What can you do with a degree in virtual technology and design?

Virtual technology impacts nearly every industry, from entertainment to research, simulation, innovation, virtual communities, education and more. Digital experiences and immersive tools, like virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), are becoming part of everyday life, increasing the need for professionals who understand design and technology. With a degree in virtual technology and design (VTD), you meet the demands of the industry and contribute to state of the art digital solutions, while gaining the skills to be design thinkers and problem solvers.

Throughout your VTD program, you’ll explore how virtual worlds are made, how interactive applications function and how digital tools can help people learn, work and solve problems. Whether you’re interested in gaming, entertainment, simulation or new forms of digital innovation, this is an exciting and rapidly evolving career path.

Learn more about VTD and what you can do with a bachelor’s degree in virtual technology and design from University of Idaho.

What is virtual technology and design?

Virtual technology and design is a program focused on creating and understanding immersive experiences, which includes everything from virtual worlds and interactive media to simulations and spatial digital tools. VTD students explore how people interact with digital content and how technology can communicate information, tell stories and solve problems in new ways.

The field combines several disciplines, including art and design, application development, animation, programming and digital modeling. Instead of working within one traditional area, VTD looks at how these concepts connect to shape user experiences that are meaningful and engaging.

What will you learn in a virtual technology and design program?

As U of I’s program head for virtual technology and design, Jean-Marc Gauthier describes virtual technology and design as a field that brings together “artistic, creative, scientific and technical skills, giving students an in-depth knowledge of digital technology through hands-on production, collaboration and presentation.”

In your VTD courses, you’ll build a broad, adaptable skill set for creating digital and virtual experiences, exploring ways to bring ideas to life across multiple platforms and industries. You’ll learn how to:

• Design virtual environments that shape how people interact with information
• Use cutting-edge tools in VR, AR, animation and simulation
• Develop spatial models and immersive environments
• Apply visual storytelling across games, films, simulations, training tools and other digital media
• Create user-centered applications for various industries that solve real problems

Careers in virtual technology and design

A degree in virtual technology and design prepares you for careers that sit at the forefront of digital innovation. Because the field is so versatile and you learn how digital experiences are created and how people interact with them, your skills apply anywhere organizations need virtual environments or interactive media.

According to Gauthier, “the exposure to design problem solving and solutions in VTD programs results in the creation of digital applications and art that answer important questions and spearhead innovations such as human-centered experience design, metaverse urbanism, digital twins and simulation, building information modeling and immersive storytelling.”

Explore careers in virtual technology and design that span gaming, design, technology, media, programming, simulation and education.

Gaming careers

It’s common to enter a VTD program with a passion for gaming and an interest in creating these interactive experiences. Your knowledge of design, animation, storytelling and player experience applies directly to how games and other digital entertainment are created.

U of I offers three tracks to prepare you for gaming careers. These are:

1. Entertainment design and storytelling

Bring worlds, characters and stories to life across film, games and immersive experiences. In this track, you’ll learn to design and tell powerful stories through cutting-edge visual media, combining artistry and technology to shape the future of entertainment.

2. Research, visualization and simulation

Turn complex data, systems and ideas into powerful visuals and interactive simulations. This track equips you to make research understandable, engaging and impactful for industries like healthcare, engineering and government.

3. Innovation, entrepreneurialism and project management

Do you have big ideas? This track prepares you to turn creativity into action — launching startups, leading teams and managing projects from concept to delivery. Learn the business and leadership skills that make design ideas thrive in the real world.

Design careers

Design roles are a natural fit for VTD graduates. You’ll use your creative skills to shape virtual spaces, visual content and digital media across different platforms. Potential careers are:

• Technical artist: Become a 3D generalist, concept artist, game designer, animation and VFX artist, visualization specialist or project manager.
• Virtual architect: Design immersive spaces, virtual campuses, simulations and digital environments used in gaming, training and education.
• Graphic designer: Create visual assets for digital platforms, interactive media, branding and user experiences.
• Media, audio and video designer: Develop motion graphics, soundscapes, animations and digital narratives for film, advertising and entertainment.
• Film and video editor: Use digital tools and virtual platforms to assemble visual stories.
• Commercial and industrial designer: Design digital prototypes, visualizations and simulations that support product development and manufacturing.

