BA (Hons) Computer Arts

Immerse yourself in a world where art, media and games come together to deliver one of the most distinguished Computer Arts degrees in Europe. Ranked TOP in Scotland for overall student satisfaction (Computer Games and Animation, NSS 2023).

Course detail

Start Date

September

Duration

4 years (full-time)

Award Title

BA (Hons)

UCAS Code

GW42

Why study Computer Arts at Abertay?

Immerse yourself in a world of digital design on one of the most prestigious Computer Arts degrees in Europe. You’ll delve into subjects like animation, 3D development, concept art, asset and character design.

This professionally accredited course develops your skills and understanding in digital arts and design. You’ll delve into subjects like animation, 3D development, concept art, asset and character design.

We help you to expand your knowledge and develop your critical and contextual understanding of the digital arts. You’ll lead the design and production of a range of creative content for computer games, digital illustration, concept art, animation, visual effects and much more. 

 

As well as lectures and classes, you'll have opportunities to engage with industry practitioners, attend visiting lectures, participate in masterclasses and receive project mentoring.  

Our open-plan studios cultivate interdisciplinary study. This means you’ll use cutting-edge technology and entertainment production techniques as you work collaboratively with other students in game design and games technology. 

Intern and mentorship opportunities

We offer internship/placement opportunities where students apply for placements in third year. Successful candidates work with games studios over the summer, getting professional hands-on experience.

Plus in year three you’ll work directly with industry mentors, developing a prototype project as part of an interdisciplinary team. This mentorship programme runs for successful third year students alongside their studies.

From film and advertising to visual effects and computer games, computer art is everywhere. This means our in-demand graduates work across the world in computer games, film, television and animation - so why not apply now and join them?

The 2024 Complete University Guide named us the top Scottish modern university for Art & Design.

Abertay is the top International School for video games design (Princeton Review 2024). 

Accreditations

This degree is accredited by TIGA, the trade association representing the UK video games industry. 

Your Journey Starts Here

Computer art is everywhere ... from film and advertising to gallery installations and computer games. Turn your passion for art into a degree by studying at the top university in the UK for computer games. 

Potential careers

Our Computer Arts graduates work across the globe in computer games, film, television and animation. For the last three years, over 10% of graduates have secured employment before graduation, including roles such as: 

  • 3D artists and UI artists at leading console game development companies.

  • Character animators and scene prep artists in television animation. 

  • Character TD and character animators at leading visual effects companies. 

Several of our graduates – in partnership with other games students – have successfully set up their own games companies, publishing their creations on mobile, console and online platforms. 

Games and Art Alumni

male drawing using an easel - live model in background

Strong industry Links

Throughout your degree, you’ll work on industry-relevant project briefs, collaborate with industry mentors and receive coaching from academic staff, many of whom are practicing artists with extensive games industry experience.  

In year 3 there are internship opportunities with local games companies to help develop your professional developmental skills. Then in year 4 you’ll work directly with industry mentors to develop a prototype creative project as part of an interdisciplinary team.  

You can also attend lectures from our industry partners and former graduates that relate to game art, illustration, animation and visual effects. 

Abertay student creating digital art

Dare Academy

Abertay University’s Dare Academy games design competition enables students to gain significant industry exposure and international experience. 

Student teams will go through a tough selection process before the best six are chosen to design, test and create prototypes over an intense hothousing period. 

We then showcase the games at EGX, the UK's biggest games event, and the top three teams are flown out to visit international games partners and to be profiled.

This is a unique offer for Abertay games students and it ensures you stand out from the crowd.

If you’re applying from overseas or from outside Scotland, we have scholarships available to make your studies more affordable.

Dare Academy

About your modules

All modules shown are indicative and reflect course content for the current academic year. Modules are reviewed annually and may be subject to change. If you receive an offer to study with us we will send you a Programme document  that sets out exactly which modules you can expect to take as part of your Abertay University degree programme. Please see Terms and Conditions for more information.

Modules

Year 1 Core Modules

You must study and pass all five core modules

Brief description

Develop the ability to define contextual domain and map discourse to the field of computer arts.

Indicative content:

  • Lecture Series: Lectures relating to current thinking, history and trends within your specialist area of practice.
  • Set Domain: Develop an understanding of the field of digital media and its roles and domains of practice.
  • Discourse Mapping: Become familiar with the issues, debates, and tensions in digital arts and media.
  • Critique Techniques: Within class, participate in tutor-led debate around identified issues within digital arts and media.
  • Dissemination Techniques: Explore techniques for dissemination of research finding and apply appropriate techniques to meet the needs of the project brief.

Brief description

Develop an understanding of motion and skills in relation to animation. An introduction to technical and aesthetic factors central to the genration of convincing animated objects..

Indicative content:

  • Drawing for animation: Extend understanding of anatomy, form and movement through life drawing to create dynamic poses for animation purposes.
  • Planning for Animation: Apply appropriate pre-production and planning techniques, including time charts, thumbnails and storyboards.
  • Timing for Animation: Experiment with timing to create clear, readable actions in animated movements, considering how it might be interpreted by an audience.
  • Body Mechanics: Analyse and practically explore believable weight and interconnectivity of aspects of an animated form.
  • Non-Character Based Movement: Apply force, weight and timing techniques to non-character-based animation.
  • Real-World/Animated Physics: Explore the difference between physical actions in the real world and in animated scenarios of varying levels of stylisation and exaggeration.
  • Basic Audio: Analyse the effective use of audio to aid motion.
  • Application of Animation: Define and practically explore the different applications of 2D animation.

Brief description

Build a foundation of traditional drawing techniques through practical drawing sessions. Develop creative, technical and observational drawing skills from figurative and object-based drawing and environmental studies. Produce a curated folio of drawings to demonstrate these skills. 

Indicative content:

  • Context: Explore and observe the use of line, form, proportion, tone, colour, texture, scale, perspective in traditional and digital visual arts. 
  • Content: Build an awareness and appreciation of historical and contemporary visual artists that inform and inspire ideas relating to narrative, character, mood and tone. Identify and investigate the impacts and effects of different colour pallets, compositions, lighting on visual imagery. Analyse the technical and aesthetic factors central to the creation of visual imagery and how they can be used to build meaning within an image.
  • Execution: Practice traditional life drawing/observational skills, in relation to form and composition, proportion and measuring, media and technique, structure and anatomy, and developing a visual language. Explore and experiment with a variety of materials and techniques to develop personal expressive style and approach to drawing. Analyse and interpret a project brief and create relevant creative explorations and solutions to visuals and support with sketchbook evidence of research. Discuss and apply presentation techniques.

Brief description

Develop your observational and creative skills to build your visual language and gain an awareness of learning through making. Within a cultural context, consider the conceptual, technical and aesthetic elements at play in creating digital imagery, reflecting on contemporary and historical arts practice.

Indicative content:

  • Context: Discuss and explore the impact of digital art in contemporary popular culture and art. Discuss and explore the the impact of historical visual arts practice on contemporary culture and art. Discuss the principals of research-led practice and the impact of learning through making. 
  • Content: Practice digital drawing/observational skills, and art and design principles through media and technique, structure and experimentation, while developing a visual language. Analyse and practice the technical and aesthetic factors central to the creation of digital imagery and how they can be used to challenge the traditional concepts of image making. Explore visual perception and the use of visual cues to engage, articulate and communicate ideas through imagery. 
  • Execution: Analyse and interpret a project brief and generate relevant creative explorations and solutions which communicate your findings, supported by evidence of research. Discuss and apply presentation techniques.

Brief description

Introduction to foundational 3D techniques such as modelling, texturing and lighting to help conceive and design many types of 3D assets. You can assemble and use these to create ‘proof-of-concept’ demonstration videos to make your ideas visually enticing and understandable to applicable audiences.

Module content: 

  • 3D Design Contexts: Understand the formal elements of form and space through study of art histories relative to 3D digital design including sculpture, architecture, spatial arts and virtual spaces.
  • Principles of 3D Design: Employ principle concepts of 3D design from traditional, contemporary and industrial backgrounds.
  • Drawing for Design: Employ drawing techniques which help communicate ideas clearly. 
  • Fundamental Processes of 3D Design: Utilise key processes, methods and pipelines relative to 3D digital design and asset production. 
  • Rendering for 3D Digital Design: Understand and employ basic rendering methods which can be used as a tool in the concept development process. 
  • Exporting and migration for 3D Digital Design: Review and evaluate methods for passing projects between software packages.
  • Visual Prototyping: Arrange and assemble 3D assets to prove concepts, developed through a process of iteration. 
  • Image post-processing and clean-up for 3D Digital Design: Export rendered images and moving images for post processing in alternative software packages to further enhance the proof-of-concept objective.

Years 1 and 2 Elective Modules

You must study and pass one elective module of your choosing​

Brief description

Introduction of the concept of smart cities which brings together hard infrastructure, social capital including local skills and community institutions, and digital technologies to fuel sustainable economic development and provide an attractive environment for all.

Indicative content:

  • Social impacts: There is an overall need for theoretical and methodological plurality in how we assess the impact and value of future cities in terms for individual and societal well−being. Gaps in our understanding relate to the complex ways individuals and groups engage with built and natural settings, the cultural goods and consequent benefits that may arise and the inequalities associated with these cultural benefits.
  • Security: Different types of cyber-attacks that could be launched against a Smart City. Impact of cyber-attacks. Approaches to securing the smart grid and critical infrastructure, i.e. improving cyber resilience.
  • Sustainable urban food production: Includes the long established allotments movement to large-scale projects based on sustainability throughout the food chain. Urban food production includes the long established allotments movement. The demand for urban growing also responds to the densification and intensification of living areas, due to population rise, migration and demographic aging with lower housing and ‘garden’ space standards placing greater importance on collective production.
  • Energy, waste and water: At present, water and wastewater facilities are often the largest and most energy intensive responsibilities owned and operated by local governments, representing up to 35% of municipal energy use. Future cities will need to utilise more sustainable methods of water and wastewater management and renewable energy production.
  • Digital technologies: ​Digital technologies will play a major role in creating sustainable and resilient cities offering a vehicle for more inclusive decision−making process and promoting dialog amongst architects, urban planners, the public and technologists.

