
Immersive Computing BSc(Hons)
Be at the leading edge of a young and rapidly developing field.
Course overview
On this industry-focused Immersive Computing degree, you’ll practice the skills to become a daring computer scientist capable of creative, innovative thinking, utilising cutting-edge technology to create new and compelling products and services. You’ll gain practical, hands-on experience, growing your skills in programming, design and development of immersive technologies – ready for a career in a range of different industries.
You will
- Get practical hands-on experience, growing your skills in programming, design and development of immersive technologies
- Work in multi-disciplinary teams from the start, comprised of fellow students from design, art, robotics and artificial intelligence with an industry-focused, collaborative mindset
- Have opportunities to work with real businesses on live projects via collaboration with Immersive Business, Cornwall’s immersive technology hub
- Dive into developing specialist software for VR, AR and XR applications, working with a variety of immersive hardware
The placement year pathway is new for 2023 and subject to validation.
Course details
On this Immersive Computing degree, you'll have the opportunity to gain a BSc(Hons) degree over three years or the option to study Immersive Computing BSc(Hons) with an Integrated Foundation Year and/or placement year.
You'll gain practical experience in software engineering, computer science and immersive media research methods. We'll cover development pipelines like Agile with Scrum, and build your specialist knowledge of novel and emerging immersive technologies used across the spectrum of extended reality (XR) applications.
In your first year, you'll learn the foundational principles of software development including programming essentials and industry-standard development pipelines. You'll get a hands-on practical introduction to working in common game engines alongside creative experimentation with a variety of hardware and novel electronics. You’ll also develop essential multi-disciplinary team working skills necessary for working within the industry. This year is a common first year among all computing students.
Modules
Principles of Computing
In this module, you’ll learn the principles of computing, discrete mathematics, statistics and technical communication. Through a series of tasks, you’ll begin to use core computer science concepts, techniques and methods to solve practical problems and leverage algorithms in your solutions.
You'll also delve into the history of computing, engaging with the plurality of voices in the profession and the controversies evoked by algorithmic bias.
Digital Creativity
In this module, you'll explore digital media formats including text, image and sound. You’ll play, tinker, experiment with and extend digital artefacts, transforming what already exists in one form into another form as a means of appropriation. You will then integrate your digital artefacts with digital game technologies, notably game engines, to make them interactive in some way.
You’ll also consider moral and legal questions surrounding digital creativity, such as plagiarism, intellectual property law, licensing rights, representation and media literacy.
Development Foundations
In this module, you’ll gain foundational experience of the basic principles, terminology, roles and tools used in the development of digital products and services.
Through several small-scale team projects, you’ll practice a range of prototyping methods and pitch your idea for a future project. These projects will help you to develop your project management skills, while building a professional, inclusive and supportive studio culture.
Data Fundamentals
In this module, you’ll learn the fundamentals of the data science life cycle. This will include learning how to formulate questions, collect and clean data, explore and visualise data, make statistical inferences and predictions, and report insights in a way that informs decision making.
You'll also gain an awareness of the responsibilities, obligations and legalities of working with sensitive and personal data, including its collection, storage, analysis, management and transmission.
Individual Programming Project
In this module, you’ll refine your approach to computer programming by developing an architecturally sound project focused on object-orientated solutions.
Through this project, you’ll build your confidence with various interfaces that enable interaction within and across different system components. You’ll practice more disciplined software engineering methodologies, develop your mastery of the notations for describing and refactoring system architectures, and apply the mathematics associated with circuit design.
You’ll also gain a greater awareness of ethical considerations such as safety, accessibility, sustainability and the impact of supply chains.
Multidisciplinary Teamwork
In this module, you’ll work in multi-skilled teams to make a digital product or service in response to a prompt or brief.
