Game technology studies make me a professional in creative arts

After comprehensive school, Beck Ollas completed a 3-year degree in visual arts and graphical design at vocational college and decided to continue studies at Xamk Kotka campus.  

Xamk offers three degree programme related to gaming. Kouvola campus runs full-time and part-time studies in game design (Bachelor of Culture and Arts) for students interested in game art and design. At Kotka campus you can study game programming for learning to design, test and develop game products. In addition, you can also choose game technology studies, like Beck Ollas did .

”I started studying game programming but soon realized that my strongest passion is in the creative process of gaming. I have background in video production, so it is natural for me to learn how to program and implement game products for various platforms. After a year I switched to study game technology and have not regretted my decision.”

Close contact with gaming industry

The Xamk game technology engineering degree was developed in close cooperation with professionals working in the gaming industry.  

”Finland is known globally for its gaming industry and there are several great gaming companies here. Our lecturers are well networked, highly qualified, really nice and easy to approach. They make clear their expectations for study units and assignments so you know how to proceed to learn more. I have been motivated to do different kinds of projects. I feel that I am learning exactly what I was expecting to learn.”

Bachelor of Engineering, game technologies, is a 4-year full-time study program. Studies combine coding and creative skills. The aim is to provide students with skills to create new types of content for both traditional and interactive media. Students can utilize the latest game technologies to design, test, and implement gaming and utility applications.

”In this field, it is very important to cooperate with other people and to work as a team. The stereotype of people coding by themselves in cellars is a myth. For example, itt has been great to find friends who are excited about planning a game based on my idea and are offering their skills to develop it further.”

Good contacts within the gaming industry make it easy for students to do company-related projects and get work-related experience. 

”We are encouraged by our teachers to approach gaming companies for projects and internship opportunities. In addition, we have a chance to attend Pocket gamer events and other events to see what is happening in our field. We also have a special event of our own, Demoday.”

Modern facilities for studying and working on projects

At Kotka´s new campus, there is a Xamk Game Studios venue where students can develop their own projects for gaming companies.

”It is an excellent space where you can always go and develop your own projects and ideas further. In addition, there are possibilities for research and product development, such as VR experiments.”

In the study programme, there are five courses for independent project work.

”Once you complete projects of your own, you can add them to your own CV. I have been able to do projects with a flexible timetable and tailor my curriculum a little bit. Since my mother tongue is Swedish, I did not have to take any Swedish language courses.”

Kotka campus offers modern facilities and technology

Xamk Kotka campus´s new main building was opened recently. It has large, open, public spaces and cosy flexible study venues in the Old Port of Kotka at the shore on the Finnish Gulf. The neighbouring building,  Maritime Centre Vellamo, offers visitors interesting exhibitions and events.

”Kotka is a vast city, very green, and there is lot of coastline with parks and trails to visit. We live in a very secure city where everything is close by and you can easily make new friends. There are city bikes and scooters for students to use. I cycle a lot and think that this is a nice city for cyclists.”

International student community adds flavour to studying in Kotka

Xamk has been offering students exchange programmes since the beginning of the 1990s. Beck Ollas would like to go abroad to study during their 3rd or 4the year of study.

”Studying in English is very easy for me. My goal is to go to Europe, possibly to Germany or the Netherlands to study for some time.”

Beck Ollas thinks that there is an excellent athmosphere among the student community in Kotka. There are international students studying degree programmes, students completing double degrees, and many exchange students. 

”It is fun studying here and friends make it even more fun. We help each other with studies and also during our free time. At the moment, my main hobbies are drawing and creating illustrations.”

International students make everyday life at Kotka campus multicultural, interesting, and lively.

”I am one of the tutors for international students here. Tutors are the people international students meet first when they arrive. We help them to integrate. We have orientation courses for them, we organize events, and we introduce our student union activities to them. We help each other with stuff related to school and everyday life here. I feel that we all become friends.”