Master of Arts in Human-Centred Design

at Anglia Ruskin University - Cambridge Campus United Kingdom

Push your art practice and creativity beyond existing boundaries, towards ethical, practical, and inclusive approaches addressing global health and wellbeing challenges, and make a positive contribution to society, healthcare, and planet through ethical and systemic creative interventions.

In a world that needs people to stay well, recover faster, manage long-term conditions, and experience a better quality of life, art professionals have never played such a central role - tackling physical, mental and social wellbeing as well as increasing human productivity, strengthening local relationships, and building strong communities through art-based interventions and creative non-clinical approaches that are connected, shared, and intelligent.

Study MA Art, Health, and Wellbeing at ARU, and develop the theoretical, practical, and leadership skills, understanding and knowledge that are critical to creating dynamic and inclusive forms of participatory research and practice, community engagement and resilience building, and creative urban culture. You’ll gain a broad understanding of ethical and future health from the perspective of art and will tackle mental, physical, emotional, and social wellbeing issues in a global context by rethinking existing places, environments, and communities including reducing individual loneliness and isolation, increasing prosocial behaviours, reducing aggression and discrimination, and improving social consciousness.

You’ll work closely with students from across the Cambridge School of Art, including the postgraduate students from Human-Centred Design and Interior Design Innovation on an industry-led collaborative project and deliver public-facing events. As an Art, Health, and Wellbeing student in Cambridge, you’ll be able to work in a start-up environment and a relaxed culture in which creativity and creative problem solving are valued and build strong relationships and freely exchange thoughts and ideas. Most importantly, you’ll receive support and guidance from our experienced staff who, as well as running their own studio practice, have worked with companies such as the NHS, Prepared International, Nebama Mind, World Health Organisation, and World Humanitarian Forum. The creative freedom offered by the course results in a variety of degree outputs based on art futuring, ideas and methods for creativity as an expanded ethical and professional practice, from social prescribing and increasing human connectivity, to overcoming fear, pain, anxiety, depression and stress.

Talks from visiting lecturers and live briefs from industry are built into our course. They focus on areas including participatory research and practice, digital health, social design and sustainability, interactive storytelling and digital technologies, care systems and future health. We'll encourage you to build your profile by entering national and international competitions, as well as taking part in our own competitions such as the Sustainability Art Prize. You'll have the chance to develop a business plan and pitch for start-up funding through our annual competition, The Big Pitch, and you can get involved in our research conferences and creative events.

You’re resilient and not afraid to make mistakes. You also know that as an entrepreneur, it’s important to experiment, accept failure and learn to try again.

Our BSc (Hons) Business with Entrepreneurship degree will equip you with tools that can help you develop, test and realise your ideas. You’ll also learn about applying for grants and reflect on what it really means to be an entrepreneur.

While studying at ARU, you’ll make strong professional connections, build a portfolio and – with regular teamwork and pitching – hone your entrepreneurial thinking and grow in confidence.

Our course will teach you the principles of forensic science, from crime scene to court room. Based in our £45m Science Centre in Cambridge, you’ll analyse and investigate a range of evidence in crime scene rooms and the forensic lab.

With a focus on chemical and biological analysis, you’ll find out what that evidence means. We look at ways to ‘read’ data, interpret the results and present your evidence in court.

You’ll get hands-on with specialist analytical equipment, under the guidance of expert tutors. And you’ll learn outside the classroom too, with visits to law courts and a local mortuary, and opportunities to work with local police forces and forensic labs.

Graduate with advanced skills in chemistry, biology and laboratory analysis – ready to start a career as a forensic scientist.As a forensic scientist you'll provide evidence for use in courts of law to support criminal and civil investigations.

Psychology affects everything we do. You’re curious about people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour – and that’s what sits at the heart of our British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree course.

We’ll encourage you to keep asking questions, to develop the scientific, analytical and research skills you need to become a psychologist. Together, we’ll explore the different facets of psychology including applied, social and clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience and biological psychology.

By studying BSc (Hons) Psychology at ARU, you’ll immerse yourself in the science of mind and behaviour – and take the first step towards a career as a chartered psychologist.

Psychology is a broad field and there are many areas you could specialise in.