This work will give you the opportunity to increase your knowledge of organising and managing a software development project. Working in a multidisciplinary team will also give you hands-on experience of the full systems development lifecycle and production pipelines in an ‘agile’ context commonly used in professional practice.
By the end of the module, you and your team should have produced and evaluated a modest but functional proof of concept.
In your second year, you’ll continue to deepen your understanding of core computer science by studying object-oriented programming. You’ll also expand your knowledge of the fundamental mathematics involved in the design, development and maintenance of real-time 3D worlds and simulations. You will get the opportunity to dive into developing specialist software for VR, AR, and XR applications, working with a variety of immersive hardware. You’ll continue to work on your group projects, taking the development of your products further through the development cycle.
Modules
Computational Mathematics
You’ll learn key mathematic principles, such as linear algebra, geometry, trigonometry, 3D transformation, and calculus that underpins computing. You’ll then apply these principles to your own technical working practices.
You’ll also explore the relationship between computational mathematics and cybersecurity, learning to program defensively and becoming familiar with security topics such as common threats and attack vectors, cryptography and steganography, certification and malware.
World Building: Pre-production
Working in a multi-skilled team, you’ll devise a concept for a digital ‘world creation’ project. You’ll also develop a broader understanding of key game art principles including world-building and exploratory concept work, prototyping, pre-production, and the early phases of production.
Virtual Reality
In this module, you’ll be introduced to the key principles of designing immersive experiences in virtual reality whilst also considering theoretical models, concepts and ideas that will enrich your work.
You will explore immersion, presence and simulation as design tools and build a knowledge of human-centred design using and appraising the capabilities of available historical and contemporary technologies. You’ll cover social dimensions such as the ethical aspects of immersion, and issues of diversity and inclusion such as the primacy of vision. You’ll also consider health and safety, with particular attention to cybersickness.
World Building: Production
Working in a multi-skilled team, you’ll continue to develop your ‘world creation’ project that you started during the previous study block.
You'll deliver content in line with production milestones and prepare to release your product and reach your target audience.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
In this module, you’ll explore the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. Considering real-world applications, you’ll conduct a practical research and development project looking to address a specific brief or challenge.
Through this work, you’ll get a chance to think about the legal, social, ethical, professional and sustainability implications of AI technologies. You’ll also examine how artificial intelligence and machine learning may impact computer technology and your future career aspirations.
You can choose to take an optional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year.
You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the RealWORKS employability team.
Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying.
How you’ll study during your placement year
You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks.
You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation.
Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth.
You’ll develop greater intellectual freedom, both as an individual but also in tackling a challenge in collaboration with others.
We'll further explore the industry, and help you prepare for your future as an immersive technology developer. You'll take on an individual research project in novel and emerging technology, as well as a year-long team project combining collective innovation and enterprise. At the end of the year, you'll pitch your project to industry professionals as part of our annual Show and Tell day.
Complementing this is a group project, through which you are expected to evaluate your ability to work with a group to produce an innovative digital product or service based on your own intellectual property.
Modules
Research & Development: Proposal
In this module, you’ll plan and commence an individual ‘major’ research and development project in computing. You can choose to conduct primary research centred on or supported by a novel computing artefact, or practice-based research with significant technical depth.
The development of your written proposal will include identifying an opportunity, critically reviewing relevant literature, setting a hypothesis and designing a mode of data collection, while considering all ethical implications, as well as prototyping a novel and substantial computing artefact.
Future Skills
