Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Level Design

Level design involves the creation of the interactive environments that form the foundation of games. In the industry, these environments are referred to as levels. Designing levels is a multifaceted practice that requires knowledge and skills from several different perspectives.

Through applied projects, you will deepen your understanding of level design and progressively develop more complex game environments. During the programme, you learn to use a variety of tools and to integrate interdisciplinary fields such as art history, sound design, and interactive storytelling into your work.

Within game design, theories and methods in game design, game development, and game analysis are explored. You are introduced to the field through the practical development of games and game environments, while also gaining a foundation in academic studies and a scientific approach.

The programme also includes components that develop your communication and collaboration skills. You are trained to express yourself orally, in writing, visually, and through the game medium, as well as to work effectively in teams.

Career

The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Level Design prepares you, theoretically and practically, for a professional career within businesses, organisations, government bodies or as a business owner.

As a graduate of the programme, you will also be able to continue your studies at the Master's level in or outside of Sweden.

The game industry in Sweden

The game industry in Sweden and in other parts of the world is the largest and fastest-growing business in the entertainment industry. It is in continuous development, which leads to a great 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.

Former students: alumni

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-Games, DICE, Activision Blizzard and Might & Delight, King, Star Stable and Mojang. A number of former students also work within the education sector, teaching and running game design educations at various levels.

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. Through 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 network of contacts for your future career.

Find out where our alumni work

Content

The programme consists of three years of full-time studies where the main subject area of ​​game design is studied in parallel with level design/expression in convergent media. The courses within ​​game design are studied together with students from the other programmes in game design at Campus Gotland.

Year 1

The starting courses in game design train you in using game design to create entertaining, simple games, as well as working in a team, both in theory and in practice. You will also train to use game design to engage with game design research and explore more within the academic field. All of these are important skills to develop for the final degree project in year three.

In parallel, you will also become familiar with the foundations of level design and how to practically build game environments in game engines, as well as the theory that underlies creating engaging environments in games.

The year ends with an experimental game project where students develop games with experimental controls that are exhibited at the annual conference organised by the department.

Year 2

During the second year, you study more complex game systems and partake in larger game productions with a higher technical level. The year ends with a game project that will test all of your previously accumulated skills.

Within level design, you will be studying scripting for game engines to construct more richly interactive environments and sharpen your skills from the first year. You will also study art history for level design.

Year 3

During semester five, you have the opportunity to apply for an on-site internship if you find a game design company that the Department approves of. Alternatively, you can choose to study abroad or select from various elective courses.

The last semester of the programme is common to all the Bachelor's programmes in game design with a theory and methods course in game design, before you begin your final degree project.

Courses within the programme

For courses within the programme, see the programme outline.

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. Because Uppsala University has exchange agreements with many foreign universities, students are offered good opportunities for exchange studies and/or other international opportunities.

Other programmes in game design

• Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Graphics
• Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Programming
• Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Project Management

Learning experience

The Bachelor's Programme in Game Design and Level Design 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.

During the first couple of years, you will carry out one or two project courses, in which you work with your specific role in groups to produce complete games, as a level designer but also as a game designer. During the work process, each group will receive supervision and guidance.

Degree

The programme leads to the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Game Design as the main field of study.