User Experience Design BSc (Hons) module details
Year one
Block 1: Introduction to UX Design
This foundational module is a gateway into the dynamic world of UX design. Students embark on a journey exploring the core concepts, skills, and intricacies involved in crafting user experiences that seamlessly blend technology and human interaction. Through interactive prototyping and design tools, they take their first steps in visual communication, understanding user intent, affordance, and user requirements.
Block 2: Introduction to Creative Coding
This module sparks the creative coding journey, introducing students to coding fundamentals and strategies. Through generative design and interactive prototyping, students experiment, play, and build confidence in core techniques. This early exposure sets the stage for versatile skills that allow UX designers to create human-centred designs enhanced by technology.
Block 3: 3D Modelling and Animation
This introductory module explores the basics of 3D workflow and introduces students to platforms like Autodesk Maya. Covering 3D modelling and animation techniques, students learn about creating 3D graphics, using materials, shaders, bump maps, and textures. The module provides a foundation in lighting, rendering, and basic animation principles.
Block 4: Commercial Content Production
This module introduces students to media industry practices through a practical creative brief. Exploring processes such as industry research, consumer insight, and media agencies' work, students gain insights into industry practice. They critically think about their creative production processes, apply creative strategy, and evaluate how the final execution aligns with the brief, enhancing employability skills.
Year two
Block 1: Designing User Experiences
Building upon the fundamentals, this module delves into the intersection of data, design, and user interaction. Students acquire a comprehensive understanding of information visualisation, visual perception principles, and advanced design techniques within the context of UX and UI design. It’s a pivotal step towards creating compelling and effective digital solutions that enhance user experiences.
Block 2: Creative Coding for Sound and Vision
Advancing creative coding skills, this module introduces coding in an object-oriented language. It provides a comprehensive recap of coding concepts, progressing into object-oriented design and coding. The module explores coding platforms for visual and sonic art, fostering the creation of static and dynamic art, generative art, and interactive art.
Block 3: Character Animation and Motion Capture
Advancing from the basics, this module focuses on character development, rigging, animation, and motion capture. Students delve into the design and development of 3D assets for animation and integration within VFX productions. The curriculum explores key-frame animation, walk cycle development, motion capture, and animation editing, supported by advancements in camera, lighting, rendering, and sound for Animation and VFX.
Block 4: Creative Enterprise
Designed to further employability skills, this module introduces students to enterprise practices, teaching business and entrepreneurship skills. It explores business models for early career entrepreneurs, guiding students on how to position themselves in a competitive environment. The visual and practical delivery method appeals to students' creative nature, fostering the development of creative business ideas.
Third year
Block 1: Design thinking and innovation
Immersing students into the iterative Design Thinking process, this module guides them through empathetic exploration, defining design challenges, ideating creative solutions, prototyping, testing with real users, and iteratively refining their designs. By harnessing the power of Design Thinking, students develop skills to craft innovative digital solutions, fostering a mindset that genuinely enhances user experiences.
Block 2: Hardware Interfaces for Creativity
This module delves into the design and creation of hardware interfaces, covering embeddable computing devices like Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Students explore a range of sensors, from simple switches to advanced ones like movement, light, and pressure sensors. The module also discusses how hardware interfaces allow diverse creative practitioners to express their creativity, emphasizing a practical angle for creation using both hardware and software.
Block 3/4: Virtual Production and Immersive Technology
Building upon previously developed skills, this module explores areas of opportunity for creative development using emergent and convergent technology. Students engage in theories, concepts, and working practices involving virtual production with 3D applications, motion capture, 3D scanning, photogrammetry, 360 filming, and immersive technology. The module encourages innovative practice in transdisciplinary teams, exploring experimental approaches.
Block 4: Portfolio Project
This 30-credit module requires students to research, plan, develop, create, and critically reflect on an area within media production. Bridging previous knowledge, the module allows students to engage with an area of vocational interest, such as cinematography, radio production, VFX, social media, or web design. The completed project, supported by research and planning, becomes a valuable addition to a student's professional portfolio.