Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £17,155 per year -
How long will I study?
4/5 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
A092
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When do I start?
September 2025
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Placement year available?
Yes

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1. Course summary
- Build practical experience in writing software to create computer games.
- Study the hardware-level optimisations used in modern games.
- Learn how to write the libraries and tools used to develop games.
- Understand how to apply maths in 2D and 3D game development.
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start
You’ll gain a deep understanding of C/C++ programming for game development processes and technologies – including rendering and optimisation techniques – using current gaming hardware. You’ll also put together a commercial-quality portfolio of computer game work during the course, suitable to show potential employers.
2. How you learn
The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our BSc (Hons) Computer Science for Games course. You share the first year with other computing foundation year students, then move on to the degree. During the first year of study, you will enhance your skills to maximise your academic potential ready to start your learning against the content of the main degree.
The course is carefully structured to help you develop your skills and experience for a career in game development – with the deeper level of knowledge you’ll need to create the tools used by game creators. One of the key ways you’ll learn is through a project-based approach, encouraging you to develop your skills while tackling meaningful and relevant projects.
We begin by providing you with game development techniques such as programming in C++ and manipulating 2D and 3D graphics using mathematics. In your second year you’ll apply your learning to solve the kinds of problems game developers face. Here you’ll apply your C++ programming skills and learn about rendering techniques, multithreading, memory management and assembly optimisation. You’ll also work with our PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 development kits as you develop your own substantial game products.
In your final year you’ll explore more advanced game development techniques such as shader programming, as well as refining the skills you’ve already developed. Importantly, you’ll develop skills in critical thinking so you can successfully reflect on your own work and appraise other people’s. This will give you the ability to evaluate your own progress and determine your own career goals.
You learn through
- group work
- lectures and seminars
- technical workshops in computer labs
- independent learning
- practice-based learning and group work
You will be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through several key areas. These include:
- access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development
- access to our Skills Centre with one to ones and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
- industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities
Course leaders and tutors

Andrew Hamilton
Senior Lecturer, Course Leader for Computer Science for GamesStaff profile for Andrew Hamilton, Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University
Applied learning
Work placements
You’ll have the opportunity to complete a year-long work placement between your third and fourth year. A placement is widely recognised as the gold standard opportunity to gain personal and professional development through real-world experience.
You will be encouraged to take up this opportunity, as it will benefit your long-term career prospects and salary level, as well as your academic achievements and degree classification. Your course will prepare you to succeed in your placement and you will be supported throughout it.
Your placement will allow you to apply the knowledge and skills gained on your course, in areas such as game tool development, game development, and software programming.
Students from this course have worked with companies such as:
- Sony (SIEE)
- Sumo Digital
- 3Squared
- Autodesk
- Dumpling Design
- Jollywise Media
- SI Games
- SN Systems
- Supermassive
- Team17
Your placement year will allow you to gain an Applied Professional Diploma in addition to your degree which will enhance your graduate profile and give you the edge with future employers.
You’ll also be supported to take advantage of work experience opportunities throughout your course, through access to a range of support activities, resources, and employer events from your Employability Team. This will further enhance your employability skillset, confidence, and opportunity-awareness to help you succeed in your career after graduating.
Live projects
The Steel Minions Development Studio is an in-house games publishing company run by course tutors and staffed by students. Here students release their own projects commercially and connect with external publishers, research and commercial clients.
Steel Minions provides commercial and research projects for you to work on – either internally or for external clients. Examples range from research projects in ballistics impact visualisation and educational games, through to commercial games on PlayStation 4, PC and mobile devices for companies like Sumo Digital, Sony and Owlerton Stadium.
Steel Minions also provides mentoring to students who decide to create their own game development company during their placement year – and gives feedback to students working on game projects throughout the course.
Networking opportunities
We work in partnership with games companies such as Sumo Digital, SN Systems and Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe (SIEE). They provide equipment and input into the design, development and delivery of the course, making sure we’re teaching the very latest topics. We also work with Grads In Games to organise industry speakers to give talks on specialist topics and offer employability advice.
