The Digital User Experience (UX) Professional Integrated Degree Apprenticeship will help you to excel in the field of UX Design and ensure you are well-versed in the latest industry tools and methodologies. As the digital landscape evolves, so does the complexity of user interfaces and interactive experiences. The curriculum reflects this by providing you with hands-on training in digital UX design for 2D and immersive environments, usability testing, and prototyping, all aligned with industry best practices.
The programme blends several key strengths of the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Media to produce a user experience apprenticeship programme that spans creative coding, user experience design and virtual environment production.
You will engage with aspects of design theory in increasing depth over the three years of the course, developing the ability to critically evaluate digital and interactive designs and then bring this foundational understanding to the production of interactive artefacts.
On graduating, not only will you be well-equipped to continue your career in digital user experience design, but you will also have the versatility to explore roles in related fields such as Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Product Design, and User-Centred Software Development. This will make you a highly valued professional in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
This blended work-based programme typically takes just three and a half years. In years one and two, apprentices will study four modules sequentially, each lasting for seven weeks. For each of these, apprentices will spend two days on-campus. In the third and final year, apprentices will study three modules. After the completion of these eleven taught modules, apprentices will work towards their EPA which is a timeframe of typically six months.
Interactive classroom activities, workshops, and lectures will be supplemented with additional online material in order to provide for a range of learning styles.
Level 4: UX Design Fundamentals – human centred design; usability; user experience.
Level 5: Designing User Experiences - information visualisation; visual perception and design.
Level 6: Design Thinking and Innovation - agile methods; research, and practice.
Level 4: Creative Coding Fundamentals - introduction to creative coding and algorithmic creation.
Level 5: Creative Coding for Sound and Vision - sound and/or vision - generative art/music; reactive works; installations; multimedia work.
Level 6: Hardware Interfaces for Creativity - introduce hardware – sensors; raspberry pi; robotics; innovative interfaces for performance.
Level 4: Introduction to Immersive Design; 3D world building and interaction, the basics of digital and interactive design.
Level 5: Immersive and Experiential Media - augmented and virtual reality; design processes; testing.
Level 6: UX and Interactive Media - brief-based immersive experiences.
Apprentices will complete a project in the workplace, contextualising their learning.
Level 4: Work-Based Learning 1 - focus on self-appraisal and reflection; communication skills; project management.
Level 5: Work-Based Learning 2 - focus on interpretation and application of policies and regulations; legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks; customer service.
Level 6: End Point Assessment
The programme is designed to enable apprentices to apply the academic theory to their own organisation and role. There are a variety of assessment methods including; reports, presentations, and practical submissions such as interactive prototypes and immersive creations.
All apprentices are required to create a portfolio which will capture the knowledge, skills and behaviours developed on the programme and in the workplace. This will contribute to their End Point Assessment and enable apprentices to reflect, plan and evaluate their development.