Brief description

Develop a range of skills, knowledge and techniques within the natural, technological and social sciences relevant to the study of environmental sustainability and life in the twenty-first century. Understand the critical issues that confront humanity and begin to discern appropriate responses.

Indicative content:

  • The challenge of sustainable development: Problems associated with life in the 21st Century and the relationship to scientific provisionalism and uncertainty.
  • The genesis of sustainable development concept: Developments associated with the Club of Rome are outlined while Limits to Growth and the Tragedy of the Commons.
  • Evolution of sustainable development: The Reo Summit and Suitability, and Policy Developments thereof.
  • Scientific inquiry and sustainable development: : Controversial issues like climate change, oil peak, and food production and the role of science in helping delimit them as problematic.
  • Mainstreaming sustainability: Sustainability and Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience, as individual and social concerns, and their role in transformation.
  • Communicating sustainability: Human well-being, Environmental Justice, Environmental Policy and the practicalities of Sustainability in Scotland.
  • Sustainable development in practice: Community Empowerment associated with Land Reform. Energy Production and Food Production in Tayside.
  • Ethics and sustainability policy: Active citizenship and globalisation.
  • Innovating locally, transforming globally: Transformations required to embrace Sustainability.
  • Active relationship for sustainable futures: Thinking globally, acting locally.

Brief description

How lifestyle can affect physical and mental well-being. Reflect on your own lifestyle choices and how to incorporate good health behaviours into your life.

Indicative content:

  • Sleep and stress: The impact of sleep and stress on health and performance. Completion of sleep diaries and questionnaires related to sleep patterns and stress.
     
  • Physical activity: Current physical activity recommendations, components of physical fitness.
     
  • Physical inactivity: Understanding why people are inactive. The link between physical inactivity, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
     
  • Physical activity and mental well-being: The effects of physical activity on mental well-being.
  • The effect of carbohydrate consumption and exercise on blood glucose: Measurement and recording of blood glucose in response to the carbohydrate ingestion and exercise.
  • Simple health and fitness testing: Measurement and recording of data. Tests will include blood pressure, strength, endurance and flexibility. Data will be compared with normative values for these tests.

Brief description

Develop critical thinking skills that form the basis for progression across the academic disciplines of the university. Learn how to recognise, construct, evaluate, criticise and defend different forms of argument.

Indicative content:

  • Potential 'timeless' debates: Debates delivered by internal and external experts on: e.g. existence of God; privacy and civil society; private property; money as source of 'evil'; nature/nurture; free speech; pornography; capital punishment; prostitution; animal experimentation; meaning of justice; abortion; affirmative action; just war; trade union power; good life/good political community; human nature; monarchy; value of democracy; meaning of equality; citizenship rights.
  • Potential 'timely' debates: Debates delivered by internal and external experts on: eg, Scottish independence, academic freedom; drug legalisation; drug use in sport; immigration; free health care; war on terror; EU membership; euthanasia; progressive taxation; race and gender discrimination; gay marriage; human rights; politics/sport; global warming; internet censorship; nuclear power; education league tables; nuclear weapons; GM agriculture; religion; cloning; fair trade; value of contemporary culture.
  • Critical thinking seminars: Follow-up discursive discipline specific seminar sessions led by teaching staff on topics covered in formal debates. Learn to identify types of argument presented, evaluate perspectives and to reflect upon their own reasoning processes and value assumptions. The debates and seminars facilitate a foundation for the acquisition of graduate attributes.
  • WEB CT Wiki discussion forum: Work in small groups to write a short 800 word indicative "Thinking Summary" online Wiki of the arguments presented in each debate. These summaries will be constructed by each designated Thinking Group of three students using the Wiki facility on Blackboard which will facilitate further discussion on the moderated WEB CT discussion forum.

Brief description

The social, managerial, economic, political,and technical challenges and opportunities associated with emerging renewable energy innovation, production, supply and consumption.

Indicative content:

  • Renewable energy non-technical challenges and opportunities: Social and political challenges and opportunities of renewable energy production supply and consumption. Economic and environmental challenges of renewable energy production supply and consumption. Strategic and managerial challenges of renewable energy production supply and consumption.
  • Renewable energy technological challenges and opportunities: Geotechnical, Geophysical and Hydrographic information; Knowledge of sources of hydrographic information and interpretation of published charts. Forces on structures; Appreciation of the various forces acting on marine structures. Technical limitations and challenges of energy distribution systems and energy storage. Current technological development trend, collaborative innovation in renewable energy.

Brief description

An understanding of the concepts of tolerance, and the importance of making sound ethical decisions. Develop the qualities, characteristics and skills to meet the aspiration for Abertay graduates to become global and active citizens. 

Indicative content:

  • Introduction to equality and ethics legislation.
  •  Diversity competence and moral/ethical reasoning: Inclusiveness, equal opportunities, positive action, reasonable adjustment.
  • Attributes for the workplace and for global citizenship.
  • Reflective practice: Application of models of reflective practice.
  • Contemporary issues

Brief description

Learn how to adjust language to suit context. Analyse a range of linguistic issues, including “proper English”, how language can be used to create moral panics, and the ethics of communication.

Indicative content:

  • “Good English”: The role of standardisation, dialect and idiolect − how we choose language to reflect our identities and our role in a speech or discourse community.
  • Language and influence: How the media constructs narratives to persuade or inform the audience (and how to tell the difference).
  • Creating a narrative across genres: The conventions, freedoms and limitations of different forms; using these forms in new ways.
  • Narrative changes over time: How authors reinvent old stories to reflect current concerns.
  • Technical writing: The use and manipulation of data; hearing the author's voice; critiquing "bad science".
  • The ethics of communication:  (Electronic) media and ownership, attribution and theft.

Brief description

An introduction to the cultural codes and formal content underlying the composition of popular cultural genres, as these are realised through films and more contemporaneously through video games.

Indicitave content:

  • Introduction: Genres as cultural forms and cultural products
  • Genre and Cinema.
  • Games and Genre. 
  • The Fantasy Genre. 
  • The Horror Genre. 

Brief description

Develop perspectives on the key challenges faced by humankind such as environmental change, pollution, food security, energy provision, conflicts, terrorism, emerging diseases, and changing demographics. Understand the overwhelming complexity of the problems and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to create solutions.

Module content:

  • Interdisciplinary research
    Introductory lectures will discuss the definitions, methods, benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches and the role of public policy influencing research
     
  • Global challenges
    Challenges from different disciplines. Examples include: Climate Change: causes and impact; Serious Games: science and application of visualization and games; Global Security: valuing ecosystems: balancing policy, economics and environment; Contemporary Challenges to Healthy Living; Food Security: global threats and local needs; Energy Poverty: space travel.

Brief description

Design an activity to communicate and present scientific principles to primary school children. Learn about working as a group and how to communicate complex ideas.

Indicative content:

Developing a science communication activity
Target audience, sources of information to identify suitable activities (CfE documentation etc.), health and safety, issues around working with specific groups, accessibility, ethics, costing and sustainability.

The landscape of engagement and current practice
Types of public engagement activities, target audiences, funding, role of learned societies, universities and other bodies. Public engagement in Dundee and Tayside.

Brief description

Develop the knowledge and awareness required to make good career decisions and the skills and confidence to successfully navigate each stage of the recruitment process for graduate jobs.

Module content:

  • Developing self-awareness
    Profiling of personal strengths, values and priorities in relation to career choice.
     
  • Developing opportunity awareness
    Generating career ideas based on your personal profile; Exploring the range of graduate opportunities within job sectors of interest; Reviewing occupations that are directly related to your own subject discipline.
     
  • Developing a career action plan
    Matching your personal profile with best fit opportunities in the job market; Creating a timeline of actions to improve your prospects of meeting your aim.
  • Developing job seeking skills
    Sourcing suitable job opportunities - both advertised and unadvertised; Creating a professional image online; Identifying the skills and qualities employers look for in graduates; Learning how to produce targeted applications for specific job roles; Practising the presentation of your strengths and motivations in face to face selection activities.

Brief description

Learn about natural disaster such as landslides and flooding, structural disasters such as the Tay Rail Bridge and the system of critical infrastructure (such as road, rail, air and shipping transport networks, power grid, gas and water networks, health system) that constitute the backbone of modern societies.

Indicative content:

•    Overview of the scope and the content of concept of critical infrastructure failure during natural disasters and resilience against such failures
The consequences of geophysical, hydrological and meteorological disasters on critical infrastructure and critical infrastructure protection capabilities against natural disasters. Interdependencies of critical infrastructures during large disasters, presents a brief review of current research being done in this field, and presents a methodology to address interdependencies.


•    The identification of the vulnerabilities of the critical systems
The critical systems upon which modern society, economy, and polity depend. The identification of the vulnerabilities of these systems threats that might exploit these vulnerabilities. The effort to develop techniques to mitigate these vulnerabilities through improved design.


•     Flooding in Scotland
General overview of fluvial, pluvial and coastal flooding, the structural, economic and societal impact and responses to flooding. Resources will include historical examples, current policies and information (including SEPA flood maps). Case study (with virtual/actual field visit?) the Perth Floods of 1990 and 1993 and the Perth flood defence scheme*


•    Landslide origins, types and mitigations
General overview what landslides are, why they happen and what can be done to prevent them.


•    Structural failure
An example such as why the Tay Bridge failed and what it meant for the Forth Rail Bridge.


•    Reports and investigations
The role of reports in accident and disaster investigations in creating informative reports; case studies of accidents, disasters, learning from history, learning from case studies, learning from common law

Brief description

Introduction to the skills and knowledge needed to launch a small business successfully. This module will define and help you acquire the personal and professional skills needed to develop a professional career and/or to succeed as entrepreneurs in Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Indicative content:

  • Understanding entrepreneurship.
     
  • Generating successful business ideas.
     
  • Environmental scanning.
     
  • Developing a credible business plan that includes evaluating business ideas.
     
  • Presenting the business idea.

Brief description

An understanding of some of the processes involved in food production. Discuss common misconceptions and ideas which present the food and nutritional industries in a bad light.

Module content:

•    Student led investigations
Student led investigations of the different sectors within the food and drink industry including: prebiotics – and the controversy surrounding the term; if barbequing is a healthy cooking method; and exposing the celebrity chef - common Myths about cooking.


