Design (Experience Design), MSD
Alternate Reality, Augmented Reality, Entertainment, Human-Centered, Mixed Reality, Prototyping, Storytelling, User Experience, Virtual Reality, Worldbuilding
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 immersive, cross-disciplinary program. By working collaboratively with peers and faculty, you can transform research into creative, world-building projects that have public impact.
The MSD program with a concentration in experience design focuses 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. It takes tools that evolved primarily from and for entertainment and applies them to the modeling of authentic challenges and futures.
Students 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
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 4 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)
DSC 590 Reading and Conference (4)
DSC 592 Research (4)
HDA 580 Practicum (4)
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.
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
- portfolio
- letter of intent
- resume
- contact information of two references
- 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.
International students are required to submit proof of English proficiency through either the TOEFL or the IELTS if their native language is not English. The minimum score for admission to the program is 80 on the TOEFL iBT® taken in a testing center or an overall band score of 6.5 on the IELTS.
The portfolio, letter of intent, resume and contact information of two references must be submitted via SlideRoom (https://asudesign.slideroom.com/#/Login). The Design School requires that these be submitted in addition to the graduate application requirements.
Admission to the program is selective. Students must enroll in the semester for which they are admitted; otherwise, they will need to go through the entire application process again for the year in which they are applying.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 05/01 | Final |
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Priority |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- 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 obvious and popular applications in entertainment, gaming, workforce development and research, but alumni 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
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
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. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. 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.
