MA User Experience Design
Our interdisciplinary 18-month MA User Experience (UE) Design course—a transformative educational experience crafted to enhance your research capabilities, cultivate a compelling visual communication style, and enable specialisation within the dynamic field of user experience design.
Start application onlineOverview
In a fast-changing world, how do we live together and how can design be part of that? UCA’s MA User Experience Design course equips you with the skills and competencies to help you become a research-led, interdisciplinary, and human-centred designer, ready for advanced practice or study and the challenges and opportunities of the future.
User experience is about how people feel when engaging with a designed product, service, system, or space and how they interpret and respond to it. This exciting and evolving discipline touches every area of human life and overlaps with 3D design, environmental design, graphic design, information design, interaction design, interface design, product design, service design, social design, and more. Throughout this course, students will work together to challenge, expand, and test their definitions of user experience alongside their own design practices, developing new ideas and forming resilient, global, and creative networks.
The MA User Experience Design will help you develop skills and competencies in the analytic, creative, and technical aspects of user experience, rigorous research methods, and a critical, collaborative approach. The course is based in dedicated studios and taught through broad projects that connect you with other postgrad students or partners in industry and wider society, helping you to build essential professional teamwork and project management skills, as well as a socially and environmentally relevant portfolio.
Berlin School of Business and Innovation is in partnership with University for the Creative Arts (UCA). As a result of this partnership, BSBI is able to offer the MA User Experience Design programme. UCA is an acclaimed creative institution in the UK that ranks highly in all three of the major UK league tables. The university has also been ranked 13th out of all UK universities in the Guardian League Table 2020; and ranked no.7 in the 2021 Guardian League Tables for Business, Management & Marketing.
SECURE YOUR PLACE ON THIS PROGRAMME BY APPLYING TODAY FOR 2024 INTAKES- FIND OUT HOW TO APPLY HERE.
What will the student experience?
Amidst a rapidly changing world, the MA User Experience Design programme at BSBI is your gateway to becoming a research-driven, interdisciplinary, and human-centric designer. Here, you’ll explore how people experience and interact with designed products, services, systems, and spaces. This dynamic field touches all aspects of human life, spanning various design disciplines like 3D design, environmental design, graphic design, and more.
Our students collaborate to challenge and redefine their understanding of user experience, fostering global creative networks. This MA equips you with analytical, creative, and technical skills, emphasising rigorous research methods and a critical, collaborative approach. You’ll work on diverse projects, connecting with peers and industry partners to develop vital teamwork and project management skills while creating a socially and environmentally relevant portfolio. This course will transform you into a user experience design expert, covering user research, data analysis, ideation, prototyping, usability testing, and more. Your journey will be personalised, following four key principles: practice-led, professionally contextualised, critical examination of industry opportunities and threats, and a deep dive into historical and contemporary frameworks for insights into the industry’s future.
Who should take this programme?
The MA User Experience Design course is ideal for individuals who are passionate about creating seamless and impactful digital experiences. This programme is well-suited for:
Why study this programme?
Our MA User Experience Design programme offers a specialist focus and practical application to elevate your skills, preparing you for career advancement or even doctoral study.
Why Choose MA User Experience Design Direct?
Our programme is tailored to provide you with a specialised skill set, directly applicable to your work. Whether you’re eyeing career progression or contemplating doctoral study, our curriculum is closely aligned with industry practices, ensuring you stay at the forefront of UX design.
Fuel your passion for communication by unleashing your individual technical and conceptual potential. Our programme is designed to empower you, allowing you to explore and excel in the dynamic field of UX design.
Demonstrate a holistic approach to your work by showcasing critical thinking, practical skills, and a professional demeanour. We emphasise social perspectives, providing you with a well-rounded understanding to contextualise your practice within broader societal frameworks.
Gain a diverse range of industry experiences, knowledge, and skills that are directly applicable to a wide array of graduate careers in the communication industry. Be well-equipped to contribute to research activities at the doctoral level, opening doors to varied opportunities in your field.
