Skip to main content
D C G Logo

Derby College Group (DCG)
Telephone: 0800 028 0289
https://www.derby-college.ac.uk
enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk

0800 028 0289

  • Contact
  • Jobs
  • How to Apply
  • About DCG
  • Home
  • Courses & Careers
    Course SearchSubject Areas at DCGCourse Types at DCGCampuses & Course LocationsDCG Success StoriesCareer SearchCareer PathwaysDownload a ProspectusFree – ESF Fully Funded Course
  • Employers
  • Student Support
  • Parents
  • News/Events
    EventsNewsEvent Registration
DCG Courses Computer Games Development: Design – Level 3

Computer Games Development: Design – Level 3

This qualification is aimed at 16 to 18-year-olds looking to pursue a career in the video games industry. You will study a range of disciplines related to the creation and analysis of video games, including 3D art skills, 2D art skills, and the core values of game design.

Course Summary

Subject Area: Games Design and Esports
Course Type: School Leaver - Vocational/Technical
Location: Joseph Wright Centre
Full Time or Part Time: FT
Level: 3
Number Of Years: 2
Interview Required?: Y
Joseph Wright Centre

Apply now at: https://www.derby-college.ac.uk/course/computer-games-development-design-level-3
QR Code
  • Information for Students
  • Information for Employers
  • Related Careers
  • Success Stories

Course Information for Students

Who is this course for?

As a full-time Level 3 programme, this qualification is aimed at 16 to 18-year-olds who are looking to pursue a career in the video games industry. On this course you will study a range of disciplines related to the creation and analysis of video games, including 3D art skills, 2D art skills, and the core values of game design.

This qualification will give you a solid foundation in understanding how the games industry works, provide you with the essential drawing skills required by any games artist, equip you with 3D art skills, and develop your working understanding of what game engines are and how they function.



music

Entry Requirements

All applicants should have at least five GCSEs graded A*-C or 9-4, including English Language and Maths. Alternatively, you may have an equivalent full-time Level 2 vocational qualification at Merit grade or above, along with GCSE grade 4/C in both English Language and Maths.

Importantly, a university application will require five GCSEs graded C (4) or above, including both English Language and Maths GCSE at grade 4/C or above. This is a crucial step for anyone wishing to progress to the games industry.

What will you learn?

The content in this programme will provide you with the opportunity to explore a range of different roles within games development. The course is designed so that you can make a well-informed decision as to what area of games development you wish to progress into.

The topics covered encompass core roles in the sector, including animators, level designers, environment artists, prop artists, and game programmers.

You will cover topics such as:

  • 2D Game Scripting
  • 3D Game Scripting
  • Concept Art
  • 2D Animation
  • 3D Animation
  • 3D Modelling
  • 3D Environments

How will you learn?

This course will be delivered on-site.

What will you need to bring with you?

You will need to provide a good-quality USB 3.0 memory stick and a set of mini-headphones for your studies.

While not compulsory, it would be beneficial to have a computer at home capable of running industry-standard software to enable you to complete coursework outside of the classroom.

Our recommended specifications are as follows:

  • Entry Level: Quad Core CPU (i3/Ryzen 3), 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super 4GB
  • Mid Level: Quad Core CPU (i5/Ryzen 5), 16GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
  • High Level: Six Core CPU (i5/i7/Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7), 16/32GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 TI 8GB

Any other specifications are user specific, such as size of the storage disk. However, a good quality solid state drive (SSD) is recommended. The computer should also be running Windows 10.

How will you be assessed?

There are no external assessments on this programme: it is 100% coursework based. Your coursework will be assessed by tutors against five key focus areas:

  • Your critical analysis and investigation skills
  • Your ability to refine and generate ideas to a given brief
  • Your technical expertise when using industry-standard software
  • Your ability to work to a professional standard both independently and as a team
  • Your understanding of how your outcome communicates with your target audience

You must pass all units and all skill requirements to achieve the qualification.

Performance in all units is graded at Pass, Merit or Distinction.
These unit grades are then converted into points and added together to determine the overall grade for the qualification.

Where next?

Further Study

This qualification will form part of your basis for application to a higher education course (degree, foundation degree, HNC/HND) in a game development related discipline. This could include, but is not limited to, Game Design, Game Art, Animation for Games, or Game Programming.

Careers

Examples of potential career progression opportunities after completion of a higher education course are junior environment artist, junior gameplay programmer, junior game animator, or junior game tester.

Straight from College you will not have the experience required to go directly into employment in the games industry. However, previous students have sought and gained employment and apprenticeships in other media fields after completion of this programme.