•    Consumerism
Does the food industry listen to us? Understanding consumer and sensory science to better understand why you buy the products you buy.  How food/public health is reported by the media? The French paradox / Mediterranean diet.


•    Future of food
Ethical food production and the future of foods, and what’s waste got to do with it?


•    Debunking myths
Debunking food myths, more science than science fiction in our food today, like the science behind getting sauce out of a bottle and what to drink – Whisky or Beer?


•    Facts from fiction
Finding facts from fiction, investigating the three-second rule – should I eat things that have fallen on the floor? What’s so super about super-foods? Fat or sugar: Which is worse?

Brief description

Learn how we approach and understand mental health, from historic, social, therapeutic, and individual perspectives. Explore questions such as ‘what is madness?’, ‘how does society position people with mental illness?’, and ‘how do we best respond to challenges to our mental health?’

Indicative content:

  • Historical and cultural perspective on mental illness
    How do we ‘think’ about mental health, and mental ill health?
     
  • Diagnosis and the anti-psychiatry movement
    Who holds the power to decide what is normal in terms of psychological well-being and behaviour?
     
  • Gender, culture and mental health
    How gendered cultural expectations and representations influence how we respond to mental health issues.
     
  • Media representations
    The impact of film and literature on attitudes and understandings of mental health.
     
  • Resilience, treatment and recovery
    Common mental health problems in the UK, treatment and management, and frameworks for enhancing well-being and resilience.

Brief description

An introduction to the wide range of disciplines in forensic investigation. Learn how crimes are investigated from the moment of reporting through to the presentation of the evidence in court. A hypothetical case study provides an over-arching framework in which to explore the critical aspects of forensic investigations. It involves not only physical and electronic evidence, but also statements from witnesses, suspects and victims which requires cross discipline collaboration of professionals.

Indicative content:

Crime scene investigation
How a crime scene is examined in the context of incomplete contextual information and to avoid loss or contamination of evidence and the maximising of the value of evidential material.

Media involvement
Positive and negative effects of the media/public interest in the crime.

Forensic biology
Examination and evidential value of body fluids, DNA, hairs and fibres.

Forensic chemistry
Analysis for drugs, toxicological analysis, firearms, explosives, and trace evidence.

Digital sources
Evidence from CCT, mobile phones, computer hardware, on−line behaviour.

Forensic reasoning and practice
An introduction to forensic problem solving, thinking styles, case assessment and interpretation.

Psychology of witnesses and suspects
False confessions, offender profiling, effects and avoidance of cognitive bias in forensic science through process design.

Year 2 Core Modules

You must study and pass all five core modules​

Brief description

Develop ability and awareness within the field of 3D art asset creation. Learn to identify and use appropriate 3D techniques to create artefacts for Games, Illustration, Animation, Digital Media and 3D Prints. 

Indicative content:

  • Polygon Modelling: Core Polygon modelling techniques for the creation of digital or analogue artefacts.
  • Digital Sculpting: Core Sculpting techniques. Core NURBS modelling techniques for the creation of digital or analogue artefacts.
  • Textures and materials: The use of textures and materials for specific processes and goals.
  • Lighting and Camera implementation: Explanation of the properties of light and lighting/camera set-up.
  • Virtual Environments: Creation of 3D environments, displaying an awareness of form, function and design.
  • Implementation: Implementation and application of 3D processes within the development and realisation of creativity, conceptualisation and imagination.
  • Technologies: The new and evolving technologies in this discipline, and the manner in which they affect practice.
  • Interpretation: Demonstrate visual analysis skills as they flow into visual interpretation.

Brief description

Learn to identify and form a critical argument by gaining a set of academic tools to analyse and evaluate issues, trends and work which sits within your area of practice.

Indicative content:

  • Historical Traditions of Creative Practice: Through a series of presentations, analyse historical snapshots to discuss the traditions of fields of practice, identifying key practitioners of the time and key works.
  • Creative Work in Context: The study of creative works and the ways in which the environmental, political, social and economic context within which it was created can be seen to influence the final form and its reception.
  • Art Media History and Current Practices: For a specific area of interest, build connections  between historical practices and current trends in art and media production.
  • Forming Critical Arguments: Analyse academic writing around the field of practice to form a case study to enhance understanding of critical argument creation.
  • Literature and Critical Arguments: Explore related literature and its role in supporting academic critique.
  • Dissemination Practices: Explore traditions and new forms of academic practice to inform research and also the final form of your coursework.

Brief description

The artistic and and technical processes in the field of concept art and production for entertainment such as computer games, film, comics, animation. Explore your field through visual research, observational and digital concept design skills, and industry standard applications to aid your creative process. Produce a portfolio of evidence which exhibits a firm grasp of two dimensional digital production methods through conceptual and practical skills development.

Indicative content:

  • Visual Research: Targeted visual research methods appropriate to concept design, building reliable resources via image gathering, scrapbooks, blogs or sketchbooks, online/offline resources.
  • Observational Drawing: Drawing from life, expanding beyond reality, concepts grounded in real world scenarios, proving fantastical ideas.
  • Concept Incubation: Idea generation, photo collage, sketching, concept development, mood-boarding, thumbnailing, iteration, variation.
  • Defining the Domain of Practice: Explore key figures and current trends; historical grounding for genre, cliche, archetype and representation. Evaluate examples of entertainment design for creature, character, vehicle, industrial, product, environment, graphic design. 
  • Concept Development: Design drawing, digital painting, 3D layout and sculpting for 2D design, digitising real world sources. 
  • Workflows, Process and Pipeline: Identify and assess design problems, identify creative software solutions, employ an effective design pipeline framework. 
  • Artefact Creation: Layout design considerations of concept images to effectively present completed work such as for print, pitching, clients, presentation. 

Brief description

The processes and purposes of designing and developing a piece of interactive entertainment and the challenges involved in team based design.

Module content:

  • Historical Overview: How games have been designed, prominent genres, styles and techniques.
  • Concept and Communication: Conceptualising and communicating ideas, scoping requirements, giving and receiving critique.
  • Design Process: Establishing a process, proposing solutions, iteration and documentation.
  • Core Design: Working up the concept, graphics, features, setting, story, objectives, levels.
  • The Development Team: Roles and responsibilities, scheduling and milestones, inclusive and supportive working.
  • Rules and Mechanics: Implementing choices, interactivity, strategies, motivation and reward, balancing gameplay.
  • Look and Feel: Establishing a style, ambience, colour and mood, sound effects, and music.
  • Cultural and Commercial Awareness: Designing for an audience, markets, genres and platforms.

Brief description

The relationship between written story, performance and visual storytelling in animated sequences. Explore narrative and acting theory in relation to the creation of an animated performance and test these ideas through the creation of and interation upon animated sequence(s). 

Module content:

  • Narrative Context: Explore and apply narrative concepts and processes relating to story development for an animated character performance.
  • Animation Context: Explore and develop an animated character performance in a narrative context.
  • Observational Context: Develop and apply skills for observation from life to an animated performance.
  • Pre-Production: Develop appropriate pre-production documentation to support the development of a character performance in a narrative context, such as story beats, storyboards and animatics.
  • Believable Movement: Express believable motion, weight, balance and expressive potential through drawing, planning thumbnails and in 3D animated performances.
  • Performance-Animator as Actor: Explore the thinking character through observational drawing and performance. Develop technical and conceptual abilities to apply these concepts in the creation of 3D animated performances.
  • Non-Verbal Communication: Explore the use and varying degrees of exaggeration of body language, gesture, and facial expression as communicative devices within an animated performance.
  • Dialogue: Explore the development, utilisation and refinement of effective and convincing dialogue in an animated performance.
  • Acting for Camera: Demonstrate the dramatic use of the visual frame within which the performance occurs. Apply directorial camera techniques demonstrating understanding of film language and cinematography to visually support the performance.
  • Presentation: Iterate upon, finalise and compile animated performance(s) to best showcase contextual understanding and practical skills development.

Year 2 Option Modules - Term 2

If you are a Direct Entrant (new student) to this year of study and have not previously taken module ABE101, then you MUST take ABE201 as part of your Microcredential selection. If you have previously taken ABE101 then you are NOT permitted to take ABE201.

Instructions: Please choose a total of TWENTY credits of optional modules in Term 2. This can include microcredential (ABE) modules.

Brief description

Throughout the microcredential you will become familiar with university systems (including the virtual learning environment), consider what attributes make a successful student and develop key successful student habits.

Indicative content

  • Navigating Abertay Systems: Be introduced to and understand how to engage with Abertay systems and tools such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS, MyAbertay etc.
  • Expectations of University and You: Explore your own and the universities expectations of you and of the university; Consider the code of conduct; independent learning; blended learning; how university is structured; health and safety; and the Abertay attributes.
  • Understanding and Searching Information: How scholarly information is generated and disseminated, key characteristics of different information types. Planning, using, and refining appropriate search strategies; online search tools; using a range of web and database search functionality. 
  • Successful Student Behaviours: Develop strategies to key successful student behaviours including Defeating Procrastination, Time Management, Notetaking and preparing for classes, Growth Mindset, Accessing student support and opportunities.
  • Referencing: Understand what is meant by academic integrity, plagiarism, and the need for appropriate referencing; creating reference lists and in-text citations; use of referencing tools to manage information.
  • Sounding Academic: Explore what lecturers mean by “academic style” and “the right language”; Understand what is meant by and how to learn the rules of academic writing characteristics. Consider how this differs between college and university; Learn how to paraphrase. Explore how assessments, marking and feedback works at university.
  • Evaluating Information: Using appropriate quality criteria to critically evaluate information from any source to determine authority and bias.

Brief description

This microcredential provides you with the space and time to develop your skills in designing, planning, delivering, and showcasing an artefact responding to the societal issue. The microcredential is flexible and you will have a choice of what and how you create your response.

Indicative content

  • The Big Issue: You will be introduced to the big society issue that will be the focus of your artefact response. Learning materials available will help you consider your response to the challenge.
  • Developing Ideas: You will think creatively as to how you will respond to the big issue. You will consider your intended artefact aims, outcomes and target audience. 
  • Responding to the Challenge: Resources and guidance will be available as you respond to the challenge and create your artefact.
  • Preparing for the Showcase: Guidance will be available on how best to showcase your artefact for the assessment. You will develop your presentation skills to support you in showcasing the artefact. 
  • Showcase Event: You will attend a showcase event and present your artefact.

