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25 Best Level Design Courses Online

Choosing a level‑design course online involves weighing the tools taught, the depth of content and the institution behind the programme. On this page we compare 25 courses from two platforms – edX and Coursera – covering everything from introductory theory to specialised pipelines for Unity, game‑engine shooters and world‑building with AI assistance. Prices range from $49 to $417, reflecting differences in credit‑bearing options and university partnerships.

The courses are listed in our own ranking order, starting with a LaSalle College introduction that provides a broad overview of level‑design principles, and ending with newer offerings that explore AI‑driven design tools. Learners who prefer a structured academic credential may favour the edX options, while those seeking quick, project‑focused training often choose Coursera’s shorter, $49 modules. Consider your current skill level, the software you wish to master and whether you need a university‑backed certificate before deciding.

Courses compared
25
Price range
$19.99 – $417.00
Providers
edX, Coursera, Udemy
Last updated
30 Aug 2026
How these 25 courses were chosen

Every course below is a real, currently listed course from edX, Coursera, Udemy, matched to "level design" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.

The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.

There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $417.00, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.

  1. 1
    edX MOOC / Non-credit Grade C University-backed

    Introduction to Level Design

    Offered by LaSalle College

    This course offers an engaging introduction to the art and science of level design, crucial for creating immersive gaming experiences. You'll explore fundamental principles and techniques that guide the development of va...

    $417.00
    listed price
  2. 2
    Coursera Certificate Grade C

    Advanced Unity Projects: RPG, Level Design & VFX

    Offered by EDUCBA

    This specialization equips intermediate-to-advanced Unity developers with professional skills in RPG design, 3D level creation, procedural map generation, and advanced visual effects. Through five project-based courses,...

    $49.00
    listed price
  3. 3
    edX MOOC / Non-credit Grade D

    Shooters and Game Engines in Level Design

    Offered by LCI Education

    Shooter games have been and continue to be the dominant genre in video games. Learn about this important genre in game design.

    $179.00
    listed price
  4. 4
    edX MOOC / Non-credit

    The Basics of Level Design

    Offered by LCI Education

    Discover how to create captivating video games with not just your visuals and gameplay, but level design as well.

    $178.99
    listed price
  5. 5
    edX MOOC / Non-credit

    Types of Games in Level Design

    Offered by LCI Education

    Explore the many types of video games and their level design considerations.

    $179.00
    listed price
  6. 6
    Coursera Certificate Grade A University-backed

    Game Design and Development with Unity

    Offered by Michigan State University

    Break into the video game industry with theoretical, technical, and practical knowledge from one of the world’s best programs. In this Specialization, learners build the skills necessary to design and development games....

    $49.00
    listed price
  7. 7
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade A University-backed

    World Design for Video Games

    Offered by California Institute of the Arts

    Start creating your world. A game world is not just a backdrop for your game—be it minimal or detailed, contained or part of a much bigger universe, it provides the context for your player. Ultimately, a game world shoul...

    $79.00
    listed price
  8. 8
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade A University-backed

    Game Design and Development 3: 3D Shooter

    Offered by Michigan State University

    If you love games and want to learn how to make them, then this course is your third step down that path. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of game design, including an understanding of level design, game ba...

    $49.00
    listed price
  9. 9
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade A University-backed

    Game Development with GameMaker

    Offered by University of Colorado System

    This specialization is intended for aspiring game developers who want to learn how to develop games using GameMaker. GameMaker lets us develop games using both a visual programming (drag and drop) approach and a scriptin...

    $49.00
    listed price
  10. 10
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Modern Game Design Mastery with AI

    Offered by AI CERTs

    Artificial intelligence is transforming how modern games are created, tested, and optimized across interactive entertainment environments. Gaming studios and creative teams are increasingly using AI-powered tools to acce...

    $49.00
    listed price
  11. 11
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Game Deployment and Final Touches

    Offered by Packt

    This course features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the co...

