Games Development Level 5 Higher National Diploma (HND) Full-time
Course Overview
Games Development Level 5 Higher National Diploma (HND) Full-time
The Higher National Diploma in Game Development will develop you as a professional, self-reflecting individual able to meet the demands of employers in the games sector and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them.
This programme will prepare you to move on to specific areas of game development at Level 6 or to enter employment with the qualities and abilities necessary for roles that require personal responsibility and decision-making. You will develop and apply your own ideas to your studies, deal with uncertainty and complexity, explore solutions, demonstrate critical evaluation and use both theory and practice in a wide range of games situations. By the end of the course, you will have a sound understanding of the principles in game development and will know how to apply them more widely in the business world. You will be able to perform effectively in your specialist area.
Course content
The Higher National Diploma comprises of two modules:
Personal Professional Development – This module will develop and enable you to apply contextual knowledge to inform your personal progression in game design. You will also develop and apply professional approaches to creative problem solving to support personal progression.
Professional Project – This module will give you the opportunity to apply contextual knowledge in game design to inform a response to a professional brief. You will also apply creative problem-solving skills to the development of ideas, proposals and final project outcomes.
A wide range of teaching and learning strategies are utilised across the programme and these are indicated within the relevant modules. This includes the delivery of lectures, practical workshop sessions, technical guidance, case studies, discussion groups and student- led seminars.
During the induction process you will be introduced to study skills, referencing, research skills and the appropriate use of academic language.
The College VLE, other relevant ICT resources and the internet will be encouraged for use as both study and investigative tools.
You will develop transferable skills through the outlined teaching and learning methods and are encouraged to develop reflective practice through feedback, both summative and formative, student logbooks and their progress file.
Teaching and Learning methods:
Lectures
Discussion Groups
Research- based directed written work
One to one subject tutorials
Group tutorials and verbal feedback
Practical demonstration
Tutor-led Workshops
Seminars
Located at: SciTech Digital Innovation Hub
Course Start: September 2025
Course length: 1 Years
Study Mode: Full-time
Course Code: HGAMEHND
UCAS Course Code: GDED
Apply via UCASAwarding Body:

Course Fees and Funding
How much does the course cost?
Course fees: £6,995* per year for those that enrol in September 2025 (*subject to approval from the Office for Students).
Other funding information
As a Higher Education student living in England you may be eligible for the non-means tested Tuition Fee Loan from the Government and a Maintenance Loan.
Students with children or dependant adults may qualify for a Childcare Grant or Adult Dependants' Grant. Students can apply for these at the same time as applying for a Maintenance Loan.
Remember: Eligible students will not have to pay tuition fees in advance and can apply for the Maintenance Loan before they start the course.
Visit the Student Finance page on the Government website for further details and to apply.
We offer a service to any student who has a diagnosis of anything persistent or long-term which might interfere with how they study and manage their day-to-day academic engagement. The service is flexible and shaped around the needs of each individual; it might be consistent support or intermittent support.
For further information please visit the Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) web page for more information.
Course Content
Other Resources
For further details, please contact our Information Unit by calling 01226 216 123 or emailing: info@barnsley.ac.uk
Barnsley College has a range of sports opportunities for all students to take part in, gain professional training and compete nationally and internationally. We also have a state-of-the-art fitness village, the Sports Village, where students can make use of our fitness suite, spinning studio and classes for competitive rates.
Barnsley Sports Academy offers state-of-the-art facilities and diverse sports programs, enabling students to achieve academic and athletic excellence. Remember, you don't have to be studying Sport to join Barnsley Sports Academy.
Disclaimer: Please note we reserve the right to change details without notice. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
The course information on this page was last updated 17 March 2025.