Best UX graduate degree programs: A guide

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The following is a guest post by Niraj Rajput, cofounder and Head of Engineering at Chisel Labs

The journey of starting a great career in the field of UX has a specific milestone, where you need to stop to learn the basics, sharpen your skills, and enter the industry with a broad chest backed up by an amazing resume.

That milestone is education in the field of UX.

In the earlier days, this field lacked a justifying presence and a course to study. However, with digitization, the internet is expanding its horizons nearly every second.

The jobs that earlier required attention are getting what they deserve due to increased demand.

With the rise in the number of UX degree programs, the field is being respected more.

Some companies pay their employees for a master’s in human-computer interaction or any other form of degree related to UX.

There are several certifications and courses available for every beginner, intermediate, or advanced individual. However, to master the field, a degree program can help a lot.

Having explained the importance and benefit of the field, let’s jump to the best picks programs and their details alongside.

Leading UX Master’s Degree Programs
In-Person Programs
Online Programs
Conclusion

Leading UX Master’s Degree programs

Thanks to the expansion of the field in recent times, now there are a variety of quality degree programs in both online and offline modes available.

Hence, the job priorities and multi-working schedules have a thumbs up in the study of UX degree too.

In-Person programs

Carnegie Mellon University Master of Human-Computer Interaction

• This master’s degree program is for any beginner or advanced level professional who wants to develop or enhance their skills in the UX field.
• This is an offline mode program offered at Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania campus.
• The program comprises 36 units and can be completed in one year.
• The total cost is around $72,000.

Georgia Tech Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction

• This program suits the students who value practicality at an equal equation to theoretical understanding to have an excellent career in the field of human-computer interfacing.
• This is an in-person program offered on Georgia Tech’s campus in Atlanta, Georgia.
• The degree requires 36 credit hours, which can be completed in two years.
• Total tuition costs between $31,576 and $69,672, depending on residency.

University of California Berkeley Master of Information Management and Systems

• This is a full-time 2-year program and the training outcomes include the skills of storing, organizing, retrieving, and analyzing various sets of information as successful information professionals.
• The MIMS program is offered in person, at Berkeley’s campus in Berkeley, California.
• The 48-unit program can be completed by full-time students in two years.
• Total tuition ranges between $53,866 and $78,356, depending on residency.

Purdue University Master of Science Computer Graphics Technology

• This degree is for professionals who wish to apply the principles of human-centered design in their profession enhancing the UX designing skills for better product development.
• The program is offered in-person on Purdue’s West Lafayette, Indiana campus.
• The average completion span of the program is 2 years.
• Total tuition costs between $21,128 and $59,312, depending on residency.

San Jose State University Master of Science Human Factors

• This is a program to match practical and theoretical concepts of students in the human-computer interaction along with an emphasis on research work too.
• The program is offered in-person at San Jose State’s campus in San Jose, California.
• This is a 30 unit program and can be completed in 2 years.
• Total tuition costs between $18,460 and $30,340, depending on residency.

Stanford University Master of Science of Symbolic Systems

• This is a degree program covering multiple aspects by integrating human-computer interactions with artificial intelligence and cognitive science for a multi-beneficiary output of the course.
• The program is offered in-person at Stanford’s Palo Alto, California campus.
• The 45-unit full-time program can be completed in two years.
• The cost of the program is $32,814.

Online Programs

Bentley University Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design

• Bentley’s Human Factors in Information Design (HFID) program is for individuals who want to complement their professional experience with user experience.
• The application eligibility for the course is a minimum of three years of professional experience.
• All HFID courses are available online for students living outside of Massachusetts.
• The 10-course program can be completed in one year for full-time students and two to three years for part-time students.
• The total cost of the program is $42,250.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Masters in Information Science and Technology

• This is a course for professionals who want to enhance their skills and elevate expertise in user interface, design, and human-computer interaction.
• This is an online course which is offered according to demand.
• The 36-credit program can be completed in two years for full-time students.
• The total tuition fee for the course is $28,800.

Maryland Institute College of Art Master of Professional Studies in UX Design

• This course learning outcome is to master the fundamentals of project management, prototyping, and usability as applied to industries.
• The program consists of nine online modules and one in-person residency.
• The 30-credit program can be completed in 15-months for full-time students.
• The tuition fee is around $37,500.

Iowa State University Masters in Human-Computer Interaction

• This is the course that makes the best synchronization fee with students who have an IT background and who want to make a career in specific disciplines.
• This is an online program and on-demand.
• The 30-credit program can be completed in two years.
• The total tuition cost of the course is around $24,870.

University of Southern California Masters in Integrated Design, Business and Technology

• This is a multi-disciplinary program that allows students to expand their possibilities and knowledge across multiple domains.
• The program is offered online with live, interactive classes.
• The full-time, 38-credit program can be completed in one and a half years.
• The total cost of the course is about $70,794.

Conclusion

In this guide, we have added the best picks of 10 UX design graduate degree programs with both offline and online modes of pursuing them, and all the details that you will require for the choice are provided here.

We hope that our research will prove helpful for you to make a wise choice.

To know more about your chosen course, in-depth research can be performed from their corresponding websites.

We hope to have helped you with your decision-making process of going with UX design as a career path.