Courses

The HCI master's degree is a four-semester program consisting of a total of thirty-six credit hours. Each student is required to complete a set of four core courses, a set of elective courses based on their academic background and interests, a set of area specialization courses based on the academic unit in which they reside, and a Master's project. The specific courses for each student will be determined by the HCI program coordinator in consultation with the academic unit. The area specialization courses are determined by the academic unit in which the student resides. The areas of specialization are: Interactive Computing; Digital Media (DM, through the School of Literature, Media and Communication); Industrial Design; and Psychology.

 

Specializations Fixed Core Credit Hours Specialization Credit Hours Elective Credit Hours Project Credit Hours
Interactive Computing 9 9 12 6
Digital Media 9 9 12 6
Industrial Design 9 12 9 6
Psychology 9 10 11 6

Each student is required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average across credit hours used to fulfill degree requirements, a minimum grade of “B” in Fixed Core, Specialization, and Project credit hours, and a minimum grade of “C” in Elective credit hours.

Core Courses

Core Courses 9
CS/PSYC 6755 Human-Computer Interaction Foundations 1,2,3 3
PSYC 6023 Psychological Research Methods for HCI 1,3 4
CS/ID/LMC/PSYC 6753 Human-Computer Interaction-Professional Preparation and Practice (one credit hour Fall of first year and one credit hour Fall of second year) 1 2

Specializations:

Interactive Computing Specialization

Software  
Select 3 credit hours from the following: 3
Prototyping Interactive Systems  
Principles of User Interface Software  
Video Game Design and Programming  
Information Visualization  
Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing  
Human-Robot Interaction  
Special Topics (Mobile Apps and Services)  
Design-Evaluation-and Cognitive Modeling  
Select 6 credit hours from the following: 6
Computing For Good  
Information to Health Informatics  
Introduction to Human-Centered Computing  
Qualitative Methods for Design of Human Computer Interaction  
Video Game Design and Programming  
Educational Technology: Conceptual Foundations  
Design of Online Communities  
Social Computing  
Data Visualization: Principles and Applications  
Information and Communication Technologies and Global Development  
Mixed Reality Experience Design  
Mixed Reality Experience Design
Design of Design Environments  
Introduction to Cognitive Science  
Information Visualization  
Human-Centered Data Analysis  
Game Artificial Intelligence  
Human-Robot Interaction  
Special Topics (Animal interaction)  
Special Topics (Computational Creativity)  
Special Topics (Personal Health Informatics)  
Special Topics (Physical Prototyping in HCI)  
Total Credit Hours 9

A minimum grade of “B” is required in each of the Interactive Computing Specialization classes.

Digital Media (DM) Specialization

Select one of the following- preferably taken in the first year of study: 3
The Computer as an "Expressive Medium"  
Principles of Interaction Design  
Discovery & Invention  
LMC 6000- or 8000-level courses 6
Total Credit Hours 9

A minimum grade of “B” is required in each of the Digital Media Specialization classes.

Industrial Design Specialization

Required:  
ID 6101 Human Centered Design 3
ID 8802 Special Topics in ID (Visual Communication for Interaction) 2
Select one of the following courses: 4
Grad Studio Two: Health and Wellness  
Grad Studio Two: Interactive Products  
Select one from the following: 3
Introduction to Graduate Studies in Industrial Design  
Service Design, Brand and Value Creation  
Design for Interaction: Working with New Technologies  
Interface Prototyping: Exploring Tools & Theories  
Design of Interactive Environments  
Investigations of Universal Design in the Built Environment  
Web Design, Usability and Accessibility  
Special Topics (Technoology of Poetic Objects)  
Special Topics (Consumer Electronics Design)  
Special Topics (Craft Exploration Methods)  
Special Topics (Wearable Technologies for Health)  
Total Credit Hours 12

A minimum grade of “B” is required in each of the Industrial Design Specialization classes.

Psychology Specialization

Required  
PSYC 6022 Psychological Statistics for HCI (Fall or Spring) 4
Select 6 credit hours from the following: 6
Cognitive Psychology  
Social Psychology  
Biopsychology  
Sensation and Perception  
Human Abilities 1  
Current Topics in Cognitive Aging  
Psychology of Aging  
Psychological Testing 2  
Engineering Psychology I: Methods  
Engineering Psychology II: Displays, Controls, and Workspace  
Seminar in Experimental Psychology  
Total Credit Hours 10

A minimum grade of “B” is required in each of the Psychology Specialization classes.

