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Game Programming

About the program

ARC Academy was established in 2019, and our goal is to be the bridge between young talents and the gaming, film, and creative industries. Over 85% of our students start their careers in these fields after graduation. This gives us the confidence to continue our work and expand the range of programs we offer. 

The program Game Programming aims to provide you with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to begin your professional journey in video game development.

In this program, you’ll expand your programming knowledge and venture into the vast universe of video game development. You will learn C++ in-depth and participate in game development in Unreal Engine in multidisciplinary teams with game designers, 2D and 3D artists. The 2-year program has been developed and will be led by leading professionals from game studios with over 10 years of experience. The director of the program and lecturer in it is Nikolay Dimitrov, technical director at Gameloft Sofia.

As students in the program, you will be ready to start working as junior programmers in game studios after completing the first year, and in the second year, you will 

deepen your knowledge and continue working on practical projects. In the program, you will build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills and acquire the mindset required in software engineering.

In the final, fourth semester, you will work together with students from the Game Design, Concept Art and 3D Art disciplines to develop a video game. Our Game Lab simulates the work process in an indie studio, and your lecturers and mentors will be studio managers and game developers from the biggest studios in our country Creative Assembly Sofia, Gameloft Sofia, Snapshot Games, and others. Upon completion, you’ll have a real video game in your portfolio.

Some of the games developed in our Game Lab:

Scholarships

Our partners from the game industry support students with motivation and desire to develop by providing scholarships ranging from 30 to 80% of the fee.

What You Get

The Game Programming program was developed by leading game developers from the largest studios in Bulgaria and will teach you good practices to start working as a game programmer after the first year. You will study C++ – the game development standard in depth – and work in the Unreal Engine.

As a student at ARC Academy, you get the following:

Professional lecturers from game studios

Professional lecturers from game studios

Professional lecturers from game studios

Professional lecturers from game studios

Small groups, feedback from lecturers

Small groups, feedback from lecturers

Halls equipped with the necessary hardware and software

Halls equipped with the necessary hardware and software

Developing games in teams

Developing games in teams

Portfolio for the game industry

Portfolio for the game industry

Who is
Game Programming For?

The program will allow you to expand your programming knowledge and start working as a game programmer in video game studios. The training is suitable for anyone who:

Has knowledge of C++ syntax and basic concepts

Has knowledge of C++ syntax and basic concepts

Understands the basic principles of OOP

Understands the basic principles of OOP

Likes video games

Likes video games

Dreams of a career in a game studio

Dreams of a career in a game studio

Over the course of four semesters, you will work on multiple hands-on tasks in Unreal Engine and a real video game as a team. You will develop the necessary hard and soft skills to start working in a game studio.

Why choose
Game Programming at ARC Academy

In the first year, you will lay the fundamental foundations of practical game programming – mathematics, engine layout, etc. You will work on hands-on tasks in Unreal Engine. In the second year, you will emphasize activities and a collection of masterclasses that are the pinnacle of practice in game development – game artificial intelligence, video game physics, rendering, low-level networking, Multithreading, user interface, etc. In the final semester, you will develop industrial-quality games alongside game designers, 2D and 3D artists.

    • Intro to Computer Graphics  – short historical overview followed by an introduction to 2D/3D rendering and rendering pipelines
    •  Algorithms and Data Structures – general purpose Computer Science course, algorithm complexity, basic data structures and algorithms, additional programming topics 
    •  Intro to Game Engines – short history and introduction to the topic, game engine advancements through the years, the current state of the art
    •  Mathematics for Game Development – Linear Algebra and Analytic Geometry, frequently used mathematical abstractions, practical tasks with open source math libraries, writing lightweight math library.
    •  Intro to Game Design – standard intro to game design with additional topics – Game History, Theory, and Logic, practical problem solving, interesting logic puzzles
    •  Game Development Tools and Techniques – intro to frequently used tools and practices in game development – agile, scrum, source control systems, Visual Studio, code reviews, pair programming, coding standards, and guidelines

Successful graduates of the program will be able to:

  • program games and other software using Python, Java, Javascript, C ++, C #, etc.
  • use the Unity and Unreal game engines
  • create and implement AI systems, scripts, and algorithms for video games and other software.
  • start their careers as Software Engineer, Software Developer, Gameplay Programmers, and others.

Meet the Lecturers

One of the most valuable assets of ARC Academy is our lecturers – professionals from leading game studios. Together we share the mission to help you start your dream job in the game industry.

Alumni

Students at ARC Academy go through numerous practical tasks that give them the opportunity to get acquainted in practice with the processes in the game and IT industry.

How to apply?

CV

CV

Test

Test

Interview

Interview

Application Deadline

Early Admission
July 31, 2023

Regular Admission
September 15, 2023

Classes start
 October 14, 2023

Limited number of seats
Contact us for more information:
[email protected]

Classes start
 October 14, 2023

Fees

The training at ARC Academy is based on modern methods and practical work. The speakers are top professionals in their field who pass on their knowledge to the next generation of video game and software creators. The lectures are held in small groups, which shortens the distance between students and teachers and allows for feedback. Computer rooms are available to students at any time for practical tasks.
 

Studying at ARC Academy requires four semesters of dedicated work and the fee is:

2,400 euros per semester (VAT included) for EU Students
3,400 euros per semester (VAT included) for Non-EU Students

350 euros one-time admission fee (not required for Bulgarian students)

The tuition fee is paid in 2 installments*, as follows:

50% fee for first year
Upon registration

50% fee for first year
Until September 2023

100% fee for semester 2
Until February 15, 2024

*Non-EU students pay the fee for the 1st year in 1 installment, upon registration.

Book a Meeting with Our Team

If you want to learn more about the education at ARC Academy – our programs, and application conditions, book an individual meeting with the ARC team. Fill in the contact form and we will contact you to arrange a virtual meeting.


Start Your Career as Game Programmer with ARC Academy

Game Programming at ARC Academy meets the best practices and processes in game studios. The lecturers are professionals with extensive experience in their field. Together with them, you will take your first steps toward a career in this dynamic and promising area. Invest in your future – apply to ARC Academy.

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