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Develop digital design skills to understand and solve real world problems and societal challenges
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Upcoming eventsAt York, MSc Digital Design teaches you key design skills and theoretical expertise that can be applied across diverse societal and industry contexts.
Use digital design to tackle big challenges: how AI-aided design could tackle local climate change challenges; supporting inclusion and diversity in cultural heritage; creating intuitive digital experiences to support better mental health, and more.
You don't need a background in design. You'll gain practical experience in our bespoke multimedia complex - including screen-based interactive prototyping tools, graphic design, creative AI, 3D-modelling and printing - and develop your understanding of theoretical and research approaches.
Throughout your course, you'll develop team working, project management and communication skills. Build your portfolio by collaborating with external partners including charities, decision makers, research institutes and cultural organisations.
Enhance your employability through masterclasses with industry professionals. You'll be well-equipped to embark on careers in user experience, product development, research, creative arts and design across a variety of sectors.
"My studies at York are the foundation of my career in UI and UX design. It provided me with diverse and essential skills across design, research, development, and the humanities. Allowing me to seamlessly collaborate with product and development teams across industries. I am now Lead UI UX Designer at Time Machine Capital² Limited."
Leia, BSc Interactive Media
You will study 180 credits over the duration of your course, including core modules, option modules, and an independent design project.
You'll have the opportunity to study three option modules from the School of Arts and Creative Technologies. Examples may include:
Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
During the summer semester, you'll work on your extended independent design project. You'll be supported through group tutorials and by a supervisor aligned to your chosen topic. You'll be assessed on the quality of your design artefact/s and an accompanied critical report.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £11,200 | £25,900 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
You'll learn through a mixture of lectures, design workshops, technical practicals, individual and group tutorials and masterclasses with visiting professionals.
The course involves working with external partners on project briefs. You’ll get opportunities to hone your critical thinking and design skills in live projects and work with local communities and external clients. Module assessments enable you to build up your portfolio, supporting your future career ambitions.
You'll be assigned a member of our teaching staff who will act as your personal supervisor. They are there to give advice on academic matters as well as other areas of University life. For your independent design project, you'll also be assigned a supervisor who may be a different member of staff.
Our £30m media complex houses exceptional facilities and equipment to support practical learning and is central to our teaching.
You will be based in the School of Arts and Creative Technologies on Campus East.
Most of your contact hours will be in the School with some additional teaching on Campus East.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
The programme is assessed through a combination of design artefacts and interactive prototypes, reports, and essays. The module options are set to encourage you to choose topics of interest and select the assessment methods that are most suitable to you.
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This course helps to develop your employability by equipping you with skills in design theory and practice applicable across job markets.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent with a demonstrable interest in Design. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.
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