Top Online Master’s Degree Programs in Human Computer Interaction (HCI)

In order to design a solution, you need the ability to identify problems. These courses teach students how to test product design and user experiences through proven methodologies in surveying and conducting studies. It also offers practical experience in putting those methodologies to the test. There are often set prerequisites for completion of courses in statistics before registering for a research course.

These courses are broad introductions to the field and will touch on many elements of specialization within the degree program. Beginning with the fundamentals of user-first design, they often continue with work related to cognitive psychology, methods of analysis, user interaction modeling, usability testing, and the iterative design process.

It’s not enough to have the information — you have to know how to present it. In these courses you’ll learn about the visual hierarchy of information and how it is affected by things like typography and color theory. You’ll learn wire-framing and the challenges of different design mediums and devices, as well as the core principles and challenges of responsive design.

Discussions around AI are everywhere — all over the internet, on the news, and in the job market. A specialization in artificial intelligence will give you an in-depth understanding of the many ways AI is currently being used, its practical and ethical challenges, and how it can be incorporated into specific projects. This is highly recommended if you are looking to go into UX, UI, or product design in an industry utilizing artificial intelligence.

A specialization in cognitive psychology focuses on the human side of human computer interactions. In-depth study into how people think, how they process information, how certain actions or results make them feel and then respond — all of these concepts are vital considerations when it comes to designing technology people actually want to use. This is a critical field of study for researchers, game designers, or a career in implantable technologies.

Another important field of study in HCI is accessible design. Where early work in the field focused on designing technology for the largest user group, current and future efforts must consider making those technologies accessible to everyone. This specialization dives into responsive design, assistive technology specifically for users with disabilities, design principles specific to children and the elderly, universal design, and legal and practical accessibility standards.

Every new product and piece of machinery needs to be designed before it can exist. Commercial and industrial designers with a master’s degree in Human Computer Interaction get to forge the concept and create industry-leading products and tools that integrate current and future technology. Cars, appliances, toys, wearable tech — that’s just the beginning of where an HCI master’s degree can take you professionally.

Career Outlook: Commercial and Industrial Designer

Source: O*Net OnLine, 2023

A career in video game design with an HCI master’s degree focuses on gameplay, user-input paths and mechanics, storyline, and character development. The psychological study of human computer interaction allows you to identify and harness players’ behavior and impulses to create commercially and critically successful games. These products could be a mobile app, a casino slot machine, an open sandbox role-playing game, a popular console title, an educational game, or something that hasn’t been thought of yet.

Career Outlook: Video Game Designer

Source: O*Net OnLine, 2023

Human factors engineers and ergonomists design objects, facilities, and environments to enhance overall system performance and personal well-being. Most of these positions are advisory or consulting positions, so entering this field requires a master’s degree in Human Computer Interaction at the minimum. Where some of the other career paths are more collaborative, this path involves a lot of professional autonomy and research.

Career Outlook: Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomist

Source: O*Net OnLine, 2023

There are different types of robotics engineers, but an HCI specialist would focus on projects where robotics are intended to interact with people at least semi-regularly, or ones that are meant to mimic or replace a common human function. An autonomous vehicle design engineer, for instance, should have a master’s-level understanding of how humans use their existing vehicles, and the potential differences in an autonomous experience.

Career Outlook: Robotics Engineer

Source: O*Net OnLine, 2023

Software development is an enormous field, and many of the people who work in it don’t have master’s degrees. However, in the current job market and at the higher tiers of this field, a master’s degree is extremely helpful, especially with knowing how to meld human psychology with technical computer science. A lot of people can code an application or piece of software, but fewer can guarantee its success by fundamentally understanding how and why it will be used.

Career Outlook: Software Developer

Source: O*Net OnLine, 2023

Admission requirements remain pretty standard across the online Human Computer Interaction master’s degree programs we are featuring. A few programs required or recommended a bachelor’s degree in computer science, but most programs were comfortable accepting any bachelor-level degree. Most admissions requirements include:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree.
• 3.0 or higher GPA.
• Statement of purpose.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Resume.
• GRE score (optional).

Most of the master’s degrees in Human Computer Interaction available online are geared toward working professionals and designed to be completed in two years as a part-time program. Some degrees are possible to achieve in one year as a full-time student, but the workload is not recommended. Many of the programs might be more comfortably achieved in three years, depending on the workload and intensity of the courses.

Some degree paths or specializations of study in HCI programs were only available via online curriculum. Additionally, where the interaction between humans and technology is so intrinsic to the course of study, such as with HCI, an online degree could be preferable. There is no better way to internalize the pros and cons of well (and poorly) designed systems than to experience them for yourself.

While computer programming knowledge is helpful when entering this field, the core study of most Human Computer Interaction master’s degrees does not require it. Some of the degree tracks offer electives in courses like Introduction to Programming that allow you to supplement your knowledge while completing credits. This definitely suggests that knowing a few coding languages could help you get ahead in the job marketonce you’ve graduated with a master’s degree, but it is possible to finish the curriculum without ever learning to code.

Most of the programs we looked at did not require a computer science undergraduate degree. There were a few exceptions, and a few more suggested a background in CS could be helpful in completing their coursework, but the vast majority of the programs we reviewed were willing to accept students into their HCI program with any undergraduate degree.