HCI and design have intermingled for decades with more aesthetic and studio-based practices influencing technical labs and vice-versa. Our program accelerates this two-way relationship, creating a culture that blends social science, creativity, and technology.
First Year - fall semester
Intro to HCI/d
3 Credits
This course features studio work in teams to create Design project components with scaffolded instruction about the different forms of constituent elements of complete Design projects. The course also features an invited speaker series. Participants practice individual creative and reflective response to a selection of invited speakers on themes in HCI/d and/or themes synergistic with HCI/d research and practice. When possible, the Design project teamwork is adjudicated by external professional designers in addition to the instructors. The class broadly covers experience design, design strategy, project management, interaction design, scholarship, and cross-cutting areas.
Foundations of HCI/d
3 Credits
This course offers a survey overview of the field of Human-Computer Interaction. It introduces the main themes of HCI set generally in a historical context. The field of HCI is both young and dynamic. Unlike more mature disciplines, such as Biology or English, HCI is still finding its intellectual identity and agenda. An interdisciplinary field, HCI reflects concerns, and draws on resources, from cognitive science, sociology, engineering, philosophy, design, and digital media studies. Even today, HCI is undergoing major intellectual shifts from an older paradigm of HCI that integrated the above disciplines to a newer paradigm that integrates design, humanistic, socio-economic, and environmental approaches.
Elective - 3 Credits
3 Credits
Students select an elective offered at the university graduate level. They continue to focus on design skills, spend more time doing research, explore hobbies, or learn technical skills like programming, VR and AR. Students have the choice to select from hundreds of courses offered outside of Informatics.
First Year - spring semester
I561 Meaning & Form in HCI/d
3 Credits
This course features studio work in teams to create strong design portfolio demonstration projects. When possible, the Design project teamwork is adjudicated by external professional designers in addition to the instructors. The class broadly covers experience design, design strategy, project management, interaction design, scholarship, and cross-cutting areas.
Elective
3 Credits
Students select an elective offered at the university graduate level. They continue to focus on design skills, spend more time doing research, explore hobbies, or learn technical skills like programming, VR and AR. Students have the choice to select from hundreds of courses offered outside of Informatics.
I543 Interaction Design Methods
3 Credits
This class will cover the use of qualitative methods in HCI and UX research from data collection and analysis to "action" (for exploratory, communicative, evaluative, and generative goals). Methods covered will encompass ethnography (interviews and participant observations), grounded theory, thematic analysis, cultural probes, diary studies, and surveys. We will highlight current debates about qualitative research and how quantitative methods and qualitative methods can be complementary. This class will also feature guest speakers from industry who can speak to opportunities and challenges of doing UX research in organizations. Students will gain hands-on experience doing, analyzing, and communicating fieldwork (including virtual methods given the pandemic). The class will introduce common tools used by qualitative researchers.
Second Year - fall semester
Capstone I OR Capstone I & II
3 credits
The Capstone course represents the conclusion of the HCI/d professional Master’s program. In it, students pursue their own independent project, scaffolded by the course, including their peers. The Capstone project is each student’s opportunity to show—themselves, their peers, and potential employers—what they are capable of, both in conception and in execution.
Electives (2)
6 credits
Students select two electives offered university graduate level. They continue to focus on design skills, spend more time doing research, explore hobbies, or learn technical skills like programming, VR and AR. Students have the choice to select from hundreds of courses offered outside of Informatics.
Second Year - spring semester
Capstone II
3 credits
The Capstone course represents the conclusion of the HCI/d professional Master’s program. In it, students pursue their own independent project, scaffolded by the course, including their peers. The Capstone project is each student’s opportunity to show—themselves, their peers, and potential employers—what they are capable of, both in conception and in execution.
Electives (2)
6 credits
Students select two electives offered university graduate level. They continue to focus on design skills, spend more time doing research, explore hobbies, or learn technical skills like programming, VR and AR. Students have the choice to select from hundreds of courses offered outside of Informatics.