BA (Hons) Games Art
Seeking to turn your artistic vision into breathtaking game environments and striking characters? Our BA (Hons) Games Art degree offers highly practical tuition designed to develop your skills in digital asset creation for games development, focusing on 3D modelling, texturing and lighting so you can learn to create artwork using techniques used in the latest AAA games.
BA (Hons) Games Art
Award
BA (Hons)
Start Date
To be confirmed
Duration
6 years
Mode
Part-time
Location
University of Greater Manchester
Seeking to turn your artistic vision into breathtaking game environments and striking characters? Our BA (Hons) Games Art degree offers highly practical tuition designed to develop your skills in digital asset creation for games development, focusing on 3D modelling, texturing and lighting so you can learn to create artwork using techniques used in the latest AAA games.
Course Overview
There are over 2250 active games companies in the UK, with over 150 in the North West of England alone (1). Our Games Art degree was designed after consultation with industry experts from a number of these companies and aims to prepare you for a career creating interactive worlds and charismatic characters for the games industry.Taking an intensely practical approach that is designed to mimic the working environment found in the games industry, we’ll work to develop your understanding of the creative and technical possibilities of games art. Our studio-based course will guide you from the basics of 3D art, through to the creation of props, character and environment modelling and design, texturing, lighting and presentation.
We share your passion for games and offer a supportive atmosphere where you can show your work and respond to critiques, which may come from staff, your peers or guest experts from industry. These sessions help you learn to develop your ideas and improve your presentation and communication skills ready for a career in this ever-growing industry.
(1) Ukie, UK Games Map - https://ukie.org.uk/uk-games-map - accessed on 19 July 2025
Highlights
- Our Animation and Games courses are ranked 1st in the UK for Teaching Satisfaction and Feedback Satisfaction, according to The Guardian University Guide 2025.
- Our Computer Science courses are 5th in the UK for Student Satisfaction, according to The Complete University Guide 2026.
- Interdisciplinary projects with students from our other games courses give you opportunities to learn the vocabulary, production pipelines and work cultures of these disciplines along with valuable team working skills.
- Our dedicated games labs feature high-specification hardware and industry-standard software, including Wacom Cintiq drawing screens, Pixologic Zbrush, Autodesk Maya, and Substance Painter/Designer.
- Our Game Jams are great opportunities to build your social network and practice your team working, problem solving and project management skills.
- In our portfolio modules, you can focus your project on the area of games art in which you wish to specialise, giving you the chance to create a portfolio piece aligned with your interest.
- Each year, you’ll work with students from our other games courses to produce a complete game demo that will be available for industry employers to view at the end-of-year student showcase.
Key Features
- University of Greater Manchester 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.
- Our dedicated games tutors have a vast range of industry experience and an extensive network of contacts in the games industry. Members of our team have worked in AAA studios, run their own studios, worked freelance and are actively conducting research.
- Team working and collaboration are essential for games industry success, so we encourage you to work on games projects in interdisciplinary teams with students from our other games courses.
- Industry experts from the leading games studios in the UK, along with alumni now successful in the sector, are regularly invited to give guest lectures on aspects of games development.
- We’ll help and support you to develop a portfolio of work that demonstrates your skills in readiness to impress potential employers.
Entry Requirements
- Your Level 3 subjects must include at least one creative subject that includes some art and design; for instance, A-level Art and Design or BTEC Extended Diploma in Interactive Media.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade 4/C or above (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
- You'll be required to attend an interview and provide a portfolio of appropriate 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
As a BA (Hons) Games Art graduate you’ll be able to demonstrate skills in creativity, communication, teamwork, problem-solving and project management. You’ll also be able to work independently, develop concepts and respond to briefs. The key to gaining employment in the games industry is the quality of your portfolio, and developing this, is an integral part of the course. Our expert staff will support you to develop a personal portfolio of knowledge and experiences that reflect industry needs.
What can I do with this qualification?
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. For some of these roles, both relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required. Some of these careers include:
- Film
- Advertising
- Marketing
- Web design
- Broadcast media
- Teaching
- Digital media
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Greater Manchester’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@greatermanchester.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Greater Manchester’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@greatermanchester.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees: 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.
Home Undergraduate Tuition Fee Adjustment
The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The tuition fee set is based on the regulations and guidance in force at the time of offer but remains subject to adjustment in accordance with any government-approved inflationary increase. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for all years of study, including the first year, by no more than the maximum increase permitted under legislation and regulatory guidance issued by the UK Government and the Office for Students.
Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.
This approach ensures that tuition fees remain compliant with applicable legislation, proportionate to inflationary changes, and consistent with government policy linking permitted fee uplifts to the maintenance of high-quality education and outcomes. For more information, please refer to the government guidance at: gov.uk – Universities to deliver better outcomes in return for full fees.
Postgraduate and International Tuition Fee Adjustment
The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for subsequent years of study in accordance with its Course Fees Policy. Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.
How to apply
Teaching & Assessment
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you achieve your potential, including lectures, demonstrations, practical lab sessions, critique sessions (peer and assessed), reflective learning through journals and logs for various activities, as well as online sessions and support. Creating your portfolio is a vital part of the course, allowing you to demonstrate your creativity and skills in the construction of concept art and 2D and 3D assets such as characters, environments and vehicles.
The course is very practical in nature, offering opportunities for you to develop high-level of visual creativity and 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 video reports, assignments, projects, case study analyses, demonstrations, presentations, and others. These contribute to your final module mark and allow you to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes. We also use other forms of assessment to help you learn, especially critique sessions. These provide you with feedback and inform your development, though these do not 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.
- Games Art Pipeline 01
- Games Art Pipeline 02
- Portfolio Presentation Skills
- Digital Character Creation 01
- Digital World Creation 01
- Games Development 01
- Texturing for Games
- Digital World Creation 02
- Digital Character Creation 02
- Digital World Creation 03
- Digital Character Creation 03
- Games Development 02
- Portfolio and Employability 01
- Portfolio and Employability 02
- Practical Development Research
- Major Project
- Games Development 03
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 67% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 33% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 67% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 33% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 67% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 33% |
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.
Related Courses
BSc (Hons) Games Programming with foundation year Full-time
University of Greater Manchester
4 Years
Postgraduate Options
Programme Contacts
Disclaimer: The “Greater Manchester Way” represents our preferred teaching and learning approach; however, not all courses follow a block-teaching model. While course structures and delivery patterns may vary to meet Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, all courses benefit from the GM Way approach to curriculum design and assessment. Applicants and students should refer to individual course specifications for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