Competitions
There’s an annual student prize for the best software development tool, sponsored by SN Systems – a part of Sony Interactive Entertainment – where students from this course have consistently demonstrated success.
3. Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in
- game development for consoles and PC
- game engine programming
- gameplay programming
- quality assurance testing
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for
- Sumo Digital
- Unity
- Firebrand
- Twinkl
4. Equipment and facilities
Most of the teaching on the course is conducted in our specialist game laboratories. These have industry-grade hardware and software.
You’ll work with:
- three IT laboratories equipped with high-spec computers and graphics cards dedicated to game development
- industry/professional-grade software, including Unity and Unreal game development platforms, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft’s Visual Studio
- PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 development kits, including the actual game console hardware and associated development software game playing facilities and arcade games for game evaluation/fun
We’ve been awarded PlayStation®First status by Sony, providing access to PlayStation® professional development hardware and software and equipping students with industry-relevant game development skills across PlayStation® and PlayStation® VR.
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Media Gallery
5. Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 80
This must include at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC qualifications. For example:
- CDD at A Level
- MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma
- Pass overall from a T level qualification with C from core
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4
- Maths at grade C or 4
• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
We may also accept you, if you have limited qualifications but can show evidence of ability and a genuine commitment to studying the subject.
Some applicants may be invited to attend an informal interview with the course leader to ensure that the programme is suitable for themselves and their aspirations.
UK students may be able to claim financial support for the course.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Compulsory modules
This module introduces basic computing knowledge and skills to a level that will give you confidence you can study and practice computing at Honours level.
Indicative Content
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Essential concepts of computer programming
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Databases queries
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Web technologies
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Basics of how computers and computer networks operate
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Issues of Security
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Awareness of own pace of learning, and how to learn effectively.
The focus of the module is on helping you gain a well-rounded understanding of computing, on able to see common threads in development methods, and being able to apply your learning about computing, and your learning about study approaches into project work on other areas on the course.
This module extends on “Foundations in Computing 1” (and has study of that module as a prerequisite). You will explore computing to a greater depth - for example further program design and implementation, and explore wider uses of computing used in business, social contexts and embedded into other technologies. .
Indicative Content:
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Programming simple programs effectively
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Understanding example application areas (e.g. IoT, Games)
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Understanding how computing supports businesses
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Further practise of skills in a topic area you are considering selecting for Honours studies
The module maintains the ethos of its prerequisite (Foundations in Computing 1), by provide you with a broad but largely integrated understanding of computing. A further strong aim is to help you make a properly informed choice as to which branch(es) of computing you wish to follow for study at Honours level.
This module develops your mathematics skills relevant to the IT discipline. You choose whether to target an “Advanced” level (which includes topics relevant to degrees in the Computer Science area), or “Standard” level (which includes topics that can occur in any IT-related studies).
You’ll study topics such as:
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Fractions and decimals
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Percentages, rounding, estimations
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Standard form, metric units, indices, powers
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Algebra and solving linear equations
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Factorisations
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Matrices
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Logic gates and truth tables
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Binary number system
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Statistics
Indices and powers (advanced level)
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Factorising and solving quadratic equations (advanced)
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Simultaneous equations and matrices (advanced)
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Correlation and linear regression (advanced)
This module is specifically designed to help support students on the Foundation Year of a BSc Honours course in a computing area. You will develop an understanding of, and practise, skills needed for study at Honours level and for eventual employment.
Indicative Content
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Disability and Inclusiveness
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Understanding learning processes and its relationship to success in assessment
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Finding appropriate information
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Effective communication
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Effective use of IT Tools for clear communications and personal professional organisation
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Academic Integrity
An underlying theme of the module is to help you gain an ability to see for yourself where your study skills lie, and which areas you can make further improvements.