    $49.00
    listed price
  12. 12
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Unreal Engine: Design & Build 3D Game Worlds for Beginners

    Offered by EDUCBA

    Take your first step into Unreal Engine by learning how to design and develop immersive 3D game environments through a guided, project-based experience. This beginner-friendly course introduces the essential tools, workf...

    $49.00
    listed price
  13. 13
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    MonoGame Development: Build & Implement Blocks

    Offered by EDUCBA

    Build and refine gameplay mechanics in MonoGame through a hands-on project focused on Level 2 Yellow Blocks, level transitions, and Level 3 Blue Blocks. Designed for learners who want practical MonoGame game development...

    $49.00
    listed price
  14. 14
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design

    Offered by John Wiley & Sons

    This specialization provides a comprehensive journey through video game design, starting from foundational concepts to advanced mechanics and monetization strategies. Learners begin by exploring core principles such as i...

    $49.00
    listed price
  15. 15
    Coursera Certificate Grade B

    Unreal Engine: Build Interactive Game Levels

    Offered by EDUCBA

    Bring your Unreal Engine level design skills to the next level by creating an interactive office environment that combines structured level construction with responsive gameplay mechanics. In this hands-on course, you wi...

    $49.00
    listed price
  16. 16
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Unreal Engine — Ultimate Survival Horror Course

    Offered by Packt

    This course is perfect for aspiring game developers looking to create a survival horror game using Unreal Engine. You'll start by building a strong foundation with game instances, modes, states, and player controls, ensu...

    $49.00
    listed price
  17. 17
    Coursera MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Dungeon Design Mastery and Advanced Unreal Engine Techniques

    Offered by Packt

    Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as yo...

    $49.00
    listed price
  18. 18
    Udemy Certificate Grade B

    The Complete Guide to Unity 2D : Platformer Development

    Are you ready to jump into world of game development and create your own unique 2D platformer with local multiplayer game? Look no further than this comprehensive and standalone course, designed to take you through the p...

    $84.99
    listed price
  19. 19
    Udemy MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Unreal Engine 5 creating an ARPG Game from Scratch

    Unlock Your Creative Potential with Game Design Workshop: UE5 Procedural Dungeon ARPG Creation!Have you ever wanted to design your dungeon-crawling adventure like Diablo?Imagine creating your very own epic raids, complet...

    $199.99
    listed price
  20. 20
    Udemy MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Creating a Moroccan Riad Environment in Unreal Engine 5

    Hello Everyone and welcome to this new course. In this course, we will go over the entire process of creating this Moroccan Riad environment using Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Substance Painter.We will go over modelling in...

    $39.99
    listed price
  21. 21
    Udemy MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Creating a Street Environment in Unreal Engine 5

    Hello Everyone and welcome to this new course. In this course, we will go over the entire process of creating a Japanese Street Environment using Unreal Engine 5, Blender, Substance Painter.We will go over modelling in B...

    $29.99
    listed price
  22. 22
    Udemy MOOC / Non-credit Grade B

    Complete 2D Platformer in Unity C#

    Learn how to create your very own platformer game using Unity and C#, an industry-standard program used by many large gaming studios and indie developers across the world. In this course you won’t just be learning progra...

    $149.99
    listed price
  23. 23
    Udemy MOOC / Non-credit Grade B Lowest price here

    Honouree's Unreal Engine Quick Start

    Hi to my valued students, welcome to my Unreal Engine Quick Start online course. In this course, you will learn how to use Unreal Engine by following easy-to-understand step-by-step tutorial videos to create a full yet s...

    $19.99
    listed price
  24. 24
    Udemy Certificate Grade B

    Unreal Engine 5 for Beginners (2024) - The Complete Course

    Unreal Engine for Beginners - Start Your JourneyUnreal Engine for Beginners is a complete course that teaches how to use Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) while developing games. You will learn UE5 in a fun, hands-on way by designin...

