VIRTUAL REALITY AND

AUGMENTED REALITY
Advance your AR, VR, MR skills to build fully immersive
XR experiences for any business

Delivered in collaboration with

Overview

There is rapidly growing demand for skilled professionals who are proficient in extended reality (XR)
technologies — a term that encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).
According to Mordor Intelligence, the XR market is expected to increase from USD 26.05 billion in 2020 to USD
463.7 billion by 2026, a compound annual growth rate of almost 63%.

What's driving this growth? Companies on the cutting edge recognize that XR has the capability to reinvent
the way we communicate, experience gaming and other forms of entertainment, and transform industries
such as healthcare, real estate, retail, and e-commerce.

With the Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality online program, MIT xPRO provides a comprehensive
introduction to XR technologies. Valuable insights from a distinguished MIT faculty member and industry
leaders will help you acquire the essential vocabulary of XR concepts and expand your knowledge of XR
system elements. That includes not just design principles, approaches, and processes, but also the ability to
consider users' needs and values in XR design and incorporate them into specific VR/AR applications.

Furthermore, MIT xPRO's Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality provides introductory, hands-on experience
with XR system development, including using XR concepts and design principles to understand XR applications.
As a result, you will be better positioned to conceive XR system ideas, communicate them with developers,
and make recommendations to clients and other key stakeholders.

PRICE DURATION
USD 2,675 8 weeks
5–6 hours per week

23 million
Projected number of jobs that will be enhanced by
VR and AR technologies by 2030
(Source: Statistica)

2
Program Highlights

Earn a certificate and 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from MIT xPRO

Insights from renowned MIT faculty and experts

Activities and assignments in each module demonstrate your understanding of concepts

Learn to define, visualize, and pitch your XR game concept

New information is connected to existing knowledge and real-world tasks

Services Offered By Emeritus

Live weekly office hours with learning facilitators

Personalized feedback, support, and network development

3
Who Is This Program For?

This eight-week program is ideal for seasoned professionals who want to expand their learning horizons and
explore the rapidly growing field of XR technologies:

Designers: Leaders and managers: Developers:

3D UX/UI interaction designers Industry leaders and managers Unity developers, app developers,
looking to expand their focused on VR/AR product and 3D developers focused on
knowledge base and gain a development who want to have VR/AR apps and experiences who
technical understanding of how more informed conversations want to expand their technical
computer graphics function, with developers and engineers knowledge of XR technologies
particularly in gaming about improving user and their practical applications,
applications, and advance their experience for existing products such as learning how to create a
careers by learning how to build and services through VR/AR complete XR project pitch for
end-to-end XR solutions for features, and by offering new their clients
client organizations and innovations
construct a VR environment

Prior knowledge of Unity and C# programming language are not required, but they are welcomed.
*Participants must be 18 or above to apply for this program.

VR and AR are remarkable technologies that blend the imagination with the
physical world — they are also already frequently used for business,
communication learning, training, research, and in the creative industries.
Now that these technologies are achieving much more widespread adoption,
it’s important for industry workforces to be at the vanguard of VR/AR
understanding, use, innovation, and impact.
– D. Fox Harrell, Ph.D., Director of the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality;
Professor of Digital Media and AI at MIT

4
Key Takeaways

Over the course of this eight-week program, you will learn the principles of designing effective and engaging
XR experiences that are inclusive and promote social good. Specifically:

You will acquire the essential vocabulary and knowledge of XR concepts to communicate meaningfully
with different stakeholders.

You will expand your knowledge of XR system elements in addition to design principles, approaches,
and processes. Crucially, you will also learn to consider users’ needs and values in XR design.

You will apply XR concepts and design principles to create high-fidelity XR prototypes.

In the process, you will gain some introductory

hands-on experience with XR system development
and better understand how to conceive XR system
development ideas and communicate with developers.

You will learn how to ensure that your technologies

are inclusive and promote the social good.

Finally, you will explore the broader implications of

XR technologies, including the new opportunities
they provide, enabling you to make recommendations
to clients and other key audiences.

5
Program Schedule

The eight modules that comprise MIT xPRO's Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality program will help you to:
Communicate XR concepts and recommendations to clients and other key audiences.
Integrate visual design elements, user needs, values, and considerations of social impact in the design and
development of XR systems.
Apply XR concepts and XR design principles to create (design, develop, and evaluate) high-fidelity XR
prototypes.
Explain the broader implications of, and opportunities provided by, XR technologies.

Module 1
Introduction to Technologies of Virtuality
We start by introducing you to fundamental XR concepts, characteristics, and questions, such as:
"What is virtuality?" and "Are virtual experiences real experiences?" You will also:
Begin building your understanding of the conceptual and technological relationships between VR, AR, MR,
and XR.
Explore XR experiences along with XR hardware and software.
Learn about XR applications across different industries.

Module 2
Producing VR and AR Experiences I: Design Overview
Get a big picture of XR experience design. You will:
Become well versed in the key terms used in the XR design process.
Explore key design elements, principles, and approaches.
Learn to consider users’ needs and values in design.

