User Experience Design

Entry requirements

You need a good honours degree (equivalent to 2:1 from a UK university) in art and design, computer science, or humanities. The most relevant undergraduate degrees are relevant to digital media – graphic design, communication design, interactive media, information technology – but also psychology, ethnography. The course attracts students with both BA and BSc degrees.

Possible weakness in the undergraduate degree may be compensated with relevant work experience, and other evidence that the student is motivated and able to study at this level. This may be demonstrated both through qualifications and portfolio of works.

Experience in digital media, user interface development and user interaction design is particularly valuable. Experience in an application domain (health care, business information, retail) is also relevant.

Exceptional applicants may have no first degree but more than five years working in information technology, the creative industries or humanities.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

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 interaction designer, usability engineer, user researcher, or head of user experience.

It focuses upon 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.

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.

This course prepares you for a career as an interaction designer, usability engineer, user researcher, or head of user experience.

You will graduate ready to present yourself to potential employers, with an online professional presence and a portfolio that showcases your skills.

You will use facilities such as a Tobii eye tracker, a Noldus FaceReader, Morae usability testing software, editing suites, moving-image studios and 3D workshops.

You will have the opportunity to:

• 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, smart phones, context-aware embedded devices and multi-modal games console), 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; and
• 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.