Master's Program in Design for Virtual Reality
IED – Istituto Europeo di Design Barcelona
Key Information
Campus location
Barcelona, Spain
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
9 months
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
Request info
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
18 Jan 2025
Introduction
The Master's Program in Design for Virtual Reality is teaching a new generation of designers how to create immersive experiences and solutions using virtual reality technology and tools. With a distinctly creative and technological focus, the course fosters new ways of designing, learning, and interacting based on ground‑breaking narratives.
Experts are anticipating that the impact of virtual reality on our lives will be comparable to that of the Internet or smartphones, offering hugely promising possibilities in a wide range of fields: education, entertainment, digital cities, audio‑visuals, architecture, vehicles, engineering, social action…
As VR sets in, the market is calling for more specialized professionals who understand the present and future scenario, realize the potential of existing technology, and show a creative approach to designing content, experiences, products, and services.
This is a pioneering Master's Program in Europe thanks to its specialized content. The program is divided into three parts: the Design Studio covers the theory module, the Design Tech teaches how to work with specific virtual reality hardware and software, and the Design Lab, is an immersive laboratory to create and develop projects and experiences in various fields.
Coordinator
Mery Glez
Ever since she was a child, Mery has visited and lived in various countries, affording her an international cultural perspective.
Over the last 15 years, she has been involved in international projects working as an audio‑visual and interactive designer with architects, designers, developers, and communication and marketing professionals, designing and creating smart audio-visual content for museums, exhibitions, fairs, events, products, and experiences using cross reality (XR).
She is a partner of the Out of Format studio, which is powered by an international multi‑disciplinary team based in Barcelona and Milan. Mery produces video projections for indoor and outdoor architectural structures, as well as interactive, AR, VR, and video productions for events, festivals, fashion, and brands.
She also takes part in every stage of strategic project development, from creative inception and coming up with the ideal technical solution, to designing and developing audio‑visual content or producing and setting up AV systems (projectors, speakers, sensors…) and software.
She is the co‑founder of the GEOGAMING project, which was prized by the European Union for developing and implementing new technologies. Her goal is to make everyone feel like an explorer and turn every topic, concept, or location into an adventure waiting to be discovered.
Mary works as an adviser to the European Commission on Education and Creative Industries. She graduated in Video Design from the New York SVA (School of Visual Arts) and in Digital and Electronic Fabrication from the MIT FabLab. She is also a teacher at the IED Visual Arts Department in Milan and Barcelona.
Gallery
Ideal Students
- Architects, interior designers, and related professionals wish to explore the creative possibilities virtual reality offers in their various fields.
- Graphic designers, multimedia or interactive designers, animators, digital artists, and digital product designers.
- People with proven academic and/or professional experience in the field of design, audio‑visuals, or technology who are interested in exploring the creative boundaries of virtual reality technology.
Admissions
Curriculum
The goal of the Master's is to provide students with specific knowledge and resources to work in the field of virtual reality.
The course program aims to:
- Prepare students to lead the process of designing and developing virtual reality environments using cutting‑edge technology and tools that will change the way people interact with one another and with our surroundings.
- Teach new design methods and virtual reality tools involving specific VR software and hardware, and prepare students for professional activities linked to design and immersive environments and new digital experiences.
- Hold technical sessions about project development and practical applications, as well as theory sessions where a key topic is chosen to tie in the knowledge acquired.
- Encourage students to carry out real projects for specific aims based on a customer briefing (with a company or partner institution).
- Introduce them to the professional world by attending international events and conferences such as the Mobile World Congress and Sónar +D.
- Encourage students to experience storytelling and immersion in varied, interesting, and enjoyable ways.
- Evaluate students' understanding at frequent intervals throughout the learning process.
Program Outcome
- To grasp the processes and methodologies involved in designing, developing, and producing immersive, communicative, emotional, and social experiences using virtual reality.
- To develop narratives, environments, and services using design and VR technology tools.
- To build up a sound base of specific virtual reality know‑how, methodology, and tools to develop future professional projects.
- To gain independence in the learning process to comfortably command virtual reality design software and hardware.
- To experiment with the array of possibilities that storytelling and immersion can offer in different sectors.
- To build a framework of concepts and resources with which to solve problems during project planning and come up with ideal solutions.
- To take part in multi‑disciplinary teams where debates and collaboration are fostered to create functional and effective designs.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
There are plenty of opportunities in the fields of user experience and interface design, information architecture, and project management. The demand for VR specialists is high in areas such as architecture and interior design, the audio‑visual and entertainment industry with studios and agencies, industrial design and engineering, digitized cities, education, and communication.
Those who complete the master's will have a variety of professional options to work as:
- VR storytellers: designers and creators of new future narratives.
- Virtual reality designers and content developers at Unity Engine.
- Directors and content developers for VR platforms.
- UX designers using virtual reality.
- Project managers dealing with XR/VR content and products.
- Exhibition designers and organizers of events with immersive environments.
- Simulation developers and designers for architecture and design studios.
- VR creators and specialists in animation, post‑production (FX), or gaming studios.
- XR product designers for ICT (information and communication technology) companies, interactive agencies, or commercial applications.