Diploma in Game Development Part Time

Overview

Faculty: Games
Duration: 1 Year Part Time Oct. to May (Sat 10am – 4pm)
Delivery: On campus
Level: Diploma
Start Date: Saturday, October 11th 2025
Course Director: Michael Joyce
Fees: €3,500
Certification: Pulse College Diploma
Step into the world of game development with our hands-on, industry-aligned course designed for aspiring game artists and designers. Whether you’re dreaming up fantasy worlds, designing epic characters, or building immersive gameplay experiences, this course gives you the tools, techniques, and mentorship to make it real.

Over two semesters, you’ll master the art of visual storytelling in both 2D and 3D, learn professional tools like Blender, Unreal Engine, and Substance Painter, and build a full Game Design Document (GDD) that becomes the foundation for your own playable prototype. From sketching characters and modeling props to designing mechanics and building environments, you’ll create a game concept from the ground up.

COURSE CONTENT

Semester 1

Game Art: 2D Art
Game Design: Concepts
Game Art: 2D Art

In this subject, students will develop a strong foundation in 2D concept art for games, learning to visually communicate ideas through design, storytelling, and technical skill. Through focused studies in characters, props, environments, and weapons, students will explore the full pipeline of concept creation, from initial sketches to polished presentation pieces. Emphasis is placed on visual storytelling, design fundamentals, and creating artwork that supports gameplay and narrative.

Subject Breakdown:

  • Character Design – Crafting expressive and functional characters through silhouette exploration, costume design, and emotional expression.
  • Prop Design – Designing purposeful objects with clear shape language, material definition, and production-ready views.
  • Environment Design – Building immersive game worlds through perspective drawing, lighting studies, and narrative-driven worldbuilding.
  • Weapon Design – Balancing style and utility in the creation of believable and visually engaging weapons for fantasy or realistic settings.
Game Design: Concepts

This subject provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the core principles of game design through the creation of a professional Game Design Document (GDD). Students will explore how game mechanics, narrative, and world-building come together to create compelling player experiences, while also learning to clearly communicate their ideas through industry-standard documentation.

Subject Breakdown:

Working across four key areas, students will develop a foundational understanding of:

  • Game Mechanics – Designing and balancing core gameplay loops, systems, and feedback to support engaging and meaningful player interaction.
  • Narrative Design – Crafting story structures, character arcs, dialogue, and interactive storytelling elements that support the player journey.
  • World-Building – Creating immersive game worlds through lore, environmental storytelling, and culturally consistent world elements.
  • Game Design Documentation – Translating creative ideas into a structured, clear GDD that includes feature breakdowns, player personas, and project scope planning.

By the end of the subject, students will have produced a complete GDD that reflects thoughtful design thinking, creative vision, and an understanding of how different elements work together to shape player experience.

Semester 2

Game Art: 3D
Game Design: Unreal Engine
Game Art: 3D

This subject marks students’ transition from 2D concept art to fully realized 3D game assets. Using industry-standard tools like Blender and Substance Painter, students will bring their original designs to life in a digital 3D environment. The course emphasizes practical asset creation workflows, technical foundations, and game-ready production techniques.

  • 3D Modeling – Building both hard-surface and organic models using clean topology, efficient geometry, and real-time optimization techniques.

  • UV Mapping & Texturing – Unwrapping models for accurate texture application, baking high-quality maps, and applying materials using Substance Painter.

  • Rigging & Animation Prep – Learning the basics of rigging, including Mixamo integration for automated rigging and animation testing.

  • Asset Creation Workflow – Translating 2D concepts into complete, game-ready 3D assets prepared for integration into game engines.

Game Design: Unreal Engine

In this subject, students take their game design concepts from paper to prototype using Unreal Engine, one of the industry’s leading real-time development tools. Building on their Game Design Document (GDD), students will begin constructing interactive, playable prototypes that showcase core mechanics, narrative hooks, and world-building ideas.

With a strong focus on visual scripting through Unreal Blueprint system, students will develop a functional tutorial level that brings their GDD to life. The subject emphasizes rapid iteration, technical fluency, and creative problem-solving across four core areas:

  • Prototyping – Building and testing core gameplay interactions using blockouts and placeholder assets to focus on functionality over form.

  • Unreal Engine Fundamentals – Learning essential engine features such as project setup, actor systems, level management, and Blueprint class creation.

  • Visual Scripting (Blueprints) – Using node-based programming to implement gameplay logic, event triggers, custom functions, and state management.

  • GDD Integration – Translating written design ideas into working systems, including mechanics, narrative elements, and environmental interactions.

Students will also be introduced to advanced Unreal Engine features such as Niagara (VFX), Lumen (lighting), and Nanite (geometry streaming) to enhance the visual quality and performance of their prototypes.

By the end of the subject, students will have a portfolio-ready tutorial level, showcasing their ability to execute game mechanics, apply technical knowledge, and bring design documentation to life in a real-time engine.

COURSE DIRECTOR

Course Director: Michael Joyce

Michael Joyce is an award-winning game designer and creative developer with extensive experience in game design, digital art, and interactive media. Currently serving as the Programme Director for the Games Department at Pulse College, Michael combines his deep industry knowledge with a passion for mentorship, guiding the next generation of game developers to excel in an ever-evolving field.

Michael holds an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Design from Atlantic Technological University, a Higher Postgraduate Degree in Interactive Digital Media from Trinity College Dublin, and a Master’s Degree in Digital Arts from the University of Galway. His academic journey encompasses game design, animation, storytelling, character design, user experience, and human-computer interaction, providing a multidisciplinary approach to creative development.

As a Creative Developer and Concept Artist at Mersus Technologies, Michael led the development of numerous virtual reality projects, overseeing 3D asset production and mentoring emerging artists. His game Rupture won the prestigious Best 3D Art award at the Gamesfleadh competition in 2020, sponsored by Epic Games and Microsoft Studios, showcasing his ability to craft visually stunning and engaging experiences using Unreal Engine.

In addition to his industry work, Michael has been a dedicated advocate for fostering talent through education, with a focus on combining technical skills and artistic vision. At Pulse College, he is committed to equipping students with the tools they need to excel in game development and interactive media, blending academic rigor with practical, hands-on experience.

With a career driven by creativity, innovation, and leadership, Michael Joyce continues to shape the future of the gaming industry, inspiring others to push the boundaries of art and technology.

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HOW TO APPLY

Admissions

This course is a direct application course. Applications are currently taken through the Application Form below. Upon receiving your application form our Admissions Team will be in contact to discuss our payment options in securing your course place.

Educational Requirements

The programme is designed for all ages and skill levels, whether you are new to the industry, looking to up-skill, or wanting to learn new skills and enhance your career options within the Games industry. No industry experience is required and applicants may be accepted without formal academic qualifications.

Interview

There is no interview application for this course.

FEES

Irish / EU (Residing in Ireland)

Total cost: €3,500

Flexible Payment Option
Deposit (payable upon acceptance to the course): €800
Enrolment fee (payable in October): €1500
4 x Monthly Instalments: €300 (Nov-Feb)

**Please note: Fees are non-refundable

International / EU (living outside of Ireland)

This course is not recognised on the ILEP and therefore not available for international student application.

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