Image Design characters and worlds, create game art, and build your portfoli.Design characters and worlds, create game art, and build your portfoli. Play video

I’m looking to study in [Select]

Show me course details for [Select]

Starting in [Select]

UCAS Code

Start Date

September 2027

Location

Campus Code

UCAS Points

International students: £17,600*

In this section

* Overview

* Course Content

* Teaching and Assessment

* Career Prospects

* Entry and Fees

How to apply Book an Open Day

## Course Overview

You’ll develop the technical, creative and 'soft’ skills demanded by the world’s top computer game studios, setting you up for your dream role in game art.

If you have a background in art and love video games, this course helps you combine those passions in a varied, dynamic and rewarding career. You’ll see the quality of your work improve and your knowledge of the industry grow until you’re ready for a role at a top studio.

## Why study this course?

### Industry focused

Learn from ex industry professionals and help master the skills top game studios want - get ready to stand out.

### Real world experience

Experience live projects, placements, and trips, gaining hands-on experience that puts you ahead.

### Outstanding career prospects

Launch your dream career with alumni at top studios like Creative Assembly, Ubisoft, Rebellion and Airship Images.

## What you'll study

[Button: Year One][Button: Year Two][Button: Year Three]

Get an introduction to core game art skills such as drawing, sculpting, 3D modelling and texturing, before progressing to technical software.

You’ll study comparative anatomy, architecture, environmental art and vehicle modelling through a range of projects.

## Introduction to Game Art

## 2D and 3D Game Art Production

Learn a range of 2D and 3D game creation software, using industry-standard processes and critically analysing your own and others’ work.

## Game Art Studies 1

Explore the evolution of art and games while building essential research, writing, and analytical skills to help you succeed academically.

## World Creation

Real world simulation is introduced and allows teams to be built and worlds to be created within industry practices and processes.

## Visual Studies for Game Art

Develop your visual language and representation skills with both traditional and digital drawing, enhancing your understanding of form. This module runs throughout the year.

Start to simulate industry practice and methods as you develop skills in concept art, advanced modelling and sculpting, 3D printing, motion capture and more.

Identify your preferred skill sets and develop these through competitions, live briefs and professional placement within the industry.

## Advanced 2D and 3D Game Art

Step it up a level as you apply more advanced skills and principles to environments, vehicles, characters and props for different platforms, developing effective workflows.

## Game Art Studies 2

Explore game art and research varied concepts underpinning practical modules, such as architecture, engineering, character and narrative in computer games.

## Practice Based Techniques

Begin to specialise as you develop a body of work demonstrating skill in a specific set of digital techniques, and professionally plan a project in response to a brief.

## Professional Practice

Get real-world experience, work in collaborative teams and identify gaps in your development as you undertake an industry placement, live brief or enter a competition.

This is the year when you open doors to your dream career in game art.

You’ll have the space and support to produce a specialised portfolio and collaborate with students from other disciplines, just as you’ll need to do in the real world. A range of guest speakers offer insights into the industry.

## Commercial Project

As you return for your final year, this immersive module will sharpen up your skills to a professional standard, build your portfolio and prepare you for the major project ahead.

## Game Art Project 1 – Preproduction

Design, research and plan a body of work that highlights your expertise in your chosen specialism, outlining the ideas and workflows that will shape your final year.

## Game Art Project 2 – Development

Prove you’re industry-ready by completing your project with polished assets for your portfolio, ready to share online.

## Future Ready

Prepare for the industry by exploring career paths, building your CV, portfolio, and network, and learning to market yourself like a pro.

## Critical Research: Computer Games Optional

Dive deep into a key issue in your game art specialism with your research project , using independent research to support your arguments.

We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.

## Teaching and Assessment

You'll learn from industry experts who have a track record working for big studios in the video game industry such as Codemasters, and adjacent fields such as animation, TV and Film with the likes of Nickelodeon and the BBC - They know what studios are looking for and use their industry experience to identify your strengths and guide you down a path where you can thrive.

