Game Design / Dearadh Cluichí

Leaving Certificate Requirements

QQI/FET Requirements

In addition to the QQI minimum entry requirements, QQI quotas and QQI points apply. The max QQI points awarded is 390. Further details at www.tudublin.ie/qqi

Mature Applicants

Applications from mature students (23+) are welcome. Further details at www.tudublin.ie/mature

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website. Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 6 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 6 in each component.

This four-year course focuses on the creation and study of games. It covers the design and development of digital and analogue games, including PC, mobile, Web, card and board games.

Topics include in-depth analysis of games, practical hands-on development experience and theoretical game studies. Along the way, you’ll also learn important industry skills such as programming, game design, digital media asset creation, project management and game publishing. You will develop an in-depth understanding of the concepts, theories and models of game design and how they can be applied to both commercial and serious game development. 

You will be able to analyse and determine multiple approaches to game design, gameplay mechanics, UI controls and the context within which they’re used. You’ll use advanced skills from specialist areas to achieve goals, including the design and implementation of complex game systems, documentation of the design process, testing and publishing games. 

In Year 3, this is a focus on gaining real-world experience. Students will have the opportunity to get experience working with an external serious game partner, industry work experience or study abroad through an Erasmus exchange.

During the course, you will be continuously making games, from Year 1 to Year 4. You will work on both individual and team projects. Teamwork is an essential skill in the games industry and you will work in different teams to develop important soft skills such as communications and group decision making.

In your final year, you will complete a major game project demonstrating your full range of design and development skills.

IT Requirements 

A personal laptop of sufficient specifications for game development is highly recommended. In general, most mid-high end gaming laptops should suffice for development. VR/AR development may require higher spec machines.

• Animator
• Audio and Video Programmer
• Audio Designer
• Entrepreneur/Business Set-up
• Game Artist
• Game Designer
• Game Manager
• Game Programmer
• Game Researcher
• Game Software Development
• Game Tester
• Games Analyst
• Games Quality Assurance
• Indie Game Developer
• Level Designer
• Game Producer
• Media Content Developer
• Product Manager
• Production Manager
• Project Manager
• Realtime Visualisation Artist
• Technical Artist
• Unity Game Developer
• Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Developer
• 3D Modeller
• 2D Game Artist

Graduate employers:

• DIGIT
• Dreamfeel
• Larian Studios
• Rare
• Romero Games
• Intel
• Gambrinous
• Arcadem
• Lemonchili Games
• Black Shamrock

Advanced Entry applications are accepted to this course. For further information on how to make an Advanced Entry application, please visit our CAO Hub. A full list of courses open for Advanced Entry are listed on the CAO website.