User Experience (UX) Design BSc (Hons)



Prepare to optimise the interactive world of devices and systems, YOU can champion and affect change as a User Experience Designer

Overview

User Experience (UX) Design is a creative dynamic discipline that encourages curiosity creatively expressed through the voice of people. This exciting course encourages you to explore the world of interaction design and user experience with devices and systems.

This user experience design course will develop your skills in identifying unmet needs and defining them by incorporating them into the process of design.

Our course will ingrain web user experience design principles into our students and prepare them for a career in the industry. If you have an insatiable curiosity to speculate on the future and understand people’s experience as they interact with devices and systems - then this course is for you!

During your studies, you will develop an impressive portfolio of work that you can easily use for applying to a broad range of user experience jobs.

 
Equipment from the micro controller and coding course

Mode of Study:

Full-time

(available as Part-time, year 3 entry only)

Duration:

4 years

Start date:

Sep

UCAS code:

I104

Course details

At the beginning of the course you will gain an introduction to computing, design and human-computer interaction.

You will then learn about user experience (UX) for different domains, including mobile applications, physical computing and the web.

In years three and four, you will further develop your skills in designing and evaluating ubiquitous systems, user experience and creative technologies.

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    How you’ll be taught

    You will be taught through lectures, hands-on tutorials and blended experiences. On occasions when examinations are used they tend to be open book.
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    Assessments

    The course is assessed primarily through project work and written reports or essays. On occasions when examinations are used they tend to be open book format.
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    Work placement

    A one year supervised work experience is available, intended to develop overall graduate attributes and employability. The School has committed resources to developing employment opportunities in conjunction with Student and Academic Services. This experience takes place in Year 3, conditional upon the student being accepted by an employer on an approved work-based placement.

    This must be established in Year 2 by consultation with the School Placement Coordinator. Students on this pathway are given an enhanced first year experience through the provision of additional personal and professional development focused on a successful placement application.

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    Study abroad

    International study is available and is intended to develop overall graduate attributes and global citizenship. The School has several agreements with overseas partner institutions, both in the EU and further afield, providing varied and exciting opportunities tailored around your individual study and cultural interests.

    Currently, links are established with universities in the USA, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Singapore, and Germany, where programmes are delivered in English, whilst additional links are planned with other European countries and Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

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    Facilities

    Our School of Computing has some of the most impressive computing lab facilities of any UK university. We offer not one, but two specialist digital media labs.

    Students who cover User Experience have access to the Sensorium, a high spec UX Lab, including Eye tracking and Facial Expression analysis software.

Popular modules

Year 1
  • Being Digital
  • Introduction to Human Computer Interaction
  • Digital Imaging
  • Sonic Culture
  • Programming for Media & Design
  • Experiencing the Digital City

Year 2
  • Expressed through UX
  • Practical Interaction Design
  • Digital Video Development
  • Web Technologies
  • Playful Interaction
  • Information & Interaction

Year 3
  • Digital Storytelling
  • Creative Technology
  • Scripting for Interactive Media
  • User-Centred Organisational Systems
  • Technoculture & Society
  • Design The Visual Interface
  • Interactive Audio
  • Responsive Environment
  • Scripting for Interactive Media
  • Professional Internship

Year 4
  • Honours Project
  • User Experience
  • Professional Internship
  • Scripting for Interactive Media
  • Experimental Design
  • Professional Identity through Portfolio Development

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements

Our entry requirements indicate both Standard and Minimum qualifications with which we normally accept students. Competition for places varies from year to year and you aren't guaranteed a place if you meet the minimum qualifications.

Minimum year 1

SQA Higher

Standard Entry Requirement

BBBC

National 5 grade C in Maths, Lifeskills Maths OR Applications of Maths and English.

Minimum Offer Entry Requirement

BBCC

National 5 grade C in Maths, Lifeskills Maths OR Applications of Maths and English.

You may be given an adjusted offer of entry if you meet our specified minimum entry requirements within our widening participation criteria, and outlined in our Contextual Admissions Policy. Click here for further information about our entry requirements and admissions policies.

A Level

CCC

GCSE grade C/4 in Maths and English.

Irish Leaving Certificate

H2, H2, H3, H3 at Higher Level

Grade O4 in Ordinary Level Maths and English.

Scottish HNC

HNC with C in the graded unit in one of the following; Design, Computing, User Experience, Engineering. 

Unrelated HNC's may be considered and in addition have either Maths, Computing, Computing Science, Physics, Engineering Science, Design or Art & Design at Higher and National 5 C in Maths and English.

BTEC (QCF) Extended Diploma Level 3

Minimum grades DMM (Distinction, Merit, Merit) in a related subject.

GCSE grade C/4 in Maths and English.

BTEC (QCF) National Diploma Level 3 plus A Level

Minimum grades D*D* (Distinction*, Distinction*) in related subject or MM (Merit, Merit) and A Level grade B.

GCSE grade C/4 in English and Maths.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Award of Diploma with 28 points overall with three HL subjects at grades 6, 5, 4.

Grade 4 in SL Maths and English.

European Baccalaureate

Pass at 70% or above with grade 7 in three subjects.

T Levels

Pass (C or above on the core) - T Level with additional A Level at grade B

GCSE Maths and English grade C/4

Minimum year 2

HNC

Pass in a related subject: Digital Design & Web Development, User Experience, Design, Computing, Engineering or other related subject with grade B in the graded unit.

Other HNC qualifications may be considered, please contact ugadmissions@napier.ac.uk for advice.

SQA Advanced Higher

BBC to include at least one of the following at Higher: Maths, Physics, Computing, Engineering Science, Design or Art and Design.

or

BB and SQA Higher BB to include at least one of the subjects above

A Level

BBB to include at least one of: Maths, Physics, Computing, Engineering Science, Design or Art and Design.

BTEC (QCF) Extended Diploma Level 3

Minimum grades DDD (Distinction, Distinction, Distinction) in a related subject. 

HNC

HNC in Design (Digital Design & Web Development or similar) or HNC Computing or HNC User Experience or HNC Engineering with a B in the graded unit (or equivalent)

or have successfully achieved 120 SCQF credits at SCQF level 7 (or equivalent) in a related subject

Minimum year 3

HND

Pass in a related subject: Digital Design & Development, User Experience Design or Visual Communication (Digital Design) with grade B at SCQF Level 8 in the graded unit(s).

Other HND qualifications may be considered, please contact ugadmissions@napier.ac.uk for advice.

 

English language requirements

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English. Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BN Nursing/MSc Nursing (Pre-registration) (Adult, Mental Health, Child, Learning Disabilities)
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2023/24 2024/25
Scotland £1,820 £tba
England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £9,250 £tba
Overseas and EU £15,160 tba
Students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland will be invoiced the tuition fees for 3 years of their 4 years of study. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.
Please note tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other Tuition Fee matters please see Frequently Asked Questions about Fees Click this link for Information of Bursaries and Scholarships
If additional compulsory costs other than the tuition fees are applicable, these will be detailed in the course details.
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers

Students at work in the cyber security room
User experience design courses equip students with the skills required for a successful career in the following fields:

  • User Experience (UX) Designer
  • User Experience (UX) Developer
  • Creative Technologist
  • Front-end Designer
  • Usability Designer
  • Game Designer/Developer
  • Mobile/Wearable App Designer/Developer
  • Web Designer/Developer
  • UX Researcher/Design Researcher  


Students studying in the computing lab