Game Art - BA (Hons)

University of Derby

Become a flexible, industry-ready game artist or animator— suited to both indie and AAA studios.

Join our Games@Derby community, where artists, designers, and programmers work together just like real game development teams.

Build creative and technical skills you can use not only in games, but also in animation, XR and other creative industries. By the time you graduate, you will be able to: - Understand modern game art techniques, including 2D, 3D, animation and real-time production. - Understand how art, design, and programming work together in small, agile teams. - Use ethical and professional approaches to game development, including the responsible use of AI tools. - Create and integrate high-quality assets using industry-standard software and workflows. - Show adaptability, teamwork, and creativity suited to careers in games, serious games or other creative sectors.

Derby has a long-standing reputation in the international games sector, this course is shaped and supported by real studios and professionals. This course gives you the creative and technical skills needed to work as a game artist, or animator, including modelling, texturing, animation, and integrating art into real-time environments. It has been designed with help from industry professionals, so it stays relevant to the current and future sector needs.

The programme will support you if you wish to pursue freelance or independent development by offering the opportunity to integrate business and entrepreneurial skills into your studies. Graduates emerge with the ability to thrive in small teams, AAA environments, or broader industries that use real-time technologies such as XR, simulation and virtual production — always grounded in the mindset of a game developer.