## [Button: How you'll be assessed ]

Assessment is entirely coursework-based, with no exams. You will complete practical projects that build your portfolio, including concept art, 2D and 3D assets and game-ready work. You will learn through workshops, seminars and studio projects that reflect industry practice. You will also produce sketchbooks, development journals and research work to show your ideas and process. Some projects involve teamwork, helping you develop collaboration skills.

You will receive regular feedback from tutors and peers to improve your work. In your final year, you will complete major portfolio projects that prepare you for a career in game art and related industries

## [Button: Placements ]

To get you industry-ready, we make sure everything you do reflects working in a real studio. In Year 2, you’ll take part in a live project alongside a big-name studio, where you’ll do all the things professionally expected of a game artist. You’ll also have opportunities for placements – our partners include Tiny Rebel Games, Cloth Cat and Painting Practice. Industry pros deliver masterclasses and share industry insights, and you’ll see digital art in practice on a range of field trips.

All the work you do on campus uses industry-standard tech and methods, so you’ll be able to dive straight into your first role after graduating.

## [Button: Facilities ]

Based at the creative hub of our Cardiff campus, you’re surrounded by all manner of creative students, including the Game Design students you'll collaborate with throughout the course.

### Course Leader

### Simon Reed

Simon Reed is Course Leader for BA (Hons) Game Art and brings almost 30 years of experience across the games, creative, and higher education sectors. Having held senior and lead roles on AAA and licensed game projects, Simon has expertise in game art production, digital content creation, and project leadership. He holds an MA, PgCertHE, PgDip, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

Students benefit from teaching shaped by industry collaboration, helping them build professional portfolios, develop in-demand creative and technical skills, and prepare for careers in the games and wider creative industries.

Email Simon

## Career Prospects

This course prepares you for a career in game art by helping you build the creative and technical skills used in professional studios. You can develop your own specialism, such as characters, environments, or concept art, while working on live projects and industry-style briefs.

### Your future career

You will graduate with a strong portfolio and experience of collaborative production, ready to apply for roles in game studios or across wider creative industries.

Potential career paths include:

Environment artist

Character artist

Concept artist

Prop artist

Vehicle or hard surface artist

### Salary Expectations

A Game Art degree can open opportunities across the Gaming and Design sector. Games careers offer strong earning potential:

Median wage

UK: £51.4k per annum

Wales: £41.5k per annum

Total jobs in 2025

UK: 1.26m

Wales: 30,764

Image: Siddharth Ravindran's art work

> “The course provided resources and help which allowed my skills to grow to industry standards.”

Siddharth Ravindran, Game Art student

Learn more

### Build your own career

Your career doesn’t have to mean working for someone else. If you want to freelance, start a business or develop an idea, USW Enterprise can help with one-to-one mentoring, practical workshops and funding opportunities through the USW Enterprise Startup Fund.

You’ll also have access to Startup Stiwdio spaces in our Cardiff, Newport and Treforest campuses. After graduating, you can get free membership for up to three years, giving you workspace and a network of other founders.

Whether you choose employment, freelancing or starting a business, we’ll help you build the skills, confidence and connections to move forward.

USW Enterprise

### The Games and Animation Academy of Wales

The Games and Animation Academy of Wales equips you with the creative, technical and professional skills needed for a successful career in games. Through industry-led teaching, collaborative projects and real-world experience, you'll graduate with the creative, technical and professional expertise employers are looking for.

The Games and Animation Academy of Wales

### Key skills

2D and 3D modelling, sculpting and rendering

Creative thinking and problem-solving

Real-world project management and teamwork

Understanding game engines and production pipelines

Portfolio development and professional practice

### Industry Partners

You will work on live briefs, placements and industry-focused projects that reflect real studio environments. You will also learn from visiting speakers and industry professionals, helping you build connections and understand how game studios operate.

## Entry Requirements

### Additional

The University normally requires a minimum of 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

### Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

How to apply Contextual admissions policy Ask us a question

96 UCAS points or above

#### Typical qualification requirements

A Level:

CCC to include a relevant Art and Design subject

Welsh BACC:

Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales Grade C and CC at A Level with a relevant Art and Design subject

BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit in a relevant Art and Design subject

Access to HE:

Pass an Access to HE Diploma in a relevant Art and Design subject with a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points

T Level:

Pass (C and above) in a relevant art and design subject

### International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages .

International students Pre-Sessional English

### English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages .

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages .

