Dennis Cheatham in front of wind turbines on the plains of Texas

Experience Design MFA

Stories and work coming out of the xdMFA.

MFA in Experience Design from Miami University

Visit our main site at xd.miamioh.edu

Experience Design at Miami

  • man

    People-Driven

    Partner with people to discover unarticulated needs and co-create culturally relevant outcomes.

  • people discussing at a table

    Research Intensive

    Learn and apply design research methods to design, develop, deploy and test innovations.

  • woman using virtual reality

    Experience-Centered

    Integrate service, interaction, and communication design processes to enhance accessibility and engage the senses.

  • a typewriter disassembled

    Detailed Design

    Create multi-sensory design prototypes and plans with a high degree of formal and functional detail.

Why Experience Design?

Whether digital or physical, products and services designed with the experience as their focus can empower and delight.

Find out how and why at xd.miamioh.edu

News + Updates

Stories and work coming out of the xdMFA.

#xdmfa

The xdMFA via Instagrams in real-time. See the complete set of ongoing Instagrams.

Distant, but not Distanced

Regardless of where you are, you can study Experience Design in the xdMFA.

Learning experiences at xd.miamioh.edu

A Hybrid Approach

Everyone has different learning needs and different life challenges. xdMFA combines online learning, offsite study, and travel to create an immersive, flexible learning experience that's as innovative as the content it covers.

  • Read More at xd.mimaioh.edu

    Oxford Weekend

    At the start of their degree work, new students meet in Oxford, Ohio for a long weekend of workshops, events, and exploration to launch their experience design journey.

  • Read More at xd.miamioh.edu

    Online Learning

    Participate in discussions, critique work asynchronously, share progress, engage in collaborative group work, and complete lessons—all when it fits into your weekly schedule.

  • Read More at xd.miamioh.edu

    Virtual Studios

    Several times each semester, learners participate in courses via video hangouts—reconnecting with students and faculty for a long lunch of learning, critique, and camaraderie.

  • Read More at xd.miamioh.edu
    san francisco plaza

    Destination Weekends

    Once every semester, students and faculty meet at a different destination for an immersive, long weekend of applied design research.

Design Defies Definition

A transdisciplinary Master of Fine Arts in Experience Design to expand design thinking, knowledge, and skills.

Course details at xd.miamioh.edu

A Degree for the Curious

Experience design engages thinking, knowledge, and skills in field research, coding, physical construction, visual design, marketing, and presentation. If you're a degreed expert and have the portfolio to prove it you may have the makings of an experience designer.

  • man designing a logo

    Designers

    Those who come from a range of design practices will develop knowledge and skills in research methods that provide evidence for design innovations and skills for developing and testing digital and physical prototypes.

  • man interviewing a woman

    Researchers

    Researchers from the social sciences, humanities, and other disciplines will practice design thinking and doing—expanding their understanding of designing and conducting research into products and services.

  • woman writing code

    Technologists

    Developers will grow their design skills to make their outcomes more polished, engaging, and endearing to the people who use them as well as the user experience research methods to find out why.

  • women working on a computer

    Marketers

    Business professionals will expand their knowledge of design thinking processes that can yield successful innovations in the marketplace and will learn how to lead human-centered design teams.

Engaged Learning

Experience Design is multisensory and multifaceted, and so are the ways the xdMFA approaches learning.

Multiple Intelligences

For decades, researchers have challenged notions of one type of human intelligence (IQ). This research has been adapted for our program. Every learning experience in the xdMFA has been designed to develop and measure five different intelligences.

  • a clock

    Practical

    "Common Sense" or "Street Smarts"

    Meet deadlines, follow procedures, adapt to workplace culture, and work within limitations.

  • puzzle toy

    Analytical

    Critical Thinking and Reason

    Reason through problems, work iteratively, make well-informed, logical decisions.

  • sparkler

    Creative

    Synthesis and Invention

    Generate inventive, engaging ideas and outcomes.

  • woman's eye

    Emotional

    Interpreting and Expressing Emotions

    Accurately interpret and apply emotions in design work and personal interactions.

  • people talking

    Social

    Collaboration and Engagement With Others

    Collaborate in teams, work one-on-one with others, facilitate consensus.

Apply Now

You've heard our stories. Now start your own experience. Apply or contact us to learn more.

Apply at xd.miamioh.edu