Category: User Experience Design Courses

2026-2027 Academic Catalog

  • IXD-601 UX DESIGN STUDIO I,PROTOTYPING

    Based on a foundation of web technologies, this,class teaches students the concepts and use of,programming languages to complement and extend,their capabilities as designers. Students learn,how to think like a computer and to structure code,(functions and algorithms, not markup) to perform,data manipulation tasks, to enable user,interaction that incorporates devices and,services, and to gain facility across multiple,programming languages. As a result, students will,better understand the strengths and limitations of,digital systems and, therefore, how programming,may enhance (or limit) their user experience,design goals. With this foundation, students will,gain a solid stepping stone towards entering the,realms of mobile and web applications development,,physical computing, and the exciting world of the,Internet of Things, or the Internet of Everything.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-602 UX DESIGN STUDIO II

    ,,In preparation for the impending era of Extended,Reality (XR), the exciting realm of emerging,technologies, and rising artificial intelligence,,user experience designers must fully understand,the contemporary technology landscape and,environment and face the challenges in the UX,design field further development. In this,immersive studio environment, students are,involved in a dynamic triad of activities:,prototyping, coding, and design. By engaging in,these modes of creative endeavor, they acquire the,skills to envision and resolve profound design,challenges. The synthesis of these activities,empowers them to harness the potential of mixed,reality (XR) and related emerging technologies,,shaping the future of user experience design.,Students gain tech skills while seeing beyond,today’s technology to formulate and solve,essential design problems and understand the,creative processes and practical challenges of,making a better world through design.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: IXD 601

  • IXD-605 USER INTERFACE DESIGN I

    This course introduces the fundamental concepts,,methods, and practices of UI design, emphasizing,the crucial interconnection between User,Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design.,The course covers the step-by-step process of,creating a user interface, including ideation,,prototyping, iteration, and implementation. It,will familiarize its students with technical,aspects, design tools, methodologies, and,techniques commonly used in the industry. Students,delve into the UI development process through a,blend of individual exploration and collaborative,teamwork. They gain hands-on experience and refine,their abilities to express and communicate their,ideas through narrative media and deliver visual,mockups and prototypes. The User Interface Design,course adopts an in-studio format that cultivates,an environment supportive of group discussions,,constructive critiques, and compelling,presentations. This structure ensures that,students understand the complexities within UX and,UI Design and prepares them to thrive in this,dynamic and constantly evolving field.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-606 UX RESEARCH

    Students learn the principles of UX (user,experience) design, enabling them to conduct,comprehensive research, analyze user behavior, and,apply their findings to create user-centric,designs in various digital contexts. Students,learn how to map user journeys and prototype,meaningful scenarios informed by research and,iterative modeling and testing. Students utilize,and apply user-centered research and co-design,methods. They learn various research methods, such,as user interviews, surveys, usability testing,,and data analysis. They also explore techniques,for collecting and interpreting user data.,Furthermore, the course will cover prototyping,techniques to translate research findings into,tangible designs, allowing students to work on,projects where they can apply their acquired,skills in real-world scenarios. By the end of this,course, students will have a solid grasp of UX,research principles, be able to conduct research,independently, and make design decisions based on,user insights.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-608 USER INTERFACE DESIGN II

    This advanced course expands on UI design,principles, focusing on complex interaction,design, motion graphics, and scalable design,systems. Students refine their ability to create,high-fidelity, interactive prototypes while,integrating advanced usability testing and,data-driven design decisions. Through individual,and collaborative projects, they explore,micro-interactions, accessibility standards, and,responsive UI frameworks.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: IXD-605

  • IXD-625 SOUND DESIGN FOR INTERACTION

    This class explores the benefits of working with,sound to enhance interactions and/or various,interfaces. Students explore ways of creating new,sounds, study techniques for sound design as it,applies to UI and Interaction Design, and,generates a final project that will exemplify the,techniques studied and learned in class.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-636 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

    As humankind shifts from the era of the Personal,Computer (PC) to that of machine learning (ML),,Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming,ubiquitous, radically changing the relationship,between humans and computing. This course explores,the symbiotic relationship between User Experience,(UX) design and artificial intelligence (AI),,enhancing students’ understanding the core AI,methodologies and their relevance in shaping user,experiences and their diverse applications in,contemporary UX design practices. Students learn,about fundamental AI methods and examine how they,intersect with and enhance the user-centered,design process. Through practical exercises and,projects, students learn various machine learning,approaches and their application to create,next-generation human-AI interfaces to unlock new,human capabilities. Furthermore, they will explore,practical examples of AI applications in multiple,UX design disciplines, such as UI design, gaming,,simulations, and robotics, and understand their,impact on user engagement and interaction.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-685 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES

    The Special Project course is offered on an,occasional basis, with course content specific to,the area being explored.,

    ,WINTER 2027,

    ,PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES ,,

    ,The Professional Practices is a practical,,immersive course (special project) designed to,prepare MFA UX Design students to take ownership,of their careers with clarity, confidence,,and intent. Rather than focusing on tools or,techniques alone, the course centers on helping,students articulate who they are as designers,,what they value, and how they communicate their,professional story across contexts-interviews,,portfolios, networking, and long-term career,development.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • IXD-701 UX DESIGN STUDIO III

    The Graduate Studio I, II, III, and IV courses are,designed to address projects of increasing,complexity and progressively strengthen your,problem-solving skills in UX Design. Students will,solve a design problem rooted in a creative,industries-related context, requiring substantive,research and concept development phases,,refinement, and execution phases. Research,methodologies, design approaches, and techniques,students learned in the UX-centered courses will,be applied to develop and evaluate their,solutions. These courses are structured to,simulate the professional studio environment with,formally scheduled milestones and defined,deliverables and will be reviewed by faculty and,industry professionals through formal,presentations.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: IXD 601, IXD 602

  • IXD-702 UX DESIGN STUDIO IV

    The Graduate Studio I, II, III, and IV courses are,designed to address projects of increasing,complexity and progressively strengthen your,problem-solving skills in UX Design. Students,solve a design problem rooted in a creative,industries-related context, requiring substantive,research and concept development phases,,refinement, and execution phases. Research,methodologies, design approaches, and techniques,students learned in the UX-centered courses will,be applied to develop and evaluate their,solutions. These courses are structured to,simulate the professional studio environment with,formally scheduled milestones and defined,deliverables and will be reviewed by faculty and,industry professionals through formal,presentations.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: IXD 701