Brief description

You will discuss a range of anti-racist approaches and how they apply within the context of professional communications. You will examine case studies and scenarios to identify the nature of bias in society explore ways to be anti-racist especially in professional communications.

Indicative content

  • Racial Bias in Society: Using case studies and scenarios to discuss various forms of racism in society, you will explore the need for anti-racist practice in professional communications. 
  • Classification of Anti-Racist Practice: This section compares different anti-racists approaches applied across several contexts. You will discuss the challenges and benefits of each approach. You will identify barriers to implementation of anti-racist practice.
  • Discuss Anti-Racist Approaches for Successful Professional Communications: You will be introduced to various communications frameworks (e.g. the humanity-centric framework) and will explore scenarios for the application of these frameworks in a range of professional contexts.
  • Embedding Anti-Racism in Digital and Social Media Communications: How can you discuss matters of race and anti-racism on digital and social media while maintaining a professional persona. We will examine cases for best practices and explore ways to avoid bigoted language in digital communications. 

Brief description

In this module you will study two ways of analysing language: (i) a basic introduction to conversation analysis and discourse analysis as applied to ordinary talk/texting, and (ii) and introduction text mining, based on identifying patterns and developing insights from text-based data available on the Internet (e.g., social media data, online texts, online reviews etc).

Indicative content

  • Conversation Analysis and Talk and Text as Action: A brief overview of the CA focus on language as action; an examination of how people talk in terms of questions, answers, invitations, excuses, justifications etc.; an examination of texting, emojis, misunderstandings.
  • Text Mining: Introduction to text mining and its uses in a social sciences and business context; Online data sources; The text mining process: data collection, pre-processing and analysis; effectively communicating and visualising insights from textual data.

Brief description

By the end of this microcredential, you will be able to evaluate and select machine learning algorithms and AWS services to be appropriately applied to different business problems.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to Machine Learning: What is ML? ML process, business problem solved with ML, ML tools, Amazon SageMaker, ML challenges, supervised learning (regression, classification), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction), reinforcement learning, etc.
  • Implementing a ML pipeline using Amazon Sage Maker: Formulating ML problems, collecting and securing data, extracting, transferring and loading data, evaluating your data, finding corelation, feature engineering, data cleaning, dealing with outliers, training, deployment, performance evaluation, hyperparameters and model tuning.
  • Forecasting: Time series analysis, Amazon Forecast, Implementing a forecast model, Stock Predictions.
  • Computer Vision: Facial Recognition, Image and Video Analysis, Dataset Preparation.
  • Natural Language Processing: Amazon Comprehend, Polly, Translate, and Lex, Creating a chatbot, Alexa, etc.

Brief description

This online module will support you to get familiar with sustainability and introduce you to tools that can help you to understand and reduce your climate impact. By increasing your sustainability self-awareness, you will be able to make a positive difference in your own life, and in the organisations and communities around you.

Indicative content

  • What is sustainability and how is it linked to Climate Change?: We define sustainability, enhancing understanding of the links between society, economy, and environment. Climate change is explained and linked to sustainability. We provide clear accessible information about the reliable science of climate change. We describe the need efforts towards limiting human-induced global warming (limiting cumulative CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions). 
  • Global Sustainability: We introduce the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. 
  • Personal Sustainability: The WWF environmental footprint tool is a great way to start your personal sustainability journey. The planet is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our environmental footprint calculator. 
  • Community Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Community climate resilience comes in many forms. In this topic we introduce ideas which can provide multiple benefits of people, planet, and prosperity. We showcase inspiring examples whereby working with natural processes (Biophilic design, blue and green infrastructure) we can connect people with nature to improve their well-being and quality of life, whilst simultaneously tackling climate change and storing carbon.
  • Global Solutions: What is the world doing about it? What impact do Global Climate and Biodiversity agreements (COP26 etc) really have? What’s happening here? Where are the challenges and the good news stories? We showcase positive initiatives focussed on progress.

Brief description

By the end of the module, you will know more about key aspects of nutrition and health and be better equipped to identify and tackle the barriers that prevent you from eating well.

Indicative content

  • Healthy eating on a budget: This topic will show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! You will be given basic nutritional knowledge, as well as skills and practical tips to be able to eat a healthy diet on a budget. You will then be able to develop your own menu and share it with your peers, so you learn from us as well as from each other.
  • Prebiotics, probiotics and health: You will learn about the importance of our microbiota on health, and how what we eat can modulate it. You will be provided with cooking tips and will be able to develop your own fermented foods for better gut health.
  • Fat or sugar, which is worse?: You may have heard that fats are bad for our health, or perhaps you have heard it is all about the sugars? You will learn about the role of both sugars and fats in our diet; what makes them good or bad for health and the science behind it. You will be given the tools to assess your own sugar and fat intake as well as tips to implement the changes you need to eat better. 
  • The British diet vs Mediterranean diet: What is a Mediterranean diet and what are its real benefits? Is it just a diet or a pattern? Can we get the same benefits as those living in Mediterranean countries? In this topic, you will explore how feasible it is for us to adopt the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, considering the seasonality of ingredients as well as sustainability. 
  • What drives our food choices?: How healthy do you think your diet is? Do you find it easy to eat well? With this topic you will become more aware of our obesogenic environment, of how the food industry talks to us, and how the media report nutritional claims. You will learn to look more closely and more critically at your environment, so you can make healthier decisions.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to refine your current writing skills through the analysis and discussion of a range of texts and exercises, enabling you to then apply these techniques to assignments for your other modules.

Indicative content

  • Speaking the language: How to develop your academic and professional vocabulary: understanding the genre; understanding your reader’s expectations.
  • Meeting expectations: Why different assignments have different requirements: decoding instructions; selecting appropriate writing techniques.
  • Tightening up the nuts and bolts: How to improve your writing accuracy: reviewing key grammar and punctuation issues; improving your editing and proofreading.
  • Standing on the shoulders of giants: How to borrow from the greats: reviewing the principles of citing sources; using writing techniques to incorporate research into writing.

Brief description

This module will help you develop a better understanding of the difference between media reporting and scientific evaluation. It will equip you with the skills to look beyond sensational stories related to human behaviour and dig deeper into a topic area to validate the evidence.

Indicative content

  • Paranormal Beliefs and Experiences: Is Extrasensory Perception Real? Is there really evidence that we can predict the future?
  • Myths about the Brain: Can repressed memories be recovered in therapy? How easily are false memories created? What are the implications for the justice system? 
  • Myths about our Mind and Body: Is the key to success in everyday life simply a case of posing like a powerful superhero? 
  • Myths about Language: Does being bilingual make you smarter and keep your brain younger? Are bilingual people less likely to get dementia as a result of this lifelong brain training?

Brief description

Through this microcredential you will gain an insight into what the world of work may look like in the (near) future. This includes developing a knowledge of how the economy and labour market evolves and why individual skills-sets and employability are so important and intrinsically linked to this process.

Indicative content

  • The future of work: What will the future of work look like? What is used to predict how the world or work will change? Can the future of the economy and of work be accurately predicted? 
  • Key factors that influence change: Identifying some of the key factors that influence how the world of work and our economy evolves and changes.
  • The key role of skills and personal employability: The emergence and decline of skills: skills are fundamental to the economy (and graduate employers). What skills will be most in demand and/or be most valuable to our economy in future and why? Understand the importance of skills to the economy (and to graduate employers) at both the macro and micro level. Know what specific new skills are emerging and becoming more valuable and sought after, (as others are in decline) for our modern economy and graduate labour market. 
  • Labour market information - what is it for?: Labour market Information is hugely important to our understanding of our economy at any given time: and also, in looking at the present and past to help predict future growth, opportunities, shortages and skills gaps. Recognise the importance of key Labour Market Information (LMI). Have the ability to source and use key Labour Market Information (LMI). Understand how to use accurate Labour Market Information as a tool to help their own personal development and future career planning. 
  • What now?: Some help and steer – suggestions to you may wish to use your new knowledge and insight to help with your own career aspirations, planning and personal/professional development while at university.

Brief description

Some businesses have the sole focus of making money whereas others exist to also make a difference. Social enterprises are becoming more popular, and recognisable, and are making an impact across the world. From supporting the homeless, to giving waste products a second life, social enterprises are fighting for various causes. 

Indicative content

  • What is a social enterprise and how does it function?: What the definition of a social enterprise is with examples from different sectors.
  • How do social enterprises identify problems to tackle?: How social enterprises decide on what they will tackle and how they will do it. 
  • How do you gather evidence that there is a problem requiring a solution?: Way in which you can gather evidence and data to validate the idea for a social enterprise. Determining needs and wants within a category. 
  • How to identify skills and knowledge gaps: Understanding the skillsets within a founding team to fulfil the tasks required to start a social enterprise. 
  • How to understand the problem you are trying to solve: Knowing the problem, you are trying to solve and how this effects the target customers the social enterprise is aimed at. Looking at the issues in a customer-focussed way. 
  • How to develop a social impact plan: What is involved in a social impact plan and how to put one together. 

Brief description

This module will introduce you to the study of AI and Society. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of technologies and concepts and can be understood as using computers and software to denote problem-solving capacities and knowledge acquisition (intelligence) which otherwise we believe only belongs to natural beings such as humans.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to the core concepts: A brief introduction to the concepts of “artificial”, “intelligence” and “society”. 
  • Introduction to the problem of AI and Society: A discussion of where the problem of the impact of AI on Society comes from, presentation of some of the original debates and examples.
  • Contemporary debates: A discussion of the contemporary debates about the impact of AI on Society, with examples.

Brief description

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how has it shaped our past and present? These are questions we will explore on a guided tour of AI from the past to the present and the future. You will develop a better understanding of what AI is and isn’t.

