User Experience Design MA
Subject to validation.
Course start date 2025.
Length:
Full-time 1 year, part-time 2 years
Master user-centred design principles to develop and design socially and environmentally responsible, innovative products and solutions.
User experience profoundly and fundamentally impacts how we relate to technologies, interfaces and environments. Our MA in User Experience Design empowers you to create accessible and streamlined interactions with technology. This dynamic course emphasises applied industry approaches to user research and product development, enabling you to tackle complex challenges through experimental methods. With a strong foundation in design thinking, you will refine your skills in creating inclusive digital touch points for diverse platforms.
You will engage in user research, prototyping, and testing through project-based learning to develop functional and aesthetically refined outcomes. Course projects will centre around user research, challenging you to develop tangible results for various digital platforms and interfaces. By the end of the course, you will have a professional portfolio that reflects your unique interests, equipping you with the practical skills to communicate your findings effectively and prepare for a successful career in the UX industry.
Why study with us
- Advanced design skills: Develop your skills and master the principles of user-centred design, accessibility, and usability to create impactful digital experiences.
- Innovative problem-solving: Engage in hands-on projects that promote original thinking and refine your technical and creative methodologies.
- Collaborative environment: Benefit from shared taught delivery with peers from related disciplines, supporting a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and interdisciplinary interaction.
- Professional resources: Access state-of-the-art facilities, including contemporary technology and industry-standard tools, media labs, 2D & 3D studios and workshops, computer labs, high specification PCs, digital darkrooms, analogue and digital resources, licensed specialist software, a media resource centre, and the Make Space.
- Ethical design frameworks: Develop products prioritising user privacy, inclusivity, and well-being, ensuring responsible design practices.
- Portfolio development: By the end of the course, you will have created a professional portfolio of work that showcases your interests, prepares your skills, aligns with your career aspirations, and prepares you for industry challenges.
Course structure
This course is part of our suite of Master’s in UX, Interaction and Service Design, offering a collaborative framework across various specialisations, including MA User Experience Design, MA Interaction Design and MA Service Design. This provides students with opportunities to engage with peers from different disciplines while working on individual assignments. Such collaboration mirrors the professional dynamics in the creative industries today, allowing students to gain valuable experience in interdisciplinary teamwork and real-world problem-solving.
This programme is a one-year course, including 30 weeks of direct teaching time and a 15-week final project. You will need to complete five units and one 60-credit major project (180 credits in total). All units on the course are compulsory and must be passed in order to complete the award. If you study part-time your modules will be split across two years. Full course details, including aims and assessment criteria, will be provided in the course specification upon validation.
Course content
This unit launches your master’s study experience at Norwich, encouraging you to explore leading practices and emerging research within and around user experience design. Engaging with core UX methodologies will enhance your critical understanding and knowledge in conceiving, prototyping, and producing human-centred experiences in interactive digital contexts. The focus will be applying UX design to industry-related challenges and developing practical and creative user experience outcomes. Research-led projects will immerse you in modern UX design techniques, enhancing your confidence in conceptual and practical problem-solving. You will adopt iterative, qualitative, and participatory practices to address complex challenges through thorough critique and analysis. Continuous experimentation and critical reflection will strengthen your methods within broader conceptual frameworks and ethical considerations.
This unit focuses on the advanced technical skills essential for idea generation, problem-solving, and practical development in user experience design. You will explore and experiment with various media and technical processes, enhancing your ability to design innovative digital products and solutions. The unit encourages an expanded approach to the discipline, challenging technical expectations in contemporary design practices. Content includes coding, physical computing, user experience methodologies, user flows, agile working, storytelling, systems thinking, and emerging technologies (AR/VR/AI). This research-led framework, combined with continuous experimentation, will deepen your practical expertise and working methods with fresh ideas, equipping you to broaden and influence the evolving landscape of user experience design.
This unit encourages your exploration of a range of leading practices and emerging research within user experience design through reflective analysis and interactive sessions. Through individual and group projects, you will develop a critical understanding of your discipline within socio-economic, political, ethical, and cultural contexts. Key themes include design history, identity and representation, human/computer interaction, visual language, aesthetics, Gestalt psychology, and wicked problems. You’ll develop a range of research approaches, using discursive interaction to inform your inquiry methods and push your creative boundaries to inspire new perspectives between digital design disciplines. A research-led approach will help you to use established and contemporary techniques to extend and explore your chosen area of expertise.
This unit deepens your expertise in professional-level technical skills crucial for human-centred design in user experience. Using techniques from the ‘advanced technical skills’ unit, you will experiment with various media to support personal and professional growth. Through individual and group projects, you’ll refine technical processes and develop innovative solutions to enhance problem-solving abilities. Unit briefs focus on creating effective solutions for contemporary and emerging media platforms, supported by practice-based research exploring user environments. Topics include coding, prototyping, user flows, journey mapping, service blueprints, interface design, and emerging technologies like AR/VR/AI. A research-led approach enables you to employ established and contemporary techniques to advance your expertise.
