Bridging Disciplinary Boundaries: Integrating XR in Communication Sciences Master’s Programs

Extended Reality (XR) is transforming sectors like education, healthcare, and construction. With its potential for simulating real-world scenarios, XR’s role in digital transformation is increasingly recognized. This shift necessitates XR education expansion beyond STEM, addressing the needs of humanities and social sciences students to understand these technologies’ applications, ethics, and societal implications. This paper investigates the integration of XR into three Master’s courses in communication sciences. It emphasizes the importance of practical engagement with XR through user testing, hands-on projects, and developing a critical stance towards UX and related issues. The study utilizes an exploratory case study approach, leveraging participant observation, assignments analysis, and student feedback. Findings highlight the value of XR in enhancing student engagement, understanding, and the ability to propose inclusive design solutions. Despite challenges linked to large-scale implementation and the absence of advanced programming courses in social sciences and humanities programs, XR integration serves as a powerful tool in raising awareness about designing user-friendly, secure, and inclusive immersive systems.