The metaverse is one of today's biggest technology trends that is expected to disrupt and transform most industries. This also means that metaverse skills are in higher demand than ever. Here, we look at the best university courses to learn the metaverse skills companies are looking for.

1. THE BEST UNIVERSITY COURSES
TO LEARN METAVERSE SKILLS

2. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
THE BEST UNIVERSITY COURSES TO LEARN
METAVERSE SKILLS
The metaverse is one of today's biggest technology trends that is expected to
disrupt and transform most industries. This also means that metaverse skills are
in higher demand than ever. Here, we look at the best university courses to learn
the metaverse skills companies are looking for.

3. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Everyone has heard by now that the metaverse is set to be a multi-trillion dollar business opportunity -
widely seen by many brands and corporations as the next evolution of the internet.
But beyond it being a term for the digital, persistent, and highly immersive virtual worlds we will become
used to, what it actually is – or will be – is up for debate!
This is simply because the idea and concepts are still emerging. Huge companies like Facebook and
Microsoft are throwing vast sums of money at their attempts to build, and therefore define, the metaverse.
Basically, if the metaverse is the new internet, then everyone wants to be the new Google - holding the keys
to the huge amounts of money to be made from selling advertising there.
This means that there is undoubtedly a mountain of opportunities for the rest of us, too. Ultimately, the
future of the metaverse will be defined by the people that create it. This means the coders, designers,
artists, writers, and pioneers who do everything from building the fundamental structure to populating it
with content that will attract users.

4. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Luckily, there are plenty of ways for you to stake your claim for a place in this new-age gold rush.
Although it’s very new, many of the basic skills needed to take part relate to fields of technology,
business, or design that are already well established. These include skills and knowledge that can
be learned at colleges and universities all over the world. If you’re studying (or considering
studying) one of these subjects, it’s possible that, although the course may not have the word
“metaverse” in the title, course leaders will be very aware of their subjects’ relevance.
So, here’s a look at some of the courses that will be valuable if you’re interested in a career
involving the metaverse and where you will get the chance to learn them in a formal educational
environment.

5. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
BACHELOR’S OR MASTER’S DEGREE IN
COMPUTER SCIENCE
At the most fundamental level, the metaverse will be built by software engineers. A bachelor’s degree or master’s
degree in the subject is still likely to give you the best all-round grounding in the skills and toolsets needed to get
involved. A computer science degree will teach you programming, as well as the fundamentals of data and database
management, how hardware works, and networking. Today, a computer science degree is also likely to be your best
opportunity to learn newer metaverse-related technologies such as blockchain and web3 decentralized platforms in a
formal educational environment, too. There are more glamorous subjects you could study that will be just as likely to
land you a place creating the future of the metaverse, but if you are technically inclined, then this is possibly the
option that will open the most doors. Starting salaries for metaverse roles that require computer science skills – such
as software engineers, network engineers, or DevOps engineers – are great too. Good high school level or equivalent
grades in mathematics and science subjects will be useful in securing a place in one of the best computer science
undergraduate or graduate-level degree courses, such as those offered by Stanford University and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in the U.S., Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in
Zurich, Switzerland, or Oxford University in the U.K.

6. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
BACHELOR’S OR MASTER’S DEGREE IN UX
DESIGN
This is a new field, and the relevant skills are often taught in more generalized degree programs such as design
or computer science. However, a few degree programs specifically for people wanting to learn user experience
design are starting to emerge. UX design focuses on creating computer programs that offer a great experience to
the user. Generally speaking, this involves creating intuitive interfaces that allow users to quickly and easily
achieve their goals while reducing friction that can be caused by bad design. It incorporates aspects of
traditional disciplines, including design, communication studies, and even psychology. Some university courses
that you might consider would be the Master of Human-Computer Interaction degree offered by Carnegie
Mellon University or the M.S. in Human Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington, in
the U.S., the Master of Interaction Design degree at the University of Queensland, Australia, the Postgraduate
Diploma of Information and Interface Design at the National Institute of Design, Bangalore, India, or the MSc in
Human Computer Interactions at UCL, London, UK.

7. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
BSc OR M.A. IN GAME DESIGN
The metaverse concept emerged from the world of computer and video gaming, which has been creating vast,
interactive, multi-user environments for decades. Game development engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine were first
created in order to make virtual worlds where we can compete in sports, puzzles, or just blow each other up with
futuristic weapons. Many of the emergent metaverse experiences – such as Roblox, Fortnite, and The Sandbox – came
about due to gaming and game-related technology. Gaming may be just one element of the broader vision of what the
metaverse will eventually become. Today, however, it’s the creative and business field that perhaps gives us the best
opportunity to develop experiences that tick all the metaverse boxes - persistent, avatar-driven, experiential, and multi-
user. A game design-related degree is likely to give you the opportunity to formally study graphic design, environment
design, U.I. design, mixed reality (M.R.), elements of web3 such as decentralized and blockchain gaming, and the
challenges around creating immersive multi-user experiences. Among the university courses considered to be the best in
the world are the MFA in Interactive Media at the University of Southern California, U.S., B.A., BSc, and even Ph.D.
courses at Michigan State University, U.S., or the BSc in Computer Games Design at Staffordshire University, U.K.

8. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
DEGREE IN VIRTUAL / AUGMENTED /
EXTENDED REALITY
Virtual reality (V.R.) and augmented reality (A.R.) – sometimes discussed together as extended reality (X.R.) or
combined to create mixed reality (M.R.), are just some of the ways users will experience the 3D, immersive worlds
of the metaverse. If you’re interested in a formal degree that will teach you to build these worlds, then it’s likely to
be an option in many computer science or design-related degrees. If you study a computer science degree (B.S.,
MS, or Ph.D.) at the University of Washington in Seattle, US, for example, you can take advantage of the
opportunity to learn at the U.W. Reality Lab, which undertakes advanced VR/AR research. Similarly, computer
science students at MIT can take advantage of the faculties offered by the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality.
However, as with other metaverse-aligned fields of study such as U.I. design, it's quickly becoming so popular that
it's recognized as a discipline in its own right, with dedicated degree courses. The University of the Arts, London's
College of Communication, offers a B.A. (Hons) course in virtual reality, while The University of West England has
an M.A. course in Virtual and Extended Realities.

9. © 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
To stay on top of the latest on the metaverse and wider business and tech trends, make
sure to subscribe to my newsletter and have a look at my new book, Extended Reality in
Practice, which just won the Business Book of the Year 2022 in the Specialist Book
category.
You can also follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. And don’t forget to check
out my website.

10. © 2021 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker,
futurist, and a strategic business & technology advisor to governments and
companies. He helps organisations improve their business performance, use data
more intelligently, and understand the implications of new technologies such as
artificial intelligence, big data, blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a
frequent contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for
Forbes. Every day Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and
shares content that reaches millions of readers.

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