MSc Interaction Design

Aims and structure

There is a continuous demand for passionate, creative experts, especially in the fields of Interaction Design, User Experience and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). The program equips its graduates with immediate marketable skills in design, technology, and theory as related to the domain of Interaction Design, User Experience and Human-Computer Interaction.

Interaction Design shapes the experiences of people as they interact with products in order to achieve their goals and objectives. Interaction designers define product behaviour, mediating relationships between people and people, people and products, people and environments, and people and services across a variety of social, cultural and technological contexts.

The MSc in Interaction Design (www.idmaster.euis offered by the Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus) and Tallinn University (Estonia) bringing together an impressive experience and knowledge in Interaction Design, Human Computer Interaction Design and Online Learning.

The course is offered fully online in English and its current cohort is multi-disciplinary and international coming from more than 25 different countries.

 

Career options

Our graduates can pursue careers as Content Strategists, Creative Directors, Creative Technologists, Design Strategists, Developers (front-end or back-end), Information Architects, Interaction Designers, Mobile Designers, Service Designers, Usability Specialists, User Interface Designers and many more.

Our graduates have excelled as entrepreneurs and have been prepared for self-employability through successful pitching and presentation of their ideas and work to professional and public bodies as well as pursued suitable funding opportunities.

Specifically, graduates will have the following skills:

  • knowledge about the techniques necessary for the design and development of easy to use, appealing and thoroughly designed software and systems
  • understanding  how digital media, as products and services, relate to existing social, cultural, economic and technological systems
  • skills to effectively lead and collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams through the entire process from design to development and evaluation of software and systems
  • capacity to follow established professional, ethical and intellectual property protection principles
  • ability to undertake internationally recognised research and continue studies at PhD level

 

Priorities in Focus

This course differentiates itself from other Interaction Design and HCI programs by addressing worldwide and European Union’s priorities as highlighted by the EU’s Digital Agenta.These are:

  • e-Inclusionas reflected by the European Commission’s view on the role of eGovernment, eHealth and eInclusion domains in sustainable human development
  • e-Accessibility, which targets the removal of the barriers encountered when trying to access and use digital media products, services and applications
  • e-Serviceswhich reflect the recognition of information technology as a powerful tool for accelerating economic development, whose benefits include accessing a greater user base, broadening reach, lowering of entry barrier to new domains and cost of acquiring new audience, alternative communication channel, increasing services to enhancing awareness and perception, gaining competitive advantages and potential for leveraging knowledge.

Courses

Term 1: Fall Term (September - December) courses

 

 

ECTS

IFI7501.DT -  Foundations of HCI

6

MGA 671 -   Interaction Design Methods

4

MGA 674 -  Research Methods

6

MGA 676 – Design Theory and Methodology

4

MGA 677 – Universal Design

6

MGA 685 – Prototyping

4

IFI7507.DT – Individual Subject

6

TOTAL

36

MGA 676 – Design Theory and Methodology (4 ECTS)

The goal of the module is to provide an overview of design research methods and their applicability in HCI projects. The module focuses on the fuzzy front-end of the design development process. During the module, students will conduct design research projects in order to identify opportunities for interfaces, services or products which will be developed within the chosen courses of the HCI master’s programme (e.g. Interaction Design Methods).

MGA 674 – Research Methods (6 ECTS)

This module aims to educate students on how to write a research plan and proposal, how to formulate research questions and choose appropriate methods. Classification and main features of research approaches/ methodologies and methods. Overview of research designs for empirical and design research: experiment, survey, grounded theory, case study, action research, evaluation research. The following activities are covered: designing controlled experiments, designing questionnaires, conducting interviews, analyzing verbal data, analyzing transaction logs. The module consists of seminars where students are expected to be actively involved. In addition every student must submit home assignment, which consists of three parts and covers all methodological aspects of the research project.

MGA 677 – Universal Design (6 ECTS) 

To provide the student with a critical understanding of design for all principles and the latest practices with respect to a range of current and novel ICT solutions. To provide the student with a real world understanding of the complex needs of older and disabled people when using ICT and people who use assistive technologies. The module covers the following topics: Key principles of universal design; National and international level guidelines of best practice, standards and recommendations (as applied); User diversity; Knowledge of stakeholders (marketing, software developers, designers, engineers); Research paradigms (e.g. participatory design, inclusive design).

IFI7501.DT – Foundations of HCI (6 ECTS)

Introduction to HCI covering the field’s genesis and evolution, contemporary trends, cognitive modelling, distributed cognition, situated action, ethnography and ethnomethodology, CSCW related theories and frameworks, activity, grounded and hybrid theories, turn to Design and Culture, turn to the wild, and embodiment.

MGA 685 – Prototyping (4 ECTS)

The goal of the module is to introduce the process of designing, developing evaluation prototypes to students. This module deals with: Explorative, experimental and evolutionary prototyping, Horizontal and vertical prototyping, Low and high fidelity prototyping, Design patterns and Inspection and empirical evaluation methods.

