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Reshaping Game Design at Boston College

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Unreal Engine 5

Primary platform across courses

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Curriculum Development

Redesigned and future-proofed

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Student Impact

Level 3 Course Coordinator

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Stronger outcomes, confident developers

Course Leadership
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Curriculum Development

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Curriculum Development

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IMPACT

Student Feedback

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"Incredibly good teacher with being able to fluently explain aspects in lesson ....."

“They have been really helpful in teaching game development.”

The Strongest measure of my teaching is the experiences of my students. Their feedback reflects the confidence, skill and curiosity they develop throughout course

“Doing great for his first year of teaching, willing to give up his own time......”

“Really helpful when setting up animations. And turning my computer off......”

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LET'S COLLABORATE

Building the Next Generation of Game Developers

I'm always open to partnership, guest talks, curriculum exchange and opportunities that support game development education.

Reshaping Game Design at Boston College

When I joined Boston College, I saw an opportunity to modernise the way we teach game development. Since then, I've introduced Unreal Engine 5 as the primary development platform across both the Game Design and Computing courses, replacing much of the previous Unity-based curriculum while ensuring students develop practical skills using tools that are widely adopted throughout the industry.

By bringing Unreal Engine into the classroom, our students now gain experience with the same engine used by many leading colleges, universities, and professional game studios, helping them build a strong foundation for further study and future careers.

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Curriculum Development

Introducing Unreal Engine

When I joined Boston College, I didn't actually know what I would be teaching. It wasn't until I officially started that I found out I had been assigned both Level 3 Game Design groups, taking over from a member of staff who had recently moved into a management role and no longer had the teaching hours to continue delivering the course. My responsibility focused primarily on the programming elements of the course. While Game Design students also study areas such as 3D modelling, animation, sound design and level creation, programming is the discipline that ties those individual skills together into a functional game. It was therefore important to establish a programming curriculum that not only taught technical concepts but also complemented the wider course. As I began preparing for my first lessons, we discovered that the Unity teaching materials previously used were no longer available. Having joined after enrolment had already begun, there wasn't enough time to rebuild a complete programming curriculum before stepping into the classroom. Fortunately, the course specification wasn't tied to a specific engine. Students simply needed to achieve the required learning outcomes. Since Unreal Engine was the platform I knew best, I proposed using it instead. It meant I could confidently begin teaching within days while still delivering the knowledge and practical skills expected by the course.

Developing the Learning Resources

Although I was already confident using Unreal Engine, I quickly realised that teaching complete beginners was a very different challenge. Most of my students had never written a line of code before, and many had never worked with a game engine. It became clear that my role wasn't simply to teach Unreal Engine, but to teach students how to think like programmers. Programming isn't about memorising syntax or learning where to connect Blueprint nodes. Whether using Unreal Blueprints, C++, C#, or any other language, the core principles remain the same. Students first need to develop logical thinking, understand how a computer follows instructions, and become familiar with universal programming concepts such as variables, data types, arrays, loops, functions, and problem solving. Without those foundations, progressing into more advanced gameplay systems becomes increasingly difficult. As I reviewed the remaining teaching material from the previous Unity curriculum, I realised that many of these fundamental concepts were assumed knowledge rather than explicitly taught. While this approach may have been suitable for students who had already studied programming through the Computing course, many of the Game Design students were encountering programming for the first time. Before they could begin creating games, they first needed to understand the fundamentals. This led me to redesign the structure of my lessons. Rather than separating theory from practical work, I introduced programming concepts at the point they became relevant. For example, while creating an AI character capable of patrolling between waypoints, the lesson would naturally reach a stage where students needed to repeat behaviour. At that point, I would pause the practical exercise, explain the theory behind loops, discuss the different types available and when they should be used, before returning to Unreal Engine where students immediately applied the concept within their own project. This approach allowed theory to be reinforced through practice, helping students understand not only how a system worked, but why it was needed. As the curriculum developed, I also wanted to learn how experienced Unreal educators approached teaching the engine. After researching different resources, I discovered Unreal University, created by an Epic Games Accredited Instructor. I recommended that the college purchase the course, allowing me to study a professionally developed Unreal curriculum and compare different teaching approaches. Rather than adopting the material directly, I used it as a reference point, adapting its structure where appropriate, expanding topics that required greater depth, and integrating ideas that complemented the learning outcomes of our own curriculum. Alongside developing classroom materials, I also began creating my own online learning resources. After introducing a new topic during lessons, I would record a dedicated video covering the same material so students could revisit it in their own time. These were designed to be comprehensive learning resources rather than short tutorials, with many videos averaging around forty minutes in length and several extending beyond an hour. During my first year I produced around twenty videos covering topics taught throughout the course, giving students a growing library of content they could return to whenever they needed to recap a concept or catch up outside the classroom

