Virtual reality is quickly becoming one of the hottest technological trends, with applications across sectors like education, healthcare, entertainment, tourism and beyond. VR is now a market worth billions, with the sale of virtual reality headsets projected to surge dramatically in the coming years. And while demand for the technology is growing, the industry is still largely lacking software developers with formal training. Whether your goal is to kick-start a career in VR, add new skills to your CV or just explore the possibilities of this exciting technology, here's a list of the best courses of VR development that are sure to help you gain an edge.
For those new to virtual reality, this course developed by Google will take you through the most important principles of the technology, including optics, displays, stereopsis, tracking, and major hardware platforms. At the end of the course, you'll be comfortable with creating and deploying a VR application.
Who is this course for: beginners
Course length: approx. 2 weeks
Cover the basics of VR development with this comprehensive course. From the basics of Unreal Engine C++ programming all the way up to packaging a complete video game, you'll be guided step by step. This virtual reality course will provide you with plenty of hands-on lessons, taking you along the core principles of VR gaming.
Who this course is for:
- Aspiring game developers.
- Those wanting to enter the games industry as a game programmer.
- Indie game developers who want to create their own games.
- Anyone who wants a complete game in their portfolio.
Course length: 34 hours
Requirements: This is a C++ course and some basic knowledge of the C++ (or a similar language) is needed.
Taking a more concise approach, this virtual reality course focuses on helping learners easily develop an Oculus Quest and Quest 2 game or app. You'll learn how to configure a Unity project, build VR experiences with Unity's XR Interaction Toolkit, set up Unity scenes, among other skills.
Who this course is for:
- Unity Developers who want to learn Virtual Reality Development with Oculus Quest 2
- Creators who want to use Oculus Quest for their creative purposes
Course length: 7h 33m
Create with VR is one of the many courses offered by Unity, aimed at helping you design and develop functional virtual reality experiences. This course goes in-depth into the creation of a unique VR project, from creating prototypes, to attempting challenges and completing quizzes to make sure you walk away with a solid skillset.
Who is this course for: This course is ideal for beginners.
Course length: 30 hours
If you're short on time or simply not quite ready yet to commit to an in-depth VR learning course, then this is the right course for you. In this hands-on learning project, you’ll be able to quickly learn some basics, explore a VR prototyping environment, add teleporters, interactable objects and sound effects and create simple VR interactions using the XR Interaction Toolkit package.
Who is this course for: This project is suitable for VR beginners with experience in Unity fundamentals.
Course length: 3 Hours
Learn the basics of VR, how to code in Unity 3D and WebVR, understand the components of VR hardware and coordinate systems for 3D interactions with this course. By the end of it, you'll be able to create your own VR app and know how to work will all areas of virtual and augmented reality, in industries like gaming and entertainment. Moreover, you'll also be able to get a professional certificate that is sure to give you an edge over others in the industry.
Duration: 5 months. 5 - 9 hours per week.
This course was created by Oculus and Unity developers, and spans over 12 subject matters that will help you learn the ins and out of building VR games, step by step. As described in the introduction, you’ll be learning "an extensive range of principles and best practices: from locomotion and hand presence, to optimization and testing, to user interaction and go-to-market strategy." In addition to getting coached by reputed experts on VR development, you'll also learn how to avoid some common mistakes made when apps are submitted to the Oculus Store.
Prerequisites: This course is designed for intermediate level developers with familiarity building in Unity, ideally with some VR experience. Course length: 23 hours
Take your VR skills to the next level with this deep dive into VR development. This course was designed to cover all the bases of building games in VR and applications with Unit, with real-life projects that can range from a 360° video quiz to a space station app. Development for both mobile and desktop virtual reality platforms is taught.
Prerequisites: No prior experience with coding and Unity is necessary. The Mini-Degree is suitable for all levels of proficiency, newcomers and advanced learners alike Course length: 56 hours
As another course developed, this is a solid specialization option that spans across three different subjects, covering the foundations of VR/ AR mobile app development and the basics of mixed reality. As described by Coursera, "you will learn how Unity supports the many components of a VR app, including tracking, teleporting, interacting with virtual objects, positional audio, and much more. You’ll also see how Unity’s AR Foundation supports building handheld AR apps."
Course length: Approximately 3 months to complete. Suggested pace of 6 hours/week.
Unlike some of the other platforms, Circuit Stream's courses are taught exclusively by industry professionals, meaning that you will get an insider view of the technology and learn how to best develop your VR projects. Moreover, each week you'll get 1:1 mentorship with a qualified expert so that you'll take full advantage of your learning time. This particular course will ensure that you get a great foundational skillset in both VR and AR using industry-standard tools, with the aim of building real-life projects. Your mentors will also make sure that you get plenty of practical solutions and learn through industry practices.
Who is this course for: beginners Course length: approx. 10 weeks
