Everything you need to know...
-
What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £17,155 per year (£1,200 for placement year) -
How long will I study?
4/5 Years
-
Where will I study?
-
What are the entry requirements?
-
What is the UCAS code?
A042
-
When do I start?
September 2025
-
Placement year available?
Yes
Come to an open day
Visit us to learn more about our gold-rated teaching and why we were awarded the highest possible rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
Course summary
- Learn industry-standard tools and advanced techniques in state-of-the-art studios.
- Apply them to various game art skills, from character design to environmental art.
- Explore diverse game art styles on leading gaming platforms, including PlayStation.
- Engage with games developers and our commercial games studio, Steel Minions.
- Collaborate with game designers and programmers on cutting-edge projects.
Our BA Game Art course offers an engaging and collaborative learning environment, where you’ll develop artistic and technical skills in an industry-focused subject. You’ll push boundaries and innovate, emerging as a globally-minded game artist, ready to make a positive impact on the gaming world. Students have previously worked with games studios such as Playground Games, Rockstar, and Sumo Digital.
View our students' work
Find out more about the Media Arts and Communications department and view the work of some of our students.
How you learn
Our course is designed with key principles of engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing a supportive environment where you can thrive.
On this course, based in our bespoke teaching suites, you’ll join a dynamic and collaborative learning community. With their support, you’ll undertake creative adventures, explore possibilities, and challenge conventions. You'll be taught by staff who have industry experience and are research active.
We’ll encourage you to contribute as a creative thinker and doer – applying your knowledge to industry, culture, and society. We employ a wide range of teaching approaches to support your learning journey.
You learn through:
- practical studio workshops
- collaborative group projects
- technical demonstrations
- individual and group tutorials
- peer reviews
- lectures
- external visits and field trips
Key themes
During your first year, we’ll lay the groundwork for your journey – with an emphasis on self-development, exploration, and both practical and experiential acquisition of knowledge and skills.
We’ll dedicate your second year to expanding your skills and understanding while discovering your areas of interest. We’ll emphasise user research and development, as well as contextual application and production.
In your third year, we’ll shift the emphasis to the development and realisation of your professional identity as a game artist. You’ll create an industry-focused portfolio to showcase your expertise – evidencing the attributes, skills and knowledge you’ve gained on the course.
By the time you graduate you’ll have the skills, knowledge and confidence to make a meaningful impact in the ever-evolving world of gaming.
Course-level support
We offer a holistic and person-centred approach to assessment, focusing on portfolios of individual creative work, scaffolded by targeted briefs. We offer an inclusive environment where divergent ideas, histories and practices are encouraged to thrive. Collaborating with students from different disciplines enhances your creativity, with projects that develop your critical thinking and communication skills.
You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- access to specialist services to help with your personal, academic and career development
- access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars 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
Adam Shepherd
Senior Lecturer in Creative MediaI teach within Games Design. During my time at the university I have taught 3D modelling, Rigging, Texturing and Animation through levels 4-7, as well as various ski … Read more
Applied learning
Work experience
You can take part in Hallam’s enterprise programme, forming your own studio and developing independent games.
You’ll also have the opportunity to arrange a placement in between your second and third years. This gives you valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career – as well as an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV.
You’ll also work on a range of projects simulating real-world working environments, allowing you to expand your skill set, your confidence, your resilience, and your ability to navigate professional interactions.
These experiences are carefully integrated into your coursework to facilitate the development of crucial knowledge, skills and professional behaviours.
Field trips
In your first and third year, you’ll have the opportunity to take field trips to professional settings, cultural institutions and organisations – exploring different working environments and expanding your cultural understanding.
Guest speakers
During your course you’ll be able to hear from a diverse range of professional guest speakers who share their experiences, insights and knowledge – offering you unique perspectives on industries and career paths.
Networking opportunities
We’ll encourage you to attend Hallam’s careers and employability events, connecting with professionals, graduates and potential employers. Building a strong professional network is so helpful for your future success, and these events provide the perfect platform for you to get started.
We also encourage you to take part in national and international ‘Game Jams’ that have the potential to make a significant impact on your career advancement and exposure. You’ll get to work as part of a team to develop a game in an informal and fun environment. It’s a great opportunity to be creative and work on something that won’t be formally marked. Taking part in these sorts of activities/events allows you to showcase your skills, gain recognition and create valuable opportunities for yourself.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- Concept Art/Pre-Production for Creative Industries
- 3D Character development
- 3D Prop Development
- Game Environment Design and Creation
- Realtime Lighting, Cinematics and VFX
- Game Art Direction
- Interactive Entertainment
- The Metaverse!
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for
- Rare
- Electronic Arts
- Sumo Digital
- Steel City Interactive
- Rockstar North
- Epic Games
- SEGA
- Framestore
- Jagex
- Rebellion
- NDreams
- D3t
- Creative Assembly
- KudosQA
- Digital Extremes
- Ripstone
- Playground Games
- Expression Games
- Media Molecule
And many more!
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
Media, Arts and Communications Facilities Tour
Take a look around the media, arts and communication facilities at Sheffield Hallam University with lecturer Saskia Wilson.
Equipment and facilities
On this course we have access to industry-standard high-end gaming specification PCs and software in studio style labs.
You’ll also have access to the largest PlayStation teaching facility in the world on campus, as well as:
- motion capture suite
- specialist virtual reality space
- our commercial games studio, Steel Minions
- Autodesk Maya/3D Studio Max
- ZBrush
- Unreal Engine
- Unity
- Adobe CC including Photoshop
- Substance Painter
- Substance Designer
- Marvelous Designer
Media Gallery
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 80
With at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:
- CDD at A Level.
- MMP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- A combination of qualifications which must include an A level grade C or BTEC grade M.
GCSE
- English Language or Literature at grade C or 4 or equivalents*
- Maths at grade C or 4 or equivalents*
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.p>
• 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 Media Arts and Communication.
We treat the foundation year as part of the Media Arts and Communication degree programme. Offers made to students will be for four years of study (or five years of study including a placement). This is made up of the foundation year plus one of our Media Arts and Communication degrees.
If your application is successful, you will be invited to submit a portfolio of work to demonstrate your ability. Find out about the selection process and how to produce a strong portfolio.
We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.
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.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Creative Synergies In Media Production
Media In Context
Media Project
Preparing For Independent Practice And Study
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Game Art Development 1
Game Art Production
Game Art Theory
Game Project
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Art Direction For Games
Game Art Development 2
Game Art Pathways 1
Interactive Realities
Elective modules
Study Abroad - Creative Industries
Year 4
Elective modules
Game Studio Project
Optional modules
Placement Year
Final year
Compulsory modules
Alternate Realities
Final Game Project
Game Art Pathways 2
Research And Development Proposal
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fees for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2025/26 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
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. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
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 Sheffield Creative Industries Institute (PDF, 153.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
