MSc in User Experience Design
Kingston University
Key Information
Select location
Campus location
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 - 3 year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,860 / per year **
Application deadline
Request info *
Earliest start date
Request info
* there is no application deadline for postgraduate courses
** home full-time: £9,860 | international full-time: £17,500
Introduction
Why choose this course?
The aim of the User Experience Design MSc course is to equip you with the behavioural theory, design practice and technology know-how that is necessary for a career as an interaction designer, usability engineer, user researcher, or head of the user experience. The course focuses on the analysis, design, prototyping and evaluation of multimedia, multi-modal, and multi-platform user interfaces that are easy to use and support a great user experience.
Each taught module guides students through a UX project – to optimise an interaction, innovate a digital lifestyle, apply emerging technology in a persuasive way, and collaborate on the development of virtual reality. Each project provides opportunities to analyse, design, prototype and evaluate cutting-edge technologies, follow industry trends and apply contemporary theories. A final 'capstone' project completes the student's portfolio.
This course was developed in consultation with our industry panel, which includes Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, DreamWorks and Samsung Design Europe. Kingston University is an active member of TIGA, the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) and supports the User Experience Professionals' Association (UXPA UK).
This course was accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), The Chartered Institute for IT in 2012.
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- This course prepares you for a career as a usability engineer, user researcher, user experience designer and general "ux-er".
- You will graduate with an online professional presence and a portfolio that displays your skills.
- Facilities include four Tobii eye trackers and biometric sensors.
Why study User Experience Design?
Philosophy and Outlook
Online everything
Online services increasingly pervade all aspects of everyday life. User experience is recognised as a key element in the differentiation and success of these services – on the internet, customers must understand and enjoy, or they will go elsewhere.
The trend towards 'online everything, anytime, anywhere, anyhow' seems set to continue. New computing and communications technologies are in the pipeline, online businesses are growing, and digital content is accumulating.
Design for quality and innovation
This trend raises many professional challenges for user experience design, notably:
- how to guarantee that the routine steps of online life can be completed quickly and easily
- how to innovate and create genuinely novel experiences
- how to organise for distributed, collaborative projects, demonstrate the value of user experience design work, and how to operate within integrated, digital media agencies
Digital studio
We created the User Experience Design MSc to meet these challenges. The course provides:
- a project-based curriculum in a 'digital studio' environment
- opportunities for industry-based learning (start-up incubator projects, 'live'/externally hosted projects)
- the opportunity to tailor in-depth studies to suit your background, interests, and practice niche
Digital Media Kingston
To support the delivery of the course, we created Digital Media Kingston. This collaboration between the School of Computing and Information Systems and the School of Design provides the multidisciplinary perspective needed to accommodate students with backgrounds in art and design, computer science and the humanities, and to fully address the range of user experience design issues.
Accreditation
The British Computer Society
The British Computer Society (BCS) accredits this course. This means that you can gain some exemption against BCS professional examinations, leading to Chartered membership and CEng, IEng or CSci status.
Please note: The programme delivered at our partner institution overseas is not currently accredited by the BCS.
The Faculty is a long-time member of BCS. For many years we have hosted meetings of the local BCS Kingston and Croydon Branch, contributing to members' continuing professional development programmes.
Admissions
Curriculum
What you will study
This programme will give you the following opportunities:
- Take the role of a user experience (UX) designer/analyst in an interdisciplinary team of students from across the Digital Media Kingston programme, and use industry-standard techniques to deliver on time.
- Learn about fundamental User Experience activities - analysis, design, prototyping and evaluation - in the context of practical projects. Projects are selected in consultation with students (and mostly individually) so that you can tailor your degree towards the industry sector, technology or job role that suits your interests and ambitions.
- Consider user experience in relation to cutting-edge technologies (big screens, tablets, smartphones, context-aware embedded devices and multi-modal games consoles), current industry trends (big data, multi-channel services, digital lifestyles), and contemporary theory (cognition 'in the wild', usability vs experience).
- Explore at least one kind of specialist practice in depth, to further distinguish and focus your learning, and practice track record.
- Learn how to present yourself to potential employers through your online professional presence and portfolio.
- Work with industrial hosts, and research-active academics to produce excellent, professional pieces of work that push the boundaries of current understanding and achieve design innovation.
For a student to go on placement they are required to pass every module the first time with no reassessments. It is the responsibility of individual students to find a suitable paid placement. Students will be supported by our dedicated placement team in securing this opportunity.
The course comprises four taught modules and a final project.
Year 1
Core modules
- Digital Studio Practice
- User Experience Design (Systems)
- UX for Emerging Technology
- User Experience Design (Content)
- Digital Media Final Project
Optional placement year
Work placement scheme
Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to do a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the work placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa.
Final project (June to September)
Core modules
- Digital Media Final Project
Please note
Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Graduate destinations
Graduates of this course now work in roles such as user experience designer, user experience researcher, product owner, usability consultant, interaction designer, and information architect and content strategist.
Some work in-house, at companies such as John Lewis, Aviva, IBM, E-Bay, BSkyB, RAC, Thomas Cook, and BBC) in the UK and around the world at Google (USA), Symantec, Microsoft and TPVision (India). Others work for agencies such as Systems Concepts, were: London, AIA Worldwide, Amaro, Wilson Fletcher and UI Centric, in the UK, and around the world at MediaEngine (Italy), Oxx (Norway) and Thoughtworks (Johannesburg).
Graduates increasingly find employment within the UK Government, the public sector and charities (Dept Work & Pensions, Ministry of Justice).
Graduate destinations
Graduates of this course now work in roles such as user experience designer, user experience researcher, product owner, usability consultant, interaction designer, and information architect and content strategist. Some work in-house, at companies such as John Lewis, Aviva, IBM, E-Bay, BSkyB, RAC, Thomas Cook, and BBC) in the UK and around the world at Google (USA), Symantec, Microsoft and TPVision (India). Others work for agencies such as Systems Concepts, were: London, AIA Worldwide, Amaro, Wilson Fletcher and UI Centric, in the UK, and around the world at MediaEngine (Italy), Oxx (Norway) and Thoughtworks (Johannesburg). Graduates increasingly find employment within the UK Government, the public sector and charities (Dept Work & Pensions, Ministry of Justice).
You can find out even more (actual employers, career paths, in-demand skills) by asking to join the User Experience course Linkedin group. The group is open to anyone interested in UX careers.