WKU News

As technology’s role in day-to-day life grows, it is paramount that universities offer programs that cater to this cultural shift to make students marketable and invaluable employees. In the Department of Art & Design at Western Kentucky University, the User Experience (UX) program is paving a new way for students to excel in the workforce.

The terms “User Experience” or “UX” may sound familiar, but what do they actually entail? Assistant Professor of UX Design, Leah Moss, defines UX Design as a systematic approach to crafting meaningful, usable, and aesthetically pleasing products. This field focuses on all sides of a user’s interactions with a product as well as with designers engaging in user research, branding development, graphic design, and much more.

She explains that UX impacts life every single day and, with the rise of modern technology, it is of the utmost importance to educate students about it.

 “User Experience is all around us because virtually everything around us is designed to be experienced,” says Moss. “It’s concerned with ethics, representing the people who actually use the products.”

UX designers work to ensure that the products they help create can properly serve their users despite factors such as age and mental or physical disabilities. This feat is achieved by either creating specific accommodation options or simply making products more universal and user-friendly.

The Nielson Norman Group estimates that there will be one hundred million UX jobs by 2050, making it one of the fastest growing fields. This estimation, along with the fact that UX jobs have consistently ranked high in both salary and worker satisfaction, make it a promising career path for students interested in the intersection of design and technology.

WKU is the only university in Kentucky to boast a UX program and one of a select few in the United States. Moss acknowledges that many current UX professionals have migrated into the field from other careers and are either self-taught or have completed professional certifications. While these are great options, she says that offering UX in an academic setting is something that is still very novel and sets WKU apart from other universities.

The program houses the Interface Design and Experience Analysis (IDEA) Lab, a UX design and testing lab. Beginning in Fall 2024, it will allow students to gain professional experience and internship credit on campus by working with real-world clients, such as SunSketcher, an application funded by NASA.

“In this program, students are able to dive deep in UX, and, therefore, have more opportunities to develop portfolio-worthy projects,” says Moss. “We’re also geographically positioned well to take advantage of the influx of industry to the Bowling Green area.”

If students are interested in learning more about UX, Moss recommends taking UX 220: Intro to User Experience Design. This course is offered each semester and has no prerequisites. For current UX students, Moss encourages them to get as much experience as possible through class work or internships, as a strong portfolio is essential to success in the UX field.