Creative Computing

Creative Computing sits at the boundary between technology and art, asking what happens when computational thinking meets creative practice. It is a discipline that recognises that code is not only a technical tool but a creative medium, one through which designers, artists, musicians and makers can produce work that would be impossible by any other means. Generative art, interactive installation, audio programming, hardware prototyping, and digital design systems all belong to this territory, and studying creative computing means engaging with all of them.

At the University of Portsmouth, this three-year full-time degree develops your technical computing skills alongside a deep engagement with creative practice. You will learn to programme and to think computationally, and you will apply those skills to creative projects that span design, sound, visual art and interactive media. The emphasis throughout is on learning through making: you build things, reflect on them, and build again, developing both your technical range and your creative judgment in tandem.

The programme includes a sandwich year, giving you the opportunity to work in a relevant organisation, whether a design studio, a technology company, a creative agency or a games developer, before your final year. A year abroad and work placement are also available, broadening your professional experience and your network.

Graduates of Creative Computing are well placed to work across the boundaries between the technology and creative industries, in roles including interaction design, web and app development, generative design, game development, audio production, digital art, UX design, and media production. Many also work in education, the arts and the cultural sector. Some pursue postgraduate study in creative computing, digital arts, human-computer interaction, or related fields, and others develop independent creative practices that combine art-making with technical innovation.