Research

Our course of study is designed first and foremost to teach you how to carry out original high quality research in Human Computer Interaction. To accomplish this we use an apprenticeship-based approach. You will be teamed early with an initial research advisor who is matched to your interests, and who will guide you in your work. We expect that all students will become involved in an HCI research project from the beginning, and continue research work throughout their course of study.

Dissertation Proposal and Defense

The program of study culminates in a dissertation describing original research. Proposal and defense of this dissertation are primary requirements for obtaining a Ph.D. in HCI.

Prior to proposing a dissertation topic, each student will form a Ph.D. committee consisting of their advisor and three other faculty members. The committee will be composed of three HCII faculty members and one outside faculty member (taken from either another CMU department, or from outside the University). This committee will be responsible for approving a written and oral presentation of a dissertation proposal, as well as the final written dissertation, and its oral defense.

Communication Skill Requirements

In order to encourage students to start research early, during both the first and second years of study each student is required to make a written and oral presentation of their research work. Written presentations will be in the form of a paper suitable for publication at one of the top HCI conferences or journals (for example at the SIGCHI annual conference). Oral presentations of your work will be in a forum open to the whole HCII community. In order to complete the requirements for a Ph.D., you must receive a “certification of communication skill.“ This requires the review and approval of your presentations by an HCII speaking skill committee. If this certification is not made based on your first or second year presentations, additional presentations will be required.