## Fees and Funding

Fees and funding Scholarships and bursaries Cost of living support

## [Button: Further information ]

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.

We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

## [Button: Additional costs ]

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

Extra curricular

We often organise social events and trips that some payment may be required for entry or travel.

Cost: Up to £20 per trip

Drawing equipment

Sketchbooks, pencils, pens are required

Cost: Up to £100

PC/Laptop

PC's are available in class. However, we do advise that students invest in a gaming PC but this is optional.

Cost: Up to £1000

Students may be expected to travel to master classes/ conferences / events/ performances at their own cost (all academic years).

Cost: Up to £10 per visit

We often organise social events and trips that some payment may be required for.

Cost: Up to £20 per year

Wacom Tablet

Cost: £100

USB Hard drive

Cost: £60

Art Materials for Year 1

A3 Hardback Sketchbook £15, Black Fine Liner pen £2.99, Pro Marker Pen £3.65, Pro Marker Pen £3.65 and Pro Marker Pen

Cost: £3.65.

Public Transport for Year 2

Public Transport: Museums, Castles, Historical Venues and Art Exhibitions.

Cost: £20

International Full-Time Fee £ 17,600

per year

## What sets us apart?

Top university in Wales and 24th out of 123 universities in the UK.

Guardian University Guide 2027

Image: Three USW students walking outside of Cardiff Campus - Atrium

10 subjects ranked in the Guardian University Guide 2027 Top 10, including two at #1.

Image: Three students studying in a pod in the library at Cardiff campus

Top in Wales for new business startups for the 6th consecutive year, and 7th in the UK. (HEBCIS)

## Explore our facilities

Image A creative hub where games and animation thrive. Play video

## Games and Animation Facilities

## Media Loans

Access industry-standard cameras, lighting, sound and recording gear, supported by free Media Loans and experienced technicians. We have everything you need to help you experiment, refine and bring your work to life with confidence.

## How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS

You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).

* ### Game Art

* Full-time, 3 years

* September

* Cardiff

Apply direct

## Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.

## International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.

* Learn more

* Application toolkit

## Student Stories

> "The 3D modelling has been my favourite part of the course so far... I feel like the end result is probably going to be the best bit."

Sam Kwan Sam Kwan, Game Art student

View student profile

> "3D modelling has been my favourite part of the course so far... It's really cool to make something and then see it all come together finalised."

Lewis Hobbs Lewis Hobbs, Game Art student

> "On the course, I’ve been able to work in groups with other students. I like working with different people and seeing what we can do as a team. I’ve also learnt a lot already about 3D modelling."

Cariad Williams Cariad Williams, Game Art student

> "The lecturers and the course provide such a high standard of 3D art practices which helped my artwork to be industry standard."

Siddharth Ravindran Siddharth Ravindran, Game Art student

## Related stories and highlights

Image News Article

### Computer Games Design graduates selected for Tranzfuser 2025 competition

### Games and Animation Academy of Wales launches at USW

### Game developed by USW graduates becomes global top seller

Image Student Work

### The Creative Graduate Festival is an annual online showcase celebrating the final-year work of students from creative courses across the University of South Wales.

### Graduates recognised in BAFTA Games Award nominations

## Ready to apply?

* Apply via UCAS

* How to apply

### Still exploring your options?

Student life Our locations Accommodation

## modal video

## Find us on social

* * * * * About Us

* University Services

* Schools and Colleges

* Job Vacancies

* Visit Us

* Our Locations

* Virtual Tours

* Quick Links

* Staff Portal

* Student Portal

* Research Explorer

* Accessibility

* Modern Slavery Statement

* Freedom of Information

* Privacy Policy

* Terms and Conditions

© University of South Wales. The University of South Wales is a registered charity. Registration No.1140312

Hide footer

Ask me anything

院校未公布 DSE 對應等級，請向院校確認。

請查看下方完整入學要求原文，或向院校確認。

成績符合不等於錄取；資料取自院校官方公開頁，取得日期見各課；最終以院校為準。

報告這課資料錯誤