Game Development BA(Hons) (Online)
From concept to creation: become an enterprising game developer.
Course overview
On this online Game Development degree, you’ll establish your specialism within the field, gaining industry-level technical, creative and professional skills in an online environment that mirrors a real remote games studio.
You’ll work just as you would in industry, learning to communicate and collaborate effectively as you operate in multi-skilled teams to develop your own games from the outset, while studying flexibly from almost anywhere in the world.
You’ll also collaborate online across time zones, learning to plan handovers, document decisions and keep projects moving between optional live sessions.
Why study this course at Falmouth?
- Gain experience with leading game engines and production tools used by professional studios worldwide
- Explore specialist areas such as narrative design, user experience, level design and production management
- Develop your technical and creative skills in an online studio environment that reflects industry practice
- Build your own games from the very first module, and collaborate with others on multidisciplinary projects
- Learn from experienced academics and active industry professionals from Falmouth’s award-winning Games Academy: No.1 in England for Game Design (Princeton Review 2026)
- Work in teams to simulate real studio pipelines, building skills in communication, project management and version control
- Prepare for industry with a professional portfolio, entrepreneurial mindset and the confidence to pitch your own ideas
- Study flexibly and remotely while still being part of a supportive, connected creative community
Interested in studying this Online degree? Join our virtual Q&A on 10 November.
Find out moreCourse details
You'll work across concept development, coding, art, audio and storytelling to understand how each element shapes a game. As you progress, you'll place greater emphasis on design and build - the skills that support your own approach to creating games.
Collaboration sits at the heart of the course, so you’ll work in multi-skilled teams that reflect real online studio environments. As you progress, you’ll move from short prototypes to more ambitious projects, building confidence, creative range and production experience along the way. You’ll use both optional live sessions and independent workflows, building habits such as task management, version control, developing good documentation and end-of-day handovers so your team can make progress around the clock – just like you would in industry.
From module information to course aims and assessment criteria, discover the full course details:
|
Graduates from similar courses at Falmouth University have founded award-winning game development studios and worked at companies including 10:10 Games, Creative Assembly, Kilo, King and Rare |
 |
Students will have the chance to hear from industry experts. Games Academy guest speakers have included Grassrootz gameplay programmer James Heath, Escape Velocity narrative designer Arah Collins and award-winning film concept artist Bob Cheshire (Blade Runner 2049, Jurassic World Rebirth) |
Module details
You’ll explore what makes games work, from the ideas and theories behind play, to the tools and teamwork that bring them to life. You’ll learn how to design and balance systems, manage projects in collaborative teams and build playable prototypes that connect mechanics, story and player experience.
Game Tools & Technology
Games are created through a production pipeline that brings together every element of the finished digital artifact, from code and art to audio, narrative and animation.
In this module, you’ll use a modern game engine such as Unity or Unreal to explore each stage of that process and understand how these elements combine to form a playable experience. You’ll also develop a working knowledge of essential production tools, including version control, to help you collaborate effectively in a professional development environment.
Understanding Games
Games are one of the dominant cultural products of our time. They shape how we interact, tell stories and experience entertainment, blending technology, creativity, and social dynamics in new ways.
In this module, you’ll explore the theoretical and critical discourse relating to the mechanics, aesthetics and narrative of games.
Narrative Design
A narrative has the potential to capture players' imagination and live beyond the confines of its digital form.
In this module, you will build on your experiences in 'Systems & Mechanics' to layer in a narrative context to designed systems, and ground them in a constructed reality.
Systems & Mechanics
The interplay between game mechanics and systems forms the foundation of every engaging player experience.
In this module, you’ll create small prototypes to explore how these elements interact and influence player behaviour. You’ll also examine the player experience in detail, learning how to design systems that shape emotion, challenge and enjoyment.
Introduction to Teamworking
Games are created by multidisciplinary teams, and it’s rare for a single person to make one alone.
In this module, you’ll learn the project management techniques used across the games industry by taking part in a series of short, fast-paced projects inspired by game jam practices. After each project, you’ll reflect on your process, evaluate what worked well, and apply those insights to your next piece of work.
