Two City University London Courses Achieve TIGA Accreditation

By November 24, 2015 Press Releases

TIGA, the network for games developers and digital publishers and the trade association representing the games industry, today announced that BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Games Technology and MSc Computer Games Technology courses at City University London are the latest courses to achieve TIGA Accreditation. This means that they are both delivering the skills their students require to work in the games industry. Both courses sailed through the TIGA Accreditation process with no conditions, clearly demonstrating their high quality.

Both courses deliver a range of strong game programming skills, with a particular emphasis on the ‘hard’ programming skills. MSc Computer Games Technology features a range of excellent taught units that cover key areas of game development so that even students who have not previously focussed on game development are able to use this course to build their existing range of programming skills into game programming skills. The wide range of options on BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Games Technology lets each student configure the course to their specific needs. The courses a have number of exceptional areas of good practice:

  • There is a strong focus on enabling students to develop ‘hard’ programming skills and ‘softer’ options have been avoided in the available course modules. This approach makes graduates more likely to find employment in the games industry.
  • A high percentage (50% or more) of students on both courses take advantage of placement opportunities. The university offers exceptional support in this area through its Professional Liaison Unit, internships and the Professional Pathway option. This industry engagement with industry is clearly valued and prioritised by the university and the course teams.
  • The Programming Bootcamp within the ‘Programming in Java’ module on the first year of BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Games Technology gives students an early experience of game development on the course; providing a useful and very real idea of the challenges and complexity of game development.
  • The City Interaction Lab at the university gives students opportunities to work with cutting edge technologies.
  • The Industry Advisory Board set up for the courses is exemplary and precisely what is required by all game related courses.

On BSc (Hons) Computer Science with Games Technology just over 20% of students find jobs in games and simulation companies when they graduate, and when jobs that require the programming skills they learned on the course are included this jumps to a total of 94% of students getting jobs. The total employment level approaches 100%.

On MSc Computer Games Technology just over 53% of students got jobs in games and simulation companies. Including jobs that required the programming skills they learned on the course a total of 95% of students got jobs. Once again the total employment level was close to 100%.

TIGA is confident that both courses are delivering a range of programming skills at an appropriate depth and breadth for the games industry.

Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said:

“TIGA Accreditation system accredits undergraduate and postgraduate university and college courses, highlighting excellence and disseminating best practice. The TIGA Accreditation system enables students and developers to find great courses that are educating great graduates.

“The TIGA Accreditation Panel was impressed with City University London. Its courses are strong, its academic staff dedicated and its students enthusiastic. The University is helping to supply the games industry with well-educated graduates.”

Dr Mark Eyles, TIGA Educational Advisor and Animation, Games & Enterprise Section Lead at the University of Portsmouth, said:

“These are both exemplary courses that offer students a rich educational experience and outstanding support. Having developed skills that the games industry values, students successfully completing either of these courses are in an incredibly strong position when they start looking for work.”

Director of the MSc Computer Games Technology course at City University London, Dr Greg Slabaugh said:

“We are very pleased that our courses in games technology have been accredited by TIGA, who have recognised our efforts to produce graduates with valuable skills sought after in industry.  A key factor in accreditation was student employability and since the inception of these courses, roughly 95% of our graduates are using the skills they developed on their course in the games industry, the IT profession, or further education.”

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About TIGA

 

TIGA is 90% funded by independent UK businesses. 80% of our board members are developers and/or from UK owned businesses, and 50% of our board are UK business owners themselves. Since 2010, TIGA has won 24 business awards and commendations. TIGA focuses on three sets of activities:

  • Political representation
  • Media representation
  • Business services

This enhances the competitiveness of our members by providing benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities. It also means our members’ voices are heard in the corridors of power and positively represented in national, broadcast and UK video game trade media.

 

Get in touch:

Tel: 0845 468 2330

Email: info@tiga.org

Web: www.tiga.org

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tigamovement

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TIGAMovement

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/tiga

 

For further information, you can also contact:  Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO on: 07875 939 643, or email: richard.wilson@tiga.org

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