Computer Games (Including Foundation Year)

University of Essex

Our BSc Computer Games (including Foundation Year) could be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entry requirements for a three-year version of our computer science, electronic engineering and mathematics courses and you want a programme that improves your skills to support your academic performance. Open to UK and EU applicants, this four-year course includes a Foundation Year (known as Year Zero) which is delivered by our Essex Pathways Department followed by a further three years of study in our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering. During Year Zero you will study on our Computer Science, Electronic Engineering and Mathematics Pathway which will cover topics such as statistical analysis and modelling, and computer programming. At the end of Year Zero all students who pass the pathway will have a choice of which course to progress with. As well as BSc Computer Games students on the Computer Science, Electronic Engineering and Mathematics Pathway could also study BSc Computer Science, BSc Mathematics or BEng Electronic Engineering. This is a degree in world-making. You craft stories, characters and plot in order to build imaginary worlds that a player can journey through. Our work is driven by creativity and imagination as well as technical excellence; at Essex you master both game design and computer programming, giving you total control over the worlds you want to create. Our course gives you the skills to design and specify complex, non-trivial games through focusing on the following areas: the mechanics of a game, including gameplay elements and the relationship with story the concepts and techniques of computer game programming real and virtual worlds artificial intelligence behaviours for non-player characters 2D and 3D graphic effects and game objects (e.g. weapon systems)