HCI Concentration for SCS Majors

Source: https://hcii.cmu.edu/academics/hci-undergrad/concentration-hci Parent: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/academics/undergraduate/programs

Introduction

In this concentration, students learn techniques, processes, principles, and theory of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). This interdisciplinary field aims at understanding how interactions with digital technologies and services can augment what humans do. It also aims at understanding what design, prototyping, and evaluation processes lead to innovative digital technologies and services that fulfill human needs. The concentration enhances what is learned in the SCS majors by addressing how digital products and services can be designed and evaluated so they benefit individuals, small groups, organizations, larger networks, and societies. It is synergistic with SCS majors in that envisioning, designing, and implementing innovative digital interactions benefit from superior technical skill. The concentration consists of 5 courses (2 required courses and 3 electives).

The concentration helps prepare students for jobs as technically skilled specialists in design and development of interactive systems. The concentration will give students a broader perspective on how technologies impact humans, which may help them move faster into product management positions. It also lays a foundation for graduate study in the field of Human-Computer Interaction.\

Course Requirements

New HCI Concentration Curriculum (Effective Fall 2025)

Prerequisites

15-122: Principles of Imperative Computation
15-150: Principles of Functional Programming

5 Required Courses

Two Required Courses

Select One From:
05-391: Designing Human-Centered Software
05-380: Prototyping Algorithmic Experiences
05-431: Software Structures for User Interfaces

Students who completed 05-180 (Introduction to HCI) in spring 2025 or later should register for 05-380 or 05-431

Select One From:
05-360: Interaction Design Fundamentals
05-315: Persuasive Design
05-317: Design of Artificial Intelligence Products
05-362: Transformational Game Design Studio
05-418: Design Educational Games
05-452: Service Design
05-470: Digital Service Innovation

Three Electives: at least one technical, at least two 05-xxx courses

At least one of the electives must have strong technical content and must be selected from the following list:
05-318: Human-AI Interaction
05-333: Gadgets, Sensors and Activity Recognition in HCI
05-434: Machine Learning in Practice
05-499: HCII Special Topics
05-839: Interactive Data Science
15-464: Technical Animation
15-466: Computer Game Programming
15-494: Cognitive Robotics: The Future of Robot Toys
16-467: Introduction to Human Robot Interaction
17-422: Building User-Focused Sensing Systems
17-428: Machine Learning and Sensing
17-437: Web Application Development
17-537: Artificial Intelligence Methods for Social Good
Other courses as approved by the concentration director\
The remaining two electives must be courses in HCI offered by the Human-Computer Interaction Institute, meaning they have an 05 prefix number, or be included in this pre-approved list of electives. \
Of the three HCI elective classes, at least two must be 05-xxx courses.\

Double Counting: At most 2 courses can be double counted with any major, minor or other concentration being pursued by the student. \

Concentration Form

To request approval to add or drop the HCI Concentration, please contact Amelia Baisley, academic program manager, via email.\

Learning Objectives

Students will learn skills and methods for:

Eliciting and understanding human objectives, preferences, and needs through qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection and analysis
Generating and imagining possible solutions and design concepts that involve human/technology partnerships
Basic visual design, including typography, grids, color and the use of images
Design of interactive systems, experiences, and technologies
Developing and evaluating interactive prototypes as a way of iteratively refining designs
Evaluating interactive technologies to assess and improve their functioning through data-driven redesign, including discount and empirical evaluation methods

Students will also learn about:

Digital technologies, such as: web and mobile platforms, conversational technologies, wearable computing, gadgets, digital fabrication, virtual reality and mixed reality
Human psychology, regarding individuals, groups, organizations, societies, and cultures, as it relates to interactions with digital products and services\

HCI Undergraduate Programs

All HCI Undergraduate Programs

Primary Major - B.S. in HCI\ Admissions\ Curriculum

Additional Major in HCI\ Admissions

Minor in HCI

HCI Concentration

Additional Resources

HCI Courses

Undergraduate Electives

Independent Study

Contact Us

Human-Computer Interaction Institute\ Undergraduate Programs\ \ Email us

Haiyi Zhu\ Director of HCII Undergraduate Programs

Amelia Baisley\ Academic Program Manager

Ashley Kosko\ Senior Academic Coordinator