Game Design
Qualification awarded (in original language)
"Licenciatura em Design de Jogos Digitais". Title of "Licenciado".Level of qualification
1st Cycle of Studies. EQF level 6. ISCED 2011 level 6.Admission requirements
Students may apply to the 1st cycle of studies through the general regime, through special conditions and through special competitions, as stated in the description of the Portuguese Higher Education System, provided by NARIC (http://www.dges.mctes.pt/DGES/pt/Reconhecimento/NARICENIC/) and presented in section 8 of the Diploma Supplement. Students may apply, through the general regime, if they obtain a minimum classification of 95 points (on a scale of 0 to 200) in one of following national entrance examinations: Drawing or Mathematics or Portuguese.Recognition of prior learning
Following the implementation of the Bologna Process and the consequent legislation regarding the mobility of students among degrees and higher education institutions, prior learning must be recognized and credited. The prior learning concept comprises all the previous learning/training undertaken in other higher education study cycles in national or international institutions (crediting of certified training), as well as previous professional experience and any post-secondary school training or education. As such, the IPB promotes the crediting of the student’s prior learning when arriving at the institution.Aiming at a quick and full integration of the student in his/her new education programme, the recognition procedures must be submitted when enrolling at the IPB.
For further enquiries on crediting and recognizing prior learning and training at the IPB (calendars, procedures and assessment criteria), please go to the Applicant Portal at www.ipb.pt/portaldocandidato.
Qualification requirements and regulations
6 Semesters (3 years). 20 Weeks of study, per semester, full-time (40 per year). 40 total Hours per week. 810 total Hours per semester (1620 per year). 180 ECTS Credits (30 per semester); 1 credit corresponds to 27 hours. It includes a final project comprising 18 credits.The holders of this qualification are entitled to apply for positions in the public administration and local government senior official career and for senior positions in enterprises.
Profile of the programme
The profile of the programme comprises the development of the technical-scientific knowledge and professional skills in the study areas of "Game Design" and "Audiovisual and Media Production" Visual Arts, Computing Sciences, Game Design, Communication Sciences, Audiovisual.Key learning outcomes
The degree of "licenciado" (bachelor) in Games Design is awarded to those students that demonstrate, in this field, the ability to:a) develop and enhance the acquired knowledges;
b) apply acquired knowledge and understanding capacity in order to clearly demonstrate a professional approach to the work carried out;
c) solve problems based upon their own arguments;
d) collate, select, and interpret relevant information which will enable them to consolidate the solutions they present and the opinions they put forward, including the analysis of relevant social, scientific and ethical aspects;
e) communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions, both to experts and non-experts;
f) develop competences that will enable them to benefit from lifelong learning with a high degree of autonomy.
To complete the qualification, the student is required to pass all compulsory course units of the study plan.
Occupational profiles of graduates
The degree of "licenciado" (bachelor) in Game Design belongs to the education and training area of Arts, Communication and Multimedia. Graduates are qualified to develop a professional activity within the profile of the programme.Access to further studies
The degree of "licenciado" allows to proceed to post-graduate studies, according to the diagram of the Portuguese Higher Education System, provided by NARIC (http://www.dges.mctes.pt/DGES/pt/Reconhecimento/NARICENIC/) and presented in section 8 of the Diploma Supplement.Graduation requirements
---Examination regulations, assessment and grading
Examination and assessment are regulated by the IPB general regulation, available in www.ipb.pt/sa, and by the School pedagogical regulation, available in www.esact.ipb.pt.Consult this Guide under the option “The ECTS at the IPB” for information on the grading and qualification system.
Mode of study
Full-time.Programme director
| Barbara Costa Vilas Boas Barroso ( | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) |
Scientific areas of the study plan
| Scientific Area | Acronym | ECTS Credits | |
| Compulsory | Optional | ||
| Audio-visual | Aud | 12.0 | 0.0 |
| Business Sciences | BS | 6.0 | 0.0 |
| Communication Science | ComS | 26.0 | 0.0 |
| Computer Science | CS | 42.0 | 0.0 |
| Game Design | GD | 39.0 | 0.0 |
| Mathematics | Mat | 6.0 | 0.0 |
| Visual Arts | VA | 49.0 | 0.0 |
| Total | 180.0 | 0.0 | |
Course structure
| Year | Sem | Type | Code | Course Unit | Scientific Area | ECTS Credits |
| 1 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-1101-00-24 | Design | VA | 6.0 |
| 1 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-1102-00-24 | Mathematics for Games | Mat | 6.0 |
| 1 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-1103-00-24 | Non-Linear Narrative | ComS | 6.0 |
| 1 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-1104-00-23 | Programming 1 | CS | 6.0 |
| 1 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-1105-00-24 | Semiotics | ComS | 4.0 |
| 1 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-1106-00-23 | Game Design Workshop | GD | 2.0 |
| 1 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-1201-00-23 | 2D Animation | VA/ CS | 6.0 |
| 1 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-1202-00-23 | Design and Production of 3D Assets | VA/ CS | 6.0 |
| 1 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-1203-00-23 | Image and 2D Assets | VA/ CS | 6.0 |
| 1 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-1204-00-23 | Programming 2 | CS | 6.0 |
| 1 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-1205-00-23 | Game Theory and Culture | GD | 6.0 |
| 2 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-2101-00-24 | Environments and Level Design | VA/ GD | 6.0 |
| 2 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-2102-00-23 | Motion Capture | Aud | 2.0 |
| 2 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-2103-00-24 | Graphics Computing | CS | 6.0 |
| 2 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-2104-00-23 | Character Design and Development | VA/ ComS | 6.0 |
| 2 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-2105-00-23 | Creative Writing for Games | GD/ ComS | 6.0 |
| 2 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-2106-00-23 | Video | Aud | 4.0 |
| 2 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-2201-00-23 | 3D Animation | VA/ CS | 6.0 |
| 2 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-2202-00-23 | Design Documents and Storyboard | GD | 6.0 |
| 2 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-2203-00-23 | History, Fantasy and Science-Fiction | ComS | 6.0 |
| 2 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-2204-00-23 | Motion Design | Aud | 6.0 |
| 2 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-2205-00-23 | Game Engines | CS | 6.0 |
| 3 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-3101-00-24 | Games Analysis and Critics | GD | 6.0 |
| 3 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-3102-00-24 | Audio for Games | GD/ Aud | 6.0 |
| 3 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-3103-00-23 | Visual Effects | VA/ CS | 6.0 |
| 3 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-3104-00-23 | Game Project and Production Management | BS | 6.0 |
| 3 | 1 | Semestral | 8309-801-3105-00-24 | Artificial Intelligence | CS | 6.0 |
| 3 | 2 | Semestral | Elective 1 ↓ | 18.0 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-3202-00-23 | Game Pre-Production | GD | 6.0 |
| 3 | 2 | Semestral | 8309-801-3203-00-23 | Seminar | VA/ CS/ GD | 6.0 |