IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Game Design and Development

Admission requirements

Minimum Admission Requirements

• A National Senior Certificate (NSC) Bachelor’s Degree pass with - A minimum of 30% for English, 40% for Mathematics or 60% for Mathematical Literacy/Technical Maths; OR
• A National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) Bachelor's Degree pass with - A minimum of 50% in English and 50% for Mathematics on the HG, or Mathematical Literacy/Technical Maths, with a minimum of 60%; OR
• A Senior Certificate (SC) (with endorsement) with at least 33.3% for English, 40% for Mathematics on the HG; OR at least 60% for Mathematics on the SG; OR
• A Senior Certificate (Amended) SC(A) Bachelors pass with at least 40% for Mathematics on the HG; OR at least 60% for Mathematics on the SG.
• Applicants who were admitted via Maths Lit/Maths SG/Technical Maths or Higher Certificate are admitted subject to completing the Mathematical Short Learning Programme (SMAPD022) (or equivalent). Successful completion of SMAPD022 (or equivalent) shall be required before students can be permitted to register for the module Mathematical Principles for Developers (MAPD6112).
• Alternatively, a cognate Higher Certificate or cognate 240 credit Diploma OR an Advanced Certificate OR 360 credit Diploma or Degree may satisfy the minimum admission requirements to degree studies.
• If discipline not cognate at least 20% of credits must be academic literacy or numeracy related.
• For international qualifications: An USAf Exemption Certificate is required and meeting the relevant Maths and English requirements.

For alternative admission options, please click here or reach out to student recruitment.

Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.

Curriculum

Year 1 - Semester 1

• Game Development 1A
• Game Design 1A
• Game Art 1A
• Programming Logic and Design

Year 1 - Semester 2

• Game Development 1B
• Game Design 1B
• Game Art 1B
• Mathematical Principles for Developers

Year 2 - Semester 3

• Game Development 2A
• Game Design 2A
• Game Art 2A
• Databases

Year 2 - Semester 4

• Narrative for Gaming
• Game Development 2B
• Game Design 2B
• Game Art 2B

Year 3 - Semester 5

• Game Development 3A
• Game Design 3A
• Introduction to Research for ICT
• Work Integrated Learning 3A

Year 3 - Semester 6

• Game Development 3B
• Game Design 3B
• Open Source Coding (Introduction)
• Work Integrated Learning 3B

Study further with our pathways

The successful completion of the IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Game Design and Development (BCGD0701) enables you to progress into the IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Design Leadership (HDEL0801), IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences Honours (HCIS0801), subject to meeting the admission requirements.

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Game Design and Development qualification is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF 7) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA ID 94726).

Career opportunities

• Game Developer/Programmer
• Commercial Software Developer/Programmer
• Application Designer
• Game Designer
• Systems Designer
• Game Play Engineer
• Asset Artist
• Visual Effects Artist
• Animator
• Concept Artist
• Texture Artist
• Level Designer
• Simulation Designer
• Game Tester
• Special Effects Artist
• Character Designer
• Multimedia Specialist

Teaching and Learning strategy

At Emeris, we believe that effective teaching is about creating experiences that foster student growth. Our academic team design activities that challenge students and identify their strengths, allowing for real-time adaptation in the learning journey. By combining subject expertise with teaching insights and digital tools, we extend learning beyond the classroom. This approach ensures students not only keep up but thrive.

System and Software Requirements

Minimum Computer/Laptop Specifications:

• OS-Windows 11 *
• Processor (CPU) - Intel Core i5/ Ultra 5 or better / AMD Ryzen 5 or better Ram - 16GB (Should be upgradable to 32GB)
• GPU -Nvidia RTX 4000 OR 5000 Series with a minimum of 8GB of VRAM
• Storage Space - 1TB NVME SSD or larger

Recommended Computer/Laptop Specifications (Forfuture proofing):

• OS-Windows 11*
• Processor (CPU) - Intel Core i5/ Ultra 5 or better / AMD Ryzen 5 or better
• Ram- 16GB (Should be upgradable to 32GB)
• GPU-Nvidia RTX 4000 OR 5000 Series with a minimum of 8GB of VRAM
• Storage Space - 1TB NVME SSD or larger

*PLEASE NOTE that a laptop with a Windows Operating System is preferable, as most 3D modelling software is not Mac Native and does not perform reliably on IOS.

Additional Requirements:

• Wireless Mouse (It is not possible to achieve fine selections and very small moves required for using design software with a trackpad. Using a trackpad also puts tremendous unnecessary strain on shoulder and hand muscles which can be detrimental in the long term.)
• Drawing tablet (highly recommended) Brands to consider: Wacom Intuos S or M, X-Pen Deco 3, Huion HS611 or 610

Software Requirements:

• Unity Engine, Unreal Engine, Visual Studio Community, JetBrains Rider, Blender/3DS Max, Adobe CC, MS Office 365