Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management
Academic year 2023/2024
- 180 credits
- Autumn 2023, Visby, 100%, Campus
- Programme syllabus and outline
Would you like to plan and lead game development projects from idea to launched productions? The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management offers you the skills to become a professional team leader in the field, and the tools to plan and assess game projects. The programme will also give you the knowledge and practical skills to develop games, and highten your awareness on how games function and affect both the player and the surrounding society.
You will study at Uppsala University's Campus Gotland, located in Visby on the island of Gotland, Sweden.
Why this programme?
As a project manager, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to plan and lead game production projects from inception to release. This includes methods to manage group dynamics, planning, time-management and game-specific production methodology. In the programme, you will also practise practical production with students from other disciplines through several project courses.
The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management provides skills in developing games for commercial production, as well as a deeper understanding of how games work and how they affect us.
The programme mixes practical game development and theoretical courses within the main subject area of Game Design in parallel with project management courses within the minor subject area in Industrial Engineering and Management. Throughout the programme, we explore theories and methods in game design, game development and game analysis. Game developers need good communicative skills both to communicate with their team and to shape the game experience. To reflect this, the programme provides training in expression through text, imagery and games, as well as verbal communication.
The programme usually has a vast variety of nationalities among students, and thanks to the high level of our students' productions, the education has a good reputation internationally. Invited professionals and academics come to the department to share their experiences and knowledge during recurring events. This provides opportunities for you to build a contact network for the future. Past students have a track record of winning prizes at the Swedish Game Awards, the largest Nordic competition for independent developers. The Department of Game Design is a member of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance, a gathering of mainly North American higher game development educators where both education, research and industry questions are on the agenda.
Degree
The programme leads to a Bachelor of Arts (180 credits) with Game Design as the main field of study.
Clara Lüty, from Germany. Brian Luai Barikhan, from Syria.
How did you choose your programme?
Brian – I was very interested in finding a programme that helps me explore my passion for games. This programme seemed to provide a multi-faceted experience for learning game design through its different subjects. I thought Game Design and Project Management was a great fit for me, as I believed that I was a good team facilitator.
Clara – In 2019, I did a short internship at a Malmö-based game design studio. Since I had been interested in game design but not yet convinced, this gave me the final push I needed to commit and learn more about the industry.
What is the best thing about studying at Uppsala University?
Clara – Similar to working in a real game design company, the students can decide when and where to work and meet up during a game project. This allows us to improve our self-organisation and communication skills, as the tutors are more like assistants rather than strict directors telling us what to do.
Brian – We are fully provided with all the tools needed for my studies. We are also provided opportunities to meet people from the industry.
What is it like to be an international student?
Clara – I imagined it would be more complicated to be an international student but to my surprise, it was way easier than I thought. Everyone on Gotland speaks English, with that I do not only mean the students and teachers, I also mean the employees at ICA, at the library, the hairdresser, café employees, almost everyone. Therefore, the language barrier does not really pose as big of a threat as one might think. I found friends really quickly.
What is your reason for studying?
Brian – I want to study so I can take the ideas I've had for years and turn them into reality. After this programme, I wish to work in the game development industry, and eventually start my own studio.
Clara – My ultimate goal is to have my own game studio and create story-driven games that stay in people's minds. I want to work with creative people and have a final product that one can be proud of. In order to have my studio and create meaningful games, I want to learn about what makes a game good, how to work effectively in a team, and about the industry.
Do you remember your first impression of Visby? Please tell us!
Clara – Visby looks like a beautiful Harry Potter movie set. That was my first impression when walking through the alleys and parks of the little town. Some might say it's like going back in time and seeing how cities looked hundreds of years ago. For me, Visby sparked my curiosity and I just wanted to explore every little alley.
What is your best experience so far?
Brian – The student life is one of the best elements of studying this programme. You get to meet people that are all passionate about different aspects of game development. One of my greatest experiences so far is winning an award at the Gotland Game Conference. The conference is hosted by the University, and was a perfect reward for our hard work. It also assisted students in getting closer to the industry by helping them create a portfolio, and display their games to people from companies.
