Associate Degree of Games Development
START YOUR CAREER AHEAD OF THE GAME
Available at
Brisbane,
Byron Bay,
Melbourne,
Perth,
Sydney
Duration(s)
4 Trimesters Full Time (Fast Track)
Complete your course faster by studying the 11 units over 15 months. (4 trimesters)
Associate Degree of Games Development
Course Durations
4 Trimesters Full Time (Fast Track)
Complete your course faster by studying the 11 units over 15 months. (4 trimesters)
6 Trimesters Full Time
Whilst still classified as a full time study load, you will complete the 11 units over two years. (6 trimesters)
Part-time
If you want to take a little longer, that’s ok too. We’ll help you work out the best study load to suit your needs.
Note: Part-time is not available for international students.
We understand that things can change, so you'll have the flexibility to change your study load throughout your course if you need to.
Start Date(s)
2022 - Brisbane - Trimester 2
Associate Degree of Games Development
Start Dates
Brisbane
May 2022
September 2022
February 2022
Byron Bay
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Melbourne
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Perth
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Sydney
February 2022
May 2022
September 2022
Entry Requirements
Associate Degree of Games Development
Domestic Entry Requirements
Domestic students must meet one of the following criteria:
Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (your Year 12 certificate) or equivalent; OR
Completion of an Australian Diploma level qualification (for example a TAFE Diploma) or higher; OR
Associate Degree of Games Development
International Entry Requirements
International Entry Requirements
Minimum age requirements
International students seeking admission to SAE must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
Academic requirements
Successful completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12) or an equivalent overseas qualification. Minimum overall pass is required.
English language requirements
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): A band score of 6 or higher for an Associate Degree/Bachelor course and 5.5 or higher for a Diploma course (only the Academic Test is accepted), OR
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): 73 or higher for an Associate Degree/Bachelor course or 63 (internet-based test) for a Diploma course, OR
Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic score of 46 (or higher) for an Associate Degree/Bachelor, and an Academic score of 36 (or higher) for a vocational education course, OR
YOUR CAREER IN GAMES BEGINS NOW
Learn in a collaborative, studio-based environment where your teachers are also your mentors.
SAE has a range of approaches to learning and teaching that can be activated to provide flexibility in the face of changing circumstances as required.
Learn industry-standard software like Unreal Engine 4, Unity3D, Autodesk 3D Studio Max and Maya.
Develop advanced skills in industry-standard software packages
Unreal Engine 4, Unity3D, Autodesk 3D Studio Max, and Maya
Practical, immersive training
All work is project-based, with no exams. Graduate with a portfolio to share with an employer or first client.
Cross discipline collaboration
Work across film, audio, and animation projects at SAE.
Flexible course options
Completing two of the three stages of the Bachelor of Games Development, this course provides an excellent pathway into the Bachelor.
Tools & Software
Games skills
Gameplay programming
Game engine programming
Game design
Advanced-level C++ and C# programming language
Game engine programming
Tools development
Course Structure
The Associate Degree of Games Development is broken up into two distinct stages, both designed to develop different skills.
Stage 1: Foundations
Develop the essential technical animation skills and the knowledge required to collaborate with other creative media students and professionals.
Credit Points: 10
This unit aims to develop your understanding of the creative media industries by studying the evolution of the industries over time. Change, evolution and disruption within creative media industries occur regularly and change the way the industries operate by displacing an existing market, industry, technology, person or process and creating something new which is more valuable. Change, evolution and disruption are inevitable and both creative and destructive processes.
In order to develop a career within the creative media industries, you will need to prepare for this disruption and evolve your employability skills over time. The key to maintaining this career is developing hard and soft skills, refining current skills sets and anticipating future changes in required skill sets. You will need to understand how the audience informs and influences the production and distribution of creative media products and how this in turn affects the skills required to succeed within the creative media industries.
You will study these topics alongside your colleagues in other disciplines, to develop an understanding of the intersections between various creative media industries.
This unit aims to develop your understanding of the creative media industries by studying the evolution of the industries over time. Change, evolution and disruption within creative media industries occur regularly and change the way the industries operate by displacing an existing market, industry, technology, person or process and creating something new which is more valuable. Change, evolution and disruption are inevitable and both creative and destructive processes.
In order to develop a career within the creative media industries, you will need to prepare for this disruption and evolve your employability skills over time. The key to maintaining this career is developing hard and soft skills, refining current skills sets and anticipating future changes in required skill sets. You will need to understand how the audience informs and influences the production and distribution of creative media products and how this in turn affects the skills required to succeed within the creative media industries.
You will study these topics alongside your colleagues in other disciplines, to develop an understanding of the intersections between various creative media industries.
