Design, production, testing. Study Game Design and gain experience in the full game production pipeline.

What you can expect from your degree

The gaming industry has exploded in recent years thanks to exciting technological advances that have opened the door to dynamic, immersive experiences like never before. With gaming companies on the lookout for talented game designers, programmers and testers, nows the perfect time to study a game design degree course.

At SAE, youll learn how to design and develop next-level video games while advancing your game development and programming skills. Beat the competition by graduating industry-ready more quickly with a 2-year accelerated degree (all campuses) – saving money on course and accommodation fees – or take the more traditional 3-year route (across all campuses from September 2025 onwards).

Across your time at SAE, youll explore level design and narrative construction by completing real-world project briefs in a simulated games studio environment. Youll gain advanced skills in industry-standard software packages, such as Unreal Engine 5, Unity 3D, Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk Suite (Maya) and Visual Studio, plus expert proficiency in programming languages C# and C++.

SAEs highly experienced Experts will introduce you to the professional world of game design, showing you the ropes in programming, UI/UX design and industry workflows. As you explore common game engines and asset development fundamentals, youll complete group projects and run playtesting for the games youve developed, validating your understanding of game design theory and application.

What you'll learn

At the end of your Game Design degree you will:

Learn game development and master your craft in a collaborative studio-based environment.

Confidently operate the latest industry software, including Unreal Engine 5, Autodesks Maya, Unity 3D, Visual Studio and Adobe Creative Suite.

Blend hands-on immersive training with academic learning for well-rounded education from day one.

Design and playtest games you love playing.

Gain entrepreneurial and business skills to take into your game design career.

Collaborate creatively on games projects with SAE students from other courses, such as animators, musicians, filmmakers and marketers.

Develop a significant portfolio of work to present to industry.

Build an impressive network of connections across the wider creative industries.

Graduate career ready with practical employment skills gained through strong industry links.

Game design course start dates available in January and September.

Career Outcomes

What jobs will this course lead to?

Game Designer

Game Tester

Game Programmer

Game Animator

Game Developer

Android Developer

Concept Artist

VFX artist

Game Writer

Level Designer

Gaming Journalist

UI Designer