Design (Experience Design), MSD
Alternate Reality, Augmented Reality, Entertainment, Human-Centered, Mixed Reality, Prototyping, Storytelling, User Experience, Virtual Reality, Worldbuilding
This program is not currently accepting applications.
Learn to design all kinds of experiences, including games, extended and virtual realities, interactive environments, themed entertainment, and other forms of immersive storytelling in this engaging, cross-disciplinary program. By working collaboratively with peers and faculty members, you can transform research into creative, world-building projects that have public impact.
In the Master of Science in Design program with a concentration in experience design, you focus on design practices for virtual experiences in extended reality technologies, including environmental design, programmatic in both real and virtual universes, rapid prototyping, storytelling and world-building. This program is distinct among emerging media programs with its application of these technologies and practices in socially engaged and transdisciplinary modalities. You learn to take tools that evolved primarily from and for entertainment and applies them to the modeling of authentic challenges and futures.
You develop human-centered design methods to improve user experience using theories and concepts from cognition and psychology, in addition to developing the ability to manage projects, work effectively in teams, and transform research into creative and technological products.
- College/school:
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: ASU at Mesa City Center
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
36 credit hours and a thesis, or
36 credit hours including the required applied project course (DSC 593)
Required Core (3 credit hours) Concentration (9 credit hours) Research Methods (3 credit hours) Electives (11 credit hours) Other Requirements (4 credit hours) Culminating Experience (6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information For other requirements, students must complete a minimum of four credit hours of faculty-led research (DSC 592), individualized instruction (DSC 590), the design and implementation of public programs (HDA 580), or an internship (DSC 584).
DSC 501 Qualitative Research in Design (3)
DSC 550 Prototyping Futures (3)
DSC 551 Immersive Experience Design I (3)
HDA 581 Emerging Media Colloquium (3)
DSC 500 Research Methods (3)
DSC 584 Internship (4) or
DSC 590 Reading and Conference (4) or
DSC 592 Research (4) or
HDA 580 Practicum (4) or
DSC 593 Applied Project (6) or
DSC 599 Thesis (6)
In the concentration coursework, HDA 581 should be taken three times for one credit hour.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S.
applicants | International
applicants | English
proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in design and media arts or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- letter of intent
- portfolio
- contact information of two references
- professional resume or CV
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
The Design School requires that the letter of intent, portfolio, resume or CV, and contact information for professional references be submitted via SlideRoom in addition to the Graduate College application requirements. https://asudesign.slideroom.com/#/Login
In the letter of intent, applicants should express their intention to apply to the program by outlining the reasons for their application, their motivation for pursuing the program and their future goals in the field, briefly touching upon their background, experiences and qualifications that make them a suitable candidate for the program.
The portfolio should be a curated collection of a candidate's design works, projects and creations to visually represent the applicant's skills, creativity, design sensibilities and ability to conceptualize, innovate and effectively communicate design ideas.
Applicants must submit contact information for two professional references. These can come from current and past faculty members, professional mentors, supervisors, or community leaders and elders.
Admission to the program is selective. Admission cannot be deferred. Students must enroll in the semester for which they are admitted; otherwise, they need to go through the entire application process again for the year for which they are applying.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 06/30 | Final |
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Priority |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 11/15 | Final |
| Session A/C | In Person | 09/15 | Priority |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Evaluate human experience needs and wants using immersive concepts and technologies.
- Apply their understanding and practice of design, storytelling, and worldbuilding through a design proposal that utilizes immersive technologies to addressing problems, challenges and obstacles.
- Develop solutions to real-world challenges through collaboration with interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multi-stakeholder partners.
Graduates of this program are well prepared for careers in a variety of fields related to the application of immersive experience design and extended reality technologies and practices.
Virtual and augmented reality have practical and popular applications in entertainment, gaming, workforce development and research, but graduates of this program also had direct experience with the application of these tools to other areas that can expand their available pathways: architecture, interior design, urban planning, health care and education, among others. They are ideally suited for the rapidly changing climate of this field.
Career opportunities include:
- architects and interior designers
- experience designers
- film and video editors
- graphic designers
- mobile developers
- software developers
- 3D modelers and visualizers
- web developers
The Design School
|
CDN 162
MIXStudents@asu.edu
480-965-3436
Admission deadlines
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
