Course description
Interaction Design and Computing MSc.
Course overview:
This newly redesigned course enables graduates to be able to understand, design and develop digital solutions within the emergent digital economies harnessing data and interaction paradigms.
Graduates would be able to follow a flexible program of study and either plan a career in interaction design, mobile and digital solutions, data and analytics, or emergent systems or to explore the opportunities offered in London as a start-up capital.
The digital sector continues to evolve and technologies, platforms, interaction paradigms and business models are increasingly requiring technical ability combined with commercial and design acumen that the course encourages.
Boston Consulting Group estimated that by end of 2016 the Internet economy in the G-20 economies will be worth USD 4.2 trillion (up from USD 2.3 trillion in 2010) and that the Internet contributes over 12 per cent of GDP in the United Kingdom.
The mobile apps sector has revenues of more than €10 billion per annum or jobs in the order of 790.000 across the whole EU economy and continues to grow at a fast rate.
Within the UK the digital sector has critical importance and reports suggest 14.4% of companies in the UK are involved in the Digital economy and some 1.46 million people are employed.
More than one million jobs were advertised in 2014 showing a growth of 28% and there are suggestions that the growth forecast is around 5.4%
The Business Growth Fund and Barclays published a report in March 2014 that supported the phenomenal growth experienced by tech businesses in the UK, finding that London is home to Europe's fastest growing tech cluster, with 27% of all job growth in London generated by the tech and digital sector.
A recent study published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sports valued the creative industries as contributing was worth £133 billion in 2014 accounting for 8.2% of the UK Economy. The Creative Economy has grown more than 25% in the last four years. Within this sector technology represents a substantial scale of impact both directly in terms of for example software as well as indirectly through areas such as digital marketing. Direct Gross added value of IT, software and computer services sectors were worth £36.6 billion in 2014.
The Commons Science and Technology Committee reported back to Parliament at the start of June 2016 that the UK needs another 745,000 workers with digital skills by 2017.
Course content:
The Masters of Science in Interaction Design and Computing takes into account the emerging needs of the marketplace focusing on the key areas of enterprise, user experience, interaction, innovation and development as well as offering options in various subjects including web, mobile and data. As a consequence the modules emphasise both the critical conceptual underpinnings as well as the practical skills for each subject.
Modules:
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course. For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the full course document.
Core modules:
Digital Interaction Management and Entrepreneurship
The module will explore consideration of interaction design, development and design methods and core entrepreneurial and management processes through the exploration, creation and development of concepts and business propositions for start-up innovation or client briefs.
Interaction Design & Computing Project
The project is an extended piece of supervised independent work relevant to the field. This can be either undertaken as a work based project or on a topic proposed by the student or faculty.
Research Methods & Professional Practice
The module strengthens your skills and guides your personal development plan towards the professional and academic requirements of the discipline.
Usability and User Experience Design
The module will explore user centred interface design and the user experience through applied theory and practice. Building from the foundations the module will explore common user experience techniques and terminology as well as related design topics.
