About the Program
The User Experience program is situated at the intersection of creativity and emerging technology, grounded in speculative thinking and experimental practices in response to societal, technological and cultural themes. Emphasizing ethically, socially and environmentally responsible mindsets, the program focuses on skills in design thinking, user-centered research, storytelling and communication. Here, students learn to design technologically-mediated systems, experiences, and human interactions with objects, spaces, and interfaces. The program boasts a 90% placement rate*.
Degree Options
The User Experience Design program is available to students in an MFA, MA or MPS format. The MFA and MA formats are in-person and STEM-designated, while the MPS is offered only online and does not qualify for a STEM designation.
The User Experience Design Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program provides students with a full depth of knowledge and expertise in the UX field. The MFA is a heavily research-oriented, two-year terminal degree path integrating theoretical and hands-on learning, creative thought leadership and critical thinking. It is the most robust of the graduate-level degree options in User Experience Design at CCS, with built-in opportunities to expand professional networks and explore internship and study abroad opportunities. In the second year, students will undertake a 15-credit thesis project, an in-depth creative inquiry aligned with professional aspirations.
The program prepares fearless creatives to become leaders in the field with a commitment to inclusivity and global citizenship.
The Master of Arts (MA) degree in User Experience Design is a non-terminal, one-year, full-time or two-year, part-time degree that includes studio and research-based courses focusing on strategy, theory and research. Students will gain new skills and credentials to advance their professional practice, culminating with an independently driven three-credit capstone course.
Students will graduate with leadership skills focused on strategic decision-making and critical thinking, with a portfolio evidencing a proficiency in UX design skills.
The Masters of Professional Studies (MPS) in User Experience Design (UX) is a fully online graduate degree program focusing on building students’ professional skills and understanding of the User Experience Design field. The program, designed for working professionals and students who have a need to balance their studies with life commitments, takes place one class at a time, consecutively over 18 months. Â
In these seven-week courses, students will gain practical skills in user-centered research, interface design, storytelling, data visualization and communication, culminating in a final project that is self-devised and aligned to career aspirations.
Students will graduate ready to seek career advancement or transition into a more technical UX design role and will have a portfolio that evidences professional skills in User Experience Design.
Learn more about the program and Chat with the Program Chair.
Quick FAQs
- The program is structured into 7-week fully online asynchronous courses, each strategically designed to consecutively and seamlessly flow into the subsequent course, ensuring a cohesive learning journey.
- Graduate program faculty teach and mentor students to provide expert-level guidance.
- Multi-modal content delivery, including visual, audio, and written materials cater to diverse learning preferences.
- Weekly overviews and clear outcome explanations provide students with precise expectations, fostering clarity and focus.
- An integrated assessment tool confirms weekly learning outcomes, ensuring comprehension and progress tracking.
- Asynchronous learning dominates the course structure, featuring video lectures, supplementary resources, and discussion boards, promoting flexibility and accommodating varied schedules. A weekly required real-time Zoom session (60-90 minutes) facilitates interactive engagement and real-time clarification of concepts with faculty.
MPS Total Program Cost
Year 1: Academic Year 2025-26 Charges
- Semester 1 (Fall 2025): $7,976
- Semester 2 (Winter 2026): $7,976
- Semester 3 (Summer 2026): $3,988
- Total Cost (Year 1): $19,940
Year 2: Academic Year 2026-27 Charges
- Semester 4 (Fall 2026): $6,976
- Semester 5 (Winter 2026): $2,991
- Total Cost (Year 2): $9,967
Total Program Cost: $29,907.00
The program is grounded in creativity, speculative thinking, and experimental practices in response to rich socio- and techno-cultural themes. Students have access to CCS’s world-class studios and resources to further their own skills and knowledge through hands-on learning. Critical inquiry and design provocations sharpen insights as students become adept with models of interaction, experience, and communication.
Students will learn to sketch and prototype with hardware and software for design ideation and development and apply code to bring creative concepts to life. Students will also learn about physical and cognitive ergonomics in human-machine and system interactions.
User Experience (UX) Designer
User Interface (UI) Designer
Interaction Designer
Visual Designer
UX Researcher
Mobile or Web UX Designer
AI UX Designer
Smart Mobility UX Designer
Automotive UX Designer
Content Designer
Systems Designer
Service Designer
Product Designer
UX Strategists
Lead/Principal UX Designer
Entrepreneur/UX Startup Founder
UX Director/Head of UX
Real-World Experience
Our Alumni are changemakers, leading and inspiring the next generation of design.
Christine Montalbano
Jharna Kakati