Compulsory modules
This module introduces computer programming using a procedural problem-solving approach. It will focus is on the design and implementation of programs using the procedural facilities of a programming language which are widely used for developing graphical and other large-scale software applications.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Procedural programming concepts: problem solving, top-down design and functional decomposition
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Development processes: specification, design, implementation, testing
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Algorithms and control structures
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Procedures and functions
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Variables and data structures
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Data types
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Input/Output: string, file handling, basic use of objects
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Program quality: production of correct, understandable and maintainable code, documentation and readability, and testing
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Software tools and integrated development environments (IDEs): compilers, debuggers, libraries
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C/C++ programming language
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UML, flowcharts and design techniques
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Prototyping, progressive enhancement, refactoring, and approaches to implementation
This module introduces the fundamental principles and features that underpin all modern computing system design and describes how the execution of software is influenced by the processor architecture being used. It will develop your awareness and understanding of the relationship between software and the hardware on which it executes.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Hexadecimal and binary number systems
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Basic logic gates
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Elementary Boolean algebra
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Combinatorial and sequential logic circuits
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Applications of logic circuits
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Floating point and other number systems
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The Central Processing Unit (CPU) and how code is executed
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Machine code and programming in a low-level assembler language
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Improving CPU performance
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General Purpose Graphical Processing Units (GPGPUs)
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Device controllers
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Memory systems, cache memory and buses
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Input & output methods and devices
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Device controllers
This module will provide a foundational knowledge of numerical, mathematical and statistical knowledge. It will focus on the skills and concepts you will need for applications in computer graphics and emphasise the fundamental mathematics in computing.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Numerical and algebraic processes
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Geometry
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Standard functions: polynomials, trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponential functions
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Computer arithmetic
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Introduction to set theory and logic
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Probability and statistics
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Trigonometry and trigonometric functions
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Vectors in 2- and 3-dimensions and vector algebra
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Tangents and normals, line, curve and plane intersections
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Matrices for 2- and 3-dimensional transformations, including homogeneous co-ordinates
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Simple differentiation techniques
This is the Work Experience module for this level of study. The type of Work Experience students will do is an applied project.
Students will study varied, up-to-date and industry-standard game-making solutions, with due consideration given to LSEPI (Legal, Social, Ethical and Professional Issues). They will apply course relevant skills in team-based and individual project work, under staff supervision, where students are encouraged to form cross-disciplinary teams to work on course relevant projects. The projects’ aims will be selected to ensure they are appropriate for the students’ portfolio and directly relevant to graduate employment. Students will follow a project-based learning approach and have some control over the type of projects they work on with guidance from staff and the involvement of Steel Minions, a digital clinic within the department that works with research, industrial and student client projects for commercial release.
Compulsory modules
In this module you will develop your programming skills, building on the material covered at Level 4. Here, you will learn and apply the OO programming paradigm for the development of larger-scale games software systems, using an appropriate and industry-oriented programming language.
This is the Work Integrated Learning module for this level of study. The type of Work Experience you will have the opportunity to do is an applied project (type 2), during which you will be given the opportunity to work with the commercial game studio ‘Steel Minions’. This studio is part of Sheffield Hallam University and has completed and published a series of commercially successful products, but is a wholly separate commercial entity and one that is contracted to undertake work for external and commercial clients. As such, you will be given the chance to work with an external client, understand and work towards fulfilling their requirements, and evaluating the appropriateness, performance and effectiveness of any resulting product. Such work will provide a critical opportunity to develop experience with working in a professional environment and working to tight deadlines with clients, and will provide an ideal platform for adding a potentially impressive project to your CV.
Indicative Content
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Fundamental OO programming techniques: Use of key software techniques like data hiding, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction. Features available within an object-oriented language (such as C# or C++) to support software reuse.
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Evaluation of OO systems: Testing, evaluation and verification of simple OO components.
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Apply appropriate agile approaches to manage their own work, and that of colleagues, in a co-operative, focussed team.
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Professionalism: crafting a CV; applying for placements; interview techniques. Write a short report, critically reflecting on past and future performance based on a discussion with your academic advisor.
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Learn an appreciation of the complete iterative game development pipeline: code, art, design, testing.
