When people think about university, they usually imagine sitting in lectures all day or writing essays in the library. Studying Computer Games Development at UWS felt a bit different from that.
Typical week
For me, a typical week was a mix of learning new development skills, working on projects, talking about games constantly, and spending time with classmates who all shared the same interests.
My classes were usually on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Most mornings would start with everyone catching up before lectures started. Conversations almost always ended up being about gaming in some way, whether it was discussing what we had been playing recently, upcoming game releases, industry news, or even older retro games. Since everyone on the course was passionate about gaming, there was always something interesting to talk about.
After that we would move into lectures and practical sessions. The lecturers would introduce different topics such as programming, game design, level creation, or development techniques. We would usually spend a few weeks working through the module and learning the foundations before applying that knowledge into practical tasks and coursework. I always enjoyed the practical side more because you could see your progress as projects slowly started coming together.
Supported learning
One thing that really stood out about the course was how approachable the lecturers were. It never felt too formal and sometimes conversations would naturally drift into talking about games, consoles, or the games industry in general because they were genuinely interested in what students were into. Occasionally we would even have game quizzes during classes, which made the atmosphere feel more relaxed and enjoyable.
Like any game development course, there were challenges. Programming could sometimes become frustrating when things refused to work properly, especially when debugging projects. A lot of the time me and my classmates would help each other solve problems, share ideas, or give feedback on projects. That teamwork aspect made a huge difference and made the course feel collaborative rather than competitive.
One of my favourite parts of studying at UWS was the retro games room. Between classes, me and my classmates would go there to relax, play games, and just hang out. It became a social space where everyone bonded over their shared interest in gaming. Students would even donate old consoles and games to help build up the room’s collection. I donated my old Nintendo GameCube along with some games, which felt like a good way to contribute something back for future students to enjoy.
I found my place
Looking back, the course was more than just learning how to make games. It was about meeting people with the same interests, developing creative and technical skills, and being part of a community that genuinely enjoyed gaming and development. My experience on the course was so positive that I even featured in UWS’s ‘Find Your Place’ campaign representing the Computer Games Development course, which was an extremely proud moment for me.
Overall, my time studying Computer Games Development at UWS Paisley was creative, social, and memorable. Every week brought something different, whether it was learning a new skill, working on a project, or simply talking about games with classmates and lecturers who shared the same passion for gaming.
If you are into computer games, get ready for an incredible four years!
Find out more about studying Computer Games Development
Aidan, BSc (Hons) Computer Games Development graduate
Last updated: 28/05/2026