Tag Archives: Computing

Careers

BSc Games Programming: Careers

If you are considering BSc Games Programming, you probably aren’t in much doubt about what you want to do after you graduate: you want to make video games, and in particular work as a games programmer. That is why we have designed the degree around the needs of an industry that is notoriously difficult to get in to. By giving you the skills that employers need we will maximise your chances of getting a game development job.

This week Mark Hope of games industry recruiter Aardvark Swift came to Goldsmiths to present the results of an industry survey they conducted last year. Programming is far and away the most in demand discipline among games companies, with over half the advertised jobs being for programmers. There is a serious shortage of programmers with the skills required by the games industry and so it is definitely the right path for getting into making games. When games companies are asked what the most important skills are for new programmers, the answer is always the same: C++ programming and Maths. That is why these two skills are the core of the degree. You will do more in depth Maths than any of our other degree programmes, studying the 3D maths that you need as a games programmer, but also how to use that maths to write 3D graphics software. We will also give you experience in programming C++ using industry standard game engines such as Cryengine. The third most important skill was communication and teamwork. That is why we have designed the degree so that, from the very beginning, you will be working in teams to develop games in a working environment that is modeled as closely as possible on a game development studio. Games companies said that they the thing the most important thing they look at when hiring programmers is their portfolio of work. That is why our entire degree is structured around developing that portfolio. Throughout the course you will be developing games, both individually and in teams, using C++ and industry standard development environments and learning how to present these games effectively on your portfolio website. 

We think that most of our graduates will want to become games developers, but you won’t be locked in to the games industry. Games programming is one of the most challenging fields of software development. If you can program games you can program anything and will be able to get jobs in any area of the software industry. This is particularly true of the digital media industry, from app development to interactive advertising, where the graphics and creative skills of games developers are particularly in demand.

 

Careers

Business Computing: Careers

An important question for anyone applying to do a university degree is: what jobs can I do once I graduate? That is why we are designing our new BSc Business Computing very much around the needs of the workplace. It is designed to get you jobs in the computing sector that is increasingly central to modern business. The technology sector is one of the fastest moving and innovative in the economy and needs graduates that have the creative and entrepreneurial skills to develop new product ideas but also the technical skills to implement them. This applies to small start up businesses where innovation is at the core of their work but also to large companies that need to be entrepreneurial in order to continue to lead in the market place. 

The mix of business and technology skills you will learn in our degree mean that you are well placed for a number of different jobs in the computing. You could be a software developer whose understanding of the needs of business will make you highly valuable to your employer, or you could be a manager that is able to understand and work with both the business requirements of your company and the technical details of software development. Finally, you will also be well placed to start your own business, where you will initially be responsible for all aspects of the work both running the business and developing the technology.

Inspiration, Students

What is Mogees? Gesture recognition with contact-microphones (Bruno Zamborlin)

In this video PhD student Bruno Zamborlin shows how it is possible to perform gesture recognition just with contact microphones and transform every surface into an interactive board.


Bruno explains:

Through gesture recognition techniques we detect different kind of fingers-touch and associate them with different sounds.

In the video we used two different audio synthesis techniques:
1- physic modelling, which consists in generating the sound by simulating physical laws;
2- concatenative synthesis (audio mosaicing), in which the sound of the contact microphone is associated with its closest frame present in a sound database.

The system can recognise both fingers-touches and objects that emit a sound, such as the coin shown in the video.
More details: www.brunozamborlin.com/mogees

Careers

An introduction to our new BSc Games Programming

We are building on the success of Msc Games and Entertainment and our close links with the Games Industry to launch our new BSc Games Programming. We have talked extensively to the games industry to know what they want out of the degrees for the next generation of games programmers. They said they want is strong technical computing skills that will enable graduates to develop AAA games on the latest platforms That is why we are developing a hardcore degree that teaches the programming and maths skills you will need as a games programmer.

The games industry, first and foremost, want strong programming and computer science skills which is why BSc Games Programming is our most technically challenging computing degree with a strong emphasis on programming. But industry also wants graduates that are passionate about games and know how to develop games. That is why we have designed the degree so that you learn everything you need to learn by actually creating games. From the very beginning you will develop games in an environment modelled on the industry and with a particular focus on team work. In your first term you will be developing a a mobile game based on your own design, which you will pitch to our games industry experts. From then on you will work with a variety of industry standard engines and platforms such as Unity3D, Cryengine, iPhone, Android and Xbox, each time developing a full playable game of your own design.