Module 3
Producing VR and AR Experiences II: Design Processes
In this deeper dive into XR design processes, you will:
Learn how to build prototypes and get hands-on experience creating a prototype, a use case for a VR
system, and a mood board for an XR game on a topic of your choice.
Try out digital and immersive authoring tools for XR design.

Module 4
XR Apps Development
Next, you will gain high-level experience with XR system development fundamentals so that you can better
conceive XR system development ideas and communicate with developers. Specifically, you will:
Experiment with different techniques for capturing 3D spaces and structuring user interactions.
Learn aspects of development for multiple types of XR (e.g., photo-based and computer graphics-based),
including key considerations and trade-offs.
6
Module 5
Game Development
The immersive nature of XR technology and the potential for creative storytelling has led to rapid adoption by
the gaming industry — and industry with a global revenue that now far outstrips the film industry. To help
understand how XR professionals can learn from the powerful gaming industry, whether you work in that
industry or not, you will:

Examine the concept of games and their relevance in different settings — and how that translates across
games in an XR development platform.
Pitch a concept for an XR game and build a prototype of a narrative XR game scenario.

Module 6
XR Communication and Social Applications
The promise and peril of XR systems for social impact require thoughtful consideration. To understand why,
you will:
Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of XR for communication and collaboration.
Study principles for designing effective collaborative work in computational environments.
Compare user and environment representations in XR.
Practice being mindful of our responsibility to consider inclusive design and socio-ethical issues in XR
experience design.

Module 7
Evaluating XR Systems
This module addresses both the "Why?" and the "How?" of XR system evaluations. You will:
Study the aims and methods of evaluating XR systems.
Determine which evaluation methods to use for different XR applications or games.
Analyze how XR hardware and software can be used to evaluate and enhance user experiences, and how
they might be used in evaluating XR design.

Module 8
Broader Implications of XR
The final module examines the broader implications of XR. You will:
Explore how computational technologies can integrate simulated experiences with the physical world,
particularly beyond experiences enabled by XR technologies, such as VR headsets.
Review how AI, fictitious worlds, and XR technologies can help us learn and work better virtually, even in
non-remote settings.
Learn how to assess whether ideas are innovative enough to justify creating or deploying XR technologies.

7
Activities and Assignments

Each module includes engaging activities and assignments that you’ll complete based on what you have
learned in that portion of the program.

Activities

VR/AR Experiences Try-It Activities Peer Discussions Interactive Quizzes

Assignments

Communicating XR in a Professional Context

Putting it Together: Understanding the Big Picture of VR Design
Understanding Design Through Critique
XR App Development
Building a Game Prototype
Integrating XR Into Remote Work
Practicing Quantitative and Qualitative XR System Evaluation
Innovating With XR Technology

8
System and Applications Requirements

To experience VR apps, you will need to purchase a VR headset, such as the Merge VR Headset (compatible
with most iOS and Android smartphones; preferred; phones from 123mm to 156mm).

To test if your mobile device is VR/AR compatible, visit https://vrtest.ninja/.

To experience VR/AR apps, your mobile phone must have an iPhone Operating System (iOS) or Android
Operating System (OS) with a camera.

Other headsets that may be used to experience VR/AR include:

HTC Vive | Oculus Quest | PlayStation VR | Magic Leap | Microsoft HoloLens

In addition, as you progress through the program, you will need to install trial and/or free software required
for making XR components, such as Unity Personal and Qlone. For example, to view the 360-degree prototypes
you will make in Module 3, you will need to download the VR Media Player for Android or the VR Player for
iPhone users.

9
Activities and Assignments

MIT world-renowned faculty and credentialed guest speakers provide a rich learning environment. The MIT xPRO
approach includes:

Activities and assessments that tap into learners’ prior knowledge and experience

Authentic assessments that include scenario-based learning activities, hands-on try-it activities, and
mini-makes

Motivational design of learning by providing relevance to what participants are learning and offering
them choices to pursue projects based on their interests

Chunking of content into small portions to support novice learners

Setting clear expectations so learners know exactly what they are supposed to do to earn credit
for completion

Building a community of learning and inquiry to foster critical and creative thinking through social learning

Weekly knowledge checks, self-study learning activities, and feedback surveys that are designed to provide
opportunities for ongoing feedback

Learners have concrete experiences with VR/AR apps and are immersed in VR/AR environments

Learners learn by "doing" and critically reflecting on the "doing"

10
Program Faculty

Professor D. Fox Harrell’s research focuses on

pioneering new forms of computational media,
such as interactive narrative technologies, virtual
and augmented reality systems, videogames for
social change, and simulations of social
phenomena. His research also results in new
AI-based tools for analyzing social phenomena in
computational media.

By taking both a design and analysis approach to

his work, Prof. Harrell is able to build systems that
simulate social and learning phenomena in ways
that are engaging, dynamic, and personalized. He
then builds analytical tools using AI and other
statistical mathematical approaches to identify
trends, biases, and diverse user needs. From there,
he can develop new principles for design applicable
to both academia and industry, as well as build his
own computational media systems.

