Design great experiences

teaching

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researching

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creating

Hi, I’m Dr Andrew May, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, UK. I have over 20 years of industry and academic experience.

I lead our UX Design master’s programmes, helping students to develop the skills, thinking, and creative confidence to thrive in a rapidly evolving design landscape.

Message me

Or call me +44 (0)1509 226906

Happy to answer any questions about UX Design at Loughborough

UXD with us

Masters (postgraduate) UX Design degrees from Loughborough University.

PhD with us

I have supervised 20 PhD students, and welcome any enquiries from applicants.

Work with us

Collaborate with us to create better, human-centred products & services.

You want to design for people, but dont know how to progress your career.

You are worried about the impact of AI on jobs, and what it means for your career.

You have done some UX, but need to enhance your skills to make you stand out.

OR you dont have a design background and are unsure how to get into UX.

You are lacking experience of working with clients.

The choice of programme, country and university can be overwhelming

It is difficult knowing what to do! What to study? Where?

The future of UX is bright! The World Economic Forum predicts that UX and UI Designers will be the 8th fastest growing jobs by 2030.

Loughborough offers career-focused, advanced level UX Design MA and MSc programmes to help you be part of this future.

We don't just teach you the theory, or basic skills. We teach you how to really understand people, discover insightful design opportunities, and then create impactful, human-focused products/services.

User mindset

Critical thinking

UX methods

Client projects

Advanced curriculum

We teach you the advanced Masters degree level knowledge and skills you need.

Choose your UX specialism

You can select a particular UX specialism, according to your career plans or interests.

Get an MA or an MSc qualification

Choose whether you want to graduate with an MA or an MSc, acording to your preferences.

Gain industry experience

We offer live projects that you do with companies.

Explore technologies

Learn more about technologies such as AI, VR, AR and XR and their role in UX.

Have a fantastic student experience

Join one of the top UK Universities for Art and Design.

Dedicated staff

Our staff are professional, dedicated and friendly.

Get specialist 1-1 support

We have academic and language support teams who can give you specialist help if you need it.

Build your portfolio

Develop a portfolio of work that will help you get the job you want.

Develop your contacts

Become part of a large network of UX and design professionals.

You-Zhen Lin

Director @ Walay Design

"Loughborough University is an excellent place to study UX design, with knowledgeable and supportive faculty. We began with fundamental concepts such as usability practices, design research and experience design, which strengthened my skills in research and ideation development. Later, we worked on collaborative projects - one focus on creating a VR virtual world and the other on improving the customers' experience for Sainsbury's - both which provided valuable opportunities to design products and services as part of a team."

Miguel Divo

UX Designer @ Canonical

"The degree gave me the confidence to be dropped into any scenario and immediately start identifying ways to improve the user experience. Through a mix of hands-on projects, collaborative work, and real-world briefs, I learnt how to approach problems from both a user-centred and strategic perspective. The degree helped me develop a strong UX mindset while still building on top of my analytical/structured way of thinking. It felt like I was finally able to merge my creative and technical sides into an adaptable approach to solving the right user problems."

Lilymae Prescott

Senior UX Designer @ Sky

"Coming from a non-design background, I was initially apprehensive about whether one year would be enough to prepare me for a career in design. As soon as I started the course, I was quickly brought up to speed on design fundamentals, laying a strong foundation for my learning. From there, I had countless opportunities to grow, sharpen my skills, and work on real projects, ultimately leaving with a diverse portfolio I felt proud of. When I started my first role straight after graduating, it became clear just how well the course had prepared me for the industry."

