Program Overview

Course Overview

The User Experience Capstone Project, also known as Hinonga Whakatinana ā-Wheako Whaiaro (MDDN 502), is a course where students apply knowledge and skills developed in the 400-level courses to a supervised project with an external organisation or a personal project they define. Students focus on extending their abilities, with particular emphasis on designing process and communicating with stakeholders. The student work is experimental in nature, yet practical and useful, applying both analytical and creative approaches to problem-solving alongside a reflective design practice.

Course Details

• Fees: NZ$5,194.20 for domestic students, NZ$22,143.60 for international students.
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 600 hours.
• Points: 60 points, where one point is about 10 hours of work.
• Special Course Features: Includes work-integrated learning.

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: Enrolment in the MUXD.
• Corequisites: None.
• Restrictions: None, but students who have already passed similar content cannot take this course.

Course Structure

The course is taught across four platforms: studio practice, fortnightly meetings, practical assignments, and self-directed learning shared with peers. While working on their Capstone projects, students document and critically reflect on their tasks and outcomes, presenting the outputs in writing, visual materials, and oral presentation.

Assessment

• Project Progress Report 1: 35% of the final mark.
• Information Design and Presentation: 40% of the final mark.
• UX Case Study: 25% of the final mark.

Requirements

• Equipment: Standard design student equipment is required, including a laptop, design software, productivity software, internet access, notebook, paper, pens, and pencils.
• Mandatory Requirements: There are no mandatory requirements for this course.

Course Availability

MDDN 502 will not be offered in 2025. However, the course is available in different trimesters and locations, including Te Aro and Auckland (Kitchener St), with various CRN numbers for each offering.

Faculty and Support

The course is taught by the ICT Graduate School — Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation. Support for students includes access to the University's online learning environment, Nuku, for course materials, assessment due dates, and information about extensions.