Building on your growing expertise, you’ll take on your first large-scale game project, creating a world, developing a playable prototype and refining it into a polished vertical slice.
You’ll explore how narrative, environment design and player experience shape meaningful gameplay, using formal playtesting to guide your decisions and improve your work.
Collaboration
You’ll explore what effective collaboration looks like and build the soft skills that support it, including communication, negotiation and reflective practice. Through lectures, webinars and creative skills exchange sessions, you’ll learn how groups work, how to contribute confidently and how to apply reflection to your own development.
You’ll then join a team of creatives from different online courses and respond to a set challenge based on a real problem. Together you’ll research, plan and create a final output in a format that suits your project.
Game Balance & Feel
Game systems are built from many interconnected variables. To create a balanced, challenging and engaging experience, you need to understand how these systems interact and how to adjust them effectively. In this module, you’ll build on what you learned in ‘Systems & Mechanics’ to explore the art of balancing gameplay.
You’ll also discover how user experience design helps players read and understand these systems, making your games more intuitive and rewarding to play.
Level Design
Spaces in video games are designed with intent. This can include guiding the player, helping them learn the game’s mechanics and systems, exploring a narrative, or providing space for conflict.
In this module, you’ll apply lessons from architecture to build virtual environments that engage and challenge players.
The Player Experience
Up to this point, you’ve been making decisions based on intuition or trial and error. In this module, you’ll learn formal methods of playtesting that will help you make informed choices throughout the development process.
Game Production
In this module, you’ll begin your first large-scale game project. You’ll start by building a world to guide your creative and technical decisions, applying techniques from ‘Introduction to Teamworking’ and ‘Game Tools & Technology’.
You’ll follow the production process established in earlier modules, reflecting on your own and your group’s decisions to refine your practice.
In your final year, you’ll apply your skills to briefs that reflect real industry practice, explore how game development extends beyond games, and build a professional portfolio.
You will develop commercial awareness by pitching the concept for your portfolio's hero piece, before taking your major project from concept to completion using production methods that mirror industry practice.
Professional Portfolio
To make the transition from education to industry, you’ll develop your professional identity alongside a portfolio of work.
In this module, you’ll use a continuous professional development approach to assess your current skillset and career goals. You'll pitch the concept for your hero piece, then create a development plan and build a portfolio that showcases your progress.
Games & Culture
Games are now one of the most influential cultural forms, shaping how people create, communicate and share stories. Their reach is wide and they deserve to be studied with the same care we give to film, art or literature.
This module builds on the cultural grounding you developed in your first year and gives you space to look outward. It helps you connect your own interests with the bigger picture of contemporary video games.
You will explore how games affect players and society, examine the ideas and communities that surround them, and grow a more confident sense of where your work sits within today’s fast moving games culture.
Transferability
Games development techniques and tools are increasingly being used outside the games industry, in fields such as film, visualisation, health, education and business services.
In this module, you’ll explore how your game development skillset can be applied in real-world contexts. You’ll do this by working on live briefs from non-games clients, such as charities or researchers, and by exploring these topics through a problem-based learning approach.
Major Project: Production
The goal is to deliver your product to market, applying the production methodologies learned in previous stages. You’ll use the lessons gained throughout the course to anticipate challenges, refine your approach and complete your final piece of work.
Got questions about the course, funding or online study?
Your Course Advisor Claire is here to help.
Learning and support
On this accelerated degree you'll learn through a blend of recorded learning content, learning activities, guest talks, tasks and discussion forums, which you'll access via our dedicated virtual learning environment. This is also where you'll find all key documentation, see course announcements and access extensive learning resources.
What support will I have?
You'll be supported academically by Online Tutors, who will also deliver weekly learning activities and facilitate the online forums. If you need assistance with anything that isn't directly related to course material, a dedicated Student Advisor team will be on hand to help. You'll also have access to Falmouth University's Employability Service.
What will my study hours be?
Based on the total learning time for the accelerated online courses, an average study week for part-time students can be up to 33 hours. As our online courses are intended to be flexible the actual time required to study will vary based on the level of study, the module week, and individual learning pace.
What does accelerated study mean?
