About
The M.Des in UI/UX Design at Pimpri Chinchwad University (PCU) is a cutting-edge program designed to equip aspiring designers with advanced skills in user interface and user experience design. The program emphasizes user-centered design, interaction design, design thinking, and digital product innovation. With a curriculum that blends creativity, technology, and strategic thinking, students are trained to design intuitive, aesthetically compelling, and user-friendly digital experiences across various platforms.
Recognized as one of India's top institutions for design education, PCU delivers an industry-aligned syllabus enriched with hands-on learning, studio projects, and real-world case studies. Students engage in practical exercises using the latest design tools and technologies while receiving guidance from experienced faculty and industry experts. The program prepares graduates to lead in the rapidly evolving fields of app and web design, digital product development, and user research.
With a strong placement record, active industry collaborations, and a vibrant alumni network, students are well-positioned for rewarding careers in global tech firms, design studios, and startups. The university’s state-of-the-art digital labs and interdisciplinary environment support holistic student development, preparing them to become forward-thinking, socially responsible design professionals.
Preamble
In a digitally driven world, where experiences are shaped through screens and interfaces, UI/UX Design stands at the intersection of technology, psychology, and creativity. The demand for skilled UI/UX professionals has surged, as organizations increasingly prioritize intuitive and inclusive digital interactions.
Pimpri Chinchwad University’s Bachelor and Master of Design programs aim to build a strong intellectual and creative foundation. The UI/UX specialization empowers students to think critically, design ethically, and innovate sustainably. Through an experiential learning model, students are encouraged to apply user research and behavioral insights to solve real-world problems.
This program nurtures a new generation of design leaders who are well-versed in strategy, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Graduates are not only equipped to shape future digital experiences but also to advocate for human-centered design approaches that positively impact individuals, businesses, and communities.
Vision and Mission
Program Objectives
The M.Des in UI/UX Design program aims to develop professionals who can lead in the design of impactful digital experiences. Program objectives include:
- User-Centered Thinking: Equip students to design with empathy by deeply understanding user needs and behaviors.
- Critical & Design Thinking: Apply creative problem-solving in complex, uncertain, and evolving digital contexts.
- Research & Insight Development: Build expertise in qualitative and quantitative research to inform design decisions.
- Visual & Interaction Design: Master the principles of visual hierarchy, usability, typography, and motion design.
- Proficiency in Tools & Prototyping: Gain expertise in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, and InVision.
- Emerging Technologies: Explore the role of AI, AR/VR, and conversational UI in future digital ecosystems.
- Strategic Design & Innovation: Understand how design drives business and social value through meaningful innovation.
2 Years
Duration
₹ 2,00,000
Fees (Per Annum)
PCET
Centralized Placement Cell
Admission fees Rs 10,000/-
Program Highlights
UI/UX Labs with Latest Tools & Software
Live Projects with Real Clients and Startups
User Research Field Studies and Ethnographic Projects
Workshops with Top UI/UX Designers & Industry Mentors
Global Design Trends & Case Study Integration
Course Curriculum
Semester
I
- Fundamentals of Design
- Design Thinking and Innovation
- Introduction to Design Research
- HCI and User Experience
- Design Studio - I
- UX Design
- Cognitive Design and Ethnography
- OE - I
Semester
II
- Omnipresence Design
- Service Design and Enterprise UX
- Customer Experience in Sectoral Domains
- Design Studio - II
- OE - II
- Summer Internship
Semester
III
- Analytics and Discovery Informatics
- UX for AR/IoT/Emerging Technologies
- G2C (Government to Citizen) UX
- Design Studio - III
- OE - III
- Portfolio Making
Semester
IV
- Post Graduation Internship
- Dissertation
List of Open Elective Courses:
- Open Elective - I: Mobile App Development from Concept to Market
- Open Elective - I: Fundamentals of Analytics and Informatics
- Open Elective - II: UX Design for Emerging Technologies
- Open Elective - II: Design for Digital Marketing
- Open Elective - III: Design Management
- Open Elective - III: Digital Agriculture
Web Development (WD)
Offering School : School of
Engineering &
Technology
- WD Minor1 : Introduction of HTML (# II/ *IV)
- WD Minor2 : Getting started with JavaScript (# III/ *V)
- WD Minor3 : Server-side Programming with Node.js (# IV/*VI)