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Use graphical terminology definitions, basic concepts and the characteristics and features of platforms to design and implement 2D and 3D games.
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Use game development platforms, such as DirectX 11, Unity or Unreal, to implement computer game systems.
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Discuss and apply Social, Legal, Ethical and Professional aspects of software development, with the aim of preparing you for your sandwich placement and employment when you complete your studies.
This module extends your knowledge of mathematics, graphics algorithms and programming. It introduces a range of modelling, viewing and rendering techniques that underpin all graphical representations including games.
You’ll study topics such as:
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2D and 3D geometry: vectors, points, lines, planes, polyhedra, and normals
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Transformations: homogeneous co-ordinates, rotation, translation, reflection, scaling and shear in 2- and 3-dimensions, combined operations, and viewing transformation
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Coordinate systems: model, world, normalised coordinates
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Mathematics of projection: perspective, parallel, centre of projection and view plane
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Culling and clipping algorithms
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Mapping into a viewport
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Rendering: scan conversion, hidden surface removal
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Mathematics of illumination models and shading techniques: Flat, Gouraud and Phong shading
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Quadtrees and Octrees
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3D object representation
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Simulation of the physical world: modelling motion and collisions in one and two dimensions
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Graphics programming: implementation of mathematical operations in software
This module will continue to develop your programming skills, using the object-oriented programming paradigm for the development of larger-scale games software systems.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Object-oriented programming techniques: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction
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Software reuse
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Evaluation of object-oriented systems: testing, evaluation and verification of simple object-oriented components
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Agile approaches to software development
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Professionalism: specifications, schedules, technical designs, and peer code reviews
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Iterative game development pipeline: code, art, design, testing.
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Characteristics and features of platforms to design and implement 2D and 3D games.
Game development platforms, such as DirectX 11, to implement computer game systems
Software executes on hardware, and an understanding of the synthesis of these two technologies - often mediated by programming language compilers - allows software engineers to optimise their programs' behaviours in a variety of ways and for different motivations.
This module aims to make students aware of the most common methods of applying optimisation methods in practical situations.
Indicative Content
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Hand-made and compiler generated optimisation methods.
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Optimising C++ code on Intel x86 (CISC) platforms.
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Using compiler switches.
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Using inline assembler to improve performance.
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Performance monitoring and measurement
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Hardware facilities for code execution optimisation
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Concurrent execution introduction.
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Further tricks and tips for optimising code on a RISC processor.
Elective modules
This module is for undergraduate students to study abroad in their second year, Semester 2 (only for courses that offer this option). With this module, you can spend a semester at one of the University’s approved partner institutions worldwide – from Europe to the Americas, Australia or Canada.
Study Abroad plays an important role in the University's commitment to an engaging, challenging, and thriving learning culture. It offers opportunities to experience other academic cultures and foster intellectual maturity while enhancing co-curricular skills and students' long-term employability.
Study abroad for credit is permitted on existing university-approved courses only. Students are awarded credits and grades at the partner institution, which are converted into Sheffield Hallam credits and grades on return and included in the Sheffield Hallam degree classification.
Please check and refer to the webpage How study abroad works. You must submit a Learning Agreement outlining the modules you will be taking at the partner institution. The Learning Agreement will be signed off by your academic tutor to ensure that the Learning broadly covers the Learning Outcomes set out in your course curriculum during your study abroad.
Optional modules
Module aim:
The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).
A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. The placement will:
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Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course
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Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc.
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Grow their student network and relationship building skills.
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Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs
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Help student make informed graduate careers choices.
Indicative Content:
In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.
Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.
To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work.
