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 online
Programme Overview
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.
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.
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.
This programme is well-suited for:
- Design enthusiasts: If you have a genuine interest in design principles, user interfaces, and creating engaging digital interactions, the MA User Experience Design course is for you. This programme provides a platform to enhance your design skills and apply them to real-world scenarios.
- Communication and media professionals: Professionals working in communication and media industries, including marketing, advertising, and public relations, can benefit from gaining expertise in user experience design. This course equips you with skills to create user-centric digital solutions, enhancing your effectiveness in these fields.
- Tech and IT professionals: Individuals with a background in technology or information technology who want to expand their skill set into the design and user experience realm will find this course valuable. It offers a holistic understanding of user-centred design principles and how they intersect with technology.
- Graduates in design or related fields: Recent graduates with a background in design, graphic design, or related fields can further enhance their skill set and marketability by specialising in user experience design. This course provides an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and gain practical experience.
- Inquisitive minds: If you are curious about how people interact with digital interfaces and are eager to create positive user experiences, this course is tailored for individuals with inquisitive minds who want to explore the intricacies of user-centric design.
Programme Fee
Hamburg: Feb, October
2024: October: International students Price: €13,250 | EU students Price: €8,450
Special offers effective until 31 December 2024: Up to 35% discount for International Students | 10% discount for EU Students
2025: February/October: International students Price: €13,250 | EU students Price: €8,450
Check out our offers. Find out more here.
Terms and conditions apply.
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.
SECURE YOUR PLACE ON THIS PROGRAMME BY APPLYING TODAY.
FIND OUT HOW TO APPLY HERE >>
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.
The modules of this programme are offered and delivered 100% on campus.
Modules
Term 1
Research and Professional Contexts 1
Term 2
Research and Professional Contexts 2
Term 3
Major Project
Defining your practice
You’ll explore creative practices in order to inform the detailed development of your project proposal later in the course. The unit aims to provide a structured framework to allow you to investigate the potential of methods, ideas and themes in your discipline as well as helping inform and locate your practice.
Context and Method
Through a series of lectures and seminars, you’ll actively engage in a range of current debates which provide cultural and intellectual context for the consideration of ideas in visual communication.
The programme addresses interdisciplinary issues through the discussion of theory and the consideration of specific design-led work and texts.
Project Development
In this unit, you will develop the themes and focus of your final project in the fields of illustration, graphic design, animation or visual communication. This will allow you to evaluate and test out the aims of your proposal over a sustained period of self-directed study. At this stage, the development of your project will be guided and questioned through tutorials, group critiques and presentations, which will support the progress of your work and provide rigorous critical appraisal from staff, peers and professional practitioners.
While encouraging the continued exploration and questioning of your ideas, you will continue the process of developing appropriate methods and strategies for your project’s realisation as you begin to work more independently as a researcher and practitioner, refining your research questions and the research methods you are using.
Realisation and Dissemination
You’ll apply knowledge and experience gained in previous units to the realisation of your final MA project – the culmination and consolidation of your studies in the form of a resolved piece, or body of work. It should show coherence and innovation at a professional level of resolution.
You’ll also be required to prepare a critical paper intended to reflect upon the specific practical outcome of the MA project, its interpretation and its success as a demonstration of your approach to creative practice through research.
Study in
Hamburg
- Delivery: On campus
- Duration: 18 months
- Intakes: February, October
- Campus: Hamburg, Germany
- Degree awarded by University for the Creative Arts
- Price 2024: October: €13,250 (international students) | €8,450 (EU students)
- Price 2025: February/October: €13,250 (international students) | €8,450 (EU students)
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
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.
Minimum age: 21
Academic qualifications
- Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university
- Consideration will also be given to applicants with a minimum of 3 years relevant managerial experience, demonstrating an ability to study at postgraduate level.
If you do not meet the academic requirements, you may be assessed based on 3 years of relevant work experience (illustration, animation, graphic design or general visual communication), demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level.
English Requirements
Access the Proof of English Guide (UCA) here.
You can apply now to study with BSBI! It’s quick and easy, here’s how it works:
- Create an account here
- Select the programme and intake you want to apply for
- Complete all sections of the online application
- Submit online application
- Our Admissions Team will liaise with you with regards to next steps
Computer Equipment
In recent developments of hybrid learning, we require each student to arrive equipped with a laptop. We, therefore, recommend the purchase of a design-friendly mobile laptop. Please click below to read more about the technical requirement.
Your Portfolio Submission
You are required to submit an online portfolio via our BSBI Applicant Portal. Before submitting your artwork, please have a look through the Portfolio Cookbook
What is a portfolio?
- Your portfolio is a collection of your best work. We want to see what inspires you, how you develop your work, your creative thinking processes, how and what you create and what makes you a unique creative individual.
What should my portfolio contain?
- Your portfolio might contain sketches and paintings, digital art and design. It might also contain sound work, short films.
- Upload up to 12 pieces of work which can include audio or video files.
How do I submit my portfolio?
- We’ll only be accepting portfolios digitally. You can do this once you’ve applied via our online submission system within the Applicant Portal.
- You can also link to external websites such as Vimeo and YouTube.
Further information on how to compile and upload your portfolio will be provided by our admissions team via our admissions portal once you have applied.
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.