Credit Points: 10
Beyond technical and craft skills, expert practitioners also have an understanding of the historical and cultural context of games. Through developing your ability to research, analyse, argue, present, write, and cite games theory, you will become a more literate creative. You'll be able to apply this knowledge and these skills in industry and research settings to benefit your projects and company.
Potential projects:
Working in a team, You'll pitch an original game concept and the determination of the concept’s core design.
Beyond technical and craft skills, expert practitioners also have an understanding of the historical and cultural context of games. Through developing your ability to research, analyse, argue, present, write, and cite games theory, you will become a more literate creative. You'll be able to apply this knowledge and these skills in industry and research settings to benefit your projects and company.
Potential projects:
Working in a team, You'll pitch an original game concept and the determination of the concept’s core design.
Credit Points: 10
Game scripting is a common method of controlling the behaviour and sequencing of events and interactions within a game or scenario. Scripting can be thought of as a discrete language that uses principles of mathematics, combined with rules of syntax and patterns, to provide instructions for a computer to follow.
In this unit, you will implement a range of basic game functionality by utilising data manipulation, formulas, object creation, defining of behaviours, and working with event systems. You will also build an awareness of how to use these elements within common game scripting languages and environments.
Potential projects:
Build a simple game from scratch using an existing game engine such as Unity with C#.
Game scripting is a common method of controlling the behaviour and sequencing of events and interactions within a game or scenario. Scripting can be thought of as a discrete language that uses principles of mathematics, combined with rules of syntax and patterns, to provide instructions for a computer to follow.
In this unit, you will implement a range of basic game functionality by utilising data manipulation, formulas, object creation, defining of behaviours, and working with event systems. You will also build an awareness of how to use these elements within common game scripting languages and environments.
Potential projects:
Build a simple game from scratch using an existing game engine such as Unity with C#.
Credit Points: 20
In order to design and create games we need to be able to understand game systems and how they generate player experience. In this unit You'll break down existing games to identify and describe core elements and interactions of games. You will also engage with mathematical principles to inform and justify game design choices. This will involve both manipulating existing games and prototyping original game concepts and systems to generate player experiences.
Potential projects:
Through a process of iteration and testing, develop an initial modification or an existing game. You will then research and develop this concept into a suitably unique and standalone gameplay experience.
In order to design and create games we need to be able to understand game systems and how they generate player experience. In this unit You'll break down existing games to identify and describe core elements and interactions of games. You will also engage with mathematical principles to inform and justify game design choices. This will involve both manipulating existing games and prototyping original game concepts and systems to generate player experiences.
Potential projects:
Through a process of iteration and testing, develop an initial modification or an existing game. You will then research and develop this concept into a suitably unique and standalone gameplay experience.
Games development uses assets from a range of creative sources including 3D models for environments and objects and 2D assets for menus and backgrounds. In this unit You'll gain an understanding of the production and implementation of these types of assets.
You'll gain practical experience with 3D modelling, lighting, shading, animation and rendering to gain a foundational understanding of a range computer graphics concepts. You will also reflect on the theoretical principles behind the development of computer graphics through critical analysis.
You'll gain practical experience with 3D modelling, lighting, shading, animation and rendering to gain a foundational understanding of a range computer graphics concepts. You will also reflect on the theoretical principles behind the development of computer graphics through critical analysis.
Credit Points: 20
In order to create games, you must be able to manage the complexity of the game development process. In this unit You'll build familiarity with toolsets and existing industry practices to formulate and execute clear plans for delivering games assets and features on time and of a high quality.
Work in a team to pitch, design, plan and deliver a game in response to a brief, where You'll extend your existing skill sets in design and scripting to craft a broader range of gameplay systems and features. This will involve learning and applying teamwork and organisational skills with your your classmates, as well as feedback, testing and iteration processes for the game itself.
Potential projects:
Work as part of a team to pitch, design, plan and deliver a game in response to a brief.
In order to create games, you must be able to manage the complexity of the game development process. In this unit You'll build familiarity with toolsets and existing industry practices to formulate and execute clear plans for delivering games assets and features on time and of a high quality.
Work in a team to pitch, design, plan and deliver a game in response to a brief, where You'll extend your existing skill sets in design and scripting to craft a broader range of gameplay systems and features. This will involve learning and applying teamwork and organisational skills with your your classmates, as well as feedback, testing and iteration processes for the game itself.
Potential projects:
Work as part of a team to pitch, design, plan and deliver a game in response to a brief.
Stage 2: Refine & Expand
Broaden your scope to work on complex multidisciplinary projects in accordance with industry standard practices.
Credit Points: 10
In CIM210 you will be working on interdisciplinary projects that relate to some of the most important concepts in contemporary media production. You will learn practical and analytical skills in order to help you develop your creative powers and meet briefs that take you out of your comfort zone. You will need to bring all of the skills you have learned so far: technical skills, research skills, communication skills and a growth mindset, and be prepared to encounter new concepts and new ways of working.