    $84.99
    listed price
  25. 25
    Udemy Bootcamp Grade B

    The Ultimate Guide to Creating an RPG Game in Unity 6

    Are you ready to take your game development skills to the next level and create your own unique RPG game? Look no further than this comprehensive and standalone course, designed to take you through the process step by st...

    $159.99
    listed price

Best Level Design Courses Online compared

# Course Provider Offered by Price
1 Introduction to Level Design edX LaSalle College $417.00 View →
2 Advanced Unity Projects: RPG, Level Design & VFX Coursera EDUCBA $49.00 View →
3 Shooters and Game Engines in Level Design edX LCI Education $179.00 View →
4 The Basics of Level Design edX LCI Education $178.99 View →
5 Types of Games in Level Design edX LCI Education $179.00 View →
6 Game Design and Development with Unity Coursera Michigan State University $49.00 View →
7 World Design for Video Games Coursera California Institute of the Arts $79.00 View →
8 Game Design and Development 3: 3D Shooter Coursera Michigan State University $49.00 View →
9 Game Development with GameMaker Coursera University of Colorado System $49.00 View →
10 Modern Game Design Mastery with AI Coursera AI CERTs $49.00 View →
11 Game Deployment and Final Touches Coursera Packt $49.00 View →
12 Unreal Engine: Design & Build 3D Game Worlds for Beginners Coursera EDUCBA $49.00 View →
13 MonoGame Development: Build & Implement Blocks Coursera EDUCBA $49.00 View →
14 Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design Coursera John Wiley & Sons $49.00 View →
15 Unreal Engine: Build Interactive Game Levels Coursera EDUCBA $49.00 View →
16 Unreal Engine — Ultimate Survival Horror Course Coursera Packt $49.00 View →
17 Dungeon Design Mastery and Advanced Unreal Engine Techniques Coursera Packt $49.00 View →
18 The Complete Guide to Unity 2D : Platformer Development Udemy $84.99 View →
19 Unreal Engine 5 creating an ARPG Game from Scratch Udemy $199.99 View →
20 Creating a Moroccan Riad Environment in Unreal Engine 5 Udemy $39.99 View →
21 Creating a Street Environment in Unreal Engine 5 Udemy $29.99 View →
22 Complete 2D Platformer in Unity C# Udemy $149.99 View →
23 Honouree's Unreal Engine Quick Start Udemy $19.99 View →
24 Unreal Engine 5 for Beginners (2024) - The Complete Course Udemy $84.99 View →
25 The Ultimate Guide to Creating an RPG Game in Unity 6 Udemy $159.99 View →

Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.

What the prices here tell you

The 25 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $417.00, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $397.01. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.

Who is behind these courses

These courses come from edX, Coursera and Udemy. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 4 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including LaSalle College, Michigan State University and California Institute of the Arts — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.

Before you enrol

Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 30 August 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.

Frequently asked questions

What subjects are typically taught in these level‑design courses?
The programmes cover core concepts such as spatial storytelling, player flow and pacing, as well as technical skills like Unity or GameMaker workflows, level‑lighting and asset placement. Some courses also address specialised areas such as shooter map design, world‑building for open‑world games and the use of AI tools in level creation.
How do the offerings from edX differ from those on Coursera?
edX courses on this list are generally affiliated with colleges or universities and may provide a verified certificate that counts toward academic credit. Coursera modules tend to be shorter, priced at $49 for many options, and focus on practical projects, though they also include university partners such as Michigan State University and California Institute of the Arts.
Do I need prior experience with a game engine before enrolling?
Many of the introductory courses assume no previous engine experience and start with basic navigation of tools. More advanced options, particularly those that mention Unity or GameMaker, expect learners to be comfortable with the chosen software or to commit to a short self‑study period before tackling the coursework.
What factors should influence my choice between a low‑cost $49 course and the $417 introductory programme?
A lower‑priced course can be suitable if you want a focused, project‑based introduction or are testing the subject before a larger commitment. The $417 LaSalle College course offers a comprehensive overview and may include deeper theoretical grounding and a formal certificate, which can be valuable for portfolio development or academic credit.

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