Faculty: INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE PGROGRAMS This major focuses on the design and optimization of user experiences for digital products, services, and interfaces. Students explore key areas such as human-computer interaction, user research, information architecture, interaction design, and usability testing. The program emphasizes user-centered design principles, prototyping, and the use of design tools and technologies. Graduates are prepared for careers in UX design, user research, interaction design, and related fields. **Learning Objectives:** - Understand the fundamentals of user experience design and human-computer interaction. - Develop skills in user research, information architecture, and interaction design. - Learn techniques for prototyping, usability testing, and iterative design. - Explore the principles of user-centered design and design thinking. - Understand the role of design tools and technologies in UX design. - Analyze challenges and opportunities in designing user experiences. - Develop teamwork and problem-solving skills for UX design projects. **Major Outline:** 1. **Introduction to User Experience Design** - Overview of UX design, key concepts, and historical context. - Fundamentals of human-computer interaction and user-centered design. 2. **User Research** - Principles of user research, including qualitative and quantitative methods. - Techniques for conducting user interviews, surveys, and ethnographic studies. 3. **Information Architecture** - Fundamentals of information architecture, including content organization, navigation, and labeling. - Techniques for creating effective information structures and user flows. 4. **Interaction Design** - Principles of interaction design, including user interface design, interaction patterns, and prototyping. - Techniques for designing intuitive and engaging user interfaces. 5. **Prototyping and Wireframing** - Fundamentals of prototyping and wireframing, including low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes. - Techniques for creating and testing prototypes using design tools. 6. **Usability Testing** - Principles of usability testing, including planning, conducting, and analyzing usability tests. - Techniques for identifying and addressing usability issues. 7. **Design Thinking and Innovation** - Principles of design thinking, including empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. - Techniques for fostering innovation and creative problem-solving in UX design. 8. **UX Design Tools and Technologies** - Overview of design tools and technologies, including Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, and InVision. - Techniques for using design tools to create and collaborate on UX designs. 9. **Practicum in UX Design** - Real-world UX design experiences, including observations, internships, and hands-on projects. - Techniques for applying learned skills in practical UX design settings. 10. **Capstone Project in UX Design** - Comprehensive project to apply learned skills in user research, interaction design, or usability testing. - Techniques for delivering a polished and user-centered design solution. **Assessment Methods:** - User research reports, information architecture designs, interaction design prototypes, usability testing analyses, design thinking projects, UX design tool applications, practicum reports, capstone projects, group projects, and internships. **Recommended Textbooks:** - "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug. - "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman. - "About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design" by Alan Cooper et al. - "Observing the User Experience: A Practitioner's Guide to User Research" by Elizabeth Goodman et al. - "Information Architecture: For the Web and Beyond" by Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville. **Prerequisites:** Basic knowledge of design, human-computer interaction, and digital technologies. Suitable for students interested in UX design, user research, interaction design, and related fields. **Major Duration:** Typically 4 years for a bachelor's degree, including coursework, projects, practicum, and internships. **Certification:** Graduates may receive a degree in User Experience Design and pursue professional certifications such as Certified User Experience Professional (CUXP) or Certified Usability Analyst (CUA). **Target Audience:** Aspiring UX designers, user researchers, interaction designers, and professionals seeking to specialize in user experience design. This major equips students with the design, research, and practical skills needed to excel in user experience design, supporting careers in UX design, user research, and interaction design.