COURSE SEQUENCE

• SEMESTER 1

  Virtual Orientation (0 credits) 
  Foundations of UX Research (3 credits) 
  Foundations of UX Design (3 credits) 

• SEMESTER 2

  Prototyping (4 credits) 
  Utility and Usability: Human Centered Design (4 Credits) 

• SEMESTER 3

  Industry Tools: Exploration & Analysis (4 credits) 
  Industry Immersive (1 credit) 
  Design Lab: The Industry Challenge (4 credits) 

• SEMESTER 4

  Capstone Ideation and Research (3 credits) 
  Capstone Development and Presentation (4 credits) 
  

  Total Credits: 30

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

• Virtual Orientation

  To ensure your success in the program, students will meet virtually for a 1-day orientation where they will meet administrative staff, learn more about student services and success initiatives, and engage in community building with their cohort. In addition, students will complete an asynchronous orientation course in Canvas as a means to introduce them to the navigation of MICA’s administrative tools as well as inform them of academic services available through MICA. The content and assignments in the orientation course are designed to be an introduction to the program as well as a resource throughout the students’ time at MICA.

• Foundations of UX Research 

  This first course is essential to define and develop a properly-formulated problem statement that drives research and the systematic approach to gathering and interpreting collected data to identify the needs of each target user base. UX methods and techniques, including user interviews, contextual inquiries, personas, affinity mapping, and competitive analysis will be covered as students explore research methods and strategies for considering unique, realistic user types to make sound design decisions (in the next course). As a result of this course, students will be able to construct personas/archetypal descriptions of users and write a user research report/ plan. 

• Foundations of UX Design

  Students in this course focus on applied practices from the user research learned in the Foundations of UX Research course. Here, information architecture, interaction design, inclusivity, visual design, and usability are discussed as students explore screen and page layout, organization, navigation, labeling, search, and other core concepts and techniques such as user flows, wireframes, and content modeling. Students will gain practical experience as they design a prototype for further development in the next course. 

• Prototyping

  Students in Prototyping build on their ideas from Foundations of Design to deepen their understanding of the value and importance of prototyping within the design process. Students will learn how to use prototypes to explore, test, and communicate design ideas and they will be introduced to principles of design and usability, with a focus on digital experiences. Through an on-going assignment, students will gain practical experience while iteratively building & testing prototypes. By the end of this course, students will be prepared to present their prototypes and study them through a more human-centered design lens.

• Utility and Usability: The Human-Centered Design

  This course provides an overview and introduction to the nature of human-centered design with a special emphasis on improving UX for accessibility and inclusivity. Students study the nature of human-machine interactions that involve visual, sound, and haptic feedback. Through readings, discussions, and exercises students explore the application of human factors in the design and evaluation of user interfaces. The history of human factors, perception, cognition, error, social factors, cognitive bias, and the objectives of evaluating usability are also covered in this course. Additional topics of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction, along with techniques like heuristic evaluations and usability testing are studied as students learn how to solve design problems. 

• Industry Tools: Exploration & Analysis

  Design skills require a solid knowledge of practical aspects of a number of digital tools, technologies, and resources. In this course, students gain an understanding of the product design cycle from research and research synthesis to prototyping and validation. Course content focuses on employing tools commonly used in the industry for managing cross-functional teams, product design, user research, data management, project management, road mapping, and prioritization. Students complete exercises that employ these tools in ways that highlight their value for different phases of the design process while gaining proficiency and preparation in the use of these tools for the remainder of the program.

• Industry Immersive

  The virtual industry immersive occurs at the midpoint of the program and enables you to collaborate with your cohort and network with each other as well as industry professionals. It consists of a mix of workshops, keynotes, and hands-on activities. This two-day experience surveys concepts, tools, and techniques that promote innovation. Students engage in exercises designed to apply and test creative techniques. At the conclusion of the virtual industry immersive, students will have knowledge of and practice with a number of approaches that can be applied through the second half of the program and into their careers.

• Design Lab: The Industry Challenge

  MICA’s industry partners are engaged throughout this course and presents students with challenges faced by professionals in the UX industry. Students work in teams and are provided with access to the professional world they are about to enter. UX professionals provide feedback, insight, encouragement, and critical analysis to students as they execute their projects. 

• Capstone Ideation and Research

  A basic understanding of the business of UX is an essential skill for successful UX designers. This course provides a foundation of business knowledge including networking, marketing, budgeting, client and stakeholder relations, and business communications. Essential project management skills are also addressed. Students gain project management skills related to the creation of strategic plans, and the knowledge of professional workflow practices. Topics include project scope, time, cost, quality, and human resource management techniques as applied to the UX industry. Students learn to design a project structure and obtain hands-on experience using project management software. Additional focus is placed on leadership, teamwork, and project risk management.

• Capstone Development and Presentation

  As the final course in the MPS UXD program, Capstone and Reflection requires each student to create a final portfolio containing a Capstone project from concept to a fully realized prototype. Students also provide documentation outlining their process for their design. Using research and materials developed over the course of the program, students work with a faculty advisor for guidance and critique during project development.