As one of the first students to enter Michigan State University’s Master of Arts in User Experience (UX) program, Joseph Ambrose is part of a pioneering cohort helping shape the future of the fledgling degree. Set to graduate this summer, Ambrose is balancing full-time work in UX design while completing the final two courses of the fully online program.
Ambrose, a Perry, Michigan native, began the program in fall 2023, the inaugural year of MSU’s UXMS.
“Since the program was so new, I thought it would be a really cool opportunity to learn and also help out where I can,” he said.
Before MSU, Ambrose earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from Iowa State University. There, he started tailoring his coursework toward UX with the help of instructors familiar with the evolving field. That pivot ultimately led him to UX professionally and academically.
Currently the Lead UX/UI Designer at a small, fully remote tech company formerly based in Seattle, Ambrose manages his dual roles by working closely with his employer to carve out time for coursework.
“It was intense,” he admitted. “At one point, I was pushing 80-hour weeks.”
To manage the workload, Ambrose reduced his course load and restructured his time.
“You have to physically give yourself that break,” he said. “Otherwise, you're just going to spend way more time trying to do something you can't focus on. Resetting yourself is productive too.”
Throughout the program, Ambrose said several faculty members and courses stood out, particularly program director Jeff Siarto, and the courses “Social Science for Design” (UX 810) and “Designing for Integrity” (UX 830).
He credited the program’s focus on design psychology as especially valuable, citing lessons like the peak-end rule, which explores how people disproportionately remember the end and peak moments of experiences. Recommended books such as 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People and Laws of UX have also become part of his design toolkit.
Ambrose emphasized how the program has helped him evolve beyond visual aesthetics and functionality.
“When you get to a higher level of design education, it’s really about understanding the ‘why’ behind decisions,” he said. “That lets you apply those principles to broader contexts, not just checkboxes.”
Looking ahead, Ambrose sees his career trajectory leaning more toward leadership in UX, particularly in the context of emerging technology.
“AI is going to change everything,” he said. “UX professionals will become the overseers and drivers of AI-powered design processes. It’s about using AI to empower and refine our work, not replace it.”
As one of the program’s early graduates, Ambrose offers future students a word of advice: “Make the decision for yourself. You’re paying for it, so do the work in a way that benefits you in the long term. Create projects you’ll be proud of.”
MSU’s UXMS program remains in its early stages, but thanks to students like Ambrose, its foundation is already being laid with real-world experience, practical insight, and a clear vision for the future of design.
The Master of Science in User Experience (UXMS) program at Michigan State University is an asynchronous, 100% online professional degree designed to help graduates become leaders in UX. Taught by world-class faculty, the program and its courses emphasize a “user-first” perspective, integrating knowledge of human-computer interaction with industry-relevant methods and social responsibility. Learn More / Apply