Course Overview

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of Virtual Reality. The students will be introduced to the emerging trends in Extended Reality, how XR technologies are being used across industries, the benefits of XR and the future of XR.   In this course, students will learn the technical aspects of Virtual Reality and create a Virtual Reality prototype.

All students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and have the opportunity to request a Syracuse University noncredit transcript.

Learning Objectives

  • Examine the benefits and future of Extended Reality  
  • Explain how XR immersive technology is applied in games, entertainment, education, etc.
  • Design and build a small Virtual Reality application
  • Apply visual design and interaction design principles

Course Information

Course Prefix and Number: SCN 178

Format: Online

Eligibility: Students must be of rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior status – or a 2024 high school graduate. 

Credit: Noncredit

Grading: Pass/Fail

Cost: $1,995
Program rates are subject to change and will be approved by the board of trustees. Discounts and scholarships are also available.


Program Information

Summer College – Online: Explore college life before stepping foot on campus! High school students can enroll in a college-level course, pursue their academic interests, and meet likeminded students in daily virtual events and activities.


Course Dates and Details

ProgramCourse DatesSynchronous Class Time (Eastern Time)Credit/NoncreditStatus
Summer College – Online3-Week Session II: Monday, July 29 – Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024Wednesdays;
9 a.m. – Noon
NoncreditClosed

Typical Day

Students will learn about the theoretical and technical aspect of Virtual Reality and apply that to an actual project. Students will work in groups on the group project. Students will also learn teamwork and team communication strategies to effectively manage group projects.

Faculty Bios

Dr. Rupa Misra 

I have a multidisciplinary background in technology, healthcare, user experience design, and education.
I have a doctoral degree in Communications, Media, and Learning Technologies Design from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a master’s degree in Communications/Journalism from Fort Hays State University. In addition to completing a post-doctoral National Library of Medicine (NIH) fellowship focusing on Health Informatics at Columbia University.

In addition to 20+ years of teaching experience, I provided research consulting to doctoral students in Health Education at Columbia University. I served as the Education Director at the Sustainable Methods Institute, which is an international health, economic, and societal think tank. I am a certified Quality Matters Peer Reviewer. I hold leadership roles for the Columbia University Philadelphia Alumni chapter, World IA Association, organizer of the Central NJ Design Meetup group and am Associate Editor of the Journal of Information Architecture

My passion has always been to provide innovative design solutions to complex health problems. I am especially interested in technology-mediated information interventions in effective decision-making and behavior change. I have extensive experience with web/mobile technologies, databases, human-computer interaction, and design thinking in healthcare.

Beyond my research successes in publishing 1 book, eight papers including three book chapters and presentations at 8 conferences, I have also been fortunate to obtain wide range of teaching experiences.


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