 

Careers

An Introduction to our new BSc Business Computing

We are working in partnership with Goldsmiths’ Institute of Management and Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship to launch our new BSc Business Computing. This degree will teach you how to develop and work with

Dr James Ohene-Djan, Programme Leader for BSc Business Computing

computing technologies for the 21st century’s innovative hi-tech businesses. Our unique creative approach to computing will uniquely place you to work in contemporary business where design is a vital part of technology development, from London’s vibrant start up scene to global players such as google and apple. This course will teach you to develop new technology driven business propositions with an entrepreneurial, innovation driven approach that is vital both to business start ups and the most forward thinking global corporations.

The course will teach you core technology skills based around computer programming and software development together with a range of business skills such as marketing, business planning and project management. Throughout your degree you will combine these skills in hands on projects that in which you will design technology based business propositions and implement them in software. From your first few weeks you will develop websites and mobile apps design for particular markets ranging from pre-school children to hardcore gamers. Your degree will culminate in the final year with a major project in which you will write a full business case for a software product and implement a prototype which could be the starting point of your own creative high tech business

 

Events

Congratulations to our Postgraduate Students – graduation 2012

What a wonderful way to end 2012  – with a celebration of the achievements of our wonderful postgraduate students. We are so proud of them and wish them all the very best of luck for the future. Please stay in touch!

Above: Patricia Afari – MSc Computing.Well done to Patricia and all our new graduates.

What programme of study are you graduating from?
MSc in Computing, Departing of Computing

Tell us a bit about yourself: where are you from, what led you to university, why did you pick Goldsmiths?
I was born in south London and have spent most of my life there, working self-employed for more than 10 years as a driving instructor. I felt the need for a change in career, to pursue the things that I am really passionate about, which are sound and computing. In 2011, I received my BA Hons in Digital Music and Sound Arts from the University of Brighton. It was on this course that I learned audio programming which I found fascinating. I wanted to continue studying this area in more depth and it was one my lecturers there who spoke highly of Goldsmiths and encouraged me to apply to do my Masters here.

How did you find your course?
The course was great and I think one of the most flexible of the computing programmes available in terms of subject choices. It was highly interdisciplinary – which is another reason why I chose to study here.

What is the best thing about studying at Goldsmiths?
The first thing I noticed when walking around was the relaxed atmosphere and great mix of people of different ages. I really enjoyed speaking with the lecturers and professors; they are all extremely knowledgeable in their fields of practice, always willing to give advice, and to introduce you to their contacts and people within the industry.

What advice would you give to a student considering a postgraduate degree a Goldsmiths?
Be prepared to be challenged, at times it can feel very intensive, but remembering why you are there will get you through it. Don’t be surprised if your initial ideas and research plans flow into completely new and unexpected areas – come here with an open mind.

What are your plans now you’ve graduated?
My plan is to find a role where I can develop gestural interactive educational software for children with physical and learning difficulties [read more about Patricia’s work with gestural interfaces in The Daily Telegraph].

What words would you use to describe Goldsmiths?
Flexible, open, interdisciplinary, challenging, creativity, self-discovery.

This interview with Patricia is courtesy of the Goldsmiths Comms team and originally posted here

 

 

News

Computing at Goldsmiths top in the UK for student satisfaction

Goldsmiths’ Computing Department is celebrating after coming top in the UK for student satisfaction with teaching for their subject area in the 2012 National Student Survey (NSS).* The Department also came joint first for academic support, joint first for learning resources and joint second in the UK for overall student satisfaction in computer science.

 

93% of respondents agreed that they had received the advice and support they needed, 96% agreed that Goldsmiths’ staff were good at explaining things, and 100% said they had been able to access general IT resources when they needed to.**

 

Computing Department Business Manager Wendy McDonald said, ‘We are really pleased with this result. The opinions of our students are very important to us and we take their feedback into close consideration as we continually work to improve the courses we offer.’

 

The Department hopes its new BSc in Games Programming, introduced by popular demand, will achieve a similar result in future student satisfaction surveys. Applications for the first intake opened in September 2012 and interest in the new programme, which is designed to prepare students for a career in the video games industry, has exceeded expectations.

 

Computing at Goldsmiths prides itself on its acclaimed approach to interdisciplinary teaching. It also boasts a wide range of opportunities for its students to gain practical experience through extensive industry partnerships; recent collaborations include projects with Google, Motorola and M & C Saatchi. Most programmes also include an optional one-year work placement, providing invaluable experience to enhance future career prospects. 100% of those who graduated from the MSc in Games and Entertainment Industries in 2011-12 were employed within a year in the games and entertainment industry.

*Based on mean score of respondents completing their first degree

** Based on percentage agreement