Elective Courses:

  • 12 credit hours for Interactive Computing
  • 12 credit hours for Digital Media
  • 9 credit hours for Industrial Design
  • 11 credit hours for Psychology

Any Specialization course may be taken to fulfill an Elective course requirement for any of the four degree tracks.  Other approved Electives appear in the list below.

For each area of specialization (track), a certain number of Elective credits must be taken outside of the area:  

  • Interactive Computing:  at least 9 non-CS elective credits must be taken
  • Industrial Design, Digital Media, and Psychology: at least 6 non-track elective credits must be taken

A maximum of 3 credit hours of Special Problems in HCI (CS/ID/LMC/PSYC 8903) may count toward the Elective course requirement.

A minimum grade of “C” is required in each of the Elective classes used to satisfy degree requirements.

Aerospace Engineering

AE 6551 Cognitive Engineering 3
AE 6721 Evaluation of Human Integrated Systems 3

Computer Science(NOTE: These courses are still approved electives, but they have been combined with the next section to create a single list of approved Computer Science courses).

CS 6150 Computing For Good 3
CS 6440 Information to Health Informatics 3
CS 6451 Introduction to Human-Centered Computing 3
CS 6452 Prototyping Interactive Systems 3
CS 6454 Qualitative Methods for Design of Human Computer Interaction 3
CS 6456 Principles of User Interface Software 3
CS 6457 Video Game Design and Programming 3
CS 6460 Educational Technology: Conceptual Foundations 3
CS 6465 Computational Journalism 3
CS 6470 Design of Online Communities 3
CS 6474 Social Computing 3
CS 6730 Data Visualization: Principles and Applications 3
CS/INTA 6745 Information and Communication Technologies and Global Development 3
CS/ID 6763 Design of Design Environments 3
CS 6770 Mixed Reality Experience Design 3
or LMC 6340 Mixed Reality Experience Design
CS 6795 Introduction to Cognitive Science 3
CS 7450 Information Visualization 3
CS 7451 Human-Centered Data Analysis 3
CS 7470 Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing 3
CS 7497 Virtual Environments 3
CS 7632 Game Artificial Intelligence 3
CS 7633 Human-Robot Interaction 3
CS 8803 Special Topics (Animal Interaction) 3
CS 8803 Special Topics (Computational Creativity) 3
CS 8803 Special Topics (Personal Health Informatics) 3
CS 8803 Special Topics (Mobile Apps and Services) 3
CS 8803 Special Topics (Physical Prototpying in HCI) 3
CS 8903 Special Problems 1-21

International Affairs

INTA 8803 Special Topics (Computers, Communications, and International Development) 3
INTA/CS 6745 Information and Communication Technologies and Global Development 3

Industrial Design

ID 6100 Introduction to Graduate Studies in Industrial Design 3
ID 6101 Human Centered Design 3
ID 6212 Grad Studio Two: Health and Wellness 4
ID 6213 Grad Studio Two: Interactive Products 4
ID 6216 Service Design, Brand and Value Creation 3
ID 6510 Design for Interaction: Working with New Technologies 3
ID 6515 Interface Prototyping: Exploring Tools & Theories 3
ID 6271 Healthcare Design of the Future 3
ID/CS 6763 Design of Interactive Environments 3
ID 6800 Investigations of Universal Design in the Built Environment 3
ID 6820 Web Design, Usability and Accessibility 3
ID 8802 Special Topics in ID (Visual Communication for Interaction) 2
ID 8803 Special Topics (Technology of Poetic Objects) 3
ID 8803 Special Topics (Wearable Technologies for Health) 3
ID 8803 Special Topics (Craft Exploration Methods) 3
ID 8803 Special Topics (Consumer Electronics Design) 3
ID 8903 Special Problems in Human-Computer Interaction 1-3

Industrial and Systems Engineering

ISYE 6413 Design and Analysis of Experiments 3
ISYE 6414 Statistical Modeling and Regression Analysis 3
ISYE 6739 Basic Statistical Methods 3
ISYE 6772 Managing Resources of the Technological Firm 3
ISYE 7210 Real-time Interactive Simulation 3

Literature, Media, and Communication (Digital Media)