An Iterative Approach to Teaching

As the curriculum began to take shape, I quickly realised that planning months in advance simply wasn't realistic. While I had a clear understanding of the learning outcomes students needed to achieve by the end of the year and the assessment milestones they would work towards, I was still learning what worked in the classroom and, equally importantly, what worked for my students. Rather than producing a rigid scheme of work for the entire academic year, I planned in much shorter iterations, typically one or two weeks at a time. This provided enough structure to ensure the course remained on track while giving me the flexibility to adapt lessons based on classroom experience. If a topic took longer than expected, I could spend additional time reinforcing it. If students grasped a concept quickly, I could introduce more challenging material or move on sooner than originally planned. Every lesson became an opportunity to reflect, adapt and improve the curriculum. I always knew where the students needed to be by the end of the year. The learning outcomes, assessment briefs and practical projects provided that direction. What remained flexible was the route we took to reach those goals. As I gained experience teaching each topic, I continuously refined the order in which concepts were introduced, the pace at which they were delivered, and the practical examples used to reinforce them. This iterative approach also shaped how I delivered my lessons. I have never been a strong advocate for presentation-led teaching, particularly when teaching programming. While I occasionally prepared short presentations to introduce a new concept, the majority of theory was delivered using a whiteboard and integrated directly into the practical work students were already undertaking. Rather than separating theory from practice, I preferred to introduce new concepts at the point they became necessary. For example, while developing an AI system, we might reach a point where students needed to understand loops. At that stage, I would pause the practical work, explain the underlying theory on the whiteboard, discuss why the concept was needed, and then return to Unreal Engine where students could immediately apply it within the project they were building. My lessons were therefore rarely scripted. Beyond knowing the concepts that needed to be covered, I preferred to allow lessons to develop naturally around the students' questions and the challenges they encountered. This often required thinking on my feet, explaining ideas in different ways, or exploring examples I hadn't originally planned. While this style of teaching demands a strong understanding of the subject matter and confidence in adapting to the classroom, I found it created a far more engaging learning environment. Students weren't simply following a predefined set of instructions; they were encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas and understand the reasoning behind the systems they were building.

Outcomes and Impact

What began as the challenge of delivering a programming curriculum within a matter of days has since grown into a much broader role within the department. Following my first year at Boston College, I became the Course Coordinator for the Level 3 Game Design programme, taking responsibility for the planning and delivery of the course while continuing to lead the development of its programming curriculum. Alongside classroom teaching, I also act as a personal tutor for many of the Game Design students, supporting them both academically and throughout their wider college experience. As the curriculum continued to develop, I also became Co-Coordinator for the Level 4 Game Design course and will continue this role as the Level 5 programme is introduced. My responsibilities extend beyond programming, contributing to the overall structure and direction of the course, working alongside the Course Coordinator to review units, shape the student experience and develop new assessment briefs that better reflect both industry practice and the learning outcomes of the qualification. The success of the Unreal Engine curriculum within Game Design also led to wider changes across the department. Having seen the capabilities of students using Unreal Engine and following discussions with other colleges and industry events, I proposed transitioning the game development units within the Computing curriculum from Unity to Unreal Engine. This required adapting much of the material developed for Game Design to suit Computing students, whose timetable provides significantly less time for game development, while also supporting colleagues who would be delivering the new content. Although the two courses now share the same engine, each curriculum has been designed to reflect the different needs and objectives of its students. Perhaps the most rewarding outcome, however, has been seeing the quality of work produced by students. The projects showcased below demonstrate not only the technical skills students have developed throughout the course, but also the confidence to tackle increasingly ambitious ideas. Seeing students progress from having little or no programming experience to producing complete gameplay systems and polished projects remains the most meaningful measure of the curriculum's success.

Student Portfolio

Stuck in Between 

Created as a final project by one of our first-year Game Design students, Stuck in Between is a fantastic example of just how much can be achieved in a single academic year. Watching this project grow from an initial idea into a polished and technically impressive game has been incredibly rewarding.

Everything featured in this project was created by the student, from the gameplay programming and animation systems to the character modelling, rigging, animation, and overall game design. Inspired by the fast-paced gameplay of the Sonic series, the final result delivers responsive movement, fluid controls, and a surprising level of polish for a first-year project.