 MGA 671 – Interaction Design Methods (4 ECTS)

Introduction to interaction design, personas, scenario-based design, involving stakeholders in the participatory design process, concept mapping, user stories, low fidelity prototyping techniques: paper prototyping and wireframes, testing the paper prototypes, user interface design patterns, user interface prototyping: tools and techniques, and developing user interface prototypes.

IFI7507.DT – Individual Subject (6 ECTS) 

The aim of individual studies is to gain systematic knowledge about specific problems in the area of specialisation and not contained in the curricula or deal with individual research. The list of topics, learning materials used and regulations related to study and assessment are determined by the supervisor and curricula coordinator. If accepted by the curricula coordinator, a regular course at the home university or at some other university can be taken.

Term 2: Spring Term (January - June) courses

 

 

ECTS

IFI7506.DT – Current Topics in Human-Computer Interaction

4

IFI7503.DT – Development of Interactive Systems 

4

IFI7504.DT – User Experience Evaluation

4

IFI7505.DT – Field Research Methods

4

MGA 675 – Practice

 

TOTAL

22

IFI7506.DT – Current Topics in Human-Computer Interaction (4 ECTS)

This module covers current research trends in Human-Computer Interaction. We use a mix of recent book chapters and papers from conferences and journals of the last few years to give you an idea of the hot topics that are being worked on in the international research community. 

 

IFI7503.DT – Development of Interactive Systems (4 ECTS)

This module aims to provide students with the skills necessary for developing interactive systems for supporting private, semi-private, and public interactions and their different combinations. The course will have a strong focus on developing distributed user interfaces based on design patterns. The module introduces the building blocks required for developing interactive systems, foundations of developing distributed user interfaces, integrated development environments, UI development toolkits, and source code version control.

 

IFI7504.DT – User Experience Evaluation (4 ECTS)

The goal of this module is to highlight the experiential, affective, meaningful and valuable aspects of human-computer interaction as a complement to pragmatic attributes such as utility, ease of use and efficiency of the system. During this module student will be familiarised with user experience evaluation methods, tools, metrics and criteria.

 

IFI7505.DT – Field Research Methods (4 ECTS)

This module aims to explore and practice research methods in relation to the constraints of actual workplaces, thus enabling students to gain first-hand experiences on the applicability and feasibility of particular methods beyond lab research. This includes: a review of cost-effective approaches and methods for data gathering in the field and an overview of contextual constraints for conducting applied research in industry. 
The module consists of a series of seminars in the first half of the semester where students are expected to be actively involved. 
In addition every student must conduct an individual field research project. 


 

MGA 675 – Practice (6 ECTS) 

The main purpose is to expand the depth and breadth of your academic learning in your particular area of interest, within the field of interaction design and Human-Computer Interaction. It is an opportunity for you to receive experience in applying theories learned in the class to specific experiences in the community and work world.

Term 3: Fall Term (September - December) courses

 

 

ECTS

MGA 682 – Interaction Design Project

16

IFI7502.DT – Master´s Thesis Seminar 

16

TOTAL

32

MGA 682 – Interaction Design Project (16 ECTS)

The purpose of the capstone project is to support the development of generic competencies and teamwork skills through solving an interdisciplinary problem in a team. The module provides opportunities to implement and develop previously achieved knowledge and skills (in the framework of more theoretical courses) in practical settings.

IFI7502.DT – Master´s Thesis Seminar (16 ECTS)

The seminar is intended to facilitate individual orientation choices within the curriculum, and to help students structure their master thesis projects.

Term 4: Spring Term (January - June) courses

 

 

ECTS

IFI7040.DT – Master’s Thesis

30

IFI7040.DT – Master’s Thesis (30 ECTS)

To master basic research skills (problem analysis, correct selection and application of research methods), conventions and ethics, and to express oneself in a comprehensive manner in the academic context.

Enrolment

The MSc in Interaction Design is designed for students with a Bachelor’s degree, who have a strong interest in the human aspects of interactive systems and a background preferably, or related to, Computer Science, Informatics, Design, Media Studies, Internet Studies, Social sciences, Psychology and Education.

Students wishing to enrol in the program must possess the following qualifications:

  1.  A degree in a related field with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of  6.5/10, or equivalent, from a recognized and accredited university.
  2. Excellent knowledge of English. Graduates from a non-English speaking University may be required to produce evidence to prove their proficiency in the English Language.

International applicants whom English is not native language are required to provide a proof of their English language proficiency. One of the following is accepted:

  • GCE/ IGCSE  Ο level: C;
  • FCE (First Certificate in English): A;
  • CAE (Certificate in Advanced English): C;
  • CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English): C;
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System): 5.5;
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign language) paper version: 525, internet based: 70, computer-based: 196;
  • CEF (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, and assessment): B2.

Exemptions from submitting the English proficiency test scores may be given if the applicants fill one of the following conditions: English is their mother tongue, or they have completed a certifiable English taught degree.

You can also read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for more information

Apply

 

Please follow the link below to apply for the MSc in Interaction Design:

https://estonia.dreamapply.com/en_GB/courses/course/1287-msc-interaction-design