Computer Science for Games Programming with Foundation Year
Games programming is the technical discipline that brings games to life: it is concerned with how game engines, graphics, physics, artificial intelligence, and the software systems that govern gameplay are built and optimised. At the University of Hull, the BSc Computer Science for Games Programming with Foundation Year is a four-year full-time programme that combines a rigorous computer science education with specialist training in the technical aspects of game development. The foundation year provides the programming and mathematical preparation students need before entering the main degree, and Hull has been developing graduates for the games industry for thirty years.
The foundation year builds your programming fundamentals and mathematical skills in a structured environment before you progress into the main computer science curriculum. In the degree itself, you will study algorithms, data structures, computer architecture, software engineering, and the mathematical foundations of computing alongside games-specific areas including real-time rendering, physics simulation, game engine architecture, and artificial intelligence for games. The ability to write efficient, well-structured code is central to the curriculum, and you will develop experience in the programming languages and tools used professionally in game development.
The programme combines the broad computer science foundation that makes graduates versatile with the specialist technical knowledge that games studios are looking for.
Graduates of games programming programmes are sought by games studios ranging from large publishers to independent developers, as well as by the many companies in adjacent industries that use game technology, including simulation, virtual reality, training, and visualisation. Roles include games programmer, engine programmer, graphics programmer, AI programmer, tools programmer, and technical artist. The skills developed in the programme, particularly in real-time graphics, simulation, and performance-critical software, are also valued in defence, automotive engineering, architectural visualisation, and the technology industry more broadly.
Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in computer science or games technology, while others move directly into professional practice following graduation.