TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry, is pleased to announce the accreditation of the following games courses at Norwich University of the Arts:
- BA (Hons) Games Art and Design
Re-accreditation – awarded
- BSc (Hons) Games Development
Accreditation – awarded
BA (Hons) Games Art and Design
The BA (Hons) Games Art and Design degree benefits from well-rounded structure which provides students with a range of underpinning skills which provide the opportunity for specialisation as they progress. A strong focus on industry art tests and opportunities to work in interdisciplinary teams helps students to develop appropriate skillsets for working as artists in a range of sub-disciplines.
BSc (Hons) Games Development
The BSc (Hons) Games Development degree has a strong programming focus with plenty of opportunities to develop the skills students require for technical careers in the games industry. The emphasis on C++, maths, game engines and working in interdisciplinary teams helps students to develop appropriate skillsets for working in on both indie projects and for larger AAA game studios.
The total cohort for Year 1 BA (Hons) Games Art and Design Students is 145 in the 2022/23 academic year. There are 34 undergraduates enrolled on the BSc (Hons) Games Development course in the 2022/23 academic year.
Destination data
BSc (Hons) Games Development
TIGA use official “Graduate Outcomes” data from HESA[1] to report overall employment rates.
- Percentage employed after 15 months: 90%
(Graduate Outcomes survey data from 2018-20) - Percentage employed in games: 39%
(University data for 2020-2022 ignoring unknown students) - Percentage employed using their game technology skills: 72%
(University data for 2020-2022 ignoring unknown students)
BSc (Hons) Games Art and Design
TIGA use official “Graduate Outcomes” data from HESA to report overall employment rates.
- Percentage employed after 15 months: 90%
(from 2018-20 Graduate Outcomes surveys) - Percentage employed in games: 61%
(University data for 2019-2022 ignoring unknown students) - Percentage employed using their game technology skills: 76%
(University data for 2019-2022 ignoring unknown students)
The TIGA Accreditation Team was impressed by the following examples of best practice:
- Both degree programmes afford students with excellent opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations as part of module delivery and assessment. The opportunity to work as part of inter-disciplinary teams is highly valued within the game development industry.
- The Game Art and Design course provides a commendable range of foundational art skills which prepare students well for subsequent study. The integration of game jams and art tests is also an excellent way of making sure that the students’ skills remain practical and relevant to the employment marketplace.
- The Games Development course provides an impressive level of technical focus on C++, maths and physics which is typically not easy to deliver to students.
- The courses provide a large number of industry guest lecturers every year. This helps to ensure that the Norwich University of the Arts courses remain relevant in informed with respect to industry practice.
Accreditation Team
The Accreditation Team from TIGA who reviewed the courses comprised:
- Dr Richard Wilson, OBE CEO TIGA
- Dr Jacob Habgood, TIGA Educational Advisor & Sumo-Digital Group
- Jordan Woodward, Head of Design, Rebellion
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:
“Norwich University of the Arts offers two high quality video games courses that equip students with skills that are are needed in the video games industry. Both courses offer opportunities for cross-disciplinary work, which is crucial for employability. The technical focus on C++, maths and physics in the Games Development course is a real strength. The integration of games jams and art tests in the Game Art and Design course ensures that students’ skills are honed and relevant to industry. Congratulations to the staff and students of Norwich University of the Arts on your successful accreditations.”
Dr Jake Habgood, TIGA Educational Advisor & Sumo Digital Group, said:
“NUA has a long-standing reputation for the quality of their art courses and it is excellent to see their Game Development degree following in its footsteps. The panel were pleased to see a stronger technical focus on programming within the Game Development programme than many degrees with more technical sounding names.”
Associate Professor Mark Wickham, Director of Computer Arts and Technology, Norwich University of the Arts, said:
“We are delighted that BA (Hons) Games Art and Design has successfully renewed it’s TIGA accreditation and is now accompanied by BSc (Hons) Games Development. This is testamentto the hard work of all the staff and students, and the importance of our position in a specialist arts institution here in Norwich. Working with TIGA has again been a pleasure andreassures that the games industry is paying close attention to the quality of the next generation of graduate artists and developers. The accreditation process is robust,streamlined, and stands as a great opportunity to capture all the good work that takes place at the university. The courses have gone from strength to strength and our story is set to continue for many years to come.”
[1] Via https://discoveruni.gov.uk/course-details/10004775/UBAGADFT/Full-time/