Technology careers

Some VTD graduates choose to combine their virtual design background with engineering or technical interests. This path can lead you into roles that support high-tech industries, particularly those using modeling, simulation and digital twin technologies. Possible roles include:

• Data visualization specialist: Use modeling, visualization and digital twin technologies to improve workflows in energy, manufacturing and infrastructure.
• Industrial engineering technologist: Help organizations design safer, more efficient operations using simulation or virtual environments.

Programming careers

Programming and coding play key roles in virtual technology and design, especially when building interactive systems and user-centered applications. In a VTD program, you’ll learn to approach technical challenges with a designer’s mindset, so you can develop software that is functional and aligned with how people actually use digital tools.

If you have strong technical or computational skills, you can pursue careers such as:

• Computer and information research scientist
• Computer network support specialist
• Computer programmer
• Computer systems analyst
• Computer user support specialist
• Software developer

Education careers

Virtual technology is rapidly transforming the way people learn new skills. This is especially relevant in fields like health care, emergency response, advanced manufacturing and high-tech workforce training, where simulations and virtual tools significantly improve student learning outcomes.

With a VTD degree, you can support:

• Virtual education and training programs
• Workforce simulation and instructional design
• Technical and adult education
• Interactive curriculum development

Four reasons to earn your virtual technology and design degree at U of I

The Bachelor of Science in virtual technology and design degree program at University of Idaho stands out for its innovation and strong industry partnerships. With studio-based learning, interdisciplinary coursework, small class sizes and hands-on opportunities with real clients, you gain the experience needed to stay competitive in a growing job market.

Here are four reasons U of I is an exceptional place to study virtual technology and design.

1. Learn in hands-on studios that mirror professional spaces

From your first courses, you’ll design, build and test virtual design in collaborative studio environments. These spaces function like real production labs where you brainstorm, prototype, revise and present your work and collaborate with your peers and professors. This studio experience will give you the confidence to step into professional creative or technical teams when you graduate.

2. Work on real-world, impactful projects with clients and community partners

U of I’s VTD program gives you the opportunity to work on initiatives that extend beyond the classroom. You might create extended reality (XR) training modules, virtual museum exhibits, interactive media tools and digital visualizations used by organizations in education, business, entertainment and public service.

Previous UIdaho projects have included workforce training tools for high-tech industries, virtual environments that support community planning and digital systems for visualizing energy, land and water challenges. These partnerships show you how virtual technology influences real needs while you develop polished, portfolio-ready work.

3. Gain skills in a future-focused program aligned with industry trends

Virtual technology is evolving quickly, and U of I’s curriculum reflects that. Courses connect to emerging fields such as human-centered experience design, immersive storytelling, digital twins, extended reality (XR) training and BIM-supported visualization. You’ll experiment with tools and workflows used across gaming, simulation, engineering, education and advanced manufacturing.

This future-focused approach helps you stay ahead of industry expectations and prepares you for careers shaped by new technologies, including AI-enhanced design and interactive systems.

4. Start with a VTD undergraduate certificate option

If you aren't sure about pursuing the entire VTD degree, U of I’s virtual technologies undergraduate certificate lets you explore the field and see if it's the right fit. This accelerated option also helps you develop skills for the industry right away. You’ll take introductory courses in virtual design, modeling, storytelling and digital environments and gain skills you can add to any major or career path. If you decide to earn a bachelor’s degree in VTD, these credits can apply directly toward that program.

Design virtual experiences people use every day

A degree in virtual technology and design allows you to study how digital tools are created and to build the skills used across gaming, simulation, education and interactive media. Through studio courses, practice with emerging technologies and collaborative projects at University of Idaho, you can turn digital ideas into meaningful experiences. Take your interests to the next level — request information or apply today!