Who do you contact for more information?

For more information, contact Derby College Group on 0800 0280289 or enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk

Course Information for Employers

Information for Employers

If you are an employer and would like to know more about the apprenticeships and professional training we deliver or how you can get involved in co-creating and co-delivering the curriculum, please contact us via email on businessenquiries@derby-college.ac.uk, call us on 01332 387 421 or visit our employer pages here.

Career Information



This course could lead to one of these careers...

IT Quality and Testing Professionals

£33093

IT Quality and Testing Professionals

More Careers Information at: https://www.derby-college.ac.uk/career-pathways
QR Code

DCG Success Stories

Former DCG GAmes Development student Loue Marc sat on a skateboard.

Loue Marc

Rapper Loue Marc found his focus on DCG Games Design course

At Derby College I found I could focus on the side of education I was interested in and the whole experience was great.

Read More about Loue Marc

Former Games Development student Jordan Thorpe using a laptop computer.

Jordan Thorpe

Games development is ideal course for creative gamer Jordan

The level 3 course at Derby College was great. The lessons were informative and our lecturers were really good, very supportive.

Read More about Jordan Thorpe

Former Games Development student Lauren Taylor using a tablet.

Lauren Taylor

Artistic talent leads to games art degree course for former DCG student Lauren 

I liked everything about the games development course, especially the games art side.

Read More about Lauren Taylor

Games Design student William Hardy sat using a computer.

William Hardy

Former DCG games development student has his sights set on Saudi

The lecturers were really nice, the course was just what I was looking for and I learned such lot.

Read More about William Hardy


Applications for 2025 Full-Time School Leaver Courses are now CLOSED FOR PROCESSING*

If you’ve already applied for a full-time vocational or academic course, please check your InTouch account to view your application status and accept any outstanding offers. We may also be trying to contact you by phone, so keep an ear out for calls from the College — to ensure we are progressing your first-choice course area.

Haven’t applied yet?

Your next opportunity will be during our Clearing Enrolment sessions, starting Wednesday 27th August at 12pm. Please note that places will be limited and subject to course availability, entry requirements, and interviews. Find out more about Enrolment and Clearing Enrolment: Enrolment and Clearing Information 2025

Course Information Last Updated On: March 17, 2025 1:42 pm

Modal title

  • Overview
  • Knowledge & Skills
  • Employment & Salary
  • DCG Courses
career thumbnail

Overview

An overview of the career

Knowledge and Skills Required

Skills

These are the skills that are commonly needed in this career.

SkillImportance
Knowledge

These are the ten most import areas of knowledge commonly needed for this career.

KnowledgeImportance

Employment Data

Annual Job Openings

Currently Employed

Annual Earnings

This shows the current annual learnings for this career.

Starting Salary

Average Salary

High Salary

PercentileSalary
Age of the Workforce

This is the breakdown of ages who work in this career.

Age GroupPercentage
Education Level of the Workforce

This is the education level of the workforce.

Education LevelPercentage
Employment Forecast

This is the projected number of jobs available.

YearNumber Employed
Employment Proportion by Sex

This shows the proportion of males and females who work in this career.

Male/FemalePercentage

Suitable Courses

Suitable Courses

D C G Logo
  • Derby College Facebook
  • Derby College Youtube
  • Derby College Instagram

Courses

  • Course Search
  • Career Search
  • Subject Areas at DCG
  • Career Pathways
  • Course Types at DCG
  • Campuses & Course Locations at DCG
  • Download a Prospectus
  • Chart Your Future

Students

  • Student Support
  • Student Services
  • Login to inTouch
  • Report an Absence or Lateness
  • Moodle VLE
  • Think Alumni
  • Student Bursary

Staff

  • Staff Intranet
  • Remote Desktop
  • Systems Hub
  • Email

DCG

  • Governance
  • Policies and Papers
  • Why work for us?
  • Meet the Governors
  • Who’s Who
  • Website Accessibility Statement
  • Data Protection
  • Freedom of Information
  • Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Statement
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Environmental and Sustainability at DCG
  • DCG-Annual-Accountability-Statement-2024-25
  • DCG Strategy and Regulation – Accountability Statement 2025-26

Study with Us

  • DCG Success Stories
  • DCG Covid Safety

Student Life

  • Derby College Students Union

More

  • Covid Safety
  • Apprenticeship Vacancies
  • Open to the Public
  • Term Dates
  • College Calendar 2025-26

Quick Links

  • Contact Us
  • How to Apply
  • Make a Payment
  • Report an Absence or Lateness
  • Jobs at DCG
DCG Logo Derby College Group
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}