About Us

In 2009, the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) changed its name from the Department of Technical Communication (TC). The department offers degree programs in Human Centered Design & Engineering, Technical Communication, and other areas of specialization. Beginning in Autumn of 2009, all course names will start with HCDE instead of TC.

HCDE offers its students a strong education in user-centered design, user-interface design, usability research, human-computer interaction, human-robot communication, computer-supported cooperative work, and documentation. Our students obtain outstanding jobs, primarily in the high-tech industry (e.g., Microsoft, Boeing, IBM, Intel, Amazon, T-Mobile, Google), designing user interfaces, websites, software user assistance, and other forms of user-centered communication. Our PhD graduates take jobs at top level universities and in R&D groups in industry.

HCDE emphasizes student-centered, hands-on learning. Beyond taking traditional classroom courses, students join research groups and work side-by-side with top-ranked professors to increase the knowledge base of the field. Our educational mission is supported by first-rate facilities. HCDE also has a strong international perspective. From technology adoption in Central Asia to humanitarian logistics in Mozambique to hand-held communication design in Germany, we explore what it means to communicate globally.

HCDE prepares students to assume positions of intellectual leadership in industry, government, non-profit organizations, and academia. Whatever their professional direction, HCDE students learn the newest communication technologies and practices, the most effective information-design strategies, and the research skills appropriate to their interests. They also learn the enduring theory and principles that enable them to respond creatively to the constant changes they will encounter throughout their careers.