Key information
MSc User Experience Design has been developed for graduates and those in employment who seek to better understand their customers and clients. Exploring how technology and psychology inform user behaviour, you will develop your digital content and storytelling abilities to develop solutions for real-world problems.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Scottish Borders
- Start date
- September, January
- Next intake
- September
Our MSc in User Experience (UX) Design equips you with the expertise to design and evaluate digital products, services and systems that respond meaningfully to human needs. You’ll learn how to turn insights from user research into meaningful, inclusive design solutions that improve how people interact with technology.
Throughout the programme, you’ll develop a holistic understanding of user behaviour and the principles behind great digital experiences. You’ll gain hands-on skills in usability testing, interaction design, prototyping and interpreting research to inform design decisions. This will encourage you to combine creativity with detailed research, using studio-based experimentation to tackle real-world challenges across the digital landscape.
As a UX practitioner, you’ll play a vital role in bridging the gap between human understanding and technological innovation. This programme enables you to develop strategic, analytical and interpersonal skills to shape products and services that are not only functional but also ethical, engaging and meaningful. By graduation, you’ll be ready to lead UX projects that influence global digital trends and deliver meaningful, human-centred solutions.
Academic Excellence Scholarship
To recognise the academic excellence of our applicants, Heriot-Watt is offering a scholarship in the form of a £2,000 tuition fee reduction to the student/s deemed to have met the highest academic criteria in their application for MSc User Experience Design.
Learn moreYour student experience
As a postgraduate in User Experience (UX) Design, you’ll learn from experts whose research and industry experience shape every aspect of the programme. Your studies will cover key areas such as:
- User Experience and Interaction Design
- Service Design and Customer Experience
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Design Innovation and Futures Thinking
- Digital Media and Prototyping
- Visual Communication and Information Design
- Behavioural and Cultural Research in Design
Teaching is informed by the latest practice and emerging technologies, giving you the skills to design experiences that meet real-world challenges and future opportunities.
Go Global
There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for more information.
Course content
September intake
Year 1
Mandatory September
- Contemporary UX Challenges
- Design Thinking
- Foundations of UX & Human-Centred Design
Mandatory January
- Research Methodologies
- Strategic UX, Service Design & Emerging Technologies
Mandatory May
- Final project and report
Optional January
- Design Technologies
- Business Enterprise
January intake
Year 1
Mandatory January
- Research Methodologies
- Strategic UX, Service Design & Emerging Technologies
Optional January
- Business Enterprise
- Design Technologies
Mandatory September
- Foundations of UX & Human-Centred Design
- Design Thinking
- Contemporary UX Challenges
Mandatory Second January
- Final project and report
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £10,864 | £5,432 |
| International | £20,456 | £10,228 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or its non-UK equivalent, in any subject provided that it includes evidence of management, creative subjects or engineering, and a personal statement demonstrating an interest in the subject.
In addition, work or project experience in a related company role will be taken into consideration, please include your CV as part of your application.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, we'll need to see evidence of your English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5 except for writing which must be at 6.0 minimum.
If you do not have IELTS 6.0, we offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement for this programme prior to commencing your studies.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Student life
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