Indicative content

  • Historical AI: Tracing the historical development of “traditional” AI systems including aircraft autopilots, expert systems, and accounting/financial software.
  • Current AI: Covering the contemporary generation of AI technologies in areas such as speech recognition (e.g., Alexa, Siri) and recommendation systems (e.g., Amazon, YouTube). Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing. 
  • Future AI: Exploring the limitations of today’s AI when it comes to general intelligence and contextual adaptation. Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing.
  • My AI: How AI will impact your future, and how you can use AI to help you achieve your career goals.  Reflection on how AI may inform your subject area going forward.

Brief description

This microcredential is aimed at you, if you have an interest in technology but are not experts. The microcredential will develop your digital safety and how to stay safe online.

Indicative content

  • Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks and online threats. System vulnerabilities. Social Engineering. Rights and computer laws.
  • Authentication: Password security. Biometrics. MFA and Password managers. Good practices for authentication.
  • Secure Communication: Web browser security. Certificates and trust. Effective encryption. Secure communication methods.
  • Personal Information Privacy: Information leakage. Personal information privacy and open-source intelligence. Device encryption and security. Security mindfulness.
  • Malware: Types of malware. Identifying malicious software. Malware propagation techniques. Malware removal and preventative measures.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to develop and build your own confidence in applying numeracy skills in real world situations.

Indicative content

  • What is my GPA and how likely am I to get a First? (BASIC NUMERACY): Calculation and manipulation of data using Percentages, Indices (Powers), Roots, Probability, and simple equations. 
  • The power of prediction (GRAPHS): Straight line graphs, Gradients, Equations of a straight line, Intercepts. Drawing graphs - Linear equations, Distances between points. Simultaneous linear equations.  
  • Love a good puzzle (ALGEBRA): Changing subject of formulae. Factorisation - common factors, Difference of two squares, Trinomials. Solving simultaneous equations by Substitution and Elimination.
  • Advanced power of prediction (FUNCTIONS): Introduction to functions – Linear and Quadratic and solving quadratic equations. Factorising Quadratic equations.
  • Love a good triangle (TRIGONOMETRY): Trignometric functions - Sine, cosine and tangent. Trignometric formulae.

Brief description

In this microcredential, you will learn more about how digital media production professionals in the UK and China are working together to reduce barriers and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Indicative content

  • History and future of videogames in China: Focussing on the videogame sector as a case study of Chinese digital creative industries, how has the videogames market and industry developed in China, how is the Chinese videogames economy currently constituted, and what does the future hold?
  • Consumer trends and audience preferences: What is popular with audiences in China? What can we note about preferences in terms of narrative content, aesthetics, play styles etc. when compared with other markets?
  • Policy and regulation: What unique regulations or limitations are imposed on digital media within China, and what similarities are there with other national and transnational regulations? How is creative content development and publishing shaped by policy in China? What social and ethical challenges are presented by regulation, in China as well as in the UK?
  • Transnational working and co-production: How is digital creative content conceived, developed, and released by professionals working across borders? What are the challenges for small and independent creative studios, compared with multi-nationals with studios based in and outside China?
  • Publishing in China: How do digital media content like videogames make it to market in China? What processes and requirements must creative businesses be aware of, and how do developers find, connect to, and work with Chinese publishers? How to consumers in China access content, including on grey markets?
  • Challenges and success: Hear from UK and Chinese professionals on the China market, co-operation, the hurdles they cleared, and how they found success.

Brief description

Increasingly, the role of creativity in supporting and maintaining wellbeing is being researched and celebrated. This module will introduce you to the current theory in this area, as well as a range of creative resources shown to be helpful for both self-care and the support of others.

Indicative content

  • Why does creativity matter?: An introduction to why creativity matters when it comes to mental health.
  • Your brain on words: The place of stories in their various forms as a resource for wellbeing.
  • Engaging the senses: The potential of tools such as music and art for self-care.

Year 3 Core Modules

You must study and pass all three core modules

Brief description

Enhance your ability to set theoretical and critical frameworks to underpin specialist writing within your domain of practice.

Indicative content:

  • Contextual Analysis: Identify and critically analyse existing contextual materials in relation to the chosen area of research practice.
  • Critical Frameworks: Explore critical and theoretical frameworks in relation to subject specialisation. Learn and evaluate the appropriateness of techniques to your own area of interest.
  • Deconstruction as an Analysis Technique: Identify and deconstruct existing artwork(s) interpreting the decisions made by the artist in relation to the context within which the work was made.
  • Identifying the Research Question: Explore these techniques in relation to your own project, to uncover possible research questions.
  • Positioning: Identify what other practitioners are doing in your chosen field and explain how your work is positioned/relates to theirs. What does your work add to the field?
  • Professional Feedback: Develop professional modes of working with peers by providing constructive and critical feedback on research and creative work.
  • Critical Reflection: Identify and apply reflective processes to the dissemination of the findings of the exploration.

Brief description

Design and undertake a creative project to enhance your understanding of your chosen specialisation. Use the project to hone the fundamental artistic, design and technical skills which underpin your specialisation. Lead (with module tutor support) the project planning, scope and project expectations that precede a finalised portfolio of work.

Indicative content:

  • Production Methods: Analysis of key production methods and pipelines utilised by the creative sector.
  • Professional Contexts: Introduction to the vital components of obtaining professional recognition and gainful employment.
  • Project Planning: Insight and implementation of planning for project development and delivery.
  • Reflective Practice: Form essential reflective discussions of the self by recognising and logging practice and processes used past and present.
  • Project Expectation Management: Review and evaluate project objectives at different stages to manage expectations for project delivery.
  • Specialist Practice: Evaluate the methods and techniques of relevant professionals in creative fields synonymous to the project. Extract valuable information and implement in project development.

Brief description

Work together on an interactive media project as part of a multidisciplinary team. Contribute to your team by taking on a professional role suited to your area of study. Expect to: communicate with clients and relevant stakeholders; participate in pitching and presentations; research and test technical pipelines; create project documentation and planning materials; and contribute to the iterative design and development of a final interactive prototype.

Indicative content:

  • Team Organisation and Management: Attend and participate in team meetings, keep meeting minutes, and assign roles and responsibilities; Identify and overcome team problems, understand conflicts and approaches to conflict resolution, and engage with team building.
  • Communication and Professionalism: Demonstrate the ability to communicate within the team, with tutors, with clients/mentors, and with other stakeholders in a professional and respectful manner.
  • Development Methodologies: Understand and apply appropriate development methodologies framed by the requirements of a project and balance of a team, e.g. agile, scrum, lean, spiral, feature-driven, waterfall/traditional.
  • Research and Concept Development: Research similar products and competitors; Research and interpret the product marketplace, considering platform, user profiles, costs, regional differences etc; Conduct visual and audio research; Iteratively develop design concepts in response to a given brief.
  • Technologies and Pipelines: Research software and hardware technologies; Develop a technical plan for game development; Research, develop, test and document production pipelines.
  • Style and Branding: Develop a brand for the team and the project; Research, develop, document, and communicate a defined visual and audio style; Produce marketing and promotional materials.
  • Pitching and Presentation: Use appropriate software, hardware, game engines, and other tools to deliver a working digital prototype; Engage with regular user testing to inform design iteration, demonstrating an appreciation of user experience.
  • Prototype Development, Testing, and Iteration: Use appropriate software, hardware, game engines, and other tools to deliver a working digital prototype; Engage with regular user testing to inform design iteration, demonstrating an appreciation of user experience.
  • Release Management: Manage the software development process using source control, defect tracking, and build processes.
  • Project Delivery: Consider the methods for delivering products to the market, including market cycles, digital distribution, and the publisher-developer relationship; Deliver a complete prototype with accompanying press kit.

Year 3 Option Module Pairs

You must study and pass one pair of option modules of your choosing

Cinematic Animation

Brief description

Advanced art practices and time based animated sequences in relation to target audience. Apply specialist animation techniques in a two or three dimensional animation sequence.

Module content:

  • Developing Story Worlds: Conceive, refine and visually develop environments, characters and narratives for animated scenarios.
  • Visualising Narratives: Apply appropriate animation pre-production techniques, including storyboarding, to visualise and iterate upon narrative..
  • Adding Time to Stories: Experiment with the addition of time and, where appropriate, audio to storyboards to create animatic versions which explore clarity of action, narrative and character for an animated sequence.
  • Verbal vs. Non-verbal Storytelling: Study 3D digital form creation and pipeline workflows and tools reflective of industry practice.
  • Sound in Animation: Analyse and practically explore the use of sound as a narrative device in animated sequences.
  • Advanced Animation Techniques: Analyse theories relating to expression, including facial expression, body language and gesture. Interpret the relationship between these elements and verbal communication within animation examples.
  • Experimental Animation: Movement and Expression: Critically evaluate experimental animations which utilise movement, colour, and sound to express themes and ideas to a viewer. Interpret meaning and explore the application of such techniques in own work.

Technical Art Applications

Brief description

Gain the technical and practical skills to design, produce and articulate digital characters and/or vehicles through evaluating creative and technical art problems across a range of disciplines.

Indicitave content:

  • Life and Observational Drawing: Explore anatomy and/or construction, movement and articulation in the organic and where appropriate, non-organic form and understand its application to three dimensional asset construction.
  • Anatomical and Construction Studies: Review anatomy and construction of both real and fantasy character, creature and/or vehicle designs to inform creative process and practical outcomes.
  • Design Processes and Artist Workflow: Research professional workflows and practices to inform and underpin the creative design and development process of artefacts for the project brief.
  • 3D Modelling for Articulation: Interpret and apply appropriate modelling techniques to facilitate movement required by the chosen design.
  • Digital Skeletal Structures and the Needs of the Animator: Research and develop a skeletal structure which will facilitate an appropriate range of motion to suit the design of the character/creature/vehicle and to meet the needs of the animator.
  • Develop an understanding of control hierarchies and apply these to create a user friendly control system. Understand the use of scripting to automate and support repetitive tasks in 3D software.
  • IK versus FK for Animation Purposes: Explore the application of kinematics systems and their impact upon the usability of a rig.
  • Automation and Driven Joint Articulation Techniques: Examine the potential for automation within the rig to enhance usability. Apply appropriate techniques to meet the needs of the chosen design.
  • Vertex Driven Articulation Techniques: Examine the potential for vertex driven animation within the rig to enhance usability. Apply appropriate techniques to meet the needs of the chosen design.
  • Weight Painting and Deformation: Undertake weight painting and explore deformation techniques to create convincing deformation of geometry to meet the needs of the chosen design.

