Design great experiences.
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 help design a better future world.
Happy to answer any questions about UX Design at Loughborough
Three ways to work together.
Want a career in UXD?
UX and UI Designers will be the 8th fastest-growing jobs by 2030.
These are the concerns we hear from applicants every year — and the ones our programmes are specifically designed to answer.
You want to design for people but aren't sure how to progress your career.
You worry about staying relevant in a world being reshaped by AI.
You have some UX experience but need depth to stand out in a crowded market.
You don't have a design background and wonder if UX is the right move.
You want real industry projects — not just classroom exercises.
Choosing the right programme is a big decision, and you want to get it right.
Where our graduates go.
We can help you succeed in UX
The School of Design and Creative Arts at Loughborough University can help you develop your career in UX/Service Design. We are number 4 in the UK for Art and Design* and top 40 in the World for Art and Design**.
* The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, and The Complete University Guide 2026
** QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
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, according 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.
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.
Awards & Jobs
Our students win awards and get great jobs. UX offers many different career opportunities. You can go into a role which involves 'a bit of everything' or you can choose to specialise. We offer career and portfolio support to all our students. Our graduates go into a wide range of jobs, including:
Your Design School Journey
Our UX programmes
We offer 2 different UX programmes: (1) UX and Service Design (includes service design), and (2) UX Design where you can choose from other alternative specialist modules. Both programmes deliver core UX design content and skills.
UX & Service Design MA / MSc
An advanced programme developing expertise in UX research and design, and service design. Work on live industry projects with clients and build a professional portfolio, equipping you to become a confident, human-centred designer in industry.
Programme details on lboro.ac.ukUX Design MA / MSc
An advanced degree with the same core modules as the UX & Service Design programme. Instead of Service Design, you can choose a different specialism such as Inclusive Design, Extended Reality or UX and AI.
Programme details on lboro.ac.ukEssential information for applicants
1 year full-time. Part-time study is also available, typically 2 years.
UK and international tuition fees, and payment options, are listed on each programme page above.
Typically a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent. English language requirements (including IELTS) are detailed on each programme page. Applicants from any background are welcome.
Scholarship and funding options are available. Loughborough also supports international students with student visa applications — see each programme page for details.
Both programmes share core UX design modules. Toggle to see how the 2 programmes compare:
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DSP840 Understanding People, Behaviours and Context
Introduces human-centred research methods for understanding how cultural, social, and contextual factors shape people’s behaviours and needs. You’ll learn to collect and analyse qualitative data through fieldwork, interviews, and observation, then synthesise findings and prioritise opportunities for experience and service design.
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DSP831 Experience Design
Introduces the human-centred design process and core experience design principles, applying them to interactive products and services. From empathy and insight through to prototyping and evaluation, you’ll develop skills to systematically frame design opportunities and deliver original, compelling user experiences.
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DSP841 Systems Thinking for Designers
Introduces systems thinking as a lens for tackling complex, interconnected societal challenges. You’ll learn to map stakeholders and feedback loops, co-develop systems narratives, and apply participatory approaches to identify leverage points and opportunities for transformative change through design and policy.
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DSP832 Usability, Principles and Practice
Develops your knowledge of usability principles, accessibility standards, and the psychology behind effective digital interaction. You’ll plan and conduct empirical usability evaluations using heuristic and user-testing methods, then apply the findings to design interactions that are intuitive, accessible, and easy to use.
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DSP811 Industry Project
A live brief set by a real industry client. Working in a small team, you’ll apply UX research and design skills to a genuine organisational challenge and present your recommendations directly to the client — a key piece for your professional portfolio.
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DSP834 Service Design
Develops your knowledge and practical skills in service design — how to design end-to-end experiences across multiple stakeholder touchpoints. You’ll use service blueprints, journey mapping, and co-creation methods to generate original service propositions, critically examining sustainability, ethics, and unintended consequences.
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Choose one specialist module
DSP846 Design for AI FuturesDevelops your knowledge and application of AI within UX design — how to use AI-powered design tools, create product and service concepts that embody contemporary AI, and critically examine the personal, social, and environmental implications of designing with and for artificial intelligence.
DSP830 Interaction and Immersive FutureEquips you with the knowledge and practical skills to design user experiences using immersive technologies — virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. You’ll explore XR from a human-centred perspective, covering presence, embodiment, and navigation, then design and prototype original immersive interactions.
DSP845 Design for Inclusive ExperiencesDevelops your ability to design products and services that are accessible and usable for the widest range of people, including older adults and those with disabilities. You’ll apply inclusive design principles, co-design methods, and iterative prototyping to deliver evidence-based, transformative design outcomes.
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DSP843 Generative Research and Prototyping (MA only)
Prepares you for your MA Major Project by building generative research and prototyping skills. Using divergent and speculative methods, you’ll explore human-centred design opportunities, collect and analyse accent and secondary data, and develop prototypes that co-design with users to generate meaningful insights.
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DSP866 MA Major Project (MA only)
A substantial self-directed project applying everything you’ve learned to a UX design opportunity of your own choosing. Working iteratively with human-centred research and design methods, you’ll develop a high-fidelity prototype of a new product or service, assessed through a portfolio presentation and viva.
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DSP844 Evaluative Research and Prototyping (MSc only)
Prepares you for your MSc Major Project by developing evaluative, evidence-based research skills. You’ll learn to conduct systematic literature reviews, identify gaps in design knowledge, and apply rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods to test prototypes and investigate human-centred design problems.
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DSP867 MSc Design Research Project (MSc only)
A substantial self-directed research project addressing a genuine gap in UX knowledge. You’ll design and test a prototype to answer specific research questions, contributing practical and theoretical insights to the UX field — and producing a significant portfolio and CV piece for your career.
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.
Still unsure?
Here are some common questions about our programmes. If you have a question that isn't answered here, please contact us and we will be happy to help.
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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.
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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.
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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' (identified as DSPT07 on the applications portal). If you want to do an alternative specialism, then choose 'UX Design' (identified as DSPT27 on the portal).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 competitions that you can enter.
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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.
Get a world-class education in UX & Service Design.
One-year MA and MSc programmes at Loughborough University. Any background welcome.
Looking for information on doing a PhD instead?
Study for a PhD
I am an experienced PhD supervisor, interested in UX, AI and human-centred design. Find out more below.
Doctoral studies in the Design School
Work with us
I am keen to collaborate with other academics and companies on research projects, exchanges and partnerships. I am interested in all forms of human-centred design, but particularly how you can incorporate AI into great products and services.
UX - AI - user centred design
Contact me
If you have any questions about studying UX at Loughborough, working with us, or want to come and visit the Design School, message me and I'll get straight back to you.
My Office
Dr Andrew May (SFHEA)
Design School
School of Design
& Creative Arts
Loughborough University
Loughborough LE11 3TU
United Kingdom
My Phone Number
+44 (0)1509 226906
School Website
School Phone Number
+44 (0)1509 222222
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