Focusing on employability, you’ll develop a commercial awareness and entrepreneurial mindset. You’ll explore career options, including researching the skills required to set up your own business, establish yourself as a freelancer, or for use as an employee in a business or organisation.
You'll also devise a group project proposal around enterprise opportunities. Practical learning will be consolidated through critical reflection as you develop the ability to translate skills for an external challenge-led context.
Immersive Experience Design
In this module, you’ll engage with novel and emerging technologies that are changing the way that we immerse ourselves in media such as games and film, as well as the ways that we interact with technology itself.
Becoming comfortable with pioneer technologies (such as mixed reality) and experimenting with them will form the focus for this module.
Research & Development: Dissertation
On this module, you’ll continue your individual ‘major’ research and development project. Building upon the proposal you submitted, you’ll further develop your prototype computing artefact into a potentially deployable solution. In doing so, you’ll deepen your knowledge of software engineering, the use of advanced research tools, technical writing and academic conventions, as well as the interpretation and visualisation of results from statistical analyses of quantitative data.
Under the supervision of a subject-matter expert, you will: realise a novel and substantial computing artefact; execute your research and development; and critically analyse your results, disseminating your findings through a written academic dissertation. You’ll also present your insights to peers alongside a demonstration of the final computing artefact, referring to the potential impact of your project, any ethical concerns, and potential future work.
Major Collaboration
In this module, you’ll leverage your experiences from the prior stages of the course to deliver a substantial collaborative project. You’ll work in a multi-skilled team to design and implement a potentially innovative product or service.
Typically, this will be the continuation of your previous project, but it could also be a newly proposed project that satisfies a real need, a response to a market opportunity identified by the University, a live brief from or collaboration with industry partners or research teams, or a solution to a problem presented by an external stakeholder.
You will continue to put into practice the ethically-informed methodologies you have outlined in previous modules. Contexts can also vary but could include: enterprise solutions; mobile apps; installations; games; web applications; robots; immersive experiences; software development tools; and more.
Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route?
If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BSc(Hons) degree.
What you'll study in your Foundation year
If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs.
Modules
Explore
You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.
Technique
You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.
Apply
You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.
Industry
You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.
Launch
You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.
After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject.
If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme.
The modules above are those being studied by our students, or proposed new ones. Programme structures and modules can change as part of our curriculum enhancement and review processes. If a certain module is important to you, please discuss it with the Course Leader.
From module information to course aims and assessment criteria, discover the full course details:
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Read moreHow you'll learn
The course is built around collaborative team projects, industry speakers, technical demonstrations, crit sessions and project supervision. You'll also learn through lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and studio work. Your tutors will support your individual and team projects with weekly supervision meetings, and help you develop self-evaluation skills.
At Falmouth, we use a 'digitally enhanced learning & teaching' approach. Your experience will always be predominantly in-person, including seminars, tutorials and studio teaching, with some, more targeted elements, being online either live (synchronous) or pre-recorded (asynchronous). You can read more here.
How you'll be assessed
100% of your assessment will be coursework.
Assessment methods
- Foundation year assessments are 100% coursework based
- Practical projects
- Group work in teams
- Written assignments
- Pitches
- Portfolios
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Staff
You'll learn from immersive technology scholars and researchers, game designers, and other industry professionals. Each tutor and mentor brings unique experience from companies like Sony Computer Entertainment, Square Enix, Creative Assembly, Bizarre Creations, Lionhead Studios, Supermassive Games, and Blitz Games.
Some members of staff only teach on specific modules, and your course might not feature every staff member who teaches on the course.

