MRes in Human Computer Interaction

Alex has been working as an independent web-development consultant in France and Britain since graduating from the MRes course in 2003.

"After several years producing corporate websites I realised that no one was addressing the usability of the sites we were creating. I took time off to learn more about design for usability and managed to win contracting work, but more often than not I would lose design arguments and not be able to put my recommendations into practice. Eventually I decided that having a recognised qualification would make it far easier to justify myself professionally.

"I chose the MRes at Lancaster as it was the only Masters degree in the UK that offered everything I considered essential for learning interaction design. The theme of multidisciplinary collaboration was the most important and satisfying aspect. We learnt as much from each other as we did from the lecturers, in my opinion doubling the value of the course. I found that the quality of the academic support was outstanding. This was especially important to me as I didn't have a first degree in either computing or psychology. The staff were always available to provide help and advice and I think this makes it one of the most friendly and accessible courses at the University.

"This was my first experience of campus life, and I was amazed to find shops, banks, and even a hairdresser all 5 minutes walk from my room. The only downside is the weather which is quite harsh in winter, but from spring onwards, its hard to ignore the beauty of the local area. I spent a wonderful year at Lancaster, and I graduated with a large toolkit of techniques for developing better interactive systems, and the strong critical awareness necessary to use them properly. Now I look forward to winning some more of those design arguments!"

Alex's company has its own web site here.

Minyoung was appointed to the post of User Interface Designer at Sony-Ericsson UK shortly after graduating from the MRes course in 2003.

"Prior to taking up full-time study, I worked for the British Council for 3 years as an Examination Services Manager. My job involved a lot of web research and updating web site contents. During my last year with the British Council I wanted to do something different, and decided to study in England. Because of my interest in this area, I was drawn to the Lancaster MRes course. It was a big decision to make as it held the key to my future career. I chose the Lancaster MRes because I believed that I could get a lot more from a course that combines the teaching of theoretical material with opportunities for practical experience via project work, particularly where commercial involvement is concerned.

"The whole application procedure went smoothly even though I sent my application at the very last minute. University, administrative and academic staff were all very supportive. We had a perfect environment for the research and all the modules ran very interactively. The Psychology and Computing Departments had good contacts with companies, so I had the reassurance of knowing that working with a company was a real possibility.

"I had a fantastic time at Lancaster. Everyone was friendly and it is no exaggeration to say that I made special friendships with all my student colleagues. Everyone came from a different background and everyone helped each other in their special areas. We also had a chance to go to Crete for the 'HCI International' conference where we learnt a lot and met a lot of people from all over the world who work in this industry. I can honestly say that last year was the best year of my life!"