Welcome to Unity’s Expert Gameplay Programming Specialization! This Specialization is test-prep for the Unity Certified Expert: Gameplay Programmer exam. This Specialization includes 5 courses designed to challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, the kind true gameplay programming experts face every day. Each challenge is inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer exam, and by the end of this Specialization you will have had extensive, guided practice in the programming skills needed to pass this exam. This Specialization is intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. You should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity, be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.
Unity Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Preparation Specialization
Be a Unity Certified Expert Gameplay Programmer. This set of courses prepares you to take the Unity Certified Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam
Offered By
How the Specialization Works
Take Courses
A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.
Hands-on Project
Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.
Earn a Certificate
When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.
There are 5 Courses in this Specialization
Rapid Gameplay Prototyping
Welcome to Rapid Gameplay Prototyping, the first course in Unity's Gameplay Programming Specialization! This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam. Throughout this course, you will work on a 2D “infinite platformer” game project. This will help you practice prototyping core game play mechanics, including scripting GameObjects and their components, coordinating UI systems, and implementing UI scripting. You will also identify conflicts and implement solutions during the prototype stage. This is an advanced-level course, intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity. You should be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.
Programming for Level Design
Welcome to Programming for Level Design, the second course in Unity's Gameplay Programming Specialization! This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam. Throughout this course, you will work on a 3D “Dual-Stick Survivor” game project. This will help you practice programming for level design, including configuring GameObject physics, spawning Prefabs, designing level logic and behavior, scripting animation systems and events, and working with in-game cinematics. This is an advanced-level course, intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity. You should be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.
NPC Programming
Welcome to NPC Programming, the third course in Unity's Gameplay Programming Specialization! This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam. Throughout this course, you will work on a 3D “Dual-Stick Survivor” game project. This will help you practice programming NPCs within games, including scripting NPC logic and behavior, navigation and pathfinding, raycasting, and NPC spawning and placement. This is an advanced-level course, intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity. You should be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.
Performance Optimization in Unity
Welcome to Performance Optimization in Unity, the fourth course in Unity's Gameplay Programming Specialization! This course is exam preparation for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification Exam. This course will challenge you with a series of realistic programming problems in Unity video-game projects, inspired by one or more of the topics covered in the Expert Gameplay Programmer Exam. Throughout this course, you will learn various optimization techniques, including: optimizing for different platforms, understanding how platform differences can impact gameplay, using Asset Bundle configuration tools, gameplay debugging, and rendering optimization. By the end of this course, you will optimize a 3D "Dual-Stick Survivor" game project for WebGL. This is an advanced-level course, intended for industry game developers or very experienced Unity enthusiasts who are looking to “level-up” their gameplay programming and implementation strategies. To succeed in this courses, you should have at least 2-3 years of experience developing games with Unity. You should be familiar with the full-game lifecycle (working from early concept to launch), creating and working with Prefabs, understanding game asset and animation pipelines, and have some experience with Unity Services. You should also have advanced programming skills, particularly in the C# language.
Instructors
Dustin Carroll
Senior Technical Artist & Adjunct InstructorAbout Unity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Can I take the course for free?
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
This Specialization doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Specialization Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more.
What is the Unity Certified Expert Gameplay Programmer exam?
The exam that this Specialization prepares you to take is Unity's professional certification exam for expert gameplay programmers: Unity programmers with around 4 years of experience in the games industry, who have shipped multiple game titles. Learn more about the exam here:
https://certification.unity.com/products/expert-gameplay-programmer
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
We anticipate that completing all courses in the Specialization, including all of the project work, will take around 18 weeks at between 2-3 hours a week. As these courses are designed as exam preparation for Unity programmers, you are encouraged to complete only the courses and weeks of instruction that you need to feel ready for the exam.
What background knowledge is necessary?
These courses are for Unity gameplay programmers with at least 2-3 years of professional experience in the game development industry. You should have a strong working knowledge of Unity APIs and C# Programming, and their application across all phases of the game production cycle.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
No. Although the courses follow the creation of two Unity projects, and those projects are built up in a logical, sequential order, we fully expect learners to pick and choose the topics for which they need the most practice and review. However, learners who are less confident in their skills may want to complete the courses in order.
Does completing this Specialization mean I earn a Unity Certification?
No. This courseware is made to help you prepare for Unity's Expert Gameplay Programmer Certification exam, a proctored exam available through the Pearson VUE network of test centers. Passing this exam, not the course, is the ultimate validation of your Unity gameplay programming skill:
https://home.pearsonvue.com/unity
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
When you complete the Specialization, you will have had practice in all of the topical areas covered by the Unity Certified Expert Gameplay Programmer exam, and you are encouraged to schedule the exam via Pearson Vue:
https://home.pearsonvue.com/unity
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