Prof. Harrell holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and

Cognitive Science from the University of California,
San Diego; a master's degree in Interactive
Telecommunications from New York University; and
both a B.S. in Logic and Computation and a B.F.A.
in Art (electronic and time-based media) from
Carnegie Mellon University. Prof. Harrell has also
D. FOX HARRELL worked as an interactive television producer and
game designer. He and his center received an
Professor of Digital Media & Artificial
Emmy award in the “Interactive Documentary”
Intelligence, Comparative Studies Program
and Computer Science and Artificial category. He received a National Science
Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL); Foundation CAREER Award for his project,
Director of the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality “Computing for Advanced Identity Representation.”
His book, Phantasmal Media: An Approach to
Imagination, Computation, and Expression, was
published by the MIT Press.

11
Guest Speakers

Antoine is a French producer with 15 years of experience

creating immersive works, transmedia documentaries, short
films, music videos, and high-end commercials. His company
specializes in the development, production, and distribution of
VR, AR, and MR works. His award-winning projects include
“Gloomy Eyes” (Annecy Cristal 2019, SXSW best narrative 2019),
“Spheres” (Venice International Film Festival Grand Prize 2018),
and “Vestige” (Peabody Award 2019). Antoine was also the
founder and CEO of Fatcat Films, a company he sold to the
audiovisual group, Première Heure.
ANTOINE CAYROL
Co-Founder and Producer, Atlas V

Allison Crank is a UX designer and researcher exploring the

intersection of art, technology, and architecture. Currently, she
works as a freelance UX designer for video games and immersive
experiences and builds tools for interactive narrative storytelling.
Previously, she was head of digital experiences at wowl, an XR
studio based in Switzerland that specializes in commercial
experiences for luxury brands, and was a design researcher at the
EPFL+ECAL lab, a design research lab for digital innovation,
leading a two-year hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) research
project on designing immersive experiences for public spaces — in
ALLISON CRANK
particular, for the UNESCO-recognized Montreux Jazz digital
Former Head of Digital
archives. She also researches HCI for public spaces and teaches
Experiences, wowl
at the AA Visiting School and the HSLU in Lucerne.

12
Guest Speakers

An inventor, engineer, and entrepreneur at heart, Vik desires to

positively change how people interact using technology. He
leads engineering teams through the full product journey, from
ideation through research, prototyping, engineering, and quality
assurance to production. While a graduate researcher at the
MIT Media Lab, Vik developed multimodal XR interfaces and
photonics for holographic displays. He also served as the team
captain of the award-winning MIT Hyperloop II team, where he
drove the development of the world's first autonomous electric
hovercraft for Elon Musk's SpaceX and The Boring Company. His
VIK PARTHIBAN work has been featured in MIT, Wired magazine, TEDx, and The
Director of Product and Innovation University of Texas at Austin.
at Arrow Electronics | Digital SaaS;
Research Affiliate at MIT

Andrea is an interdisciplinary researcher and multimedia artist

based in Los Angeles. Her work explores avatar embodiment,
virtual idols, and cultural theory, with a focus on identity in
social VR and XR performance. She earned a master’s degree
from the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program (S.M.) and
an undergraduate degree from the Duke University Literature
Program (B.A.). Her digital media work ranges from immersive
(XR) and participatory to civic media forms. Previously, she
worked with the Center for Global Women's Health
Technologies at Duke University as the director of “The
ANDREA KIM (In)visible Organ,” a documentary film and arts-based
Documentary Media Artist and reproductive health education initiative.
Fulbright Research Fellow, Seoul
Institute of the Arts

13
Certificate

Get recognized! Upon successful completion of

this program, MIT xPRO grants a certificate of
completion to participants and 4 Continuing
Education Units (CEUs). This program is graded
as a pass or fail; participants must receive 75%
to pass and obtain the certificate of completion.

After successful completion of the program, your

verified digital certificate will be emailed to you,
at no additional cost, in the name you used when
registering for the program. All certificate images
are for illustrative purposes only and may be
subject to change at the discretion of MIT.

About MIT xPRO

MIT xPRO's online learning programs leverage vetted content from world-renowned experts to make learning
accessible anytime, anywhere. Designed using cutting-edge research in the neuroscience of learning, MIT xPRO
programs are helping professionals build their skills on the job. To explore the full catalog of MIT xPRO courses
and programs, visit xpro.mit.edu.

About Emeritus

MIT xPRO is collaborating with online education provider Emeritus to deliver this online program through a
dynamic, interactive, digital learning platform. This program leverages MIT xPRO's thought leadership in
engineering and management practice developed over years of research, teaching, and practice.

14
You can schedule a call with a program Refer your colleague
advisor from Emeritus to learn more and receive a benefit:
about this MIT xPRO program.
REFER NOW
SCHEDULE A CALL

Connect with a program advisor:

You can apply for the program here: Email: [email protected]
Phone: US: +1 401 443 9591
APPLY
UK: + 44 189 236 2347
SG: +65 3129 7174

Delivered in collaboration with