- WD Minor4 : Front-end Development with React & Type Script (# V/*VII)
- WD Minor5 : Back-end frameworks - Django, Ruby on Rails (# VI/*VIII)
Robotics Process Automation
(RP)
Offering School : School of
Engineering &
Technology
- RP Minor1 : Basics of Robotics Process Automation (# II/ *IV)
- RP Minor2 : Fundamentals of RPA Business Analysis (# III/ *V)
- RP Minor3 : Automation Techniques in RPA (# IV/*VI)
- RP Minor4 : Future of RPA with Business Automation (# V/*VII)
- RP Minor5 : RPA Tool (# VI/*VIII)
Artificial intelligence &
Machine Learning
(ML)
Offering School : School of
Engineering &
Technology
- ML Minor1 : Artificial Intelligence (# II/ *IV)
- ML Minor2 : Machine Learning (# III/ *V)
- ML Minor3 : Natural Language Processing (# IV/*VI)
- ML Minor4 : Optimization Techniques (# V/*VII)
- ML Minor5 : Deep Learning For Computer Vision (# VI/*VIII)
Data Science (DS)
Offering School : School of
Engineering &
Technology
- DS Minor1 : Applied Data Science With Python (# II/ *IV)
- DS Minor2 : Data Visualization With Tableau (# III/ *V)
- DS Minor3 : Business Analytics (# IV/*VI)
- DS Minor4 : Data Analytics (# V/*VII)
- DS Minor5 : Generative AI (# VI/*VIII)
Media Communications (MM)
Offering School : School of media
&
communications studies
- MM Minor1 : Literary Study (# II/ *IV)
- MM Minor2 : Digital Media Production (# III/ *V)
- MM Minor3 : Photography (# IV/*VI)
- MM Minor4 : Performing Arts - Theater (# V/*VII)
- MM Minor5 : Film Studies (# VI/*VIII)
Psychology (PSY)
Offering School : School of
science
- PSY Minor1 : Introductory Psychology (# II/ *IV)
- PSY Minor2 : Foundations of Social Psychology (# III/ *V)
- PSY Minor3 : Theories of Personality Development (# IV/*VI)
- PSY Minor4 : Industrial Psychology (# V/*VII)
- PSY Minor5 : Mindfulness and Mental Health (# VI/*VIII)
Nutrition (NUT)
Offering School : School of
science
- NUT Minor1 : Human Nutrition (# II/ *IV)
- NUT Minor2 : Lifestyle Management (# III/ *V)
- NUT Minor3 : Introduction to Weight Management (# IV/*VI)
- NUT Minor4 : Food Quality and Management (# V/*VII)
- NUT Minor5 : Novel Foods and Application (# VI/*VIII)
Design Thinking &
Methodologies (DM)
Offering School : Pune Design
School
- DM Minor1 : Design Thinking (# II/ *IV)
- DM Minor2 : Brand Identity Design (# III/ *V)
- DM Minor3 : Digital tools for 2D design (# IV/*VI)
- DM Minor4 : Physical model making/ Prototyping (# V/*VII)
- DM Minor5 : Digital Tools for 3D design (# VI/*VIII)
Economics & Finance (FE)
Offering School : School of
Management
- FE Minor1 : Micro-economics (# II/ *IV)
- FE Minor2 : Fundamentals of Accounting (# III/ *V)
- FE Minor3 : Principles of Finance (# IV/*VI)
- FE Minor4 : Cost and Management Accounting (# V/*VII)
- FE Minor5 : Macro economics (# VI/*VIII)
Entrepreneurship and
Innovations (EI)
Offering School : School of
Management
- EI Minor1 : Entrepreneurship-New venture Development (# II/ *IV)
- EI Minor2 : Rural Entrepreneurship (# III/ *V)
- EI Minor3 : Design Thinking (# IV/*VI)
- EI Minor4 : Institutional and Legal framework for Startups and small Businesses (# V/*VII)
- EI Minor5 : Managing creativity and learning organizations (# VI/*VIII)
Drugs & Healthcare (DH)
Offering School : School of
Pharmacy
- DH Minor1 : Health and hygiene (# II/ *IV)
- DH Minor2 : Know your drugs (# III/ *V)
- DH Minor3 : Complementary and alternative medicine (# IV/*VI)
- DH Minor4 : Drug Discovery (# V/*VII)
- DH Minor5 : Forensic Science (# VI/*VIII)
Software Application Design and
Development
(AD)
Offering School : School of
Engineering and
Technology
- AD Minor1 : System Analysis and Design (# II/ *IV)
- AD Minor2 : User Experience and Design (# III/ *V)
- AD Minor3 : Introduction to GitHub. (# IV/*VI)
- AD Minor4 : Introduction to Gaming Applications. (# V/*VII)
- AD Minor5 : Mobile Application Development (# VI/*VIII)
Cyber Security (CS)
Offering School : School of
Engineering and
Technology
- CS Minor1 : Cyber Ethics, Cyber Law and Cyber Policy (# II/ *IV)
- CS Minor2 : Introduction to Cryptography (# III/ *V)
- CS Minor3 : Social Media Security. (# IV/*VI)
- CS Minor4 : Introduction to Blockchain. (# V/*VII)
- CS Minor5 : Data Security & Privacy. (# VI/*VIII)
English Literature (E)
Offering School : School of
Liberal Arts
- E Minor1 : English for Competitive Examinations-I (# II/ *IV)
- E Minor2 : English for Competitive Examinations-II (# III/ *V)
- E Minor3 : English for Competitive Examinations-III (# IV/*VI)
- E Minor4 : English for Competitive Examinations-IV (# V/*VII)
- E Minor5 : English for Competitive Examinations-V (# VI/*VIII)
English Literature (E)
Offering School : School of
Liberal Arts
- Learning English With Shakespeare-Romeo and Juliet (Minor-I) (# II/ *IV)
- Learning English With Shakespeare-Hamlet (Minor-II) (# III/ *V)
# : Courses offered for B Sc, BBA, Media, and Management & Liberal Arts
Programme
Programme Educational Objectives (PEOs)
- Acquire the ability to conduct user research, usability testing, and data-driven analysis to identify user needs and design opportunities.