As a lecturer, moments like these are what make the job so rewarding. Seeing students develop both the technical skills and the confidence to create work of this quality in such a short space of time is something I'm incredibly proud of, and this project perfectly demonstrates what can be achieved through dedication, creativity, and a willingness to learn.

StuckInBeetween.mp4

Credits

Student
Archibald Curlett-Crook
Project
Stuck in Between
Tools
Unreal Engine 5
Blender

Sketches

Another fantastic final project from one of our first-year Game Design students, Sketches shows just how much can be achieved in a single academic year. Inspired by classic stickman games, it's one of the few 2D projects created this year, but it immediately stood out because of its creativity and the amount of work that went into it.

Everything you see in the game was created by the student, from the hand-drawn artwork and animations to the programming, level design, and gameplay systems. The core mechanic revolves around drawing objects to help solve puzzles and progress through each level, making the artwork itself a key part of the gameplay rather than just the visual style.

What impressed me most about this project is just how complete it feels. It doesn't feel like a student project - it feels like a game that could genuinely be released with a few more levels and some additional content. Seeing students reach this level after just one year of studying Game Design is something I'm incredibly proud of, and Sketches is a brilliant example of the creativity and technical ability our students develop throughout the course.

Sketches.mp4

Credits

Student
Alex Wojcieszko
Project
Sketches
Tools
Unreal Engine 5
Blender

Calm Aim

Another standout project from one of our first-year Game Design students, Calm Aim takes inspiration from games such as Aim Lab, replacing traditional weapons with snowballs to create a fun, Christmas-themed aim trainer. It's a simple idea, but one that's been executed really well, resulting in a polished and enjoyable experience.

What makes this project particularly impressive is the journey behind it. The student transferred onto the course around ten weeks after everyone else had already started, meaning he had a significant amount of ground to make up. Rather than letting that hold him back, he worked incredibly hard to catch up with the rest of the class and quickly established himself as one of the strongest programmers in the group.

Like every student, he has his own strengths. While he chose to make use of Marketplace assets for some of the visuals, the programming, gameplay systems, and overall experience are entirely his own work. Seeing the level of progress he made in such a short space of time, especially after joining the course so late, has been fantastic. Projects like Calm Aim are a great reminder that dedication and hard work can make an enormous difference in just one academic year.

CoolAim.mp4

Credits

Student
Matthew Howden
Project
Calm Aim
Tools
Unreal Engine 5
Blender

When I first joined Boston College, I was primarily teaching our first-year Game Design students. It wasn't until the beginning of the second semester that I started working with the Year 2 group, who were eager to learn Unreal Engine after previously working in Unity. They also wanted to learn multiplayer development. I remember joking that they had no idea what they were signing up for, as networking is one of the more challenging areas of game development, but they were determined to learn and embraced every challenge that came with it.

AttritionDynamicWeather.mp4

Over the following months, we explored Unreal Engine's networking systems, replication, multiplayer gameplay, and collaborative development. Rather than stopping at what was covered in class, both students continued learning independently, researching more advanced techniques and experimenting in their own time. One of the highlights was seeing them set up a small motion capture studio in one of our classrooms, spending entire days recording animations for their characters to give the game a more authentic feel.

The project itself is incredibly impressive. Much of the environment, props, and assets were created by one of the students, whose modelling skills brought the world to life, while both students worked together to build a fully multiplayer experience. They even went beyond what we had covered in lessons by learning how to host multiplayer sessions using Epic Online Services, allowing players to connect online rather than only over a local network. They also explored technologies such as MetaHumans, laying the foundations for more detailed character customisation in future development.

Attrition2.mp4

Seeing the confidence these students gained over such a short period has been incredibly rewarding. They left Boston College to continue their studies at the University of Staffordshire, one of the UK's leading universities for Games Development, and I have no doubt they'll continue creating fantastic work. Attrition is a project that perfectly demonstrates what can be achieved when students combine curiosity, hard work, and the confidence to keep learning beyond the classroom.

Attrition3.mp4

Credits

Student's
Jamie Turvey & Harvey Barnes
Project
Attrition
Tools
Unreal Engine 5
Blender

Attrition

Developed by two of our second-year Game Design students, Attrition is an ambitious online World War I shooter that showcases just how much can be achieved through teamwork, determination, and a willingness to push beyond the classroom. It's one of the most technically ambitious student projects I've had the pleasure of seeing.

Attrition1.mp4
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