systems.

You will also have the opportunity to develop your skills on popular software and hardware platforms like 3ds Max and Maya, Adobe Creative Suite, Marvellous Designer, and the Unreal game engine. We take pride in offering the very latest tools to ensure you stay up to date with industry advancements.

Through a combination of lectures, workshops, and tutorials, you will learn professional techniques that will enable you to build a strong portfolio. This portfolio will showcase your strengths and interests in game development.

Course Content

Year 1

Year 1 provides the foundation of learning by providing a broad introduction to games and different game design and development functions. This develops and strengthens core skills while preparing students for specialist subjects in Year 2 or entering employment with the qualities necessary for job roles that require some personal responsibility.

By the end of Year 1, students will have sound knowledge of the basic concepts of game development. They will be competent in a range of subject-specific skills as well as in general skills and qualities relevant to key areas of game development.

Year 2

Year 2 prepares students to move on to specific areas of game development at Level 6 (Final Year Degree) or to enter employment with the qualities and abilities necessary for roles that require personal responsibility and decision-making.

By the end of Year 2, students will have a sound understanding of the principles in their area of specialist study and will know how to apply those principles more widely in the business world. They will be able to perform effectively in their specialist area.

Entry Requirement

Level 3 Extended Diploma qualification in Art and Design or Media
GCE Advanced Level profile that demonstrates strong performance in a relevant subject or adequate performance in more than one GCE subject. This profile is likely to be supported by GCSE grades at A* to C (or equivalent) and/or 9 to 4 (or equivalent) in subjects such as maths and English

other related Level 3 qualifications
Access to Higher Education Diploma from an approved further education institution relevant work experience, or an international equivalent to the above qualifications.

Applications from mature candidates are welcomed and considered on an individual basis.

Assessment

All assessments are done via coursework and include the production of proposals, reports, presentations, 3D game assets, game levels, game mechanics, game interfaces, cinematics and game documentation. There are no exams

Where does this course lead to

This qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake it.
On successful completion of the Level 5 Higher National Diploma, students can develop their careers in the sector through:

entering employment
continuing existing employment
linking with the appropriate professional body
committing to Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
progressing to university.

The Level 5 Higher National Diploma is recognised by higher education providers as meeting admission requirements to many relevant games-related courses, for example: