BSc (Hons)
Undergraduate degree - single honours
For more information, please contact our Admissions team: admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.
Alternatively, why not explore our BSc Creative Computing course page?
for Satisfaction with Feedback in Animation and Game Design (Guardian University Guide 2026)
for Satisfaction with Teaching in Animation and Game Design (Guardian University Guide 2026)
for Continuation in Animation and Game Design (Guardian University Guide 2026)
and #7 in the UK for Satisfaction with Teaching in Computer Science (Guardian University Guide 2026)
Build a firm understanding of coding, interactive design and digital creativity, while developing skills in game making. You’ll graduate with a stunning portfolio of digital work, made with the latest tools and techniques used in the creative industries.
The gaming pathway celebrates the vibrancy of the Bath and Bristol games scene. You’ll learn from creative technologists and regional industry specialists, and contribute to exciting projects with independent games studios and freelance developers. Emerging highly employable, you’ll hold a diverse skills ‘toolkit’ that gives you an edge on typical computing or games design graduates.
Find out what our students are working by following @bsu_schoolofdesign.
BSU's Creative Computing students gain invaluable real-world experience by building a website for Accessible Wells, a charity dedicated to improving accessibility in Wells for disabled people.
Read the full story
We teach you core skills essential to game design and digital creativity more widely, including software development, level construction, web app deployment, and asset creation.
These technical elements are complemented by critical insights into game development from industry specialists. Specific Gaming modules explore the ideation and prototype production process, from narrative and character development, through asset creation, UX design and rule-making, to development milestones (vertical slice, code freeze, beta testing) and marketing.
You can choose which optional modules to study, to suit your interests and career aspirations.
Year one
Develop core skills. Start your journey through Creative Computing by mastering the basics of computing and digital creativity. You'll learn how to code through modules that uncover the fundamentals of programming and web development. Specific modules on creative problem solving, experience design and coding for the visual arts enrich your understanding of how creativity and technology collide. Weekly workshops introduce essential tools and software for building digital experiences and asset creation. You'll also explore how to create engaging narratives for digital platforms.
Year two
Begin to specialise. We teach you principles of effective games design and assembly using a selection of retro and current titles, interactive tools and game engines. You’ll encounter the practical aspects of 2D / 3D asset creation, level construction and rule making, while considering the creative strategies and marketing decisions that underpin today’s games industry. Your games specific learning is enhanced by modules that advance your understanding of programming to include object-oriented techniques and working with real time data. You'll also experiment with emerging technologies and collaborate with industry partners on live briefs.
Year three
Kickstart your career. You’ll enhance your specialist gaming knowledge, while setting yourself up for success in the tech / creative industries. Two thirds of your time is spent developing significant digital artefacts. These works become the showcase pieces of a compelling, industry-focused creative portfolio. Optional modules give space for creating original, playful ideas within the areas of Creative AI or web games.
Alternatively, you may wish to focus on the gaining an understanding of field of cyber security or develop games with purpose in serious games.
Creative Computing is entirely coursework-assessed. You'll deliver a varied and balanced collection of projects including prototype software, websites, apps, games and VR experiences.
You’ll be taught through practical workshops and project-based learning. These sessions are supported by individual and team tutorials throughout your Creative Computing course. The practical nature of the course offers you the time and freedom to try new ideas, develop new skills and take a deep dive into topics of interest.
A network of visiting speakers and mentors keeps you in touch with the tech and creative sectors, while our technical demonstrators support you in developing new skills.
To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our information on Your Learning and Teaching at BSU.
This course offers or includes the following modules. The modules you take will depend on your pathway or course combination (if applicable) as well as any optional or open modules chosen. Please check the programme document for more information.
At BSU, our courses are designed to equip our graduates with the knowledge and skills they’ll need for the real world. To do this, we are continually improving our courses by responding to feedback from students and other stakeholders. This may mean changes may be made to the curriculum. You’ll always be given notice of any such changes.
For more information on how we approach such changes at the university, please read our policies on
As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.
Our Creative Computing students benefit from collaborations with various digital and tech companies across Bath, Bristol and beyond.
