What Is Programming? And How To Get Started
January 28, 2025
Article
This course is part of C# Programming for Unity Game Development Specialization
Instructor: Dr. Tim "Dr. T" Chamillard
124,611 already enrolled
Included with
(2,419 reviews)
(2,419 reviews)
Add to your LinkedIn profile
3 assignments
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
This course is all about starting to learn how to develop video games using the C# programming language and the Unity game engine on Windows or Mac. Why use C# and Unity instead of some other language and game engine? Well, C# is a really good language for learning how to program and then programming professionally. Also, the Unity game engine is very popular with indie game developers; Unity games were downloaded 16,000,000,000 times in 2016! Finally, C# is one of the programming languages you can use in the Unity environment.
This course doesn't assume you have any previous programming experience. Don't worry if you've never written code before; we'll start at the very beginning and work our way up to building small games by the end of the course. Throughout the course you'll learn core programming concepts that apply to lots of programming languages, including C#, and you'll also learn how to apply those concepts when you develop games. Computer programming is really fun in general, and programming games is even better! Caution: Beginning (assuming no prior programming knowledge) is not the same as easy (not hard to do). Learning to program IS hard to do, especially since this course is essentially the first half of a freshman-level college course. Meeting the course challenges while you master the material will be rewarding to you, but doing that will require hard work and maybe even a few expletives along the way. Module 1: Write your first C# console application and Unity script Module 2: Learn how we store data in our programs Module 3: Learn how we use classes and objects to implement our code Module 4: Learn the basics of Unity 2D games and take "Final Exam" “Unity” is a trademark or registered trademark of Unity Technologies or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere. This course is an independent work and is not sponsored by, authorized by, or affiliated with Unity Technologies or its affiliates
In this module, you'll learn about the course and get Unity installed and configured. You'll write your first C# console application and your first C# script in Unity.
8 videos11 readings1 programming assignment1 discussion prompt
In this module, you'll learn how information is stored in the computer using binary and you'll learn how data types tell us how to interpret the bits and memory and what operations we can perform on those bits. You'll also learn about the most commonly-used numeric types in C#, you'll get some practice reading documentation (which programmers do all the time!), and you'll learn how to use the debugger to find and fix bugs in your code.
7 videos7 readings2 assignments1 programming assignment1 discussion prompt
In this module, you'll learn the foundational concepts in the Object-Oriented (OO) paradigm. This paradigm is incredibly useful in game development, because it models our software system as a set of software objects that interact with each other. Those concepts map nicely to games, which typically include lots of game entities that interact with each other. You'll learn how to actually use classes and objects in your code as well.
6 videos4 readings1 programming assignment1 discussion prompt
In this module, you'll learn some of the basic ideas behind using Unity to develop 2D games. You'll also learn how we can make decisions in our code.
11 videos6 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
The University of Colorado is a recognized leader in higher education on the national and global stage. We collaborate to meet the diverse needs of our students and communities. We promote innovation, encourage discovery and support the extension of knowledge in ways unique to the state of Colorado and beyond.
University of Colorado System
Course
Course
University of Colorado System
Course
Microsoft
Course
2,419 reviews
78%
15.22%
3.26%
0.94%
2.55%
Showing 3 of 2419
Reviewed on Dec 12, 2020
Jumps a bit in difficulty towards the end, which may throw off very new programmers. I had no difficulty, but was taking it to learn C# and Unity, not learn how to code period.
Reviewed on Dec 16, 2020
Simple and systematic instructions with appropriate exercise materials make this course a perfect beginners guide for unity. Learning from Dr. T has been a great experience.
Reviewed on Aug 27, 2022
awsome instructor he teaches through mistakes which maybe intentional but says the reasons in detail why and when and spoon feeds us with documentations no breifing just all instructing in details
Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.