Transforming User Experience Design Education Through Integrated Learning

Short Abstract: We introduce the program design of a new studio-based undergraduate program in User Experience (UX) Design. The program includes several curricular innovations, such as an integrated studio pedagogy in which six topical strands are interwoven across two types of studios, spanning five semesters of the undergraduate experience. Full Abstract: The rapid growth of the UX design profession has led to an increased need for qualified practitioners and a proliferation of UX educational programs offered in both academia and industry. In this presentation, we introduce the program design of a new studio-based undergraduate program in UX—the first of its kind at a large, research-intensive US university. The program includes several curricular innovations, such as an integrated studio pedagogy in which six topical strands are interwoven across two types of studios. These studios are interconnected and span five semesters of the undergraduate experience. We present the curriculum model and the foundational principles that informed its design. We describe the two types of studios and their interconnection, and present early evaluation data showing that students are building valuable skills