This unit is designed to enhance your knowledge of leading practices and emerging research within and around the field of user experience design. By developing effective research and reflective strategies, you will improve your critical comprehension of key methodologies and gain a broader understanding of creative communication within socio-economic, political, ethical, and cultural contexts. Building on the content covered in the ‘dialogue, debate, and domain knowledge’ unit, you will explore themes such as design history, identity and representation, human/computer interaction, visual language, Gestalt psychology, and wicked problems. Research-led projects will help you develop your overall creative persona and develop strategies for conceptual and practical problem-solving, positioning you as a critically engaged practitioner.
This unit marks the culmination of your master’s study, consolidating your specialist knowledge, communication skills, and sophisticated practices within user experience design. Through meticulous planning, organisation, and support from tutors and industry professionals, you will develop a research question and design a viable project to test your hypotheses, aiming for innovative outcomes that may involve multiple outputs or a deep focus on a specific aspect of your practice. Throughout this unit, you will deepen your understanding of the historical, theoretical, cultural, technical, and economic contexts surrounding your discipline. You will examine challenges related to social and environmental sustainability, identifying relevant industries, audiences, and stakeholders. Research-led practice will enhance your ability to synthesise experiments into complex creative outcomes that will support you as an ethically minded and innovative thinker in the field of user experience design.
Careers Information
The user experience (UX) sector has grown substantially over the past decade as industries have increasingly recognised the necessity and importance of optimising digital user experiences. Our MA in User Experience Design has been designed and tailored to support you in developing essential skills that are highly sought after in the industry and how to work within multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop, and evaluate digital products and services across a range of platforms and technologies. We will also prepare you for a career by equipping you with a range of transferable skills, such as complex problem-solving expertise, the ability to analyse carefully and clearly, and working as a team member.
This course prepares you for a career in a variety of disciplines related to user experience design, including:
Career opportunities
- User researcher
- Interaction designer
- Experience designer
- Digital director
- Interface designer
You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our Business and Employability Team to help support you as you plan your career.
Tabbed Section
Entry Requirements
We typically require an honours degree of 2:1 or equivalent in art and design, computer science, or humanities. The most relevant undergraduate degrees are in digital media – graphic design, communication design, interactive media, information technology – but also psychology and ethnography.
Those with industry experience or relevant skills from non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including individuals currently employed. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please contact us for guidance before applying.
Language requirement (International/EU)
If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required, with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Portfolio requirement
For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. You can either submit a digital portfolio or request an in-person portfolio review with the course team. Further information will be provided once you have applied.
2024/25 university fees
Norwich University of the Arts will assess students’ tuition fee status using the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs.
Students from the UK or Ireland, and EU students with ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status, will be charged ‘Home’ fees if they meet the relevant residency requirements.
Home/UK
- Postgraduate degree (full-time) £10,600
- Postgraduate degree (part-time, over 2 years) £6,625
For home postgraduate degree students starting in 2024, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.
For 2024, UK nationals and EU nationals who have ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status may be eligible for a government loan towards course fees or living costs. Both full-time and part-time master’s degree students can apply for the master’s loan. Find out more about postgraduate master’s loans.
Alumni discount
Home Norwich alumni can benefit from a £1,000 discount on Norwich postgraduate degree fees.
Staff and teacher discount
All Norwich staff and art teachers at high schools or sixth form colleges can benefit from £1,000 discount on Norwich postgraduate degree fees.
International
- Postgraduate degree (full-time) £24,000
For international postgraduate degree students starting in 2024, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.
If you are a resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £2,500 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
International scholarships and bursaries
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for international students. To find out more and see if you’re eligible, please visit the scholarships for international students page.
Additional costs
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition. Accommodation, cost of materials, and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees.
Learning and teaching
The course is delivered through a variety of engaging learning and teaching methods. Lectures will introduce you to core topics, provide contextual understanding, and clarify the objectives of assigned tasks. You will participate in creative workshops, technical labs, and seminars, and receive individual mentorship. Throughout these sessions, you will have opportunities to work independently, and collaboratively in groups, engaging in practical and creative exercises designed to enhance your knowledge and skills.
Assessment
Our assessment methods will vary based on the unit you choose and provide a comprehensive measure of your learning and progress. These methods may include:
- Course work
- Presentations
- Learning journal
- Reflective evaluation
- Body of creative work
- Reflective research report
- Team project evaluation
- Major project
- Supporting documentation
- Critically reflective essay
How to apply
Home Students
Applications to our postgraduate courses should be made directly to Norwich University of the Arts using a Postgraduate Application Form.
Postgraduate Application form 2023-24 – Word format
Applications should be returned to admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk
International Students
Postgraduate applicants can only apply directly by completing the below online application form or emailing the downloadable form to ioadmissions@norwichuni.ac.uk
International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information.
When should I apply for an MA course?
There is no official deadline for applying for a postgraduate course. We would recommend you apply by 25 August (at the very latest) of the autumn you wish to start. This will allow time for your interview to take place and the necessary paperwork to be processed if you are successful in achieving a place.
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