Our students are invited to collaborate with professionals within local industries, on research work and commissions.
You can also draw on our networks to help secure work placement and internship opportunities. A small selection of our contacts and collaborators include: IBM, Aardman Animations, Rocket Makers, We the Curious, Pervasive Media Studio, Age UK (B&NES)
Past field trips have included creative industry festivals such as Pixel Pioneers, London Games Festival, Now Play This and WASD alongside visits to immersive experiences like Wake the Tiger.
Recent graduates of Creative Computing are working at Rockstar Games, Codemasters, Complete Control, Dyson, Rocketmakers, Aerian, Network N and more.
The diverse nature of Creative Computing at Bath Spa opens up a wide range of employment opportunities in both the creative and tech sectors. Possible roles include:
You may also decide to pursue further study or train to teach with a PGCE.
If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.
You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.
We actively encourage and support students in applying for prestigious creative and tech industry awards and programmes. These include opportunities like the South West Digital and Design Awards and the Tranzfuser games programme, where recent graduates have successfully secured funding, mentorship, and industry recognition for their projects. These experiences help students gain visibility, build professional networks, and take their ideas to the next level.
The following quote is from a student who successfully applied to the Tranzfuser games program to continue development of their final year "Commercial Games" project...
Tranzfuser is a great way to continue the development of both our studio and game. I am excited to use it to build our skills further and to see Project Sporox come to its computer-y fruition. However, and most importantly, Tranzfuser is a way to gain a better understanding of what makes a successful studio with longevity. It is an exciting way to evolve our already skilled and ambitious team into a strong and driven studio, serving as a real jumping off point for creating a company.
Develop a wealth of indispensable digital skills that you can take into your future career. One of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK, we provide all Bath Spa students with access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, giving you the tools to communicate creatively, whatever your course or chosen professional field.
The Professional Placement Year (PPY) provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for, and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.
By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.
Before your PPY, you'll work to identify roles of interest and secure a placement. The Placements Team will support through timetabled sessions and 1:1 appointments.
As well as completing a minimum of 900 placement hours, you will complete two assessments demonstrating your skill development, growth in professional behaviours and how the PPY has impacted your future career aspirations.
As a BSc Creative Computing student, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art facilities designed to support hands-on learning and experimentation. Teaching takes place in high-end PC labs equipped with industry-standard software and hardware.
You can also hire out equipment using SISO, Bath Spa University’s free equipment loan service.
| Student | Annual tuition fee |
|---|---|
| UK full time | £9,535 |
| UK part time | £4,768 |
| International full time | £18,585 |
During the placement year, the fee is reduced to 20% of the full time fee. This applies to UK and EU/International students.
You may need to pay additional course costs over and above your tuition fees, for example, for specialist equipment or trips and visits. Please check the course Programme Document (linked under the main image on this page) for details of any additional costs. You can also read our Additional Course Costs Policy for further information.
Please visit our Funding pages for an overview of the funding options that may be available, including scholarships and bursaries.
We look for students with a drive to pursue big ideas and a clear willingness to try out new things. Successful applicants will be imaginative, organised and have a keen eye for detail. Programming experience is not an essential prerequisite for this course. We teach coding from the ground up.
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed below:
If you don’t meet the entry requirements above, we may be able to accept your prior learning or experience from outside of formal education. See our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) page to learn more.
English Language Requirements for International and EU Applicants
IELTS 6.0 - for visa nationals, with a minimum score of IELTS 5.5 in each element.
Course enquiries
For further information about the programme or entry requirements, please email us at admissions@bathspa.ac.uk.
Ready to apply? Click the 'apply now' button in the centre of this page.
Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.
Although we teach coding from the ground up, you can get ahead by learning some basic programming techniques before you join the course. Online tools such as Codecademy (HTML & CSS, Java) and Scratch are excellent starting points for learning to think algorithmically. Good luck!
Course leader: Dr Jake Hobbs
Email: j.hobbs@bathspa.ac.uk
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to our undergraduate programmes. The main ones are listed under 'Typical offers' in the main column below. For combined courses, please check both subjects. If your qualification is not listed, please email admissions@bathspa.ac.uk with your specific details.