Our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree will give you a sound understanding of the main principles of psychology. But we know you’ll find particular areas that you’re fascinated by. All psychologists do. So, right from Year 1, our optional modules give you the freedom to explore your own interests in more depth.

You’ll learn from expert tutors who are actively engaged in research work. And you can take advantage of our specialist facilities too, including laboratories for measuring electrical activity in the brain, eye movement, psychoneuroimmunology, emotions and communication, psychometrics, and much more.

Outside of the lab, there’s the chance to join weekly seminars from guest speakers and take an optional placement year.

After graduation, you can continue your professional training and find a career that’s perfect for you. You might choose to specialise as a forensic, clinical, health or occupational psychologist. The choice is yours.

Our Zoology BSc (Hons) course will see you joining the likes of Charles Darwin, Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall and David Attenborough in exploring and explaining the diversity of animals from all over the globe.

You’ll build an understanding and skill-set in anatomy and physiology, behaviour, genetics, ecology and evolution, and the importance of wildlife conservation.

As part of your studies, you’ll get the opportunity to learn hands-on zoology skills – with plenty of time in our labs in Cambridge, as well as on field trips around the UK and beyond. Develop the scientific training and practical skills you need for a career in wildlife conservation, environmental consultancy or in zoos.

Recognised by the Royal Society of Biology, our BSc (Hons) Zoology degree is a practical subject with plenty of opportunity to learn and practise new skills, both in the lab and out in the field.

Take part in cutting-edge research in our specialist labs, closely linked to Cambridge University, and study zoology in marine and terrestrial systems, in both laboratory and field settings.

There’s an opportunity to join paid field trips too. You could experience rutting red deer on the island of Rum, investigate world-class zoos in the Netherlands, study practical marine biology in Scotland, dive in the Red Sea or even spend time learning about ecology and conservation in Africa. We also offer an optional placement year as part of your Zoology degree.

Fast becoming a world centre for wildlife conservation, Cambridge is home to Fauna and Flora International, Birdlife International and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. During your time with us, you’ll have opportunities to attend lectures and visit specialist museums and libraries in the University of Cambridge.

As a student here, you’ll learn from staff who are involved in field and captive studies internationally and in the UK, and have research links with a range of organisations including some of Britain's most respected zoos.

Our Zoology BSc (Hons) course will see you joining the likes of Charles Darwin, Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall and David Attenborough in exploring and explaining the diversity of animals from all over the globe.

You’ll build an understanding and skill-set in anatomy and physiology, behaviour, genetics, ecology and evolution, and the importance of wildlife conservation.

As part of your studies, you’ll get the opportunity to learn hands-on zoology skills – with plenty of time in our labs in Cambridge, as well as on field trips around the UK and beyond. Develop the scientific training and practical skills you need for a career in wildlife conservation, environmental consultancy or in zoos.

Recognised by the Royal Society of Biology, our BSc (Hons) Zoology degree is a practical subject with plenty of opportunity to learn and practise new skills, both in the lab and out in the field.

Take part in cutting-edge research in our specialist labs, closely linked to Cambridge University, and study zoology in marine and terrestrial systems, in both laboratory and field settings.

There’s an opportunity to join paid field trips too. You could experience rutting red deer on the island of Rum, investigate world-class zoos in the Netherlands, study practical marine biology in Scotland, dive in the Red Sea or even spend time learning about ecology and conservation in Africa. We also offer an optional placement year as part of your Zoology degree.

Fast becoming a world centre for wildlife conservation, Cambridge is home to Fauna and Flora International, Birdlife International and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. During your time with us, you’ll have opportunities to attend lectures and visit specialist museums and libraries in the University of Cambridge.

As a student here, you’ll learn from staff who are involved in field and captive studies internationally and in the UK, and have research links with a range of organisations including some of Britain's most respected zoos.

On our BA (Hons) Acting degree at ARU you will get involved in extensive live work on stage in both the studio and theatre. You’ll develop techniques for acting on screen and also for live environments. You will also gain experience with new technologies and alternative platforms for acting, enabling you to be a dynamic and responsive actor prepared for a career in the ever-evolving creative industries. This may include the use of green screens, immersive live and virtual environments, live streams to remote audiences and acting for online applications.