Two quick questions:
What is your favourite place on Gotland?
Clara – The library café.
Brian – The G building on campus. It's the perfect place to hang out with your classmates and study.
Where is the best place to study?
Brian – The B, and G buildings on campus, or the Almedal Library.
Clara – On the beach next to the University.
Autumn 2022.
Programme
The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management comprises three years of full-time studies. The major subject Game Design is studied in parallel with your profile Project Management, which belongs to the minor subject Industrial Engineering and Management, with both theoretical and practical project courses. Courses within Game Design are studied together with students from the other Game Design programmes. Students from all Game Design programmes collaborate to produce games. The project courses test and train game design and graphic skills as well as game programming and management.
In this way, the programme provides a continuous opportunity for you to test and utilise your skills in realistic scenarios since the project courses effectively model the challenges that can be faced when working in a diverse team of creative, artistic, organisational and technical individuals. The projects, like the theoretical courses, train academic writing and presentation in preparation for the degree project at the end of the third year.
The project management courses start from the basics; learning about group dynamics, project planning, leadership, risk management and conflict management. The courses then lead on to a small game development project, after which the projects increase in complexity and size.
In the final semester, students in all the Game Design Bachelor's programmes will read a course in theories and methods in Game Design before beginning their Degree Project.
Game Design makes up 105 out of the total 180 credits of the programme, while the minor subject makes up at least 30 credits. The programme also has 45 credits of elective courses, which can also be used to deepen or broaden your studies in the major or minor subject.
This programme offers project management as your profile which complements your main subject in Game Design.
See our other programmes in Game Design:
Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Programming
Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Graphics
Courses within the programme
See the outline for courses within the programme.
Learning experience
The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management is offered at Campus Gotland in Visby on the island of Gotland. Visby is the best-preserved Medieval town in Scandinavia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The language of instruction is exclusively English. The main subject of Game Design is studied together with the students from the other Game Design programmes.
The theoretical courses in game design are taught through seminars, workshops and projects. Most of the courses require group work, which means you need to feel comfortable cooperating closely with other students. The courses in project management combine theoretical seminars with continuous practical training in relevant areas.
The first couple of years includes one or two project courses, in which you work with your specific role in groups to produce complete games, as a programmer, graphic artist, or project leader, but also as a game designer. During the work process, each group will receive supervision and guidance.
Study abroad
The autumn semester of year three is particularly well suited for studies abroad. You can either apply for the central partner universities or the partner universities with which the department collaborates. Students are offered a broad spectrum of opportunities for study abroad because Uppsala University has exchange agreements with more than 400 international universities.
Career
The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management prepares you, theoretically and practically, for a professional career within business, organisations, authorities or as a business owner. As a graduate of the programme, you will be able to continue your studies at the Master's level in or outside of Sweden.
Former students have gone on to become both business owners running their own studios, and employees at some of the most successful game studios in the world. Notable examples of companies where graduates have found work include Massive Entertainment, CD Project Red, Starbreeze, Crytek, Fatshark, Frictional Games, Ubisoft, Avalanche, Bohemia Interactive, Funcom, CCP, DICE, Activision Blizzard and Might & Delight, King, Star Stable and Mojang. A number of former students also work within the Swedish higher education sector, teaching and running game design programmes.
One of the programme's strengths is its well-established contact with the game industry. This is why graduates of the programme make up an especially useful network. At yearly recurring events arranged by the department, notable individuals from the international game industry, former students and academics are invited to judge student projects and share their experiences. This provides an excellent opportunity for you to build your own contact network for the career ahead of you.
The game industry is the largest and fastest growing business in the entertainment industry. It is in continuous development, which leads to a large demand for a broad spectrum of creative professionals with game development as the common denominator. Games are also increasingly being used in education, training and medicine.
