The Master’s in User Experience (UX) program at Michigan State University is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to create intuitive, impactful digital experiences.
Holly Clock is finishing up her first semester in the program and embarking on a transformative journey, blending theory with practical application to understand user needs, behaviors, and interactions.
Clock entered the program with little to no prior knowledge of UX, but with a department at the US Navy Command she works for embracing UX design, she saw the program as the perfect opportunity to add these valuable skills to her toolkit. As an MSU alumnus, it felt like a natural fit to build on her foundation and gain expertise in this area.
“The first three to four weeks were pretty terrifying,” said Clock. “I’m taking two 800 level classes and working full-time, so this has really been eye opening in terms of managing my workload.”
With a curriculum that covers everything from research methodologies to design and prototyping, Clock is not just learning how to build products but how to shape the future of UX across industries.
“The online aspect of the program has been great,” said Clock. “I’m a military spouse and when I initially signed up for the program I was in San Diego, California, and I’m now in Ottawa, Canada.”
“So, the remote part was very important to me because it means I can continue on no matter where my spouse’s job takes us,” said Clock.
Clock explains that she tries to do as much work for the grad program as she can during the week, because she really values and tries to enjoy her time off on the weekends.
“Because my job is remote, and this program is online, I can kind of break stuff up as I need it,” said Clock. “If I need a break from work, I can go work on homework for a while.”
She talks about how the first weeks of trying to get into a rhythm was challenging, but now that we’re into the bulk of the semester, she’s leveled it out and is feeling good.
"By joining this program, I aimed to earn a technical degree, as my command highly values that," said Clock.
"But I’ve come to see this experience is providing a fresh perspective and skillset. Even if I transition into project management or another role, it equips me with the knowledge to communicate with Navy scientists and engineers about their processes. And that ensures that when the products reach the sailors, they are not only functional but truly useful in the field."
Her advice to prospective program students is to start gradually, as you can always increase your course load later on.