Develop the ability to address complex issues systematically and creatively, making sound judgments. Our programme equips you with the skills to navigate and solve intricate challenges inherent in the ever-evolving landscape of UX design. Foster an independent learning ability, a crucial aspect of ongoing professional development. Our programme empowers you to take charge of your learning journey, ensuring you remain adaptable and resilient in a rapidly changing industry.
Programme Price
INTAKE:
Location: Hamburg
2024 October: International students Price: €13,250 | EU students Price: €8,450
Special offers effective until 31 July 2024: Up to 35% discount for International Students | 10% discount for EU Students
Terms and conditions apply. Find out more here.
The School’s admissions process is subject to the Consumer Contracts (Terms and Conditions). Information on your Right of Withdrawal and our Refund Policy can be found in the BSBI study agreement.
Programme Structure
This 18-month (Level 7) User Experience Design MA consists of three terms of study and six months dedicated to your dissertation.
The first two terms include a range of lectures and seminars and you’ll start to explore your creative practice in order to inform the detailed development of your project proposal later in the course.
In the third term you begin developing your MA project, evaluating and testing out the aims of your proposal over a sustained period of self-directed study.
In the final stage, you’ll apply the knowledge gained through your research to create a final body of work where you can either take a generic approach or select one of the following three specialisations in relation to our BA courses: Graphic Design, Illustration or Animation.
The modules of this programme are offered and delivered 100% on campus. Students will also have additional access to course and reading materials via the University for the Creative Arts platform.
Term 1
Research and Professional Contexts 1
Term 2
Research and Professional Contexts 2
Term 3
Major Project
Learning Outcomes
- Dive into the world of UX design by actively experimenting with and innovating new approaches and techniques, fostering a mindset of continuous exploration.
- Deepen your understanding of UX design through research and analysis of expanded forms of practice, ensuring your work is informed by the latest industry trends and cutting-edge methodologies.
- Form a personalised response to UX design by developing a sustained engagement with processes, technologies, and media. Tailor your approach to create meaningful user experiences.
- Create high-quality outcomes that showcase personal innovation in making, conceptual underpinning, and thoughtfulness, demonstrating your commitment to excellence in UX design.
- Demonstrate a profound understanding of ethical and social contexts in UX design. Think responsively and critically about the environments in which your work will be used and make informed decisions.
- Cultivate the ability to identify areas for investigation, experimentation, and exploration. Select appropriate methods of inquiry to drive your UX design projects forward.
- Through research, critical evaluation, and reflection, establish a coherent set of theoretical and practical concerns that guide your UX design practice.
- Develop an informed response to the potential for multi-disciplinary practice through written assignments, showcasing your ability to synthesise knowledge across diverse fields.
- Construct and demonstrate an appropriate critical framework around the research and development of start-up businesses/collaboration projects in the UX design landscape.
- Develop a practical understanding of different ways to engage with the creative world and explore practical ways of creating impact within your chosen creative industry.
- Demonstrate the ability to manage learning, exercise initiative, ethical and personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations, preparing you for the challenges of the UX design field. Elevate your career in UX design at BSBI Hamburg Campus, where innovation meets excellence.
Career Progression
MA User Experience students armed with a solid foundation in UX principles and methodologies can start as UE designers or researchers in various industries. As they gain experience and expertise, they may advance into leadership roles such as UE managers, design directors, or product strategists, where they oversee teams and drive the strategic direction of user experience initiatives.
With the demand for UE talent on the rise, opportunities for advancement are plentiful, allowing individuals to carve out diverse and fulfilling career paths tailored to their interests and aspirations. Through ongoing skill refinement and a commitment to staying abreast of industry trends, MA UE alumni are well-equipped to thrive in this ever-evolving field, making meaningful contributions to the intersection of technology and human-centered design.
BSBI’s dedicated Careers Service helps visual communication students and alumni reach their career goals and realise their potential. The Service offers specialised support and aims to build long-lasting relationships with local and national employers. To find out more about the support available, visit the Careers Service website.
The Virtual Student Lounge
You’ll also be able to discover more about living and studying in Europe’s start-up capital, Berlin and find out more about the services on offer at BSBI.