Course Information
The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) offers courses for credit from 100-introductory level to 800-doctoral level. Courses are offered through our many degree-granting and certificate-granting programs. Students are invited to explore and apply to these programs, or investigate taking one course at a time depending on their needs, interests, and resources.
The most up-to-date list of HCDE courses with descriptions is available from the online UW Course Catalog.
Below are courses offered as part of HCDE's undergraduate degree, graduate degree and certificate programs, Technical Japanese Program (TJP), and Technical Writing and Editing (TWE) certificate. Each course links to its description in the UW Course Catalog.
HCDE 100 Introduction to Human Centered Design & Engineering (5)
HCDE 231 Introduction to Technical Writing (3)
HCDE 300 Foundations of Human Centered Design & Engineering (5)
HCDE 303 Project Management (3)
HCDE 310 Communication Design & Rationale (5)
HCDE 313 Introduction to User Research (5)
HCDE 321 Professional Portfolio (2)
HCDE 333 Advanced Technical Writing and Oral Presentation (4)
HCDE 401 Style & Editing in Scientific and Technical Writing (5)
HCDE 407 Software User Assistance (5)
HCDE 411 Visual Communication (5) I&S/VLPA
HCDE 417 Survey of Usability Research Techniques (5)
HCDE 418 Survey of User Experience Design (5)
HCDE 419 Survey of Concepts in Human-Computer Interaction (5)
HCDE 437 Web Design & Web Publishing (5) I&S/VLPA
HCDE 438 Web Technologies (5)
HCDE 455 User Interface Design (4)
HCDE 493 Professional Portfolio/Senior Study (5)
HCDE 495 Professional Practice/Undergraduate Internship (3–10, 10 max)
HCDE 496 Directed Research in Human Centered Design & Engineering (1–3, max. 10; Current Directed Research Groups)*
HCDE 497 Study Abroad: Human Centered Design and Engineering (3–5, max. 15)
HCDE 498 Special Topics (1–5, max. 10)
HCDE 499 Special Projects (1–5, max. 10)*
The following courses apply to the Master of Science (MS) degree and the User-Centered Design (UCD) and Global Technology & Communication Management (GTCM) graduate certificate programs.
HCDE 501 Theoretical Foundations of Human Centered Design & Engineering (4)
HCDE 502 Empirical Traditions in Human Centered Design & Engineering (4)
HCDE 505 Computer-Assisted Communication (4)
HCDE 509 Writing the Scientific Article (3)
HCDE 510 Information Design (4)
HCDE 511 Visual Communication (4)
HCDE 512 International User Experiences and Communication (4)
HCDE 513 Globalization & Localization Management (4)
HCDE 514 Strategies for International Product Management (4)
HCDE 515 Ecological Information Systems (4)
HCDE 516 Experimental Research Methods (4)
HCDE 517 Usability Testing (4)
HCDE 518 User-Centered Design (4)
HCDE 520 Design and Management of Complex Information and Communication Systems (4)
HCDE 521 Seminar: Current Issues in Human Centered Design & Engineering (1–2, max. 3)
HCDE 523 Seminar: Issues in HCDE Scholarship and Professional Activity (1, max. 3)
HCDE 537 User-Centered Web Design (5)
HCDE 596 Directed Research in Human Centered Design & Engineering (1–3, max. 10; Current Directed Research Groups)*
HCDE 598 Special Topics (1–5, max. 6)
HCDE 599 Special Projects (1–5, max. 5)*
HCDE 601 Internship (2–10, max. 10)*
HCDE 700 Master's Thesis*
PhD students may take up to two MS-level courses. To do so, you must contact the Director of Student Services with your request.
HCDE 523 Seminar: Issues in HCDE Scholarship and Professional Activity (1, max. 3)
HCDE 541 Grant Writing for Career Development (4)
HCDE 542 Theoretical Foundations in Human Centered Design & Engineering (4)
HCDE 543 Empirical Traditions in Human Centered Design & Engineering (4)
HCDE 544 Research Methods I (4)
HCDE 545 Research Methods II (4)
HCDE 546 Design Thinking (4)
HCDE 547 Academic Development Seminar (1, max. 10)
HCDE 548 Advanced Topics in Human Centered Design & Engineering (4, max. 20)
HCDE 596 Directed Research in Human Centered Design & Engineering (1–3, max. 10; Current Directed Research Groups)
HCDE 598 Special Topics (1–5, max. 6)
HCDE 599 Special Projects (1–5, max. 5)*
HCDE 601 Internship (2–10, max. 10)*
HCDE 800 Doctoral Dissertation (1–10, max. 30)*
For more information about the Technical Japanese Program (TJP), visit the TJP website.
HCDE 461 Japanese for Technical and Business Professions I (5) VLPA
HCDE 462 Japanese for Technical and Business Professions II (5) VLPA
HCDE 463 Japanese for Technical and Business Professions III (5) VLPA
HCDE 495 Professional Practice/Undergraduate Internship (3–10, 10 max)
HCDE 561 Advanced Japanese for Technical and Business Professions I (4)
HCDE 562 Advanced Japanese for Technical and Business Professions II (4)
HCDE 563 Advanced Japanese for Technical and Business Professions III (4)
HCDE 601 Internship (2–10, max. 10)*
The following courses apply to the Technical Writing & Editing (TWE) certificate program.
HCDE 421 Current Practices in Technical Communication (3)
HCDE 422 Style in Technical Communication (3)
HCDE 423 Technical Editing and Document Development (3)
HCDE 424 Authoring and Production Tools in Technical Communication (4)
HCDE 426 Software User Assistance (3)
HCDE 427 Visual Design in Technical Communication (4)