2024/25

This module aims to deliver a complex understanding of the aesthetics and politics of twenty-first century user interface cultures with a particular focus on digital platforms, apps and AI.

The module will combine innovative approaches for researching user interfaces with contextualizing primary and secondary source material from a range of disciplines including human-computer-interaction (HCI), software studies, science and technology studies (STS), and digital media studies in order to achieve its aim.

It will discuss historical, technical and design features of interfaces, the economic transformations and business models driving contemporary software development and the ‘interface industry’, methodologies for conducting critical empirical research, and alternative and artistic approaches to interfaces.

The CIM Masters dissertation is a piece of work (10,000 words) which addresses a single subject of your choice. The topic may concern any aspect of the subject matter of their programme.

The dissertation is an exercise in independent study in which you pursue a topic that interests you. It allows you to further develop your skills of literature search and bibliography construction, theoretical argument, generation and appraisal of empirical evidence.