An accelerated degree condenses your degree modules into three years on the part-time route. This means you'll be working across three study blocks per year, instead of two, including through the summer. Typically, there is a break of around two weeks between submitting your final assignment for each module and the start of the next study block. You will also get breaks on public holidays, for around two weeks at Easter and for around three weeks in December.
Assessment methods
Assessments are 100% coursework, submitted in an electronic format to the virtual learning environment, and designed to reflect professional practice. Assessment methods include:
- Projects
- Portfolios
- Pitches
- Reports
- Essays
Assessment provides the course team with a means of offering tailored guidance alongside advice on how to progress your knowledge and skills in key areas. The course team will support you throughout your time on the course; helping address your academic strengths and weaknesses.
- Dedicated easy-to-use virtual learning environment (VLE)
- Accessible online audio / visual content
- A Student Advisor to support you throughout your studies and access to our Student Support Services
- Access to our Employability Service
- 24/7 access to Falmouth's extensive online library of contextual books, journals and resources
- Access to online software tutorials at LinkedIn Learning
- Students' Union community
- Optional in-person events
- Invitation to attend alumni events
Although online students don't have access to on-campus facilities as part of the course, you can hire equipment and access facilities by paying a charge. Find out more about availability and prices here.
Your online study setup
To get the most out of your online studies with Falmouth, we recommend using a desktop or laptop computer with reliable internet access. This will enable you to fully experience our Virtual Learning Environment, which houses your course material, module videos and webinar recordings, discussion forums and more. Please note while a mobile phone or tablet can support you in your studies, they are not suitable as your primary means of engagement.
If you have any questions, our friendly course advisors are here to help.
Meet the team
Course Leader: Dr Romana Ramzan
Dr Romana Ramzan is Course Leader for BA Games (Online) at Falmouth University, overseeing the university’s online games provision, including BA Game Art (Online) and BA Game Development (Online). She joined Falmouth in 2026, bringing with her extensive experience spanning games production, academia, research, and industry advocacy. Before joining Falmouth, Romana was Senior Producer at the BAFTA Award-winning Screen Burn Interactive in Glasgow. She also spent over a decade in academia, most notably as a lecturer in Games Design at Glasgow Caledonian University. Alongside her work in games and education, Romana has held a number of significant board and governance roles across the UK’s creative industries, including serving on the Board of the British Film Institute as Governor for Scotland. She is also a board member of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Careers
Today’s creative industries are thriving and diverse. Discover the Falmouth graduates whose lives have been shaped by their creativity, explore where a degree at Falmouth could take you and learn about our Employability service.
How to apply
Apply now
Are you ready to apply for this part-time Online degree? Click the button below to start your application journey.
| Course route | Part-time |
|---|---|
| Course start | September 2027 |
Applying as an international student?
If you are ready to apply for this Online degree, you can use the apply buttons within the section above to start your application. For more information on the application journey and for details on the steps to follow you can visit our apply for an Online Undergraduate Degree page or speak to one of our friendly Course Advisors using our online form.
Application advice & interview information
Go to ToolkitThe application deadline for this course is 6 September 2027. The academic start date is 20 September 2027*.
*Virtual Welcome Week begins the week before the academic start date. During this time, our Student Advisor team will host Welcome Webinars and be in touch with practical information on how to study online.
We consider all applications on their own individual merit and potential.
Our diverse community is creative, innovative and entrepreneurial. We recognise that these qualities aren’t always shown in academic grades alone. That’s why, while many of our applicants achieve high academic grades, we also welcome those who can demonstrate their potential through an exceptional portfolio or performance.
We welcome applications from all subject backgrounds, whether you’ve specialised in STEM, the arts or humanities. Find out more about our Entry Requirements here.
BA/BSc(Hons) degree: minimum 64 UCAS Tariff points
Check how many points your qualifications are worth
Portfolio
Some of our online undergraduate degrees require you to create and submit a digital portfolio as part of the application process.
Check our portfolio advice pages for more information
Applying without UCAS points
We'll welcome your application if you have formal or 'certified' learning (such as training courses not run by universities or colleges) and learning from work experience or self-study. This is called Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL), and should have been gained within the last five years, and be equivalent to the learning outcomes of our minimum entry qualifications. Find out more about APL.
