Diploma of Augmented and Virtual Reality
GET AHEAD OF THE GAME IN AR AND VR
Complete your course faster by studying the course units over approximately 7 months (2 trimesters).
Complete your course faster by studying the course units over approximately 7 months (2 trimesters).
Whilst still classified as a full-time study load, you will complete the course units over one year. (3 trimesters)
If you want to take a little longer, that’s ok too. We’ll help you work out the best study load to suit your needs.
Note: Part-time is not available for international students.
September 2023
DIPLOMA OF AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY
If you want to be part of the exciting and expanding industry of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), we want to help you gain the core technical and design skills to work with these technologies.
In a matter of months, you’ll learn the key fundamentals of VR and AR. Learning in a world-class environment, you’ll be creating the latest software, with face-to-face mentoring from expert lecturers who will give you a deep knowledge of augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, haptic technologies, human-computer interaction, and prototyping.
You will learn the technical workflows associated with common augmented and virtual reality platforms. These can include scripting and asset pipeline, applying design as well as project management processes whilst engaging in the development of scholarly skills.
Upon completion, you will be eligible for up to 80 credit points toward the Bachelor of Games Development.
YOUR CAREER IN ARVR BEGINS NOW

Tools & Software




Augmented and Virtual Reality Skills
Course Structure
The Diploma of Augmented and Virtual Reality is stage 1 of the 3 stages of a Bachelor.
This unit develops your scholarly skills and processes through an exploration of virtual, augmented and mediated reality theories and practice. Beyond technical and craft skills, expert practitioners also have an understanding of the historical and cultural context of their medium. Through developing your ability to research, analyse, argue, present, write, and cite relevant theory, you will become a more literate and capable creative. This knowledge and these skills can be applied in industry and research settings, to benefit your projects and company.
In order to design effective virtual reality experiences, you must understand the unique aspects of virtual reality. In this unit, you will identify and describe the core elements of virtual reality experience design. You will create prototypes that demonstrate these principles and observe and reflect on the results. You will work together in teams to produce prototypes and will be expected to document and reflect on the experience.
High performance mobile computing technology, mobile sensor technologies, and modern real time rendering engines are facilitating a new wave of augmented reality applications in the market. This unit aims to provide you with the knowledge and experience to utilise these tools to understand augmented reality solutions designed for a wide variety of markets. Using a range of frameworks and prototype applications you'll apply augmented reality concepts and technologies to a range of needs. You will have an ability to understand and design for user embodiment of virtual and physical worlds.
Augmented, mixed and virtual reality applications present an opportunity for physical and virtual interaction. Mixed reality hardware provides a means of connection between the virtual and augmented reality additions or replacements of the physical. This unit aims to give students experience in a range of physical and virtual hardware interfaces that facilitate immersion and quality of experience.
This unit will introduce you to the mindset and skillset of the creative entrepreneur, and transform your approach to problem-solving. You will analyse historical and contemporary models of leadership and best practice in entrepreneurship, and use tools for project design that include ideation, problem framing, and pitching. The skills in this unit will assist you in developing your creative thinking, exploration, and experimentation methods, allowing you to experiment with project design and content for creative media.
Managing Software Projects covers the key skills and knowledge required to work within software development projects as a paraprofessional. The unit simulates a real world creative media project in which you'll work under the supervision of more senior technical and executive staff, with a simulated client relationship.
Computer Mediated Reality Major Project brings together all the skills, knowledge and behaviours you will have acquired into the creation of a project, which combines multiple technologies and techniques. You will work in a simulated work environment under guidance from your tutor through the ideation, planning, development, refinement, and handover of a project of their own design.




Career Outcomes
What jobs will this course lead me into?
- Entry-level Augmented Reality
- Application Designer
- Entry-level Augmented Reality Application Developer
- Entry-level Virtual Reality Application Designer
- Entry-level Virtual Reality Application Developer Interaction Designer
- Production Assistant
- App Developer
Student Spotlight
Course FAQs
SAE has three intakes per year: February, June and September. Short courses and certificates courses may have different intake timings. View our academic calendar for trimester start dates or contact your campus for further information.
All SAE HE and VET courses are government accredited. This means that the qualifications you receive upon graduation are recognised all around Australia and internationally.
CREDIT AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
SAE may recognise your prior learning and may grant credit towards satisfying the requirements for a higher-level program. This is applied where previous learning is considered equivalent to the content and learning outcomes prescribed for units within the program.
For full details, please refer to SAE's policy on recognition of prior learning and credit transfers.
