Computer Games Development with Foundation Year

Why study Computer Games Development with Foundation Year at Liverpool John Moores University?

• Dedicated Gaming lab with VR-Ready Workstations, PlayStation Development Kit, Xbox Development Kit , VR (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Playstation VR, Gear VR) Development Kit, Microsoft HoloLens, and Motion Capture System

• Incorporating industry standard curriculum - PlayStation First and Unreal Academic Partner into teaching

• Academic society (LJMU IGDA Academic Chapter) and annual student events such as LJMU Game Showcase and LJMU Game Jam

• Opportunity to undertake a year's paid industrial placement thanks to our links with over 450 local, national and international organisations, including SCEE, Lucid Games, Atomicom,Damibu,Setgo Games, Fish in a Bottle, TribePlay in China

• Regular visits by game industry professionals who offer career and technical advice

• Exciting career opportunities with games development companies like Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Rockstar North, Electronic Arts, Jagex, Lucid Games, TT-Games, Hello Games, PlayDemand, V-Time

About your course
The BSc (Hons) Computer Games Development with Foundation Year at Liverpool John Moores University is the ideal course if you are interested in this subject but lack the necessary qualifications to study it at degree level. Computer games development is a very technically demanding process and developers are required to possess a wide range of technical skills including computer programming, computer graphics and mathematics.

In addition, they are also expected to have strong knowledge of gaming console and PC hardware architecture. This course will prepare you to be a computer game developer ready to work and succeed in this challenging and exciting industry. The topics typically covered in this course include:

• C/C++ computer programming languages

• Applied mathematics for game physics and computer graphics

• Shader-based 3D graphics programming using industry standard API such as OpenGL and DirectX

• Multi-platforms (PC and consoles) gameplay programming, including techniques such as game content pipelining, multi-threading, artificial intelligence, memory management and optimisation

• Game design, level design, game production and digital game content production

Our Games Technology Lab with its Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 consoles, and industry standard software, together with excellent technical support, mean that you will get plenty of hands-on experience and extensive opportunities to build up a portfolio to show and impress prospective employers.

The School of Computer Science and Mathematics has strong links with many local, national and international games development companies, including SCEE, Atomicom, Lucid Games, Damibu, Setgo Games, Eutechnyx, and Jagex to name but a few. These employers work with us to ensure that the course is current and up-to-date, and that graduates are able to meet the demands of the games industry for skilled developers.

Our strong links also mean that you will have plenty of options when you come to choose your work placement.

Your Lecturers
This research-informed and practice-driven course is taught by a team of lecturers who have rich industry background and are research active. All teaching staff have doctoral degrees in their respective areas of expertise and they have professional collaborations with Games industry. Staff in the Department of Computer Science and Mathematics actively participates in research to further the development of state-of-the-art computing technologies.

About the Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the ability to study for a degree but don't have the qualifications to enter directly onto the Computer Games Development honours degree programme. Once you pass the Foundation Year you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree.

Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose.

You will be assessed by a combination of coursework and exams plus an independent final year project which contributes substantially to your final mark. Your tutors will give prompt and constructive feedback via Canvas (our virtual learning environment), face-to-face or in writing. This will help you to identify your strengths as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work.