Design for Interactive Art & Experiences MFA



Explore new and emerging methods for prototyping experiences and products for design and visual arts outcomes and interventions.

Course overview

The MFA Design for Interactive Art & Experiences will afford you the opportunity to develop your individual practice and make an in-depth exploration of design and visual arts principles for the creation of interactive and responsive environments. You will work with traditional and digital fabrication methods and apply programming for digital media, software and hardware. You will learn the skills and attitude to rapidly adopt new technology, software and hardware and bend it to your will.

Your studies will involve taught modules with peers in the sibling programmes MA Design for Interactive Experience, MA Heritage and Exhibition Design and MA Lighting Design. You can choose which taught modules you feel you would benefit from. Your study in the first year will determine your practice-based work in the second year. Throughout your time on the course, you are expected to conduct a significant amount of self-directed study in tandem with subject supervisors. It is in the self-directed study that you will develop projects for public display and explore your own professional practice.

The MFA is recognised as an advanced masters level degree and students already holding an appropriate MA can apply to enter directly into the second year of study.

Mode of Study:

Full-time (also available Part-time)

Duration:

2 years

Course details

The MFA Interactive Art & Experiences works at the intersection of creativity and new and emerging technology, attracting applicants with backgrounds in both design and the visual arts, as well as computing and engineering.

Technologically driven creative interventions are deployed increasingly as objects or spaces, both as a form of critique on the challenges of modern life, and to enhance user experiences and the quality of life. Your studies will focus on and around interaction between the physical and the digital.

Popular modules

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    How you’ll be taught

    This two-year MFA offers students the opportunity to extend project work through an in depth, research-led creative enquiry. Throughout the degree you will work in tandem with the taught design MA programmes. You will have the opportunity to choose from optional modules developing subject specific-skills and knowledge, external research, entrepreneurial collaboration, and practice-based research.

    In the first year of the programme, you will be enrolled onto the 60-credit module Guided Studio Practice. In this module you will work closely with a supervisor to develop an output for display in our annual Degree Show.

    In the second year, you will extend your practice with the 60-credit module Advanced Studio Practice. This is your opportunity to act independently and produce a major output that expresses your own personal practice.

    You will exit the programme with a professional portfolio that enhances industry and employment opportunities or, with an emphasis on research, offers a robust gateway into PhD-level study.
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    Assessments

     All assessments are project based with a focus on your individual attainment.
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    Work placement

     You will have the opportunity to develop working linkages with practitioners in complementing fields of expertise that can be extended beyond your studies in professional spheres.
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    Facilities

    This course is taught in person at our Merchiston campus.

    Studies are studio based with activities taught in specialist spaces. You will develop prototypes and work with specialist technology and equipment. Where specific software or equipment is required for modules, it is provided. As this programme works at the cutting edge of digital technology, it is advantageous to have a good quality laptop.

Meet your Programme Leader and Teaching Team

Throughout your studies, you'll learn from experienced professionals and industry leaders who bring valuable expertise, insight and real-world perspectives to your learning experience.

Programme Leader: Tom Flint.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Design for Interactive Art & Experiences

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above. We look for applicants to have a background in any discipline in order to be eligible for the programme.

Can I get admission into Design for Interactive Art & Experiences based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient professional work experience within the industry.

English language

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.
We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • MSc Nursing courses
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2026/27 2027/28
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £5,960 tba
Overseas and EU £14,030 tba

You study this course over two academic years, fees listed are per annum.

Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.

Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers & employability

What can you do with a MFA Design for Interactive Art & Experiences course? 

The MFA Design for Interactive Art & Experiences programme offers you the chance to develop yourself as a practitioner.  By developing skills in interaction design and responsive environments you will be able to apply your own creative sensibilities to create computer driven interactive work.  While exploring your practice, you will have the opportunity to engage with both traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge digital fabrication techniques.  Our workshops will give you the opportunity to develop practical skills in making and crafting.  You will also explore programming for digital media, industry standard software, development environments and hardware production. 

With the space and time to develop your understanding of Interactive Art and Experiences, you will be equipped with the skills and mindset to harness technology and shape it according to your vision. Graduates from this programme pathway are popular freelance contributors to large scale projects can pursue careers in:

  • Interaction design 
  • Creative technology design 
  • Exhibition, museum and interpretation design 
  • Immersive experience design 
  • Curator and gallery designer 

An MFA is considered a terminal degree in the U.S.A. and would provide you the opportunity to pursue an academic career there and in other countries. 

Recognized as an advanced master's level degree, the MFA welcomes students with diverse backgrounds, including design, visual arts, computing, and engineering. Our curriculum is designed to push the boundaries of creativity and technology, focusing on the intersection between the physical and the digital. Through hands-on projects, critical discourse, and industry insights, you'll explore how technologically driven creative interventions can both critique modern challenges and enhance user experience, ultimately shaping the future of interactive art and experiences. 

By enrolling into this course, you will join us at the forefront of innovation and creativity, and unleash the full potential of interactive art and experiences in the digital age.

What does an Interactive Art & Experience Designer do? 

In this role, you utilise your creativity to transform spaces into captivating environments that educate, entertain, and inspire.  You'll serve as the visionary architect behind several activities and experiential environments, blending art, technology, and narrative to create memorable experiences that engage diverse audiences.  This type of designer often works in museums, exhibitions, theatre, immersive experience but the understanding of inter=grating the digital and the physical is in demand in most industries. 

You work will see you collaborating with curators, artists, and technical experts to develop thematic concepts.  You will be designing interactive and visually stunning environments that respond to visitors’ presence.  You will have the skills to ensure every detail contributes to a cohesive and impactful visitor experience.  You'll leverage your expertise in spatial design, lighting, and multimedia integration to create environments that are both functional and emotionally resonant. Your passion for design and your ability to blend aesthetics with functionality will set you apart as a master of immersive environments, inspiring wonder and curiosity.