LMC 6215 Issues in Media Studies 3
LMC 6310 The Computer as an "Expressive Medium" 3
LMC 6311 Visual Culture and Design 3
LMC 6312 Design, Technology & Representation 3
LMC 6313 Principles of Interaction Design 3
LMC 6314 Design of Networked Media 3
LMC 6315 Product Production 3
LMC 6316 Historical Approaches to Digital Media 3
LMC 6317 Interactive Narrative/Fiction 3
LMC 6318 Experimental Media 3
LMC 6319 Intellectural Property Policy and Law 3
LMC 6325 Game Design and Analysis 3
LMC 6340/CS 6770 Mixed Reality Experience Design 3
LMC 6399 Discovery & Invention 3
LMC 6650 Project Studio 3
LMC 6748 Social Justice, Critical Theory, and Philosophy of Design 3
LMC 8000 Proseminar in Media Theory 3
LMC 8001 Proseminar in Digital Media Studies 3
LMC 8903 Special Problems in Human-Computer Interaction 3

Management of Technology (MOT)

MGT 6056 Electronic Commerce-Conducting Business on the Internet 3
MGT 6057 Business Process Analysis and Design 3
MGT 6059 Emerging Technologies 3
MGT 6086 Entrepreneurial Finance and Private Equity 3
MGT 6111 Innovation and Entrepreneurial Behavior 3
MGT 6165 Venture Creation 3
MGT 6326 Collaborative Product Development 3
MGT 6359 Business Strategies For Sustainability 3
MGT 6450 Project Management 3
MGT 6772 Managing Resources of the Technological Firm 3
MGT 6799 Legal Issues in Technology Transfer 3
MGT 6789 Technology Ventures 3
MGT 8803 Big Data Analytics in Business 3

Music

MUSI 6001 Music Perception and Cognition 3
MUSI 6002 Computer Supported Interactive Music 3
MUSI 6003 Music Technology History and Repertoire 3
MUSI 6004 Technology Ensemble 3
MUSI 6103 Music Recording and Mixing 3
MUSI 6203 Project Studio in Music Technology 3
MUSI 7100 Music Technology Research Laboratory 3

Psychology

PSYC 6011 Cognitive Psychology 3
PSYC 6012 Social Psychology 3
PSYC 6014 Sensation and Perception 3
PSYC 6022 Psychological Statistics for HCI 4
PSYC 6041 Current Topics in Cognitive Aging 1
PSYC 7101 Engineering Psychology I: Methods 3
PSYC 7102 Engineering Psychology II: Displays, Controls, and Workspace 3
PSYC 7104 Psychomotor and Cognitive Skill Learning and Performance 3
PSYC/CS 7790 Cognitive Modeling 4
PSYC 8040 Seminar in Engineering Psychology 3
PSYC 8903 Special Problems in Human-Computer Interaction 3

Public Policy

PUBP 6111 Internet and Public Policy 3
PUBP 6401 Science, Technology, and Public Policy 3

Research Project (6 credit hours)

Each student completes this requirement, under the supervision of a faculty member, typically during the last two semesters of their program. Students must submit a project proposal and a final report and present their work to program coordinators and other MS - HCI students late during the semester of graduation.

Select one of the folloiwng:  
HCI Master's Project 1  
HCI Master's Project 1  
HCI Master's Project 1  
HCI Master's Project 1  

A minimum grade of “B” is required in the project course.

Other expectations

All students are expected to complete a corporate internship in an HCI-relevant position between their second and third semesters.

Core Courses

Course List
Code Title Credit Hours
Core Courses 9
CS/PSYC 6755 Human-Computer Interaction Foundations 1,2,3 3
PSYC 6023 Psychological Research Methods for HCI 1,3 4
CS/ID/LMC/PSYC 6753 Human-Computer Interaction-Professional Preparation and Practice (one credit hour Fall of first year and one credit hour Fall of second year) 1 2

 

1

 A minimum grade of “B” is required in each of the Fixed Core classes.

2

 Course must be taken during first semester.

3

 Students are expected to take PSYC 6755/CS 6755 and PSYC 6023 during the same semester.

Specialization Courses

Prototyping Interactive Systems (CS/PSYC 6755)

3 CREDIT HOURSTAKEN FIRST SEMESTER

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Psychology Research Methods for HCI (PSYC 6023)

3 CREDIT HOURSTAKEN FIRST SEMESTER

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HCI Professionalism, Preparation, and Practice (CS/ID/LMC/PSYC 6753)

3 CREDIT HOURSTAKEN TWICEOFFERED IN FALL

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Course

Course List
Code Title Credit Hours
Core Courses 9
CS/PSYC 6755 Human-Computer Interaction Foundations 1,2,3 3
PSYC 6023 Psychological Research Methods for HCI 1,3 4
CS/ID/LMC/PSYC 6753 Human-Computer Interaction-Professional Preparation and Practice (one credit hour Fall of first year and one credit hour Fall of second year) 1 2