Examples of Possible Careers*
Web developers and digital interface designers
- 8.0% much faster than the average
- 174,300 number of jobs
- $77,200 potential earnings
Contact Information
Fully Offered
Admission Terms
*Note
Source of occupation titles and labor data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Description
The Master of Science degree in User Experience Design prepares students for careers that require them to apply a solid understanding of usability, content strategy, information architecture and user research.
The user experience designer engages in a variety of design activities that help produce usable interfaces and help organizations meet business goals. User experience design addresses the structural, informational, psychological and emotional aspects of what makes a successful user interface, whether it is web, mobile, tablet or any other device.
At Kent State University, user experience design is thought of as a process where students learn, understand, imagine, evaluate and inform. The design team begins by gathering data/information about users, clients, the organizational culture, common tasks and work environments. After sufficient data/information is gathered, the team seeks to understand the context in which the project will be undertaken. This phase is the bridge between data collection and design. Design in the imagine phase involves brainstorming, iterative prototyping and critiquing. The design team needs to constantly evaluate their designs to see if they work in the real world. This may involve activities such as paper prototyping, high-fidelity interactive prototyping and usability testing. The results of design must be communicated to appropriate audiences. This informing process involves giving presentations to clients and stakeholders, report writing and other forms of communication.
Accreditation
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale1
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 587 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
- Minimum 94 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
- Minimum 82 MELAB score
- Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 65 PTE score
- Minimum 120 Duolingo English Test score
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education website.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Create a portfolio as a means to demonstrate competencies.
- Design and conduct research in a variety of ways necessary to understand users, stakeholders and competitors.
- Apply user experience research and design techniques to solve for user needs.
- Create and evaluate structures to support information and content organization.
- Test and critique existing designs and prototypes by employing usability-testing methods.
- Communicate design ideas in a variety of ways to design teams, stakeholders and developers.
- Demonstrate ability to manage user experience activities to align user experience activities to organizational goals.