Visual Development

Brief description

The visual development cycle of digital art productions for entertainment, marketing, or publishing. Based on your chosen areas of specialisation, develop a diet of research and practice that is industrially and commercially contextualised, alongside progressing your technical and creative skills. Demonstrate your ability to expand on the expectations and themes in a creative brief and effective visual communication to clients and audiences.

Indicitave content:

  • Visual Research: Conduct extensive research into existing characters, fashions, cultures, landscapes and other resources, developing ideas for use of form, shape, colour, and overall visual style.
  • Concept Development: Demonstrate an appreciation of art and design contexts and the use of art and design within games, movies, advertising and other media; iteratively develop ideas and drawings for an original art.
  • Painting and Drawing: Use digital drawing and painting packages to develop environment and character concepts to produce production art.
  • Presentation: Produce character and concept art to a finished level consistent with professional practice. Be prepared to present the work in a critical setting.

Information Design

Brief description

Develop your knowledge and understanding of information design. Gain a practical foundation and theoretical overview of the visualisation process, and practice of designing and presenting information that fosters efficient and effective understanding.

Indicitave content:

  • Visual Research: Investigation to inform an understanding of information design conventions and procedures.
  • Analysis: Analyse the basic principles of the information design processes to acknowledge the challenge of media traditions and conventions through digital media artefacts, interactive media experiences and concepts to enhance audience understanding and engagement.
  • Application, Creativity and Concept Development: Use analysis findings, creative processes and design thinking to develop a solution to the personal information design project.
  • Craftsmanship and Presentation: Produce and present a final information design solution appropriate to the needs of that solution.

Game Audio Implementation

Brief description

Introduction to the real-time adaptive processes and structures that drive interactive sound effects and music in games. Investigate the different approaches that tools offer for real-time control of sound and music, and the processes through which pre-recorded sound assets are edited, tagged, implemented, and scripted to respond to player input.

Indicative content:

  • Technology: Compare and contrast middleware solutions, exploring functionality and options. Work with game engines, using scripting for event management and parameter control.
  • Interfacing: Explore the different ways that sound and music can be triggered and/or driven by game events, and the different ways that sound and music can either lead or react to player input.
  • Spatial audio: Discuss how spatial placement and reverberation help to create and characterise a sense of believable game space, and how this can be achieved within different sections and/or environments within the game.
  • Implementation: Explore the full implementation cycle of sound assets, and look at what’s involved in getting multiple layers of sound to function correctly in response to player input in a game.
  • Sound file management: Understanding differences in file formats and data encoding, and the artefacts that can be introduced can mean the difference between a soundtrack that behaves as it should, and hours of troubleshooting.
  • Profiling and troubleshooting: Explore the options available for measuring the performance of a games audio implementation. Investigate some of the common problems that affect game audio, and what solutions and/or workarounds exist.
  • Analysis: Analysing the use of sound and music in a computer game requires a particular set of analytical tools and an appreciation of context. Explore these notions and develop a framework for analysing interactive game-based audio.
  • Case studies and exemplars: Review and discuss case study examples that demonstrate how sound and music have been used in videogames across a range of different formats and platforms and at different periods in history.

Sound and Music for Games

Brief description

Introduction to the theory and practice of sound and music for games. Drawing on examples from film and animation as well as games, explore how sound design for screen media has developed over time, and how the demands of interactivity pose game sound designers a unique set of challenges. Explore the production approaches and workflows that underpin interactive audio design and the tools and technologies that enable its implementation in a game environment.

Indicative content:

  • Introduction: An overview of the history of sound and music in video games, from early 8-bit soundtracks generated by Programmable Sound Generators, through streaming Red-Book audio on CD to the latest multi-channel sample-based adaptive soundtracks.
  • Background: Modern soundtracks combine ideas from gaming, but also draw heavily on film soundtracks. We will examine the similarities and differences between the two, drawing conclusions on the roles and functions that sound and music play in a computer game.
  • Recording practice: Recording and production theory and practice, including microphone design, application and technique; digital recording theory and practice, and sound editing.
  • Adaptive sound: The particular characteristics of adaptive sound design for interactive media, and how nuance and adaptability factors into the design and production process.
  • Application: The technologies and middleware systems that support dynamic audio effects for stereo, binaural and surround gaming systems and how they affect the production process.
  • Technical constraints: The file formats and data compression techniques available and the pros and cons of each. How they impact on the end user experience.
  • Professional planning: Take a professional approach to project planning and management. Design an audio design document which details the conceptual use of sound in a game, its specific implementation and mechanics, and a complete sound asset list that details all of the sound elements to be used.
  • Professional practice: Investigate how sound production practice aligns with professional collaboration and development pipelines. Includes version control, file naming conventions and metadata, particularly with regard to automated processes for implementation and regionalisation, and identifying and protecting intellectual property.
  • Case studies and exemplars: Review and discuss case study examples that demonstrate how sound and music have been used in games across a range of different formats and platforms and at different periods in history.

Environment Art Production

Brief description

Engage with the creative and technical processes involved in the design and production of game environment art. Critique player engagement and perception of these spaces, considering visual style, layout and environmental storytelling. Gain experience in the conceptualisation, planning, modelling, texturing and construction of game environments which is particularly beneficial to those with an interest in progressing into game art roles.

Indicitave content:

  • Visual research and concept design: Research real-world/fictional spaces and visual styles. Develop planning materials and concept designs in support of an environment art project.
  • ​Level design and player interaction: Apply knowledge from level design theory and user interaction and UX design to your understanding of environment, art, layout and navigation. 
  • Spatial design: Consider architectural theories and principles when developing concepts for a virtual environment.
  • Environmental storytelling: Investigate how game worlds, spaces, and immersive environments create atmosphere and tell stories through layout, props, lighting, and textures.
  • 3D modelling: ​Design, build and unwrap 3D models appropriate for application in game engines. Consider sculpting and its application in game environment production.
  • Materials and maps: Paint texture maps and create complex materials for application to surfaces. Consider PBR.
  • Modular kits: Build and implement kits for modular environment design.
  • Optimisation and environment pipelines: Understand and apply optimisation of environment art assets within a game pipeline.
  • Lighting: Apply static and dynamic lighting within your scenes. Understand light bakes and additional post-processing effects.
  • Game engines: Apply all of the above in-engine to demonstrate the ability to assemble environment art for presentation as part of a game product. Create builds and flythroughs to showcase your work.

Character Art Production

Brief description

Develop your knowledge and understanding of videogame character design, and focus on developing your technical and creative skills for character art production. Advance your proficiency with art production tools and pipelines commonly used in the games and entertainment industries for the visualisation of 3D characters.

Indicitave content:

  • Visual Research: Conduct extensive research into existing characters, fashions, cultures, and other resources, developing ideas for use of form, shape, colour, and overall visual style.
  • Concept Development: Demonstrate an appreciation of game character design literature and the use of characters within games. Iteratively develop ideas and drawings for an original game character.
  • Sculpting: Use digital sculpting packages to develop character concepts and produce high-poly assets.
  • 3D Modelling: Use 3D modelling packages, tools, and techniques to build polygon-models.
  • UVs and Retopologisation: Rebuild meshes to develop new mesh layouts, edge flow, polygon density with a view to creating cleaner and more efficient models for games. Work with UV layouts for characters.
  • Painting: Use 2D/3D painting packages to produce textures for game characters.
  • Materials: Build advanced materials for characters, considering different types of materials used within a character asset (e.g. skin, hair, cloth, leather, metal etc.); consider use of PBR.
  • Presentation: Produce character video turnarounds and captured images of character assets implemented in-engine; present work in a manner consistent with professional practice.

Year 4 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules

Brief description

Formulate a contextual, theoretical, and practical foundation in a self-selected area of professional practice and research. Evaluate existing research, texts and projects with a view to developing a project proposal and develop a portfolio of practical work pertinent to your own professional practice and selected Honours Project topic.

Indicative content:​

  • Development of research questions: Develop and present a clearly-articulated aim and research questions that reflect the shape and focus of the project.
  • Information gathering and analysis: Identify, gather, and analyse relevant information that critically explores the key questions.
  • Exploring ideas: Establish a core set of pre-production artefacts and documentation to support the development of your project ideas. By cataloguing this initial developmental process, you will demonstrate an explicit exploration of ideas and thematic research.
  • Critical evaluation: Reference methods and conceptual/theoretical frameworks that can be used to develop, analyse, and evaluate your work. Consider the different aspects of creative and/or development work in your subject domain and how these can be assessed.
  • Pitching ideas: Take part in a number of sessions in order to expose your ideas to others in such a way that they understand the concept and can make judgements about how your piece will work in context.
  • Criticism and refinement: Defend your work from questioning and criticism by others. Act on feedback and work through a series of successive refinements in order to develop and strengthen your ideas.
  • Ethics and professional practice: Consider social, ethical, and professional issues. Carry out a risk assessment for your project.
  • Contextual review: Develop a piece of formal written work that will address the research questions set within an appropriate academic context.
  • Proposal: Develop a research proposal that addresses the research questions and that outlines a clearly presented project plan.
  • Design and communication: Demonstrate evidence of iteration, refinement, and development of creative and technical work, and communicate the outcomes of your practice using appropriate documentation.

Brief description

Engage critically with the creative industries. Expect to discuss the global marketplace for creative media, the development of business ideas, and the demonstrable knowledge, expertise, and planning expected by employers and investors. Consider which creative industries align with your personal ambitions, and develop an understanding of how best to prepare a strategy for employability, freelance work or start-up. 