Dr Michael Scott
Head of Computing and Associate Professor of Computer Science Education
Dr Michael Scott is the Head of Computing and Associate Professor of Computer Science Educ...

Professor Tanya Krzywinska
Professor of Digital Games
Tanya started playing computer-based games on Usenet when working at the Digital Equipment Corporati...

John Speakman
Research Student Teaching Associate
John Speakman is a Research Student Teaching Associate with the Games Academy. He joined Falmouth Un...

Tim Phillips
Lecturer
Tim joined Falmouth University in 2018 as a game designer in the computational creativity research g...
Facilities
State-of-the-art development studios containing specialised computing hardware (i7 machines, macs, VR headsets etc) for game development, deep learning projects, motion capture, and immersive experiences. Industry-standard packages used in software development for the creative industries, including Adobe and Autodesk suites. There are also attached labs for console development, immersive experience design, and robotics.
Penryn Campus also contains a state-of-the-art immersive facility, Immersive Business, aimed the development of new products, experiences, and productivity tools.

Games Academy Facilities
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Library Facilities
Offering extensive collections, our two libraries provide a wealth of digital resources, magazines, ...

Sports Centre
Our Sports Centre, on Penryn Campus, includes a spacious gym with up to 90 of the latest, new statio...
Careers
Computing graduates are an essential resource to the digital economy, providing innovative and effective computing solutions for a wide range of real-world problems.
Throughout the course, you will learn how to manage both small and large software development projects. You will sometimes collaborate with people from other disciplines and sometimes you will work as an individual. You'll gain hands-on programming experience and learn professional software engineering techniques, as well as an understanding of the commercial and enterprise contexts in which computing solutions operate.
You will be equipped to compete in the technology sector, offering computing solutions for a broad audience and range of contexts.
Possible destinations include:
- Programmer
- Software engineer
- XR specialist
- Technologist
- Developer
- Entrepreneur
- Lead programmer / Chief technical officer
- System administrator
- Technical manager
- Analyst / Data scientist
- Trainer / Educator
- Consultant
- Further study or research
How to apply
Apply via UCAS
Ready to join us? You can apply through UCAS. You'll need to reference the course and University code (F33).
Applying as an international student?
International students can apply for a course through UCAS, via an agent or directly with the university. For more information about how to apply as an international student, visit our international applications page.
Course route | UCAS code |
---|---|
Immersive Computing BSc(Hons) three year degree | I630 |
Immersive Computing BSc(Hons) with Integrated Foundation Year | FY06 |
Immersive Computing BSc(Hons) with placement year | PY35 |

Application advice & interview information
Go to ToolkitWe consider all applications on their own individual merit and potential. We invite all applicants to an interview day or audition to give them the opportunity to demonstrate this along with what inspires and motivates them in their field. Applicants will also be able to show their portfolio or give a performance depending on the course. We welcome applications from all subject backgrounds, whether you've specialised in STEM, the arts or humanities.
Course route | Entry requirements |
---|---|
BSc(Hons) three year degree |
104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points GCSE Mathematics Grade 4 (C) |
BSc(Hons) four year degree with placement year |
104 – 120 UCAS Tariff points GCSE Mathematics Grade 4 (C) |
BSc(Hons) four year degree with Integrated Foundation Year |
80 – 120 UCAS Tariff points GCSE Mathematics Grade 4 (C) |
UCAS Tariff points will primarily be from Level 3 qualifications such as but not limited to A-levels, T Levels, a BTEC/UAL Extended Diploma or a Foundation Diploma. Applicants should have GCSE Mathematics Grade 4 (C), or equivalent.
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 starting your studies in 2023
UK applications: 25 January 2023 (for equal consideration)
Applications after the 25 January will be considered on a first-come, first-served as long as there are places available. Apply for this course now.
International fee payers
International fee payers can apply throughout the year. But we recommend applying as early as possible, to make time for visa and travel arrangements.
What we're looking for
We want someone who:
- Is passionate about immersive technologies
- Aspires to work as a programmer or technology specialist
- Wants to develop immersive experiences in multidisciplinary teams in a studio mirroring the industry
- Enthusiastically follows current virtual reality and mixed reality technologies
- Likes to experiment and tinker with code and technology
- Enjoys finding out how things work
- Is comfortable with maths and problem solving
Fees, costs & funding
Tuition fees
Annual tuition fee | Student |
---|---|
£9,250 per year | Full-time UK |
£17,460 per year | Full-time EU/international |
Annual tuition fee | Student |
---|---|
£9,250 per year | Full-time UK |
£17,460 per year | Full-time EU/international |
£1,850 per placement year | Full-Time UK and EU/international |
Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. 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 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
As technical specs update each year, your course team will advise you of the most appropriate spec before you join us. If you have any concerns about purchasing appropriate kit, please contact us.
You will need a laptop or desktop computer capable of running appropriate software, with a higher spec graphics card and processor. This is likely to be around £1,500.
You will also need a VR headset; these are typically around £500.
If you need to bring equipment or materials with you, these will be outlined in your Welcome Letter.
Additional typical course costs for Integrated Foundation Year pathway
- £250 for materials
- A laptop/desktop computer
- Adobe Creative Suite
In order to participate in our digitally enhanced learning approach, you'll need to have a personal laptop/desktop computer. Depending on your subject, you may need a specific type of computer. If you're unsure about what you might need, please contact our course advisors.
Funding
For information about funding available, please visit our student funding pages.
Ask a student
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From course details and academic support, to the social scene and settling in, our students are ready and available to answer any questions you might have. Simply set up your account, send them a question and they'll get back to you within 24 hours.
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