Master of Arts in Design with concentrations in Interaction and User Experience and Design Management and Strategy


Designers collaborating around a table

Putting design principles into practice

We encounter design in nearly every aspect of our lives. KU’s Master of Arts in Design explores the practical application of design and how it can be used to address human need, behavior and experience.

The concentration in design management and strategy focuses on theory, methods and practices related to managing design projects in a business or organizational context. Design managers build teams and lead projects that create user-focused innovation in branded products and services.

The concentration in interaction and user experience offers a human-centered approach to innovation, working with businesses, brands, organizations and their customers to build relationship and relevance. Interaction designers and user experience designers consider the why, what and how of product use, including a product’s intended user, their motivations for selecting a product, the tasks they use it to perform, and how they use it to perform those tasks.

What industries need design managers, interaction designers and user experience designers?

A professional with a MA in Design, with a concentration in design management can apply their skills in a variety of fields, including marketing, product development, architecture or graphic design. A professional with a user experience or interaction background can use their versatile skillset in research, web design, visual design, product development and marketing, among other professional areas.

Potential jobs with a design masters degree - Design Management and Strategy, Design Director, Brand Manager, Product Development Manager, User Experience Manager, Innovation Consultant, Chief Innovation Officer, Visual Information Specialist, Design Researcher

 

Potential jobs available with a Interaction and User Experience Design degree - User Researcher, Usability Analyst, User Experience Manager, Information Architect, Interaction Designer, Visual Designer, User Experience Designer

Is a masters in design management right for you?

KU’s MA in Design with a concentration in design management and strategy is aimed at early to mid-career professionals seeking a competitive edge by taking on bigger challenges and assuming leadership responsibilities. The concentration in interaction and user experience is geared toward motivated professionals seeking advanced study that goes beyond their core training. Applicants to both programs should have a design-oriented undergraduate degree and have at least two years of full-time professional experience in a design or design-related field.

Questions?

Joan Weaver
  • Admissions Coordinator

How are the programs structured?

Both the M.A. in Design Management and Strategy and the M.A. in Interaction and User Experience Design are 31 hours and offers two options of study. See the choices below and download the program guides for more information. Each guide provides the program’s curriculum, career paths, admissions information, tuition and more.

M.A. in Design Management and Strategy 37 credit hours - 3 hours practicum, 6 hours non-design electives, 12 hours design electives, 16 hours required coursesM.A. in Interaction and User Experience Design 37 credit hours - 2 hours research seminars, 3 hours practicum, 5 hours non-design electives, 9 hours design electives, 12 hours required courses
Why study design at KU?

Flexible

  • Evening courses
  • Curriculum geared toward working professionals

Quality

  • Credentialed, experienced faculty
  • Globally recognized academics
  • KU is one of 38 public university members of the prestigious Association of American Universities, a group of America's leading research universities

Useful

  • Content designed for working professionals
  • Valuable, versatile professional skillset
  • Strong alumni network — program graduates work at leading firms including Garmin, DST, Hallmark, Cerner, Audi, IBM, Steelcase and Facebook

Request Masters in Design Management and Strategy, and Masters in Interaction and User Experience Design Information

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Priority: May 1
Final deadline: July 1