UX Designer

UI Designer

User Researcher

Product Manager

Experience Designer

Product Designer

Digital Consultant

Service Designer

User Insights Specialist

UX
Design

UX & Service Design

DSP840 Understanding People, Behaviours and Context
DSP831 Experience Design
DSP841 Systems Thinking for Designers
DSP832 Usability, Principles and Practice
DSP811 Industry Project
DSP834 Service Design
Choose one only from:
- DSP842 Critical Interaction Design
- DSP830 Interaction and Immersive Future
- DSP845 Design for Inclusive Experiences
For MA award only:

DSP843 Generative Research and Prototyping for MA Design Major Project
For MA award only:

DSP866 MA Major Project
For MSc award only:

DSP844 Evaluative Research and Prototyping for MSc Design Research Project
For MSc award only:

DSP867 MSc Major Project

If you are not sure which programme is right for you, please contact us and we can help you decide. It is also usually possible to transfer between the two programmes after you start, if you change your mind.

* Note that modules are subject to change each year, due to demand, staff availability, and as we make updates to the programmes.

Dr Andrew May

Programme Lead | UX

Dr Chris Parker

Global Engagement | UX

Prof Gary Burnett

Digital Creativity | XR | HF

Taoran Ji

Design | Behaviour Change

Dr Tracy Ross

People-centred design

Dr Panos Balatsoukas

HCI | UX | Usability

Dr Cecilia Landa-Avila

Systems Thinking | Equality

Dr Val Mitchell

User Needs | UX | Methods

Dr Stuart Cockbill

Service Design | UX

Prof Thomas Jun

Human-centre Design | Systems

Princess Woy

Design | UX | Wellbeing

Karen Holmes

Programme Support

Betul Sahin

Design | Behaviour Change | PSS

Prof Diane Guy

Design | Ergonomics | HF

Andre Brito

UX | Prototyping

Dr Vicky Lofthouse

Ecodesign | Sustainability

Dr Nikki Clarke

Responsible Design | Behaviour

learn

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work

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enjoy

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succeed

Why should I choose to study at Loughborough University?

We offer high quality UX Design programmes leading to a respected Masters degree from a top UK university. Our programmes are delivered by UX experts, and are focused on giving you advanced knowledge, skills and experience that will help you get the job you want.
What are the 2 UX programmes you offer, and how are they different from each other?

We offer 2 UX programmes. If you do the User Experience and Service Design programme, you do a specialism in service design. If you do User Experience Design, then you don't do service design, and instead can choose an alternative specialism.
How do I choose between these 2 programmes?

You need to decide if you want to do a service design module or an alternative specialism. If you want to include service design, then choose 'UX and Service Design' (identifed as DSPT07 on the applications portal). If you want to do an alternative specialism, then choose 'UX Design' (identifed as DSPT27 on the portal).
Can I apply to both programmes?

No, we don't want you to apply to both programmes. We want you to choose the programme that is your preferred option. If you are not sure, then please contact me (details below) and I can help you decide before you apply.
Can I change my mind, and switch programmes, after I arrive?

Yes, this is usually OK, but depends on your background, and we will help you choose the one that is best for you.
If I choose UX Design, when do I choose my specialism?

You do this after you have started. We run an event a few weeks after you arrive to help you decide.
Why do you offer an MA and an MSc?

This gives you greater choice about what qualification you get. The UX programmes at Loughborough are quite unique in offering you the choice of either an MSc or an MA. There are options to do either an MA or MSc for either of the UX programmes.
How do I choose between an MA or an MSc award?

Shortly after you arrive, we will explain the differences between an MA award and an MSc award. The key difference is in the type of project you do at the end of your programme. The MA is more big-thinking and generative, whereas the MSc is more analytical and empirical. If you do an MSc, you do a research project, and if you do an MA, you do a design project. Don't worry about this now, as we will help you decide which is better for you when you arrive.
Do I need a design background to do UX Design?

No! We will consider applicants with any background. Some of our best students have not done an undergraduate degree in design. All you need is commitment, and a natural curiosity about people and the world, and a desire to design great human-focused products/services.
What chance will I have to work with real clients?

You will do a whole design module where you will work as a small team on a real brief set by a client. We also arrange for guest speakers to come in and talk about their work, and there are design jams and competions that you can enter.
Are these programmes based at Loughborough in the Midlands, or the Loughborough campus in London?

These programmes are based at the main Loughborough campus in the Midlands.