In CIM210 you will be working on interdisciplinary projects that relate to some of the most important concepts in contemporary media production. You will learn practical and analytical skills in order to help you develop your creative powers and meet briefs that take you out of your comfort zone. You will need to bring all of the skills you have learned so far: technical skills, research skills, communication skills and a growth mindset, and be prepared to encounter new concepts and new ways of working.
Credit Points: 10
Media and culture are not simply entertainment, but something that affects the “real world”, our everyday lives, and our worldviews. As such, we will not ask whether media accurately reflect the real world but instead ask how media shape, reinforce, and challenge power structures that influence our understanding of the world and ourselves. This unit takes a ‘critical theory’ approach to analyze media and culture. In this unit, you will explore media texts, contexts and meaning, society and subjectivity, pop culture aesthetics, and critical cultural discourses that inform creative media practices.
Drawing on a range of creative content and analytical frameworks, you will be encouraged to develop ways of thinking about media and culture that demonstrate a broad awareness of aesthetic principles and stylistic trends; subjectivity, agency, ethics, and relations of power; contexts, disciplines and discursive formations. In support of this exploration, you will produce a range of media artifacts that explore and contextualize the relationship of media to culture through individual analysis, collaborative and interdisciplinary creative practice, and critical reflection.
Media and culture are not simply entertainment, but something that affects the “real world”, our everyday lives, and our worldviews. As such, we will not ask whether media accurately reflect the real world but instead ask how media shape, reinforce, and challenge power structures that influence our understanding of the world and ourselves. This unit takes a ‘critical theory’ approach to analyze media and culture. In this unit, you will explore media texts, contexts and meaning, society and subjectivity, pop culture aesthetics, and critical cultural discourses that inform creative media practices.
Drawing on a range of creative content and analytical frameworks, you will be encouraged to develop ways of thinking about media and culture that demonstrate a broad awareness of aesthetic principles and stylistic trends; subjectivity, agency, ethics, and relations of power; contexts, disciplines and discursive formations. In support of this exploration, you will produce a range of media artifacts that explore and contextualize the relationship of media to culture through individual analysis, collaborative and interdisciplinary creative practice, and critical reflection.
Credit Points: 30
Game design and development relies as equally on knowledge and skills, as it does on the eureka moment of creative design inspiration.
In this unit, you will ideate and develop one or more game prototypes. You will test these against criteria for success and identify the best prototype.
You will develop this prototype further, exploring more advanced game design techniques and evaluate them with an audience.
Potential projects: In collaboration with Audio and Animation students you will work towards developing a number of projects within a simulated studio environment.
Game design and development relies as equally on knowledge and skills, as it does on the eureka moment of creative design inspiration.
In this unit, you will ideate and develop one or more game prototypes. You will test these against criteria for success and identify the best prototype.
You will develop this prototype further, exploring more advanced game design techniques and evaluate them with an audience.
Potential projects: In collaboration with Audio and Animation students you will work towards developing a number of projects within a simulated studio environment.
Credit Points: 30
In this studio unit, you will focus on developing games with meaning, inquiry, and purpose.
As a game designer, you have an opportunity to tell authentic stories and narratives through gameplay and other mechanics. You will employ techniques to convey a consistent theme and style throughout your project, and influence play in outputs and inputs.
In this studio unit, you will focus on developing games with meaning, inquiry, and purpose.
As a game designer, you have an opportunity to tell authentic stories and narratives through gameplay and other mechanics. You will employ techniques to convey a consistent theme and style throughout your project, and influence play in outputs and inputs.
CRICOS Course Codes
103291E (4 TRIMESTERS)
080183C (6 TRIMESTERS)
Australian Qualifications Framework
AQF Level: 7
FULLY ACCREDITED BY TEQSA
We consult closely with industry professionals so you can expect a course that’s highly relevant and equips you with sought-after skills.
Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead to?
- Level Designer
- Product Manager
- Producer
- Developer
- Unity Developer
- Quality Assurance
- Games Writer
- User Interface Designer
- User Experience Designer
- Lighting Designer
- Gameplay Programmer
- Community Manager
- Localisation Manager
- Software Developer
- Tools Developer
Student Spotlight
Course FAQs
This can vary depending on the campus and course. You may, for example, have a larger lecture group for common units, and a smaller tutorial group of 8-15 students. In most cases tutorial sizes average 15 – 30 students.
All SAE courses have a focus on practical, hands-on delivery. The amount of practical time you experience during your studies does vary, depending on your course. You will also have opportunities to access campus resources and facilities outside of class time, during campus opening hours.
You can apply for SAE courses quickly and easily online. Go to our Apply now page for further information.
CREDIT AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a VET or a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program. For full details, please refer to SAE's policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a VET or a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program. For full details, please refer to SAE's policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