Indicative content:​

  • The Creative Industries: Overview of a range of creative sectors, identifying sources of information. Discussion of professional structures, including: publishers and distributors, content developers, software tool developers and other suppliers, service and support suppliers, industry organisations, pressure groups, and government regulations.
  • Understanding the Marketplace: Review of the main market information, economic impact, comparative market sizes, and growth.
  • Creative Industries Development Lifecycles: Critical evaluation of the various phases of development and understanding how the business perspective impacts upon the creative process.
  • People, Roles and Professional Expectations: Understanding how artistic, design, and development roles interact with each other and with production, support, and management roles.
  • Legal and Financial Understanding: Discussion of the legal and financial considerations, including intellectual property rights, other computer related laws, funding the business, developing an exit strategy, dealing with publishers, and the impacts of casual copying and piracy.
  • Ethics: Discussion of individual and company ethics, including responsibilities, authority and power, discrimination, and marginalisation. Discussion of social and cultural ethics, including issues of representation, nationalism, stereotyping, gender, violence, sexual content, and racism.
  • Entrepreneurship: Defining and clarifying the business plans and goals, setting measurable targets, writing the business plan as a marketing and management tool, and the start-up process.
  • Personal Branding and Preparing for Employment: Developing a personal brand including: web presence, social media usage, and the creation of an appropriate portfolio. Developing an appropriate CV, writing cover letters, and understanding the interview process.
  • Career Routes and Development: Understanding careers and career development, including working with others, individual management, and company management.
  • Self-Employment in the Creative Industries: The opportunities and challenges that face freelance workers within various creative sectors.

Brief description

Undertake an extensive creative research project where you fuse theory and practice to create a large scale portfolio of work sensitive to critical theories, concepts and practices within your specialist area of enquiry.

Indicative content:​

  • Project philosophy: Demonstrate the ability to devise and complete a programme of self-study in consultation with the staff.
  • Relationship to other honours project modules: This module will have its own discrete assessment criteria and deliverables as set out in a learning contract and agreed by project tutors, but will be an expression of the theme(s) addressed by the research aim.
  • Conceptualisation: Conceptualise ideas through the creation, gathering, manipulation and analysis of appropriate source material.
  • Methodology: Adopt appropriate artistic and production methodologies as informed by context and practice and conventions appropriate to the discipline.
  • Development: Demonstrate logical and coherent development of ideas in all aspect of the project.
  • Supervision: Regular progress meetings with project supervisor; Controlled access to consultancy expertise in area of project.
  • Discussion: The project should be the subject of discussion and debate throughout, concerning topics such as project aims, methods, project development completion and argument.
  • Deliverables: The output material should reflect the full process from inception to completion and will be appropriate to the project in hand.
  • Presentation: The project should culminate in a professional well developed presentation that demonstrates a full and considered answer to the research question.

Brief description

Approach research as an active process of inquiry to produce a dissertation which appropriately communicates the research process and findings.

Indicative content:​

  • Research Proposal: Evaluate the aims, objectives and methods of the chosen research topic.
  • Analytical Development: Reflect upon and extend analysis of contextual sources and where necessary, identify and integrate further contextual information.
  • Research Context: Explore structures for contextual review and research dissemination.
  • Synthesis and Evaluation: Synthesise research arguments in relation to the project outcomes. Build a persuasive argument and anticipate critical reservations and respond appropriately.
  • Testing and Evaluation: Develop strategies to interrogate claims within project methods, development and outcomes objectively and/or persuasively in relation to research context.
  • Dissertation: Develop written work that critically discusses the research project. Communicate research aims, intent, vision, themes, processes, methodology and discuss critically the process and findings.
  • Autonomy and Academic Rigour: Develop an informed and defensible academic position and/or argument in relation to subject specialist knowledge.
  • Communication and Presentation: Write the dissertation in a style appropriate for a formal written thesis and format and present it professionally.

How the Course Works

You can tailor your education during your time on the Computer Arts degree, with flexible module briefs and optional modules designed to fit specialist interests and develop depth in your subject knowledge. 

Years 2, 3 and 4 use open project briefs and optional modules to support specialisation in areas such as:

  • Concept Design.

  • Game Asset Production.

  • Digital Illustration.

  • Animation.

  • Technical Art.

In year 4 you're mentored by industry partners while developing your honours project. 

Learning and Assessment

Lectures and practical tutorials are where you’ll work with staff, other students and industry mentors to develop unique solutions to project briefs. Your tutorial sessions will focus on developing innovative ideas, process and technique that lead to a final outcome. 

We believe that portfolios of creative work represent artist and designers at their best. Therefore, they form the majority of our assessments, often submitted with supporting documentation to underpin your creative work and intellectual insights. Academic writing also contributes to assessments often in the form of critique or reflective reports to develop your contextual awareness and subject knowledge. 

Visual presentations develop critical communication skills and are core to assessment. They will help build confidence and professionalism. With guidance from the academic team and industry mentors, you'll learn how to demonstrate and communicate your process effectively, as well as the best ways to display your work. 

There are no formal examinations on the programme.

E-portfolio guidance

If you meet the criteria, you'll be asked to submit an e-portfolio that shows us your artistic and creative abilities. Find out more about what we're looking for in your computer arts e-portfolio

Accreditations

 

Partnerships

Playstation First Accreditation

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements: Applicants are required to submit an ePortfolio of work. You can find the Computer Arts ePortfolio Guidelines here

Please visit our College Qualifications pages for suitable College courses.

Republic of Ireland applicants, click on the UK tabs and scroll down to find your Entry Requirements.

See information about studying and applying to Abertay for International students.

Qualification Type Grade Requirements Essential Subjects
Higher (standard entry) ABBB Art or Photography or Graphic Communication or Production Design. An online portfolio is also required.
Higher (minimum entry) We may make you an offer at the minimum entry grades if you meet the criteria. Find out if you're eligible for minimum entry (see below). ABB Art or Photography or Graphic Communication or Production Design.  An online portfolio is also required.
A-Level BCC Art or Graphic Design or Design and Technology: Production Design
T Level Merit Digital Production, Design & Development or Digital Production, Design & Development (Pearson)
Irish Highers H2H3H3H3 Art
International Baccalaureate Diploma Based Programme (IBDP) 29 Points Visual Arts or Fine Art at S5 or H4
International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) We encourage applications with the IBCP but understand that your combination of qualifications may differ depending on where you are studying.

We accept the International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme (IBCP). Any subject requirements must be met as per our published IB Diploma requirements.

BTEC Extended Diploma DMM Art & Design or Creative Digital Media Production or Creative Media Production
SQA HNC/HND A Our College Qualifications pages list approved HNC/HND courses
BTEC HNC M 3D Design, Creative Media Production, Graphic Design or Interactive Media
AHEAD - Successful completion of the relevant stream of our AHEAD programme
Qualification Type Grade Requirements Essential Subjects
Advanced Higher AAB To include Art and Computer Science or Graphic Communication
A-Level AAB To include Art and Computer Science or Design Technology
International Baccalaureate 34 Points 3 Higher subjects at grade 4 to include Visual Arts and Computing or Design Technology
SQA HNC B Computer Arts & Design
SQA HND B Our College Qualifications pages list approved HND courses
BTEC HND M Creative Media Production
International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP)

See next column

If you are taking HNC/HND with one or more Higher Levels IB subjects, your offer will be similar to our BTEC + A Level offer (see 'BTEC National Diploma / Diploma') but with an HL requirement of 6 for A, 5 for B, or 4 for C.
Qualification Type Grade Requirements Essential Subjects
SQA HND A Computer Arts & Design

International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP)

See next column If you are taking HNC/HND with one or more Higher Levels IB subjects, your offer will be similar to our BTEC + A Level offer (see 'BTEC National Diploma / Diploma') but with an HL requirement of 6 for A, 5 for B, or 4 for C.

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants from across the world. Please select your country from the searchable list below to view different qualification entry requirements. If you have different qualifications to those listed, please contact us using the form below.

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Academic Requirements

Applicants will typically be required to achieve BCC at A-Level, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma with an overall score of 29 points, to include any essential subject(s) at S5 or H4.

English language: English B at S5 or H4 is accepted. For English A, no grade is specified. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

We accept and encourage applications with the International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme (IBCP) but understand that your combination of qualifications may differ depending on where you are studying.

Any subject requirements must be met as per our published IB Diploma requirements.

We recognise the Aptitude Scholastic Tests (ASTs) for entry to all our undergraduate programmes. The AST grades are equivalent to the below A Level grades: 

A Level Grade   AST Score

A                        210+

B                       170 - 209

C                       140 - 169

D                       100 - 139

Specific entry requirements for each course (year 1 and year 2 if applicable) can be found on each course page. 

Applicants should also meet our minimum requirements for English language and any portfolio or interview requirement (see course page for details).

Applicants will typically require a High School GPA of 3.0, plus one of the following:

  • SAT (I) score of 1150
  • 3 AP Tests at grades 433
  • 3 SAT Subject Tests at 600
  • ACT Composite score of 26

A combination of AP/SAT II tests may be used, provided they are in different subjects.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) with 6 units as follows: 1 unit at II, 3 units at III, 2 units at IV, to include any essential subject(s) at III.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the European Baccalaureate with an overall grade of 73%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: English Language 1 at grade 6 or English Language 2 at grade 7 are accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomë e Maturës Shtetëore with an overall grade of 8.0, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Technique / Commercial with an overall grade of 15, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat de l'Enseignement Secondaire with an overall grade of 15, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants with national school qualilfications will typically be required to pass the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 13/20, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Trayecto Técnico Profesional with an overall grade of 7.0, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Técnico Superior/Universitario with an overall grade of 7.0, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Araratian Baccalaureate at Extended Level with grades BBC, to include any essential subjects.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary General Education wih an average of 13 and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 66%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Year 12 Certificate plus ATAR rank of 80 or Overall Position of 9, to include any essential subject(s) at Year 12 with grade B, grade 3 or Sound Achievement.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Reifeprüfung/Maturazeugnis with an overall grade of 2.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

English language: English at grade 2 in the Reifeprüfung/Maturazeugnis is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Tam Orta Tahsil Hazzinda Aggestat with an average of 4, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 68%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama/General Secondary Education Certificate with an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree or post-secondary diploma in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70% or 2.75 (on the 4 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Intermediate/Higher Secondary School Certificate at an average of 2.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 55% or B-, to include any essential subject(s) at 60% or grade B.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of General Secondary Education at an average of 6, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 6.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur with an overall average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma van secundair onderwijs with an overall average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts with an overall average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma de Bachiller at 64%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Certificate of Secondary Education at an average of 4.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificado de Conculsão de Segundo Grau with an average score of 8.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.0.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificado de Conclusão de Ensino Médio with an average score of 8.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.0.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Brunei A Levels in 3 subjects at grades BCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma za Sredno Obrazonvanie with an average score of 4.75, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma of Upper Secondary Education at average of C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 67%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalaureat or Baccalaureat Technique at an overall grade of 13, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 12.

