Bachelor of Software Engineering (Game Programming)

NCEA University entrance or equivalent CIE/IB grades. Candidates should also have a minimum of 28 credits at Level 3 NCEA Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Technology subjects or Have successfully completed a Qualification from another discipline, Level 4 or higher or Discretionary entrance, where the applicant has significant software engineering skills and experience Plus For students who have English as a second language, a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent is required

What can I expect out of this qualification?

Bachelor of Software Engineering The aim of the qualification is to provide graduates with A coherent and systematic introduction to a body of knowledge in the domain of Software Engineering using Game Programming and Game Development as the vehicle to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes Knowledge, skills and attitudes to undertake Post-Graduate study Abilities to accept personal responsibility, take initiative, and exhibit flexibility Independent critical and creative thinking skills Commercial acumen and understanding of business realities Professional creative and technical aptitude required to be employed as a Software Engineer with particular interest in Game Development Diploma of Software Engineering Exit Qualification The aim of the qualification is to provide graduates with An introduction to Software Engineering using Software Design, Programming, and Software Testing as the vehicle to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes Knowledge, skills and attitudes to undertake higher study Elementary critical and creative thinking skills Rudimentary creative and technical aptitude required to be employed as a junior programmer Plan, prepare, manage, organise, compose and revise simple projects using contemporary digital tools, exhibiting effective use of theoretical elements, tools, techniques and processes Student Body The target student body for this qualification are students who wish to enter the games industry and have the necessary aptitude and skills to undertake undergraduate study in game programming. Applicants need to be able to calculate basic 3D linear algebra, have a good understanding of the fundamentals of 3D linear algebra and relative coordinate systems, and matrices. These skills are generally measured through high school level NCEA Math exams or international equivalents. Alternatively students may complete a Media Design School math test developed specifically to measure relevant knowledge of these skills. Typically, as per the industry, over 90% of the students are male, however the school actively encourages and markets the opportunities within the games sector for female students. Justification To be employed in the game development industry as a game programmer a job candidate requires highlevel proof of their skills. The international measure of proof is benchmarked as a Bachelor or Post- Graduate level qualification. Therefore selecting a Level 7 Bachelor Degree qualification is justified. Furthermore a game programmer often needs to demonstrate they have a published game or a highquality portfolio of games related experience to be employed. This Bachelor qualification allows sufficient time for game programming students to create a significant body of projects to demonstrate expertise. The rationale behind stair-casing students up to a Bachelor Degree from the existing Graduate Diploma currently offered by the school is necessary due to the maturing of the industry and to the global shift towards specialist Games Degrees. Prior to the emergence of dedicated Games Qualifications students were required to undertake more generic university studies in Computer Science or applied mathematics and then work as a junior developer within the industry and work their way up to prove their level of skill. The emergence of specific, industry relevant Games Degrees has seen a significant increase in the performance of a graduate and their ability to contribute directly to the business upon graduation. The main difference between the Graduate Diploma offering and the Bachelors degree is that the latter has been explicitly designed to ensure that students have sufficient investigatory and scholarly skills to enable them to do further academic study. From the aims, listed above, we generated the learning outcomes for the qualification. Holistically, these competencies should produce more industry ready graduates that will be productive members of industry immediately on graduation. As there is an international demand for game developers we anticipate a greater number of global students seeking Bachelor level game qualifications. It is important for the school to r espond to the global expectation and requirement for graduates with game degrees as new measure of baseline entry into the games industry. This trend has also been adopted by US and UK immigration policy makers as they have moved from the requirement for five years games experience as the benchmark, to a Bachelor level qualification in Games.

Status one year after study

Employment rate two years after study

78%

Employment rate two years after study

Main Campus Office

Phone: (09) 303 0402
Fax: (09) 303 0646
Email: fscott@mediadesignschool.com
Web: http://www.mediadesignschool.com