- Build a strong capacity to think critically and create innovative, user-centric design solutions in response to real-world challenges.
- Demonstrate proficiency in applying advanced digital tools, design systems, and emerging technologies such as AR/VR, AI, and conversational interfaces.
- Exhibit strong competence in both visual storytelling and interactive prototyping to effectively communicate ideas and concepts.
- Approach design problems with strategic foresight and an entrepreneurial attitude, contributing to business growth and innovation in the digital domain.
Programme Outcomes (POs)
- Research Mindset: Adopt a human-centered approach to research that involves empathy, user interviews, testing, and behavioral analysis to inform design.
- Critical & Design Thinking: Solve complex UX challenges by applying structured design thinking methodologies, ideation processes, and iterative testing.
- Technology Fluency: Show adaptability and curiosity toward the integration of new and emerging technologies in digital product design and development.
- Prototyping & Digital Tools Proficiency: Develop interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools such as Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, and InVision.
- Strategic UX Perspective: Demonstrate understanding of how UI/UX decisions impact user behavior, business performance, and technological feasibility.
- Ethical & Inclusive Design Practice: Promote design that is accessible, inclusive, and ethically responsible to ensure a positive impact on diverse user groups.
- Collaborative and Entrepreneurial Thinking: Work effectively in interdisciplinary teams and display leadership in startup or corporate environments through collaborative innovation.
Programme Specific Outcomes (PSOs)
- Use structured design processes to develop interfaces and experiences that serve user needs while aligning with business goals and sustainability.
- Create innovative and empathetic digital solutions that are technically feasible and commercially sustainable.
- Refine ideas through cycles of user testing, feedback, and iterative design to achieve seamless interaction flows and user satisfaction.
- Apply knowledge of user psychology, ergonomics, and behavioral science to improve usability and experience.
- Identify user pain points and preferences through demographic analysis, cultural understanding, and future trend forecasting.
- Develop reflective thinking, self-assessment, and an adaptive learning approach to stay current with the fast-evolving design landscape.
- Collaborate professionally, manage design projects with discipline, and uphold ethical standards in digital design and user research.
Eligibility
Open Category student should have scored a minimum of 50% of the score in any graduation degree and 45% marks in case of candidates belonging to reserved category.
Candidates are selected on the basis of Personal Interview and Merit based on class graduation percentage.
Career Opportunities
There are many exciting career opportunities in M.Des in UI/UX and Integrated Experience Design such as
FAQ's
What is the scope of the M.Des in UI/UX and Integrated Experience Design program?
The M.Des in UI/UX and Integrated Experience Design at Pimpri Chinchwad University offers a future-forward curriculum focused on digital design, user research, interface development, and experience strategy. Students explore human-centered design, cognitive science, HCI, and service design to build user-first digital products and systems. The program also encourages innovation through real-world projects and collaboration with industry leaders.
What career opportunities are available after completing the M.Des in UI/UX Design?
Graduates can pursue careers as UX Designers, UI Designers, Interaction Designers, UX Researchers, Product Designers, Design Strategists, or Service Designers. They are in demand across sectors such as tech, healthcare, fintech, edtech, retail, and government UX projects. Opportunities also exist in design consulting, startups, enterprise solutions, and innovation labs.
Does the program include practical training and internships?
Yes, the curriculum includes hands-on design studios, user testing labs, industry projects, and a mandatory summer internship. This ensures that students apply what they learn in real environments and graduate with a strong portfolio.
What are the placement opportunities after completing the M.Des in UI/UX?
PCU’s strong industry partnerships and career support enable graduates to get placed in top product companies, digital agencies, design consultancies, and innovation-driven enterprises. Students have access to mock interviews, resume workshops, and campus drives.
Are there opportunities for international exposure in this program?
Yes, students can benefit from international workshops, collaborative projects with global institutions, and guest lectures by international faculty and industry leaders.
What facilities are available for students in the M.Des in UI/UX program?
Students have access to cutting-edge UX labs, usability testing rooms, AR/VR studios, digital fabrication labs, collaborative workspaces, and a digital design library with UI kits, templates, and case studies.
How does the program incorporate design for emerging technologies?
The curriculum includes courses in UX for emerging tech such as AR/VR, IoT, AI, and service design for sectors like fintech and edtech. Students learn how to design intuitive interfaces and systems that adapt to new digital environments.
Can students specialize in a particular area of UI/UX design?
Yes, through elective courses, students can specialize in areas like UX research, accessibility, interaction design, or design management. Capstone projects and internships allow further domain-specific exploration.
What skills will students acquire in the M.Des in UI/UX program?
Students gain expertise in user research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, interaction flows, UI design systems, storytelling, cognitive science, and data-driven design. They also build critical thinking, collaboration, and client communication skills.