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M.A. in IxD 

 
As the only program of its kind in North Texas, UNT’s Master of Arts in Interaction Design equips graduates to drive invention and innovation across industries and take on leadership roles in user experience, product design, and interaction design. 
 
Interaction designers shape how users interact with digital products, ensuring the experience is smooth and engaging.
 
Our program—30 credits, 9 classes, just over 16 months—is flexible for full- and part-time students. You’ll tackle real-world challenges as you explore design research, human-centered design, prototyping, and testing. 
 
Our alumni move into high-impact careers as UX designers, UI designers, interaction designers, UX researchers, product designers, and design project leaders. 
 
Our curriculum emphasizes real-world projects, industry collaboration, and applied research, preparing you for impactful careers as UX designers, UI designers, interaction designers, UX researchers, product designers, and design project leaders. 
 

Program snapshot

M.A. in Design, concentration in Interaction Design
Credits: 9 classes (30 credit hours) 
Duration: 16-and-a-half months
Format: In person. Courses taught at night. Rolling applications.
Location: Denton, TX
Start terms: Fall and Spring
Enrollment: full-time or part-time
Cost: https://estimatemytuition.unt.edu/
Contact: unt
 
Program snapshot (alternative version)
 
Location
In-person 
Duration
16 months
Times
Evenings
Cost
https://estimatemytuition.unt.edu/
 
 
Why study at UNT?
Evening courses to support working professionals
Multidisciplinary classroom experiences that reflect today’s collaborative design teams
Interaction with industry experts through guest lectures, critiques, and hands-on projects
Dedicated, award-winning faculty with deep industry and academic expertise
Real-world, hands-on projects that prepare you for professional practice
DFW is a top 15 U.S. market for UX/interaction design careers
Only program of its kind in North Texas
 
Guided pathway
 
[graphic of curriculum] 
 
Semester 1 (fall)
Start strong
 
Build your foundation of interaction design, human-centered methods, and data visualization.
Semester 2 (sp)
Level up
 
Begin real-world projects with industry partners and translate research-based insights to action. 
Semester 3 (su)
Apply learnings
 
Complete a professional internship to translate classroom learning into real-world experience. 
Semester 4 (fall)
Pitch it
 
Finish with a capstone that helps you transition from campus to career. 
[list of classes]
[classes]
[classes]
[classes]
 
 
See examples of industry projects
 
 
See examples of past capstone projects
 
 
Student experience
Half of our students are working professionals, taking classes part-time, while the other half study full-time. Students have the opportunity to apply as a teaching assistant in their second semester. 
 
You’ll learn in a collaborative studio environment, tackling real-world design challenges and building a portfolio that reflects industry-ready skills. Our program connects students with faculty mentors, alumni, and industry partners through projects, critiques, and workshops.
 
Scholarships available 
 
[images from recent shoot]
 
Quote from Rebekah Irizarry, UX Analyst, Chase
Nathan Smith, Microsoft 
Mohammed Gyasi, 
 
 
 
Rebekah Irizarry - Caregiver experience 
Nathan Smith – MS Teams
Mohammed Gyasi – Reimagining hospital waiting room experience. Comm status of patient’s. Wife delivered day before capstone. Worked at Deloitte. 
 
 
Graduate Projects + Capstones
Industry-sponsored Projects
In your second semester, you’ll work on an industry-sponsored project that helps you make an immediate impact on real design challenges. You’ll practice human-centered design with real stakeholders while expanding your professional network.
 
Glidance
Understanding how to reach blind individuals
Graduate students developed 8 strategies and 11 concepts around awareness, adoption and aspiration to reach blind users not already connected to blind-low vision communities
Final presentation
Final video
 
CVS/Signify Health 
Building trust during in-home health evaluations
Graduate students distilled 300+ ideas into 40 insights from applied research and 12 actionable strategies that help SignifyHealth strengthen trust and member retention.
Final presentation
 
EndoMD
Improving diabetes education in rural North Texas
Students developed a comprehensive four-prong strategy to help the 2.7 million Texans with diabetes and raise awareness among the 500,000 Texans with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
Final presentation
 
NASA
Reigniting curiosity about space exploration
Students worked with four NASA engineers who worked on ASTRO-1, the space mission after the Challenger, envisioning a museum exhibit that celebrates its legacy and sparks curiosity.
Final presentation
Final video
 
Sams Club
Radically reimagining the member exit experience
Graduate students uncovered 30 member pain points and 60 opportunities that reduce shrink while also serving members. They presented 20 final  concepts to Sam’s innovation team.
Final presentation
 
Capstone Projects 
 
Capstone projects showcase the creativity, rigor, and impact of our graduates. Each demonstrates how students research, design, and deliver solutions to real problems. Featured here are examples of the diverse challenges our students have taken on.
 
Quote from Rebekah Irizarry, UX Analyst, Chase
Nathan Smith, Microsoft 
Aqsa Cheema
 
 
 
Mohammed Gyasi – Reimagining hospital waiting room experience. Comm status of patient’s. Wife delivered day before capstone. Worked at Deloitte. 
Thal Gaston – Breed-restriction bias (dogs). Someone had an immediate eviction. Someone was moving from out-of-state. Wanted to find breed-friendly apartments/homes. PawPerty Fetch. 
Nathan Smith – MS Teams 
Lydia – Funeral experience 
Louis Merino – Helped him move up in his job to move in BSW + promotion. Improved confidence. 
Rebekah Irizarry - Caregiver experience 
Aqsa Cheema – 
Amber - Reimagining Zoo experience. Currently 
 
Careers and outcomes
 
Our alumni work at leading companies, startups and research organizations in the DFW area and beyond.  
 
 
 
 
You’ll take on roles like: 
 
Design Researcher
Design Strategist
Interaction Designer
Product Designer
Service Designer
UX Designer
 
 
Admission requirements
A four-year bachelor's degree is required to apply. The priority date for applications [ xxx ]. 
 
Contact Information
Michael R. Gibson
Professor of Design
Coordinator, M.A. in IxD program
940-565-3621
michael.gibson@unt.edu