Creative Computing with Foundation Year (Integrated Degree)

Whether you’re interested in creative coding, digital art, electronic music, or app and games development, this programme will prepare you for a technology-focused career in the creative industries.

This degree helps you develop the creative, technical and critical thinking skills essential for a career in the creative industries. You’ll develop coding skills, preparing you as a coder and creative technologist for a range of careers including app and games development, audio-visual effects, social media, digital art and advertising the fullest range of technical skills for the creative industries, preparing you as a programmer for jobs in games, web, mobile visual effects, social media, and digital advertising.

This is an alternative entry route for students without the formal academic profile to enter into degree level study. We will help you develop your undergraduate academic skills, whilst also teaching you foundations of programming, problem solving and maths.

Why study the BSc Creative Computing Integrated Degree (with Foundation Year) at Goldsmiths?

• Teaching on the programme is strongly focused on practical work in real-world situations, so you'll develop excellent technical and interpersonal skills that will enhance your employability.

• You don’t need to know how to code before you start. You'll begin by creating simple software programs, before gradually building your expertise.

• Your practical work will be underpinned by theory ranging from problem-solving strategies to professional software development models.

• You’ll benefit from Goldsmiths’ unique interdisciplinary approach to teaching Computing and explore how computing interacts with the arts, humanities and social sciences. And when you successfully complete the Foundation year, you’ll be eligible to progress onto your chosen undergraduate degree in Computing.

• This degree helps you develop the creative, technical and critical thinking skills essential for a career in creative technology and related areas – whether you're interested in app and games development, audio-visual effects, social media, digital art or digital advertising.

• You’ll learn creative technology skills from the ground up. You don't need to know how to code before you join the course: we begin with the basics and build you up to a professional industry standard.

• We’ll teach you multiple coding languages, covering areas such as graphics and sound, physical computing, creative AL and full-stack web development.

• The degree will nurture your development not just as a technical expert, but also as a creative thinker, allowing you to learn and explore through a combination of technology and imagination.

• This degree is hands-on and practical from the start. You’ll create your own games, apps, digital artwork and interactive music systems. By working on practical projects throughout your degree you’ll build a relevant skillset for your future career.

You’ll develop your own creative projects, which will increase in scale and ambition. As your degree progresses, you will personalise your studies by choosing from our range of option modules, including physical computing, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, machine learning, and digital performance.

You will learn creative thinking and design techniques by studying topics such as generative drawing and user-centred design, and will also develop key professional skills such as teamwork, project pitching, and project management.

Year 0 - (foundation year) is designed to prepare you for undergraduate study in computing. During the year you’ll learn the foundations of how to program a computer. You’ll work on practical examples of computing applications and learn to develop simple software programs which gradually increase in complexity. You’ll also work on your mathematical and problem-solving skills, as well as more general study skills.

Year 0 (Foundation Year) includes four integrated units of study:
Studying Computers
Foundations of Problem Solving
Foundations of Programming
Foundations of Mathematics for Computing

Year 1
You'll take the following compulsory modules:
Introduction to Programming
Front End Web
Designing Digital Interactions
Graphics 1
Sound and Signal 1
Creative Computing Project 1
Identity, Agency & Environment 1
Identity, Agency & Environment 2

Year 2
You will take the following compulsory modules:
Creative Embedded Systems
Dynamic Web Applications
Creative Computing Project 2

You'll then have the opportunity to choose from the following optional modules, or an option from across the Department of Computing.
Data Programming for Artificial Intelligence
Generative Drawing
Creative Game Engine Development
Graphics 2
Sound and Signal 2
Audio for Games and Immersive Experience
The Goldsmiths Elective
Goldsmiths’ Social Change Module

Optional placement year
Our degrees include an optional industrial placement year in your third year of study. You'll be responsible for securing a placement, but we can support you through this process.

The industrial placement year is a great opportunity for you to gain work experience, build confidence and contacts, develop your skills and industry insight, and enhance your career prospects.

You'll be supported throughout your placement year by a placement tutor, who will provide you with guidance and liaison between you and your employer.

Although we encourage you to take the opportunity of a placement year, you can opt not to do a placement and move straight into your final year of study.

Year 3 (or Year 4 with work placement)
You'll complete final projects and take optional modules from a list provided annually by the department.
Final Project in Creative Computing Prototype
Final Project in Creative Computing

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These may include coursework, examinations, group work and projects.