Transfers to Year 2 and 3
Falmouth welcomes applications to transfer into Year 2 and Year 3. If you have already completed some studies at university level then you may be eligible to transfer to either Year 2 or Year 3. Find out more about transferring to Falmouth.
At Falmouth, we'll consider the equivalency of your specific qualifications against our entry requirements and support you through your application journey.
View our International Entry Requirements
Language requirements
For applicants whose first language is English we require you to have or be working towards GCSE English Language Grade 4 (C), or equivalent.
If English is not your first language you will need to meet the same standard which is equivalent to the IELTS Academic 6.0 overall score, with at least 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. We accept a range of in country equivalencies and approved tests.
If you need a student visa to study in the UK, you may need to take a recognised language test. You can read our English Language Requirements for more information.
For more information about equivalent international qualifications or English language requirements please contact our friendly Course Advisors.
Fees, costs & funding
| Annual tuition fee | Student |
|---|---|
| £6,935 per year | 3 years accelerated part-time |
| Annual tuition fee | Student |
|---|---|
| £6,935 per year | 3 years accelerated part-time |
Tuition fees for September 2028 will be confirmed in summer 2027.
Tuition fees are set annually. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or UK Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.
The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.
Typical course costs
One-off costs for the duration of the course
- £40 - Consumable electronics
- £30–£150 - Headset with microphone
- £25–£100 - Webcam
- (Optional) Approx. £110 - Further recommended reading
- Find our most up-to-date computer recommendations for your course here. There are also specifications below.
- For this course we recommend a computer that has plenty of power, as students will be working on or with complex 3D assets and game engines, which are resource-heavy.
You will also need a reliable broadband internet connection: we recommend fibre broadband if available, with a minimum of 5Mbps.
If you have further questions, need more detailed advice or would like us to check the suitability of a particular item, then please email games.support@falmouth.ac.uk.
If you need extra equipment or materials to study this course, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.
Recommended Desktop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1380 - £2000
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X or Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 - Memory: 16GB DDR5 (32GB is ideal but will push the budget due to current RAM prices — see warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Secondary Storage: 1TB or higher SATA SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Minimum Desktop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1100 - £1300
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X or Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT (RTX 5060 as fallback if Ti exceeds budget)
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (see RAM warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Recommended Laptop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1600 - £2000
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 265H or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (32GB is ideal but will push the budget due to current RAM prices — see warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
Operating System: Windows 11
Minimum Laptop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1400 - £1600
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 260 or Intel Core Ultra 5 235H
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (see RAM warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Welcome to BA(Hons) Game Development (Online). Here you will find information about any pre-course preparation, as well confirmation of your tuition fees together with any other costs that you might incur.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for undergraduate students starting in September 2027
Essential
Find our most up-to-date computer recommendations for your course here.
Recommended Desktop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1380 - £2000
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X or Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (32GB is ideal but will push the budget due to current RAM prices — see warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Secondary Storage: 1TB or higher SATA SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Minimum Desktop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1100 - £1300
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X or Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT (RTX 5060 as fallback if Ti exceeds budget)
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (see RAM warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Recommended Laptop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1600 - £2000
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 265H or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (32GB is ideal but will push the budget due to current RAM prices — see warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Minimum Laptop Specifications
- Rough price range: £1400 - £1600
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 260 or Intel Core Ultra 5 235H
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 (see RAM warning above)
- Main Storage: 1TB or higher M.2 NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 11
Headset with Microphone
A headset with a microphone is required for classes. We recommend purchasing a high-quality headset for your comfort. Manufacturers such as Sennheiser, Razer, HyperX, SteelSeries and Corsair are highly rated by our current students. These can cost between £30 - £150.
Webcam
You will need a webcam for classes. Manufacturers such as Logitech, Microsoft, and Razer are highly rated by our current students. These can cost between £25 - £100.