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Secondary School Diploma or Diplôme d'Études Collégiales with five grade 12 subjects at an average of 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Licencia de Education at an average of 4.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 5.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to complete Senior Middle/High School Certificate/Diploma at an average of 77%, to include any essential subject(s) at 77%; and pass GAOKAO with 550 points (based on the 750 points scheme).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Bachiller Academico at an average of 3.25, and the first year of a university degree or Tecnico Universitario in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Svjedodžba o Maturi with an overall grade of 3.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Apolytírio Lykeíou with an overall grade of 17.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 17.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce with an overall grade of 2.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Studentereksamen (STX), including 3 Level A subjects an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: Studentereksamen English Level A or B at grade 7 is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Bachiller at an average of 7.0, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 14 / 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Gumaasiumi lõputunnistus with an average score of 3.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4; and pass 3 state examinations at a minimum of 60% (or 2 states examinations plus C1 Advanced English CAE or IELTS).

English language: 75% in the English state examination is accepted, or C1 Advanced English CAE or IELTS (overall score 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5). For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants who have achieved a Diploma from a Technical/Commercial/Industrial/Health Institute may be granted entry to Year 2 of our degrees if they pass with a minimum of 73%, to include any essential subject at 70%. 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of General Secondary Education with a minimum of 73%, in include any essential subject at 70%. 

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Studentsprogv at an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at Level A grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen at an overall grade 4.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

English language: Advanced English at grade 5 within the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique at an overall grade 12.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 14 in the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat at an overall grade 11.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 13 in the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 60%/2.70, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%/2.70.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 60%/2.70, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%/2.70.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sashualo Skolis Atestati (Secondary School Certificate) at an average grade of 7, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Shualo Specialuri Sastsavleblis Diplomi (Special School Leaving Diploma) at an average grade of 7, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Abitur with an overall grade of 2.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 11.

English language: Abitur English at grade 10 is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of B/55%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of B/55%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Greek Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio at grade 17.5 and 3 Pan-Hellenic exams at an average of 16.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 17.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Hong Kong HKDSE at 3333 in 4 core subjects, with elective subjects at 433 (for 3 electives) or 44 (for 2 electives), to include any essential subject(s) at 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Érettségi Bizonyítvány at an overall grade 4.2, with 2 higher subjects at grade 4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Stúdentspróf at an overall grade 6.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 6.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Indian Senior School (Year 12) exam at an average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan/Madrasah Aliyah (SMK / MA) at 78%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Post School Qualification Diploma 1 at 2.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants from Ireland should check the UK Year 1 Entry tab for entry requirements with Irish Highers.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Te'udat Bagrut or Bagrut with at least 2 subjects at level 5 and 1 subject at level 4 at an average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at Level 5 with 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma di Esame di Stato at 75%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8 (on the 10 point scale) or grade 16 (on the 20 point scale).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate at grade 3.75, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Completed Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 75% / 2.67, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at an average of B, to include any essential subject(s) at B.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.6, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Atestas par vispārējo vidējo izglītību with an average score of 7.5, to include 3 state exams at a minimum of 75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

English language: 80% in the English state exam is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Libanais or Baccalauréat II with 14, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 12.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Brandos Atestatas with an average score of 7.5 with a minimum of 75% in 3 state exams, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.

English language: 80% in the English state exam is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires at an overall grade of 44, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 44.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Higher Secondary Education with 73%, to include any essential subject(s) at 73%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Ensino Secundário Complementar with grade 2.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate (COHSC) with grades BCC, to include any essential subject(s) at grade C.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Malawian School Certificate of Education at grade 5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) with a minimum of 3 subjects at BBC or 2.67 GPA, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) with 4 subjects at 75% / A2 B5 B5 B5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 75%/B5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Matriculation Certificate Examination with grades BB at Advanced level and BCCC at Intermediate level, to include any essential subject(s) at Advanced level grade C.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomă de Bacalaureat with an overall grade of 7.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary Education at 70%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 75%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Higher Secondary Education Certificate with a minimum of 68%, with essential subjects at 65%. On the 4-point GPA scale, applicants will need to pass with 2.8 GPA, with the essential subject at 2.8 GPA. 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) with an overall score of 7.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: English at grade 8 in HAVO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.0 or 55%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.0 or 55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.0/55%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.0/55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Secondary School Leaving Diploma/Matura with an overall grade of 3.75, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vitnemål for Vidergaende Opplaering with an overall average of 3.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

English language: English at grade 4 in the Vitnemål for Vidergaende Opplaering is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination at 65% minimum.

In addition, applicants will also need to have completed a Foundation Programme or the 1st year at University in a relevant subject, with an average grade of 3.3 GPA (on a 4 point scale), to include any essential subject at 3.0 (on a 4 point scale). 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Higher Secondary School Certificate at an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 64%/3.0, to include any essential subject(s) at 68%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Senior High School with a minimum average of 84% in the relevant subject. 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Matura with an average score of 65%, to include 3 Advanced subjects at a minimum of 50%, to include any essential subject(s) at Advanced level with a score of 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma/Certificado Nível Secundário de Educação with an overall grade of 15, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 16.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Qatar Senior School Certificate (Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama) at an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.5/75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 2.5/75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomă de Bacalaureat with an overall grade of 7.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Attestat o Srednem Obrzovanii (Certificate of Secondary Education) at an average of 4, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.7, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihiyah) with an average of 60%, and either the post-secondary diploma or first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.5/75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Singapore GCE A-Levels with grades BCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške at grade 2.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

English language: English at B2 level at grade 2 in the Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Maturitetno spričevalo at grade 3.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the National Senior Certificate (with Matriculation Endorsement) with 4 subjects at 6555, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Bachiller with an average score of 7.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sudan School Certificate with an average of 60%/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70%/B, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola with an average score of 16.5, to include any essential subject(s) at level 5 grade B.

English language: English Level 5 at grade B or English Level 6 at grade C in the Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificat de Maturité with an overall grade of 4.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Maturitätszeugnis with an overall grade of 4.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Attestato Di Maturità with an overall grade of 4.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.6, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Certificate of Secondary Education/Maw 6 with an average of 75%/3.3, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3; or complete the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 2.5, to include any essential subject(s) at 2.5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 55%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.2 (on the 5 point scale) or 60 (on the 100 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.7, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70% / 2.6 (on the 4 point scale) / 4.2 (on the 5 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination at 65%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.3, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma with a GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) plus ONE of:  

  • SAT (I) score of 1150 (minimum 550 on each section)
  • 3 AP Tests at grades 433
  • ACT Composite score of 26

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma of Academic Lyceum at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Técnico Superior Universitario, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 55% / 6.3 (on the 10 point scale) / 13 (on the 20 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Zimbabwe General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level with grades BCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 80%, to include any essential subject(s) at 75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique at an overall grade 12.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 14 in the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat at an overall grade 11.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 13 in the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalaureate/Baccalaureate Technique at grade 13 or higher and have 1 year of a University degree with an average grade of 55% or 3.0 GPA (on the 5 point scale) in a relevant subject. The essential subject will need to be achieved at 55% or a 3.0GPA (on the 5 point scale). 


All courses at Abertay University are taught in English. If your first language is not English, you will need to demonstrate that you meet our English language requirements.

Please see English Language Requirements for the full list of accepted qualifications and further details.

For more information on the application process, tuition fees and scholarships, studying in Scotland, and to contact our International Team, please visit our International Students page.

 

Not sure if you're eligible for entry?

If you have the potential and motivation to study at university, regardless of your background or personal circumstances, we welcome your application.  

We understand some people have faced extra challenges before applying to university, which is why we consider the background in which your academic grades have been achieved when making an offer.  

If you expect to receive passes in three Scottish Highers (grades A-C) and have...  

  • been in care, or are a young carer yourself

  • attended a school or lived in an area where not many people go to university

  • are eligible for free school meals

  • are a young person estranged from your family

  • are a government-recognised refugee or have asylum seeker status

  • are a registered pupil with sustained engagement in a targeted aspiration-raising programme such as LIFT OFF, LEAPS, FOCUS West or Aspire North  

... we encourage you to submit an application.

Ukrainian flag

Support for Ukrainian students

We're keen to offer help to Ukrainian students who may wish to transfer from their existing institution in Ukraine or to register with us as new students for intake in September. There will be no tuition fees charged for the duration of the degree programme, as those with refugee status are treated as ‘Home/Scottish’ students and will also have access to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland bursary and student loans. Our Recruitment Team can help guide applicants.

FIND OUT MORE

Fees and funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you depends on factors such as your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. 

More information

Find out about grants, bursaries, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs in our undergraduate fees and funding section.

Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships to help support your studies with us.

As well as Abertay scholarships for English, Welsh, Northern Irish and international students, there are a range of corporate and philanthropic scholarships available. Some are course specific, many are not. There are some listed below or you can visit the Undergraduate scholarship pages.

Scholarships

Abertay RUK Scholarship: Games/Computing/Cyber

A scholarship for prospective undergraduate games, computing and cybersecurity students applying from England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Abertay International Scholarship

This is an award of up to £12,000 for prospective international undergraduate students.

The Robert Reid Bursary

Two £1,000 awards for students who have overcome challenges to attend university.

Ninja Kiwi

The Ninja Kiwi Scholarship is a one-year scholarship of £1,500 and is open to students who are entering Year 4 of selected Games courses.

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Meet some of our Computer Arts graduates and find out what they've gone on to do.

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Amrita Bharij

Amrita focuses on creating a great player experience in Triple-A games at Rockstar Games.

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Jess Hider

Jess has worked with legendary franchises like Mario and now works at iconic games studio Rare.

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Abbie Smeaton

Abbie works at SEO company Verve Search as a Junior Designer.

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Discover Uni

The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats) is an official source of information about higher education. It collates comparable information in areas students have identified as important in making decisions about what and where to study.

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