MSc in Interaction Design and Technologies
Gothenburg, Sweden
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
SEK 160,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students
Introduction
From our careers and social lives to shopping and entertainment, human life increasingly takes place online, mediated through digital applications and services. This program will allow you to play a vital part in building the next generation of applications, those which may come to define how we live and work in the coming decades.
As interactions between humans and machines become ever more deeply embedded in our daily lives, they need to be refined, improved, and made as effective as possible. A system, product, or application that is simply functional or efficient is no longer enough — there must also be consideration of human factors, such as ethics, sustainability, and accessibility. Are they pleasurable to use, fun, or intriguing? When working with entertainment or educational products, you might even wish for the experience to be challenging, frustrating, or provocative.
Interaction design is the process of designing precisely these kinds of user experiences, and this Master’s program is intended for those with a keen interest in how humans interact with technology. The program, therefore, attracts students from a wide range of educational backgrounds, from computer science, software engineering, and cognitive science, to design — in all its many forms.
The technologies you will work with within this program include well-established devices like personal computers and smartphones, but also new and innovative areas of application, such as dialogue interfaces, robots, and virtual reality. You will need to become highly skilled in the design and construction of current interfaces but also have the vision and foresight to contribute to the development of future human-machine interaction. The majority of the projects you will work with are software-based, but several courses and projects also involve tangible interfaces and physical prototypes built in our maker space design studio. You can work with many different tools — everything from Post-it notes, cardboard, and wood to electronics, 3D printers, and laser cutters.
The program also offers excellent opportunities for students with an interest in the gaming industry. We have several game-development-related courses, led by prominent researchers in the field, and students can collaborate with gaming companies or with students in game-design programs at Gothenburg University.
Design, technology, ethics, and user behaviour form the fundamental areas for this master’s program, while a wide range of elective courses covers topics such as design processes and prototyping, human-centred design, interactive simulations, visualization, interactive art, and game development.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships are a great source of funding for Master's students who are liable to pay tuition fees. Some of these are administrated by Chalmers and others by external institutions. Additional scholarships may be appended to the list and applicants are therefore encouraged to check this webpage regularly.
Please visit the university website for more information.
Curriculum
Compulsory courses year 1
During the first year, the programme starts with three compulsory courses that form a common foundation in Interaction design and technologies. Each course is usually 7.5 credits.
Compulsory courses year 2
In the second year, you complete a master's thesis to graduate. The thesis may be worth 30 credits or 60 credits depending on your choice. You also take the compulsory capstone course Interaction Design Project.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
As an interaction designer, you can work in any industry and any company or other organization that develops digital applications, systems, or machines that interact with a human. Interaction designers can be found in any software company, as well as in the game industry, or in companies that combine hardware and software in products such as cars, kitchen equipment and smartphones. Other key areas include web design, information visualization, artistic applications such as interactive installations and live performances, and design of online services such as web shops and online banking.
Large companies such as Volvo, ABB, Google, and Microsoft are of course places where you often find interaction designers (or UX designers which is a popular title at the moment), but you can also find work at non-profit organizations or governmental institutions. Other potential employers are start-up companies or smaller companies developing new and innovative solutions, for example in the gaming industry or virtual reality providers. You can also work as an engineer and designer in interactive art projects and performances.