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M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction

M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction

Solve problems creatively

Our Master of Science in Human-Computer Interaction Design (HCI/d) is a unique graduate experience that creates professionals who will shape the future of design. This intensive two-year program teaches you how to shape new media, interactive tools, artifacts, and systems in ways that:

Contribute engaging user experiences
Serve the need of stakeholders
Facilitate communication
Enrich the lives of the people using them

You will complete your degree with a capstone project—an opportunity to showcase your work in a design space of your choice.

This program is classified as a STEM program.

Program themes

Interaction design

This career goal theme is for students who want to professionally design interfaces, interactive applications, social networking sites, and digital products.

UX research

This career goal is for students who want to:

Engage in observations, interviews, surveys, and co-design activities (among other activities)
Develop empathy with design stakeholders
Advocate for stakeholders within organizations
Produce reports whose outcomes have impacts on design decisions

Design strategy

This career goal theme is for students who want to:

Start their own design consultancies
Achieve executive level positions and influence in design firms or other firms using digital technologies
Pioneer systemic design innovations for social good

Academic scholarship & creative activity

This career goal theme is for students who are considering a career in academia as a professor or researcher.

Elisa Krebs

M.S. in HCI/d

Today

Partnering with the Indianapolis chapter of the Interaction Design Association to implement design practices that can help combat food insecurity in the city

Tomorrow

Creating and using technology for social good while focusing on the business and strategy aspects of design and interaction

HCI/d Program Information

Curriculum 2022-2023

Year One

Fall

Introduction 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.
Electives (3 cr.)
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.

Spring

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.
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.
Electives (3 cr.)
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.

Year Two

Fall

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.
INFO I542 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.
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.

Spring

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.

Elective Courses

In addition to required courses, students should take 15 elective credits for the MS HCI.

The following list includes elective courses that we offer or have offered in the past. Electives change each year and some electives may not be available in a particular semester. Some others may be added.