Career options with an MA in UX Design

Considering a course in UX design, but not entirely certain what doors it could open? With businesses from all corners of the world constantly trying to master the perfect blend of creative savvy with strategic thinking, learning user-centred design is a fantastic way to build a successful career. 

There are a variety of positions that call for this type of expertise - and if you’re still trying to grasp the full scope of what UX design is about, understanding their similarities can be more illuminating than any singular description. Let’s walk through a few options: 

UX Designer 

Starting off with the most obvious choice – as a UX designer your role is to make the process of using a product as enjoyable and seamless as possible. 

At its essence, you’re an advocate for customer satisfaction. UX designers analyse the best possible process for a user navigating a particular experience, and find a way to facilitate this while still meeting the business needs of their organisation. Naturally, this means collaborating closely with the development team as well as key business stakeholders. 

Given that you’ll most likely be sitting within a product team, you can expect to take on an ever-evolving array of projects. From updating existing features, to designing a brand-new product. – you’ll be looked at to research, test, and develop engaging user experiences for your team’s target audience. 

UX Strategist 

While a UX designer will focus on the needs of their target user, a UX Strategist will ensure that the UX team meets the needs of the business. 

Being a UX strategist means dedicating your time to ensure your organisation makes a product that has actual demand in the outside world. Effectively, you apply your UX knowledge to the company’s entire business strategy, to keep product development on the right track. 

As someone who’ll be overseeing the execution of various projects, your communicative and leadership skills will be invaluable to your team’s success. While it’s rare to kickstart your career journey at this position, being an invested member of a team at any level will be invaluable in developing the soft skills to help you get there. 

Falmouth Flexible offers a part-time, fully online MA in User Experience Design. Learn the tools and methods needed to evaluate user needs, as well as how to craft innovative, effective user experiences. 

Full-Stack Developer 

With an MA in UX design, you’ll also be better equipped to branch off into full-stack development.  

A full-stack developer quite literally works on the full stack of an application – i.e. the front-end, back-end, and the software code that connects them. The role of a full-stack developer means being involved in all stages of software development. 

Of course, that doesn’t mean you need be an absolute expert in each of these aspects in order to land your first job. The reason organisations value full-stack developers is because they bring a functional level of knowledge and ability to the table. This is particularly useful for startups and smaller teams, as you can help turn a concept into a polished, final product. 

Game Designer 

All games, whether made for a home console or your mobile phone, start with a concept. As a game designer, you’ll have the task of bringing this concept to life. 

Not only will you assess key details such as target audiences, deadlines, and budgets – but you’ll also explore creative elements that are necessary to flesh the game out. By testing out themes, genres, and features, you’ll help code the game’s plot, characters, and functionality. 

You can also specialise in certain aspects of gameplay as your experience grows. For example, game mechanic designers work on the balancing of a game (the fairness of its mechanics from a user-perspective). Meanwhile, environmental designers will dedicate their time to crafting the game’s various environments and scenes. 

Digital Designer 

A digital designer cares more about designs than how good they look. In addition to the creation of creative content, this role is also responsible for testing several variations or concepts to determine which will perform best. 

The scope for a digital designer can be near limitless. From designing print advertisements to creating 3D animations, your skills and the needs of your team will dictate where you devote most of your time. 

Plus, given the considerable role you’ll play in the success of this marketing material, you can expect to work closely with your clients. You’ll meet with them to understand their needs, both short- and long-term, and use it to help navigate your research and creative process. 

Whichever direction you see your UX career taking, Falmouth Flexible is well-equipped to support you. Our online MA in User Experience Design is taught by experts in the fields of creative technology, arts and design practice, game studies, and more.