Program Overview

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User Experience Design (MSc)

The Master of Science in User Experience Design is a graduate program offered by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts, at Wilfrid Laurier University's Brantford campus. This program is designed to prepare students for a career in user experience design, with a focus on practical, professional learning.

About the Field of UX

User Experience (UX) is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field that plays a critical role in shaping how people interact with technology, services, systems, and spaces. UX professionals are consistently in high demand across diverse industries, including retail, healthcare, technology, finance, education, and government.

About Laurier's Program

Laurier's UX program takes a holistic approach, preparing students to design not only digital interfaces but also physical products, services, and immersive environments. The program is one of Canada's only graduate programs in the field.

Program Structure

The program offers two options: a coursework option and a co-op option. The coursework option is normally completed in four terms (16 months), while the co-op option is normally completed in five terms (20 months) and includes an eight-month co-op placement.

Our Curriculum

The multidisciplinary curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to launch their UX careers by emphasizing practical, professional learning. Students gain a strong foundation in UX theory while developing practical skills through hands-on training in:

• UX Research and Human Psychology
• Design Thinking and Problem Framing
• Immersive technologies - Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality / Mixed Reality (VR/AR/MR)
• UX Strategy and Business Integration
• Design for Emerging Technologies and Intelligent systems (Artificial Intelligence in UX)
• Prototyping and Usability Testing
• Human Factors and Ergonomics
• Interface, Interaction, and Micro-interaction -Design
• Information Architecture and Content Strategy
• Communication, Collaboration, and Facilitation Skills
• Ethical Design and Inclusive Practices
• Design for Accessibility and Universal Design
• Cross-Platform and Responsive Design
• Systems Thinking (Systems Engineering) and Service Design

Coursework Option

The coursework option is normally completed in four terms (16 months). The program structure includes:

• Term 1 (Fall): UX600 Intro to Human-Centered Design, UX601 Research Methods I, UX602 Human Factors
• Term 2 (Winter): UX603 Strategy and Management, UX604 Research Methods II, UX605 UX Prototyping
• Term 3 (Spring): UX606 Immersive Design, UX607 Service Design, UX608 Design Ethics
• Term 4 (Fall): UX695 Client Project

Co-op Option

The co-op option is normally completed in five terms (20 months) and includes an eight-month co-op placement. The program structure includes:

• Term 1 (Fall): UX600 Intro to Human-Centered Design, UX601 Research Methods I, UX602 Human Factors
• Term 2 (Winter): UX603 Strategy and Management, UX604 Research Methods II, UX605 UX Prototyping
• Term 3 (Spring): Co-op
• Term 4 (Fall): Co-op
• Term 5 (Winter): UX606 Immersive Design, UX607 Service Design, UX608 Design Ethics

Admissions

To be considered for admission, applicants must have a four-year undergraduate degree or equivalent from an accredited university, with a minimum B+ average in the last two years of study and a B average overall.

Admission Requirements

• A four-year undergraduate degree or equivalent from an accredited university; applications are invited from students with an honours degree in any discipline.
• A minimum B+ average in the last two years of study and a B average overall.
• Applications are reviewed by the graduate program admissions committee, which considers prior postsecondary grades, a statement of intent, and letters of reference.

Additional Requirements for Co-Op Stream

• Applications are reviewed by the graduate program admissions committee, which considers prior postsecondary grades, a statement of intent, and letters of reference. Academic references are preferred. Professional references will be considered in exceptional cases.

Coursework Application Checklist

An application for admission to the MSc in User Experience Design coursework program must include:

• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work.
• Applicants that do not meet the minimum academic requirements for an offer of admission may still be considered for admission and may be required to provide additional information about their interest and fit for the program.

Co-op Application Checklist

An application for admission to the MSc in User Experience Design co-op program must include:

• The Application Summary, which is generated after completing the OUAC application.
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work.
• A completed statement of intent.
• A resume of academic and work experience.
• Completed reference forms. Two academic references are required. In exceptional circumstances, one academic reference may be replaced by a professional reference, preferably from someone with academic and professional experience in the field of User Experience.
• A completed Authorization of Information Release (AIR) form is required if an education agent/agency is used.
• Portfolio (optional)

Deadlines

• Master of Science in User Experience Design Coursework Option Deadlines:
  • Fall (September): Application opens in October, first consideration in October, application deadline in April.
• Master of Science in User Experience Design Co-op Option Deadlines:
  • Fall (September): Application opens in September, first consideration in November, supplementary documents submission in December, application deadline in March.

English Proficiency

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English.

Careers

Sample jobs include:

• UX researcher / design researcher / user researcher
• Interaction designer
• Information architect / UX architect
• UX/UI designer
• UX strategist
• Service designer
• UX consultant / digital strategist / UX experience consultant
• Usability analyst / usability engineer
• Accessibility specialist / human factors specialist
• UX writer
• Content strategist designer
• Visual designer / UI designer
• Web content designer
• Customer experience manager
• Chief experience officer (CXO)
• Product manager / product owner (UX-focused)
• XR designer / virtual, augmented, or mixed reality designer (VR/AR/XR)
• Government service designer / public sector UX designer

Faculty

The User Experience Design faculty consists of multidisciplinary professionals and researchers from diverse backgrounds, including:

• Bruce Gillespie, Associate Professor
• Abby Goodrum, Professor
• Maurita Harris, Assistant Professor
• John Muńoz, Assistant Professor
• Sadeem Qureshi, Assistant Professor, UX Graduate Program Coordinator
• Geoff Spurr, Professor, UX Undergraduate Program Coordinator
• Mark Weiler, Web and User Experience Librarian
• Kenneth Werbin, Associate Dean, Associate Professor