Masters Program

Masters Program

Overview | Curriculum | Madeira Program | Capstone Project | Open House | Plan a Visit | Application | Contact Info

A short video about the Master in HCI program and projects is available here.

The Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) at Carnegie Mellon University offers a professional Master of Human-Computer Interaction degree.  Highlights of the program include:

• Interdisciplinary orientation, with faculty from having backgrounds in Computer Science, Design, Psychology, Learning Sciences, Business Administration, Electrical Engineering and Human-Computer Interaction.
• 12-month, 12-course duration.
• Substantial project component for external client, with a team orientation. (See a list of past projects here.)

The Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Masters program prepares you to participate in the design and implementation of software systems that can be used easily, effectively and enjoyably. With a Masters in HCI, you will be well prepared to contribute to the multi-disciplinary teams that typically construct software systems. You will become broadly knowledgeable about techniques for building successful user interfaces, design principles that make user interfaces visually clear and appealing, techniques for identifying needs for software and its success, and the people and organizations that will use their systems.

The HCII at Carnegie Mellon is especially qualified to offer such an interdisciplinary Masters degree. With membership from the School of Computer Science, the Tepper School of Business, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Fine Arts, and the Software Engineering Institute, and a research and teaching faculty with a substantial focus on human use of computing, the HCII at Carnegie Mellon is one of the few institutions in the country with the breadth of expertise to offer such a program.

Students admitted to the HCI program are required to have a strong undergraduate degree or comparable work experience in computer science, a behavioral science (psychology, sociology, anthropology, or organizational behavior), or visual or information design. Students are expected to have had at least one course in statistics, design, and programming prior to entry into the program.

Once admitted to the MHCI program, students can complete the degree on a full-time basis in twelve consecutive months beginning in the fall term and continuing through the spring and summer terms. Part-time students typically finish the degree in 2 years (Note: students must be enrolled as full-time students during the last summer term). No courses taken prior to admission to the MHCI program can be counted toward the degree requirements. The curriculum consists of ten conventional semester-long courses and an extensive team-oriented studio/project experience. You will take courses to obtain a broad background in computer science, human behavior, design, and evaluation and assessment, and you may elect to take more advanced courses to deepen your knowledge in a more specific area.