Overview
Step into the world of real-time 3D creation as you learn to design, build and present your own immersive environment using Unreal Engine. In this hands-on 4-week course, you’ll explore the creative and technical fundamentals of environment design using Unreal Engine, the industry-standard tool behind today’s most immersive games, animations and virtual experiences. From your first idea to a fully realised interactive or cinematic world, you’ll learn how to conceptualise, build and present compelling 3D environments that tell stories and evoke emotion.
Each week, you’ll take on practical projects, receive feedback from tutors and peers, and dive into real-time workflows that mirror industry practice. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your skills in lighting, composition, world-building and cinematic presentation, helping you gain the confidence and know-how to turn creative ideas into dynamic digital spaces.
Course structure
Topics covered
The course will focus on the following subject areas:
- Developing a creative concept and visual narrative for an environment.
- Understanding Unreal Engine’s interface, tools, and workflow.
- Working with imported 3D assets and materials.
- Level layout and composition.
- Lighting and atmosphere.
- Using Unreal Engine’s Sequencer for cinematic presentation.
- Applying color, tone, and mood through post-processing.
- Optimizing scenes for real-time rendering.
- Giving and receiving feedback on your work.
- Presenting your final environment effectively.
Weekly breakdown
Week 1 - Foundations of Unreal Engine and Concept Development
Project: Develop and pitch your environment concept, and create your first small-scale Unreal scene.
- Introduction to Unreal Engine interface and navigation.
- Understanding the real-time rendering pipeline.
- Introduction to assets, materials, and basic level design.
- Writing and pitching an environment concept.
- Visual storytelling in environmental design.
- Basics of importing assets and organizing a scene.
- Lighting fundamentals.
- Feedback and peer review of initial mini-environment project.
Week 2 - Building Your World
Project: Begin constructing your main environment and develop core design skills.
- Environment blocking and composition principles.
- Working with modular assets and props.
- Lighting design and color theory for mood and storytelling.
- Introduction to foliage, particles, and environmental effects.
- Understanding materials, shaders, and textures.
- Peer review and feedback on progress.
Week 3 - Refinement and Cinematic Presentation
Project: Complete your environment build and begin adding cinematic or interactive elements.
- Advanced lighting and atmosphere (Volumetrics, Lumen, fog, reflections).
- Using Sequencer to create cinematic shots.
- Camera movement, composition, and pacing.
- Adding dynamic elements (animated props, light changes, effects).
- Optimising your scene for performance.
- Work-in-progress presentations and critiques.
Week 4 - Final Presentation and Portfolio Development
Project: Polish and present your finished environment.
- Post-processing for color, tone, and mood.
- Rendering high-quality stills and short flythroughs.
- Sound design basics for ambient environments (optional).
- Packaging and presenting your project.
- Final review and group showcase.
- Feedback and reflection on the creative and technical process.
Skills gained
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Use Unreal Engine to design and build a 3D environment.
- Apply storytelling principles to visual worldbuilding.
- Develop and pitch an environment concept.
- Work with assets, materials, and lighting effectively.
- Use Sequencer to create cinematic presentations.
- Apply composition, scale, and atmosphere to enhance storytelling.
- Optimize your scene for real-time performance.
- Collaborate and give/receive creative feedback.
- Present your work professionally for a portfolio or showreel.
Progression
Whether you’re looking to explore environment design as a creative pursuit, build your portfolio for professional or academic progression, or prepare for advanced study in games, VFX or animation, this course will provide you with both foundational technical knowledge and creative confidence.
You’ll gain valuable insight into production pipelines and collaborative workflows using Unreal Engine - experience that translates directly into a wide range of creative fields. For those ready to take the next step, this short course also serves as excellent preparation for our Visual Effects, Video Game & Digital Arts Bachelor of Arts or 1-Year Certificate, where you can continue developing your practice within an industry-focused, interdisciplinary environment.
Graduates will be well-positioned to explore roles such as:
- Environment Artist
- Level Designer
- Unreal Engine Artist
- Lighting Artist
- 3D Generalist
- Set Designer for games and animation
Your technological playground
Get hands-on access to professional facilities and tons of bookable gear.
Tutors
Our tutors are industry-acclaimed experts in their field, with a passion for passing on their knowledge to others. Here are some of the tutors that will be supporting you throughout your learning process.
Essential information
Tuition fees
Enrolment fee*: €495
Course fee: €1,755
Total: €2,250
Early Bird Discount: Enrol in a Summer Short Course before the end of March 31 2026 and receive a discount of €150 off the tuition fee.
Multi Course Discount: Enrol in both a Summer Short Course and a degree course with us in the same year, and receive a discount of €500 off the total tuition fee.
*Enrolment fee is non-refundable.
Timetable
We can’t provide an exact timetable until we know how many students will attend the course. However, you will have an average of 16 hours per week of workshops. Alongside this, you will have some technical inductions and timetabled opportunities for collaboration with students from other programmes. We will spend a lot of time in various areas of Berlin as well as more traditional classes at The iconic Funkhaus.
Our campus facilities are open for the students to use beyond the timetabled workshop hours. Fabriks and edit suites for editing are bookable from 10:00 until 19:45 during the Short Course term.
Entry requirements
The most important prerequisite for attending this course is that you must be passionate about building and developing your skills within electronic music production.
Our Short Courses are designed to be accessible to anyone, so we do not require any level of academic certification to apply. Generally, applicants must be 18 or over when the course begins. If you're coming from outside the EU, a holiday/travel visa will usually suffice.
For more information, please contact a member of the Admissions team. We love to chat! You can reach out to us at:
Email: admissions@catalyst-berlin.com
Phone: book a call
Application deadlines
Early bird deadline: 31 March 2026
Final application deadline: 29 May 2026
Spots fill up fast. Once a course is full, you'll be placed on the waiting list.
Save €150 with the Early Bird Discount
Apply to any Summer Short Course before 31 March 2026 to secure your spot early and receive €150 off your tuition fee.
