Learn More and ApplyHuman Computer Interaction (MS)

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CDM 2024 - Editing

The MS in Human Computer Interaction focuses on user research, design, implementation, and evaluation to create technologies that are useful, easy to use and accessible for diverse users.​

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Introductory Courses 0-16
Degree Requirements 48
Total hours required 48-64

Learning Outcomes

​Students will be able to:

  • Plan and conduct ethical user research with human participants using appropriate data collection methods, and analyze the data using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
  • Create, justify, and critique interface designs using appropriate theoretical and methodological HCI frameworks.
  • Create prototypes that simulate the interactivity of user interfaces and have enough functionality for usability testing with human participants.
  • Design and conduct usability tests for an existing or prototyped product or service.

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

No Introductory course (a course numbered 400 through 419) may be substituted for any other course at any level.

Introductory Courses

Introductory courses may be waived for any of the following conditions:

  • The student has the appropriate course work to satisfy an Introductory Course.
  • The student has appropriate and verified professional experience to satisfy an Introductory Course.
  • The student passes a Graduate Assessment Examination (GAE) in the Introductory Course area.
Course Title Quarter Hours
IT 411SCRIPTING FOR INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS4
HCI 406WEB SITE DESIGN FOR HCI4
HCI 412HCI DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS I4
IT 403STATISTICS AND DATA ANALYSIS4

Foundation Courses

The following Foundation Courses are listed in the suggested sequence for the program.

Course Title Quarter Hours
HCI 440INTRODUCTION TO USER-CENTERED DESIGN4
HCI 450FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION4
HCI 430PROTOTYPING AND IMPLEMENTATION4

Students currently taking Foundation Courses may also register for Major Elective Courses if they have successfully completed the prerequisites for those courses.

Advanced Courses

The following Advanced Courses are listed in the suggested sequence for the program.

Course Title Quarter Hours
HCI 445USER RESEARCH METHODS4
HCI 454INTERACTION DESIGN AND INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE4
or HCI 457 INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE AND CONTENT STRATEGY
HCI 460USABILITY EVALUATION METHODS4
HCI 472HCI DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS II4
Course Title Quarter Hours
At least one of the following major electives is also required:4
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS IN HCI
GLOBAL USER RESEARCH
DESIGN ETHNOGRAPHY
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE & UX
LEARNER-CENTERED DESIGN

Major Elective Courses

Students must complete 12 credit hours of Major Elective courses from the lists below:

HCI Electives

Course Title Quarter Hours
DESIGNING FOR CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS IN HCI
INFORMATION VISUALIZATION AND INFOGRAPHICS
GLOBAL USER RESEARCH
DESIGN ETHNOGRAPHY
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE & UX
LEARNER-CENTERED DESIGN
UX STRATEGY AND WEB ANALYTICS
MOBILE DESIGN
SURVEY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
EMBODIED INTERACTION
SOCIAL INTERACTION DESIGN
INTERACTION DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN PRACTICUM
TOPICS IN HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION
HCI RESEARCH CAPSTONE

NON-HCI Electives Open to All HCI students

Course Title Quarter Hours
INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT
DATA ANALYSIS AND REGRESSION
ADVANCED DATA ANALYSIS
FUNDAMENTALS OF DATA SCIENCE
DATA VISUALIZATION
ETHICS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
COGNITIVE SCIENCE
GAME DESIGN WORKSHOP
DATABASE DESIGN FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS
REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION, ANALYSIS, AND SPECIFICATION
SOCIAL ISSUES OF COMPUTING
MANAGING CHANGE FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES
WEB ARCHITECTURE
TOPICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
FUNDAMENTALS OF IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT
SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS PROJECT MANAGEMENT
COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR LEADING PROJECTS
PERCEPTION AND COGNITION
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF JUDGMENT AND DECISION-MAKING
INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
OBJECT ORIENTED MODELING
REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING

Capstone

Course Title Quarter Hours
HCI 594HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION CAPSTONE4

 Degree Requirements

Students in this degree program must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours in addition to any required introductory courses of the designated degree program.
  • Complete all graduate courses and requirements listed in the designated degree program.
  • Earn a grade of C- or better in all courses of the designated degree program.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Students pursuing a second (or more) graduate degree may not double count or retake any course that applied toward the completion of a prior graduate degree. If a required course in the second degree was already completed and applied toward a previous degree, the student must meet with a faculty advisor to discuss a new course to be completed and substituted in the new degree. This rule also applies to cross-listed courses, which are considered to be the same course but offered under different subjects.
  • Students pursuing a second master's degree must complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours beyond their first designated degree program in addition to any required introductory courses in their second designated degree program.

Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate with distinction.

For DePaul's policy on repeat graduate courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Graduate Handbook.

Degree Requirements

Students in this degree program must meet the following requirements:

  • Complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours in addition to any required introductory courses of the designated degree program.
  • Complete all graduate courses and requirements listed in the designated degree program.
  • Earn a grade of B- or better in each introductory course of the designated degree program.
  • Earn a grade of C- or better in all courses beyond the introductory courses of the designated degree program.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Students pursuing a second (or more) graduate degree may not double count or retake any course that applied toward the completion of a prior graduate degree. If a required course in the second degree was already completed and applied toward a previous degree, the student must meet with a faculty advisor to discuss a new course to be completed and substituted in the new degree. This rule also applies to cross-listed courses, which are considered to be the same course but offered under different subjects.
  • Students pursuing a second master's degree must complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours beyond their first designated degree program in addition to any required introductory courses in their second designated degree program.

Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate with distinction.

For DePaul's policy on repeat graduate courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Graduate Handbook.