Diploma of Game Development
START YOUR CAREER AHEAD OF THE GAME
Indicative Total Course Fees*
$28,040 AUD
* The Indicative Total Course Fee reflects the students are charged fees on a per unit basis and the fee for a unit may increase.
Complete your course faster by studying the course units over approximately 7 months (2 trimesters).
Complete your course faster by studying the course units over approximately 7 months (2 trimesters).
Whilst still classified as a full-time study load, you will complete the course units over one year. (3 trimesters)
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.
February 2023
May 2023
September 2023
February 2023
May 2023
September 2023
February 2023
May 2023
September 2023
February 2023
May 2023
September 2023
February 2023
May 2023
September 2023
February 2023
May 2023
September 2023
DIPLOMA OF GAME DEVELOPMENT
If you want to be part of the exciting and expanding industry of gaming, we want to help you gain the skills to stand apart from them all.
In a matter of months, you’ll learn the key fundamentals of game development.
At SAE we can offer small classes and one-on-one mentoring opportunities you may not find in a larger university.
Your growth and development as a creative practitioner will be assessed through the completion of industry-based projects. This will ultimately help you build up a body of work and portfolio to share with potential employers or your first client.
In preparation for an industry that commands agility and adaptability, you’ll cut your creative teeth on projects in partnership with your course peers.
You’ll work in a team to pitch, design, plan and deliver a game in response to a brief. Your project will extend your design and scripting skills sets, to allow you to craft a broader range of gameplay systems and features.
To complement your technical skills, you will graduate with employability skills, introductory project management skills, and scholarly techniques for higher education.
Upon completion, you will be eligible for up to 80 credit points towards either the Bachelor of Games Development.
YOUR CAREER IN GAMES BEGINS NOW
Learn in a collaborative environment where your teachers are also your mentors.
A range of approaches to learning and teaching - virtual and on-campus - that provides flexibility, real-world application and support for students.
From day one you'll start creating with the latest software and equipment as you are mentored by an extensive network of expert practitioners.
Tools & Software
Game Development Skills
Course Structure
The Diploma of Games Development is stage 1 of the 3 stages of a Bachelor.
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.
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#.
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 of an existing game. You will then research and develop this concept into a suitably unique and standalone gameplay experience.
This unit will introduce you to the mindset and skillset of the creative entrepreneur, and transform your approach to problem-solving. You will analyse historical and contemporary models of leadership and best practice in entrepreneurship, and use tools for project design that include ideation, problem framing, and pitching. The skills in this unit will assist you in developing your creative thinking, exploration, and experimentation methods, allowing you to experiment with project design and content for creative media.
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.
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.
Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead me into?
- Entry-level Game Designer
- Entry-level Game Level Designer
- Entry-level Community Manager
- Entry-level Games Writer
- Quality Assurance Officer
- Production Assistant
- App Developer
Student Spotlight
Course FAQs
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.
FEE‑HELP* is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists eligible fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. It cannot be used for additional study costs such as accommodation or text books. The total amount of FEE‑HELP a person can use is known as the ‘FEE‑HELP limit’.
Once a person begins using FEE‑HELP, the amount of FEE‑HELP they have left to use is known as their ‘FEE‑HELP balance’.
* Terms and conditions apply. For the latest updates regarding FEE-HELP please refer to sae.edu.au/fees
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.
