User Experience Design

Bachelor of Science

Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media

BSDesignCreativity & InnovationCritical ThinkingIn-Person
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The BS in User Experience Design (UXD) degree is an interdisciplinary, hands-on program that integrates creative and technical disciplines including artificial intelligence, data visualization, design research, graphic design, industrial design, and information technology. Students in the UXD program prepare to work in the expanding fields of user experience design, interaction and product design, and social computing by developing their design, coding, and research skills. In project-based, collaborative courses, students learn a human centered software development process to conceptualize, design, build, and conduct research on interactive systems such as web, mobile, and AI-powered applications, games, designed objects and spaces, and other products and experiences.

For international students: this is a STEM-designated program, which can qualify you to extend your post-graduation stay in the United States.

Degree Requirements

Career Options

Graduates of the UXD degree will be able to begin career paths in roles such as User Interface (UI) Designer, User Experience (UX) Designer, Product Designer, User Researcher, UX Strategist, Front-end Developer, and Design Technologist . They may find careers in a variety of industries, such as software development, marketing, publishing, healthcare, and education.

Faculty
Nathan Koch
Nathan Koch is a designer, coder, and media artist, with a professional background that includes interaction design, strategy, and creative technology across advertising and product industries. His research interests include using systems to produce generative art and design, emergent behavior, and collaborating creatively with machines.
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LeAnne Wagner
LeAnne is an experience designer who focuses on emerging user interfaces and digital fabrication. She brings a diverse background of professional experience, from advertising and graphic design to design thinking and product development. She is particularly passionate about projects that center on social impact and collaborating with community partners.
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Paige Treebridge
Paige is a designer, programmer, and code media researcher whose current work focuses on user experience design for privacy and security, programming pedagogy for designers, and geo-located augmented reality.
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Jess Westbrook
Mx Jess Westbrook (they/them) is a disabled T1D cyborg, social scientist, mix methods research architect, and learning experience designer who is into real realities, alternative realities, complexity, Queerness, time travel, possible futures, and finding beauty in dystopian landscapes.
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Student Research Opportunities

<p class="feature--text">Faculty in the UxD program are active in designing, developing, and researching interactive systems in a variety of domains. Undergraduate UxD students have opportunities to work with faculty to gain experiences as designers, researchers, and developers. This work can be conducted through independent studies, the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP), or paid positions.</p>

students using computers

Labs and Software

<p class="feature--text" aria-expanded="false">UxD students have access to labs dedicated to software evaluation and user research, including the <a href="/Student-Resources/Pages/LabsAndResources/Lab805.aspx">Software Observation and Usability Laboratory</a> (SOUL) which is available to conduct usability studies and playtests. Additional CDM labs provide students with professional software tools for user research, creating visual designs and prototypes, and developing web and mobile applications.</p>

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UxD Minor

<p class="feature--text">Students with a major other than User Experience Design are encouraged to consider a User Experience Design minor. The UxD&#160;minor allows students to acquire skills that can be applied in a variety of fields that technology is used to innovate. Increasingly, design and computation are fueling innovation in nearly every field. The ability to design and develop interactive systems can be especially valuable when combined with focused study in other areas.</p>

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Community and Professional Connections
UxD students have access to a network of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, alumni, and professionals in the Chicago area and beyond. Activities and events related to UxD are organized by student organizations, the Career Center, and local professional organizations.
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Exhibition and Presentation Spaces
State-of-the-art spaces for presentations, showcases, special events, and collaborative work are available for students to build skills, share projects, and connect with others.
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School of Design Talks
The School of Design Talks series invites diverse speakers from across the globe — who have created innovative responses to the personal, local, and global challenges of the 21st century — to lead workshops and discussions.
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