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.
Mode | Duration | Attendance | Start date |
---|---|---|---|
Full time | 1 year | Mixed, including block and day/evening sessions; estimated 50 days on site per year |
September 2021 January 2022 |
Full time | 2 years including professional placement | Mixed, including block and day/evening sessions; estimated 50 days on site per year plus placement year |
September 2021 January 2022 |
Part time | 2–3 years | Mixed, including block and day/evening sessions; estimated 25 days on site per year |
September 2021 January 2022 |
Location | Penrhyn Road and Kingston School of Art at Knights Park |
If you are planning to join this course in the academic year 2021/22 (i.e. between August 2021 and July 2022), please view the information about changes to courses for 2021/22 due to Covid-19.
Students who are continuing their studies with Kingston University in 2021/22 should refer to their Course Handbook for information about specific changes that have been, or may be, made to their course or modules being delivered in 2021/22. Course Handbooks are located within the Canvas Course page.
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.
This trend raises many professional challenges for user experience design, notably:
We created the User Experience Design MSc to meet these challenges. The course provides:
To support 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.
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. For full details of exemption and accreditation levels, please check the BCS course search.
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.
This programme will give you the following opportunities:
For a student to go on placement they are required to pass every module 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.
30 credits
You will work with a multidisciplinary group of students as appropriate for your course (User Experience Design MSc, Game Development (Design) MA, Game Development (Programming) MSc and Computer Animation MA); involved with the digital media production process in response to a project brief developed in consultation with the industry panel and/or research staff. Projects concern contemporary platforms, such as iPhone, Android, Windows, Playstation, Xbox and Next Generation controllers and innovative input devices. You also develop a professional profile (online CV/portfolio) fitting for your role and intended destination which you maintain throughout the course.
30 credits
This module focuses upon the usability testing, detailed design and prototyping of single-user interaction with data-intensive, web services and applications via the desk-top, particularly for information seeking and shopping. The emphasis is upon quantitative measurement for optimisation and efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction.
30 credits
This flexible module gives each you the chance to develop your unique interpretation of professional practice that captures your specific interests or niche within your course field.
30 credits
This module focuses upon user research, participatory design and prototyping for new interaction concepts, particularly those for multi-user or multi-modal interaction with media-rich information sources for personal and ubiquitous computing platforms. The emphasis is upon qualitative insight and creativity for user engagement and persuasion across the end-to-end user journey, particularly in mobile contexts.
30 credits
This module relates the work of the course to a practical solution and demonstrates skills in defining, analysing and developing a substantial solution to an individually defined user experience design-related problem. You will be guided and supported in your choice of project by course tutors and this will be informed by individual career and personal development planning undertaken during the preparation of the proposal.
30 credits
This module focuses upon user research, participatory design and prototyping for new interaction concepts, particularly those for multi-user or multi-modal interaction with media-rich information sources for personal and ubiquitous computing platforms. The emphasis is upon qualitative insight and creativity for user engagement and persuasion across the end-to-end user journey, particularly in mobile contexts.
30 credits
This flexible module gives each you the chance to develop your unique interpretation of professional practice that captures your specific interests or niche within your course field.
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 Tier 4 visa.
Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
30 credits
This module relates the work of the course to a practical solution and demonstrates skills in defining, analysing and developing a substantial solution to an individually defined user experience design-related problem. You will be guided and supported in your choice of project by course tutors and this will be informed by individual career and personal development planning undertaken during the preparation of the proposal.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
Mock-ups, functional prototypes, demos, videos, presentations, design documents, essays.
All taught modules are project-based and assessed by practical coursework. Typically, this involves an in-class presentation for formative feedback mid-way through a teaching-block ('term'), followed by project deliverables at the end of term i.e. as appropriate, project proposals and strategies, personas, user journeys, task models, styleguides, low-fi/mid-fi/hi-fi prototypes, styleguides, and evaluation reports. Project deliverables are typically accompanied by a design report, which relates project processes and decision-making, and/or explains the final design.
In the majority of modules, the coursework topic and project strategy are selected by students, in consultation with module staff and in the light of the student's existing skills, portfolio and intended destination. In the digital studio practice module, students are assigned to a multi-disciplinary groups, and asked to respond to a set creative brief.
These course features are intended to maintain academic standards and ease the transition from university study to commercial practice, whilst providing an enjoyable and stimulating experience that develops individuals holistically:
The User Experience Design MSc course is delivered by Digital Media Kingston.
Digital Media Kingston (DMK) is an interdisciplinary, collaborative project between the School of Computer Science and Mathematics, and School of Design at Kingston University. Its mission is to bring together creative expression, theoretical analysis, scientific rigour and technological innovation to underpin innovation and excellence in the computational arts.
The teaching element of the DMK project delivers a suite of four related courses: Computer Animation MA, Games Development (Design) MA, User Experience Design MSc, and Games Development (Programming) MSc. You will share the majority of your taught modules with students taking these digital media courses.
Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.
User Experience is a practical subject, so what counts, is not just what you know, but also how you do it. There is great diversity in Ux practice, and London is a great incubator for it. So we are lucky to be able to invite a range of researchers, designers, product managers and mentors to lead tutorial groups, and to supervise your coursework projects. Working with experienced practitioners is probably the best way of learning how to practice, and it keeps everyone in touch with real world demands and the professional community.
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, BBC) in UK and around the world at Google (USA), Symantec, Microsoft and TPVision (India). Others work for agencies such as Systems Concepts, weare: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 UK Government, 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.
This course is offered one-year full time, and normally two to three years part time. The full MSc course consists of an induction day, four taught modules, and final project (which is equivalent to two modules).
Three of four taught modules run as one whole day per week during each semester, while the User Experience Design (Systems) module is offered as two one-week blocks, several weeks apart. Normally, each module will include approximately 70 hours contact time, with prior-reading and followed by directed learning. A further approximately 230 hours per module is expected for self-guided study and coursework.
The course is structured to suit all student groups, with block teaching allowing part-time students to study whilst meeting other commitments, and overseas students are also able to complete their degree within visa limitations.
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, BBC) in UK and around the world at Google (USA), Symantec, Microsoft and TPVision (India). Others work for agencies such as Systems Concepts, weare: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 UK Government, public sector and charities (Dept Work & Pensions, Ministry of Justice).You can see what previous students are up to now, and how they got there, by looking at some of their personal websites and portfolios:
One digital media agency produced this report on the prospects for User Experience in 2018.
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.