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:

Part-time (also available Full-time)

Duration:

4 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 four-year part-time 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.

    Part-time routes are negotiated. In the first year of the programme, you will be expected to enrol in taught modules working with your peers. In the second year, you will focus on 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 third year you will be expected to study taught modules to improve your skills and knowledge. In the fourth and final 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.

    Our degrees are designed to fit around your life. We schedule modules on specific days, currently Monday and Friday. This means that if you are studying part-time it is possible to complete the course attending one day a week. Many part-time students find that their employers are sympathetic to this study pattern.
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    Assessments

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

    This course is taught in person at our Merchiston campus.

    Assessment is through studio modules where practice-based student output is collated as a portfolio presentation.

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.

The University does not sponsor students to study on part-time programmes in the UK under the Student Visa route. International Applicants must therefore have other valid immigration leave to study on this programme.

 

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

Graduates from this programme pathway can pursue careers in: 

  • interaction design
  • exhibition, museum and interpretation design
  • service design
  • installation art