"Visby is a wonderful place to study with a great environment and where your classmates become family. If you ever lack inspiration you could just take a walk through the charming medieval town and along the harbour to recharge and gather new ideas and thoughts. During my studies, I participated in many game development events where students got to meet developers from the industry. I believe networking today could be as important as having a strong portfolio when it comes to getting a job in the industry today."
- Lisa Wackenhuth Svanström, 3D Artist at Star Stable Entertainment
Career support
During your time as a student, UU Careers offers support and guidance. You have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and events that will prepare you for your future career. Learn more about UU Careers.
Admissions
Read more about Bachelor's level entry requirements and application procedure.
Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management
180 credits
Autumn 2023, 100%, Campus
Location: Visby
Application deadline: 16 January 2023
Application code: UU-K5375 Application
Language of instruction: English
Requirements: General entry requirements for first-cycle (Bachelor's level) studies in Sweden. Also required is intermediate level mathematics (equivalent of Swedish courses Mathematics 2a or 2b or 2c).
Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries. Detailed instructions on how to provide evidence of your English proficiency are available at universityadmissions.se.
Selection: Students are selected based on:
- their completed upper secondary (high school) grades (66%)
- Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (34%)
Students who have completed their upper secondary (high school) studies outside of Sweden are selected based on their upper secondary grades. Students who have completed their upper secondary studies and have taken the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (only available in Swedish) are selected based on their upper secondary grades and their Scholastic Aptitude Test results.
Tuition fee-paying students and non-paying students are admitted on the same grounds but in different selection groups.
Fees:
If you are not a citizen of a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, you are required to pay application and tuition fees. Fees cover application and tuition only and do not cover accommodation, academic literature or the general cost of living. Read more about fees.
Application fee: SEK 900
Tuition fee, first semester: SEK 55,000
Tuition fee, total: SEK 330,000
Contact and further resources
Is this programme right for you?
- Read about the programme on our GAME blog
- Information about what it's like to study at Campus Gotland
- Find out where our alumni work.
Contact
For questions about the programme, please contact the Study Counsellor at Campus Gotland:
For admissions-related or general information, please contact our applicant support team:
Strandgatan 1b (Residenset) 621 57 VISBY
Uppsala universitet, Campus Gotland, 62167 Visby
Programme start and registration
ADMISSIONS AND REGISTRATION
If you are admitted and have accepted your place (Universityadmissions.se or Antagning.se) in one of the programmes in Game Design, you will also be automatically admitted to the autumn semester programme courses. To keep your place in the programme you also need to activate a student account and register for the first programme courses. Please follow the instructions on Uppsala University´s student page The registration period is open from 27 July until 24 August 2023. You must register to the courses that are open for registration, but note that there could be later registration periods for courses that begin later.
Did you miss the last day of registration? Contact the Student service at Campus Gotland, studentservice-cg@uu.se, to see if your place is still available.
LATEST DATE OF ARRIVAL TO CAMPUS GOTLAND
If you are an international student and has problems with coming to Sweden, please note: To begin your programme studies you need to be on Campus Gotland at the latest on September 11, 2023. The department cannot hold places available in the programme after this date. If you have questions, please contact us on: gamedesign@speldesign.uu.se
RESERVES ON WAITING LIST
If you are admitted as reserve and placed on the waiting list, you will be contacted by Student Service Campus Gotland (studentservice-cg@uu.se) via e-mail no earlier than August 21, if we can offer you a place. After that you will have a few days to accept or decline the offer. PLEASE NOTE: Since we need to know how many of the admitted students actually register during the registration period, we cannot give any advance notice about your chances as a reserve, to get a place in the program.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Did you send in a late application (after July 14)? Late applications are handled continually and as soon as possible, by the university admissions office. If/when you are admitted, you will receive a letter of admission from the system, and if we have a place to offer, you will be contacted by the Student Service Campus Gotland (studentservice-cg@uu.se) via e-mail. After that you will have a few days to accept or decline the offer.
www.uu.se/education