Prepare for a career in interdisciplinary, collaborative teams in user experience design and research industries.
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
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Upcoming eventsThis is a highly innovative degree which will equip you for a career in industry and research in our increasingly digitised and connected world.
This course is designed for those with a background in computer science or a related human computer interaction discipline such as design, information technology or psychology. The course will provide industry relevant practical skills in iterative, user-centred research methods, and principles underpinning the design and evaluation of user experiences (UX) with interactive technologies.
The course will ensure you develop skills and expertise in gaining deep, human-centred, understanding of users across a range of contexts, where you will learn how to use qualitative and quantitative research techniques drawn from the diverse fields of psychology, computer science, sociology, and beyond. By the end of the programme, you will be able to elicit and analyse the goals and capabilities of potential users, propose inclusive, ethical design solutions for interactive technologies, and evaluate the quality of user experiences with designs applied for a range of purposes: all skills in demand in modern, UX related careers.
The course is also suitable if you are considering a research-focused career in academia or industry, as it provides breadth in an expanding and thriving research field, and the opportunity to specialise in particular areas through an independent research project.
This course is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered IT Professional - CITP Further Learning.
It is also accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for a Chartered Engineer.
Find out more about what this professional accreditation means.
Our staff are at the cutting edge of their fields and we maintain strong links with industry.
On the course you will undertake core modules comprising a mixture of lectures, practical classes, and seminars, plus a significant amount of personal study time.
Following the modules, you will undertake a six-month individual study module with assessed dissertation.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
The independent study module extends the second half of the course in to the summer vacation period and gives you the opportunity to explore a topic in depth.
In order to undertake the independent study module, you will discuss and agree a topic with academic members of staff. You will have the opportunity to pick a topic that suits your interests and abilities. Your project will contribute new knowledge to the field of human-centered interactive technologies, or apply existing theories and design practice to novel domains.
Examples of previous projects include:
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.
The lecturers are all exceptional. They are very approachable and the group dynamic lends itself well to extending teaching beyond the classroom. Informal chats outside of class have helped me to put abstract ideas into focus and I have always felt that the lecturers treat us as peers rather than students.Jonathan, MSc in Human-Centred Interactive Technologies
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £13,300 | £31,900 |
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 will be taught via a mixture of lectures, practical classes, seminars, and a significant amount of personal study time.
In addition each module will be supported by our Virtual Learning Environment, which will provide access to useful materials and resources.
You will have a personal tutor who provides academic and pastoral advice throughout your course.
Built to the highest specifications, the department is packed with cutting-edge facilities housed in a modern, self-contained building.
The department houses four software labs and two hardware labs.
Our Interaction Labs provide excellent facilities for human-computer interaction research. The Interaction Labs consist of an Accessibility and Usability Lab, a Games Research Lab, and the HomeLab (comprising a living room and a fully functioning kitchen) all of which are stocked with the latest technologies.
Find out more about our facilities, including a video tour, showing our labs, teaching and research spaces.
Computer Science is based on Campus East. The majority of teaching on this course takes place on Campus East in the Computer Science building and Ron Cooke Hub.
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 taught modules on this course are examined by open assessments. The assessments will be published soon after the start of a module to provide you with enough time to work on these alongside attending any lectures, practicals or seminars. The programme includes a mix of individual assessments, as well as group assessments, where you will work together in teams on a design or research project. Within practical classes and seminars, you will receive feedback on exercises and activities throughout the module. Assessments will be due at the end of each module.
Once you have successfully completed the taught modules, you will undertake an individual project. Here you will work on a topic relevant to human-centred interactive technologies, and document the results in a dissertation.
Graduates completing the course will be equipped to play leading and professional roles related to the design and evaluation of interactive technologies in industry, commerce, academia and public service. The MSc in Human-Centred Interactive Technologies is also intended to provide a route into a PhD or research in this rapidly expanding field.
Discussing my time at York and my MSc in my Capgemini interview was a definite advantage, as it put me a step ahead of the rest.Alex, MSc in Human-Centred Interactive Technologies, 2011
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in Computer Science or an relevant discipline related to human-computer interaction, such as design, information technology or psychology, or equivalent industrial experience. |
| 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 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.
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