Internet Access
It is important that you secure sufficient access to the Internet as all materials are made available to you through our virtual learning environment. We recommend a fibre broadband connection if available, but a minimum of at least 5Mbps will be suitable for live-streaming content. If you have further questions, need more detailed advice or would like us to check the suitability of a particular model, then please email games.support@falmouth.ac.uk
Reading lists
As we will be studying games and the theory of games studies, as well as making them, these books are relevant:
Essential reading
Keogh, B., 2023. The Videogame Industry Does Not Exist: Why We Should Think Beyond Commercial Game Production. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts £29.75 (or free eBook at https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph-pdf/2232827/book_9780262374132.pdf )
Fullerton, T., 2024. Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fifth edition. ed, An A K Peters book. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London £53.68
We recommend familiarising yourself with these websites, often used in the wider game development world:
Gamesindustry.biz: www.gamesindustry.biz/
Well Played Journal: http://press.etc.cmu.edu/wellplayed
Game Developer: https://www.gamedeveloper.com
GDC Vault: www.gdcvault.com/
Game Makers Toolkit www.youtube.com/@GMTK/playlists
Optional reading
Lemarchand, R., 2021. A Playful Production Process: For Game Designers. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. £42.15
Suits, B., 1978. The Grasshopper: games, life and utopia. Broadview Press. RRP £29.95 (Get the 2005 edition with the green cover if you can, it has lovely illustrations)
Keith, Clinton., 2020. Agile Game Development with SCRUM. £37.99
Pre-enrolment task
A list of all the software we use can be found here - https://github.com/Falmouth-Games-Academy/ga-software-list#readme
At this stage many students want to know what we would recommend they do to be properly prepared for the course in September. The primary tool we will be using for game-making in the first term is Unity. Please download the version of Unity indicated in the software list link
https://unity.com/releases/editor/archive
You should download and begin to familiarise yourself with this software as soon as you can. It’s free and the tutorials are located at https://learn.unity.com/tutorials
We will be expecting students to have undertaken several of the beginner level Unity tutorials to hit the ground running with the software in September. The more familiar you are with this software, the easier you will find the course. Developing and keeping up to date with the software is something we expect students to continuously do.
Suggested reading/watching/playing
Invest time in building your creativity - continue learning and looking for opportunities to see the world around and express it through any medium you like, such as photographs, drawing and story.
Play as many games as possible — including bad ones, indie titles and genres outside your comfort zone — as well as board and card games. Broaden your experiences, diversify the media you consume and the cultures you explore, and consider how all of it connects back to games. Carry a notebook. Draw diagrams. Sketch images. Jot down rules. Whenever you see or do anything, ask yourself, "How could I make a game out of this?"
Virtual Learning Environment
During your time studying with us you’ll have access to our dedicated Virtual Learning Environment. This provides a space to engage with course materials and connect with your lecturers and fellow students. Each degree has a ‘Course Hub’ which you will be able to access via the Virtual Learning Environment.
From there, you will be able to use our online forums to discuss your work with other students. Your Course Hub also contains useful information regarding resource lists, course toolkits and assessment guidance to help keep you on track. You will also have access to a ‘Student Hub’ which covers support, regulations and study skills for your time at Falmouth.
Similar courses
Visual Communication BA(Hons) (Online)
Get ahead in the vibrant, ever-evolving field of visual communications with this exciting online cou...
Photography BA(Hons) (Online)
With a distinct focus on global digital communication, this online photography degree will equip you...
Interior Design BA(Hons) (Online)
Test the bounds of what's possible to achieve in interior spaces and develop the entrepreneurial kno...
Integrated Master’s Combined Arts MA (Online)
This Combined Arts online degree gives you the opportunity to explore a wide range of creative disci...
Illustration BA(Hons) (Online)
Gain the professional practice and entrepreneurial skills needed to turn your talent into a successf...
Game Art BA(Hons) (Online)
On this online Game Art degree, you’ll develop the creative and technical skills needed to thrive ...
Creative Writing BA(Hons) (Online)
Whether you dream of penning novels, writing for games, creating compelling digital campaigns or wri...
Combined Arts: Creativity BA(Hons)
This programme is unique: an online BA(Hons) Combined Arts degree championing independence, true cre...
Business & Marketing BSc(Hons) (Online)
Become a skilled, confident, ethical and future-ready business and marketing professional with this ...