You’ll focus on the progression in your own skills and abilities, growing into a confident and versatile performer. In the first year we’ll focus on performances for an in-house audience, initial training in voice and movement skills and an introduction to acting for screen. In the second year you’ll work on large-scale ensemble public productions and experimentation with new technologies for performance. In the final year, Immersive Performance and a final Showcase will allow you to demonstrate your high-level skills in acting.

Your degree will see you choosing from a range of career-focused optional modules, completing a 100% practical Major Project, and graduating with a professionally produced showreel and portfolio.

As a BA (Hons) Acting student at ARU, you’ll develop your technical and production skills in our specialist facilities. Our technical staff will be on hand to offer help and support.

You’ll learn to tell stories which engage audiences, whether you want to write poetry, drama, short fiction, or make films and documentaries. You’ll explore and develop professional writing techniques related to film including screenwriting and film journalism.

You’ll get invaluable feedback on all of your creative writing work from professional writers, including our teaching staff and Royal Literary Fund fellows, as well as your fellow students. This will offer you the unique opportunity to consider a range of responses to your work, as well as sharpening your own critical skills.

Investigating filmmaking practices from all over the world, and learning the language of film from the perspective of a filmmaker, you’ll make your own short films in video, animation or 16mm format, with full training in camera operation, sound recording and editing from professional filmmakers. If you specialise in filmmaking, you’ll put your well-practised skills to the test in a project that, once complete, will be screened at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. The best may also be selected for showing at the Cambridge Film Festival. You’ll learn to write knowledgeably and critically about film, giving you even more opportunities to get involved in Cambridge’s exciting arts scene.

Our optional modules allow you to further explore your interests or specialise for a particular career. In Years 2 and 3, you can also learn a language on our Anglia Language Programme and what’s more, you can choose to study abroad as part of your course and expand your cultural horizons and apply for funding to cover the cost.

Our links with local and national organisations will help you make contacts and find work placements in the industry. Our recent students have found internships and placements with companies such as the BBC, Cambridge Festival of Ideas, Film & Video Umbrella, Cannes Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Take One magazine, Watersprite Film Festival, CBBC, ITN Productions, London Studios, MTV, New York Film Academy, Pinewood Studios, StudioCanal UK (formerly Optimum Releasing) and Sight & Sound magazine. You can also take an optional placement year.

Our BA (Hons) Computer Games Design course will take you through the main areas of computer games development, from idea generation all the way to releasing a playable and polished game.

As you study you’ll develop specialist skills in game design, level design, user interface design, and user experience design. You’ll learn about different methods for user and task analysis that will help you develop intuitive and accessible interfaces.

You’ll also develop a deep understanding of the two most popular commercial game engines, Unity and Unreal – knowledge that is highly sought after in the creative industries.

And of course you’ll build a professional portfolio to showcase your skills to future employers and clients.

Develop your skills in major areas of biomedical science, including molecular cell biology, biomedical genetics and specialised topics in medical diagnostics. You'll focus on rapidly-evolving research into the applications of bioscience in healthcare whilst working in our impressive Cambridge Science Centre laboratories.

Throughout our course you'll develop advanced knowledge and skills in the diverse areas of applied bioscience, emphasising on medical applications You'll also develop a comprehensive understanding of advanced analytical techniques. Upon completion of your Masters, you'll be able to confidently design, execute and critically analyse both independent and group based scientific research in an appropriate area of applied bioscience.

You'll be immersed in an environment that mirrors a modern laboratory setting and benefit from the expertise of our Biomedical Science team and their intimate knowledge and collaborations within the field of bioscience.

The state-of-the art facilities in our new Science Centre include specialist tissue culture and microbiology laboratories, as well as general teaching and research labs. We have a wide range of specialist laboratory equipment which you will use in practicals and your projects. We maintain strong links to a number of hospitals within the NHS, and related industries within the East of England.

Our course is suitable for those who wish to specialise in the current medical applications of bioscience such as molecular and cell biology as a progression from a relevant first degree, as well as students with a strong background in ‘traditional’ analytical science (chemistry or biology).