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Degree Requirements

The following degree requirements apply to Master of Science in Human Centered Design & Engineering. 

To graduate, students in the HCDE Master's program must complete 50 credits of the following:

Required Core Courses

HCDE Master's students entering in Autumn 2020 are required to complete all of the following courses (24 credits total).

  • HCDE 501: Theoretical Foundations of HCDE (4)
  • HCDE 519: Qualitative Research Methods (4) or HCDE 516: Experimental Methods (4)
  • HCDE 517: Usability Studies (4) (Winter only)
  • HCDE 518: User-Centered Design (4) (Autumn only)
  • HCDE 592: Capstone Planning (4) Prerequisite: HCDE 501; HCDE 517; and HCDE 518; and either HCDE 516 or HCDE 519 (Winter only)
  • HCDE 593: Capstone (4) Prerequisite: HCDE 592 (Spring only)

Elective Courses in Specialized Content Areas

Students must take at least one 4-credit course in three specialized content areas: Strategy, Design, and Engineering. Students are encouraged to gain depth in any of the three areas by taking additional courses beyond the minimum required four credits per area.

Strategy (4 credits minimum)

  • HCDE 503: Navigating Design in Organizational Contexts (4)
  • HCDE 512: International User Experiences and Communication (4)
  • HCDE 520: Design and Management of Complex Systems (4)
  • HCDE 534: Designing a Human Centered Venture (4)

Design (4 credits minimum)

  • HCDE 508: Visual Communication (4)
  • HCDE 511: Information Visualization (4)
  • HCDE 515: Accessibility and Inclusive Design (4)
  • HCDE 536: Interaction Design & Prototyping (4)
  • HCDE 537: User-Centered Web Design (4)
  • HCDE 538: Designing for Behavior Change (4)

Engineering (4 credits minimum)

  • HCDE 511: Information Visualization (4)
  • HCDE 530: Computational Concepts in HCDE (4)
  • HCDE 533: Digital Fabrication (4)
  • HCDE 539: Physical Computing and Prototyping (4)

Elective Courses

Students should select electives based on their specific academic and professional goals. 

  • HCDE 502: Empirical Traditions (4)
  • HCDE 503: Navigating Design in Organizations (4)
  • HCDE 508: Visual Communication (4)
  • HCDE 511: Information Visualization (4)
  • HCDE 512: International User Experiences and Communication (4)
  • HCDE 515: Accessibility and Inclusive Design (4)
  • HCDE 516: Experimental Methods (4) 
  • HCDE 519: Qualitative Research Methods (4)
  • HCDE 520: Design and Management of Complex Systems (4)
  • HCDE 521: UX Speaker Series (1) (2 credit max toward degree) Winter only 
  • HCDE 523: DUB Seminar (1) (2 credit max toward degree) See dub calendar for locations and timing of weekly talks
  • HCDE 524: Programming Concepts in HCDE (2)
  • HCDE 526: Video Prototyping (2)
  • HCDE 530: Computational Concepts in HCDE (4)
  • HCDE 532: Web Design Studio (2) Optional skills prep course for HCDE 537
  • HCDE 534: Designing a Human Centered Venture (4)
  • HCDE 536: Interaction Design & Prototyping (4)
  • HCDE 537: User-Centered Web Design (4)
  • HCDE 538: Designing for Behavior Change (4)
  • HCDE 539: Physical Computing and Prototyping (4)
  • HCDE 596: Directed Research Groups (Students can apply up to 6 credits of 596 + 599 combined to their degree)
  • HCDE 598: Special Topics Courses (1–5, max. 15) Prerequisite: permission of instructor
  • HCDE 599: Special Projects (Students can apply 4 credits of 596 + 599 combined to their degree)
  • ENGR/HCDE 601: Internship (max. 5 credits toward degree) 

Notes Regarding Electives

A maximum of two non-HCDE courses may be used toward the degree, including 400-level coursework, with prior approval from the department. Contact your Graduate Advisor to learn more. All classes can only count toward one requirement.