Graduate with a portfolio that demonstrates creative authorship and technical fluency
The Master of Science in Immersive Experience Design is a transdisciplinary, graduate program where design, real-time technology, spatial storytelling and research come together. Students learn to create immersive experiences across physical space, virtual environments and hybrid systems, spanning XR, digital twins, simulation, responsive installations, data-driven design and human-centered interaction.
Located at ASU’s Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center in downtown Mesa, Arizona, the program is studio-based, project-driven and portfolio-oriented. You graduate with work that demonstrates both creative authorship and technical fluency, supported by critique, mentorship and public presentation.
Why students choose Immersive Experience Design
If you want to work at the intersection of design and emerging technology, this program is built for that.
You will learn how to:
- Design immersive environments with strong composition and aesthetic control
- Build real-time interactive systems that respond to people, space and data
- Prototype across multiple platforms and integrate workflows professionally
- Use research methods to test and improve immersive experiences
- Make ethically grounded decisions about privacy, bias, accessibility and impact
Who this program is for
The MS in Immersive Experience Design attracts students from design, architecture, media arts, engineering, computing and related fields who want to build immersive systems with real-world relevance.
You are a strong fit if you want to:
- Move beyond single-medium work and design integrated experiences
- Combine technical skill with design leadership
- Build a portfolio that communicates systems thinking, not just aesthetics
- Work on projects that connect to civic, cultural, research and industry contexts
What you will make
Projects span virtual, physical and hybrid forms. In the program you can pursue:
- Real-time interactive worlds and environments
- XR experiences grounded in spatial and user-centered design
- Responsive installations that react to audience interaction and environmental inputs
- Data-driven immersive systems and simulation experiences
- Public-facing work intended for exhibition and critique
A curriculum designed for both craft and systems
The Immersive Experience Design degree is design-centered, but technically rigorous. Students build foundations, then apply them through advanced studio work and culminating projects.
Design and worldbuilding
- Spatial composition, storytelling, environmental design, worldbuilding practice
Real-time technical production
- 3D modeling, asset pipelines, real-time rendering, simulation behaviors, interactive systems
Programming for immersive systems
- Programming fundamentals, OOP, creative coding, generative systems, AI-assisted development workflows
Applied research
- Qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method research, user testing, evaluation, data collection and visualization
Ethics and social impact
Accessibility, privacy, data ethics, AI bias, sustainability, social justice, ethics as praxis within project work
This is a studio-centered program. Your work develops through iterative making, critique, testing and revision.
Expect:
- Weekly production cycles and reviews
- Team-based work and collaboration
- Workshops and hackathons tied to real capabilities
- Public presentations and end-of-semester exhibitions
The program culminates in a comprehensive project where students demonstrate integration and professional-level execution. Work may be realized as a virtual environment, physical installation, or hybrid experience. Students document, present and defend conceptual frameworks, technical choices and implementation strategy.
Connect with us
If you have any questions, please reach out to us! The quickest way to reach us is through email. Our admission representatives in the Herberger Institute can provide admissions guidance and support to prospective students.
480-965-3436