Compulsory modules
This module is an applied project of work experience, enabling you to develop a successful game prototype – a ‘full vertical slice’ and a portfolio piece with industry-standard documentation. You’ll work with one or more game development platforms for handling real-time graphics rendering and simulation – using programming and scripting languages, editing tools, a viable asset pipeline and core gameplay code.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Rendering, collision management and particle systems
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Scene management and data-driven development
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Asset pipelines, shader technologies and gameplay
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Principles of design for contemporary computer games
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Creation and development of concept design documentation
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Designing and building a game prototype
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Evaluating design and evaluation paradigms and techniques
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Planning, testing, marketing, publishing and support
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Quality assurance, requirements engineering and configuration
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Version control, git-flow, agile methods, scrum and extreme programming
Students who enter this module typically have experience creating and developing low-level rendering applications for Windows-based PCs using frameworks such as DirectX 11. This module will expand the student's skill set by preparing them to work on additional games industry-standard platforms such as DirectX 12, and PlayStation 4 and 5.
Indicative Content:
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Low-level rendering techniques & concepts in the context of games console application development
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Diffuse lighting and ambient lighting with materials
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A range of light types such as point, spot, directional and the underpinning mathematics
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Texture mapping using UV coordinates and advanced techniques such as texture tiling and scrolling/animated textures
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Transparency-based techniques such as semi-transparency, clipping and fog effects
This module is a research project of your choice – you’ll identify a computer-based problem, investigate the requirements, analyse results of research undertaken and design, and develop and evaluate a solution to that problem. You’ll then evaluate the project’s success, your learnings and opportunities for further work.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Ideation and planning a larger-scale project
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Information gathering and literature reviews
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The selection of tools, techniques or methods
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Implementation, testing and user evaluation
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Critical reflection on project deliverables, success or failure
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Referencing and citation techniques
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Legal, social, and ethical considerations
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Security and confidentiality
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Sustainable development and deployment
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Employability skills and attributes
Elective modules
This module explores the deeper conceptual and technical features of software implementation techniques, specifically by using the C++ programming language. You’ll cover optimisation methods and gain practical experience in applying the features of C++ to develop software for complex solutions.
You’ll study topics such as:
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The standard template library and its structure, API and operation
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The facilities it offers to programmers, containers and iterators
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STL algorithms, developing new STL-like containers
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C++ templates, writing generic algorithms and code
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C++ optimisation techniques
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Multi-threading and efficiency
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Memory and resource management
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Exceptions, undefined behaviours and runtime execution
This module explores some of the important applications we use – from Google and Amazon to the many social media platforms – which have built their utility and success on top of machine learning systems. Using Python programming and a range of libraries, you’ll learn to understand recognition, prediction, rankings, recommendation systems, social bookmarking and more.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Machine learning in AI, social media, and web applications
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Python libraries for machine learning
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Recommendations based on the ‘likes’ of individuals and groups
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Using neural networks to learn about computer vision tasks
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Ranking search results based on the context they were created in
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Building pricing models using a variety of techniques
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Building systems whose intelligence evolves using genetic algorithms
The focus of the module is on the direct design of a deliverable, applying specific XR design and development paradigms to tailor the application to the unique platform. This may constitute the creation of XR software, or a full project plan to facilitate future development.
The module offers an opportunity to gain an understanding of the alternate technical and design requirements that are presented from XR, which differ from traditional computing peripherals & systems.
Indicative content
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Developing knowledge and awareness of XR (virtual, augmented and mixed reality) software & hardware.
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Researching the ethical, social and health-related impacts of XR in modern applications.
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Applying current development methodologies to plan or create an XR deliverable.
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User-centric navigation in VR and best practices.
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XR distribution platforms and target audience
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Applications of XR for gaming, serious game, and simulation.
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Creating interactive environments in XR.
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Haptic technologies, and the future of XR.
7. Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate degree courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year)
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for School of Computing and Digital Technologies (PDF, 131.3KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
Student success story

"I'm working on a VR version of our game PieceFall, which was released on the PlayStation store. This summer I went down to Sony's studio and played some unreleased and unannounced games so I could see examples of what good VR games could be."
Muneer Fergiani, BSc (Hons) Computer Science for Games
8. Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour

Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreLearn more about your department
Computing facilities tour
Take a look around the facilities and equipment in the Department of Computing at Sheffield Hallam University.