Hi all! I’m an international student choosing between two grad programs.

My goal is to work at a mid-to-large tech company with established products (e.g. Uber). I’m looking for a program that helps me build a strong portfolio, make industry connections, and eventually land a product design role.

Here’s how I currently feel:

▪️ USC - Integrated Design, Business and Technology

• Strong school name and brand
• Interdisciplinary: design + business + tech
• Focuses on turning ideas into prototypes through communication, collaboration, experimentation, and iteration
• Industry guest speakers

• job fair (still early stages)

• Program is very new — not sure how strong the alumni network or industry pipeline is yet

• startup/entrepreneurship-focused, with fast-paced ideation and business modeling, which I’m personally less drawn to

• couldn’t find info on cohort size yet

▪️ UCSC - HCI

• More classic UX/HCI curriculum: strong foundation in research, design, usability
• Learn how people interact with technology and how to design and prototype accordingly
• industry seminars and a two-quarter capstone with a real company

• Faculty/admin are very responsive and student-focused

• Still a new program (3 years old), with fewer public alumni stories

• Lower overall brand value

• no main campus life (based in Silicon Valley extension)

• ~25 students per cohort

Would love to hear any thoughts—thank you!

Hi! So I’m at community college and I got a few acceptances to undergraduate schools. I plan to do a career in UX research (quant or qual) or human factors engineering. Hence, I wanna do a PhD in HCI or HF after. This being said, please help me pick an undergrad that you think would give me the best chance at a great HCI PhD!

UCI Informatics (information science) UCLA Sociology with Computing specialization, social data science minor UCSD Cognitive Science with HCI specialization

If you don’t have any input on these schools, please give me some advice on what makes a great HCI PhD candidate for top programs, such as the type of research and coursework I should involve myself in! Thank you so much for any feedback

Hi! To people who have been admitted to UMD this year (2025) , do we have a group where us students can connect with each other e.g. a discord group or the like?

Hi! I’m a 23-year-old designer from Chile. I’ve been designing since I was 14 (branding, websites, apps) and have +5 years of professional experience. I’ve led design at a Norwegian company, and worked at Chilean startups like YC-backed Examedi and Platanus Ventures (the biggest startup accelerator in LatAm).

I also code (mainly frontend) and have built several products from scratch—including a pet adoption platform, a SaaS, an app, and many smaller side projects.

Right now, I’m finishing a Business degree with a Master’s in Design & Innovation here in Chile, but it’s mostly focused on physical products (3D modeling, machines, etc.). That made me realize my true passion lies in digital product design—building things that live in code, screens, and technology.

My goal is to deepen my knowledge in theory, research, and best practices for digital product design, and eventually bring that back to Latin America to help shape the region’s growing startup ecosystem.

Is CMU’s HCI Master’s worth it with my background? Or is there another program that fits my goals better?

Thanks in advance!

I got into UW MHCI+D and HCDE for Fall 25. Want your help in making decision.

1. Return of Investment
2. Job prospectus (though with the bad job market everyone is for their own)
3. possibility of Market Transfer
4. As an International student (Indian), validity of this degree in India

Thank you!! Any leads would mean the world to me !!

I got into both program and deciding between them. I am more leaned toward uw but considering regional benefit and infrastructure makes me consuder usc. I want to get a job in a design field, and learn practical skills as well as theory.

Hi everyone!

I'm deciding between these two programs, focusing on HCI/UX design and research. While cost is a significant factor, I'm prioritizing the overall value of each program and the broader university opportunities. My main considerations are industry connections, portfolio-building, and career prospects post-graduation.

My Background:I'm graduating with a Bachelor's in Computer Science and hoping to pursue a career in UX design. A personal consideration is that I've always desired to work in tech and relocate to CA, so attending UCB would put me directly in that environment with a relevant network.

UCB MIMS:• Preferred location, stronger tech presence• More interdisciplinary and data-driven, with opportunities to explore other paths. The UX courses seem more generalized, but are relevant to industry. • Smaller cohort size (~50-70 students) • Tuition: ~$70k ($5k scholarship), with options to reduce costs through campus positions

UMSI:• More UX-specific coursework with a broader selection of classes. • Larger cohort size (~300-400 students)• Tuition: ~$29k ($28k scholarship), in-state

I'd appreciate any thoughts or insights! I'm debating whether the location and industry opportunities at Berkeley outweigh the wider range of UX classes offered by Umich, especially if I'm looking to strengthen my portfolio.

Title, I clicked through the registration and was unable to get student pricing?

Hi everyone, I'm an international student and I've been accepted to both:

1. UCSC MS in Human computer interaction

• Located in Silicon Valley, with industry-connected capstone projects & seminars
• More UX focused, but the program is not well known, and there’s no real campus life (single-building setup)

1. USC MS in Integrated design, business and technology

• Teaches a startup mindset, focusing on fast prototyping & iteration cycles with designing
• Honestly, I’m not planning to take startup-heavy courses…
• Strong USC alumni network & career resources (but unclear how much this applies to this program)

My goal is to get a summer internship and a full-time job in the U.S. as a product/Ux designer. Both have almost the same high tuition.

Which would you choose and why? Thank you so much in advance!

My company will pay for part of my master's degree, so I'm trying to find a program that's 1.) Online 2.) Reasonable outof pocket request 3.) Can be completed in 2 years at most.

I ran across the HCI program at Oswego SUNY but haven't seen anyone mention it. Has anyone gone through this program?

Hi everyone! I’m an early career UXR and wanted some feedback on HCI masters programs given todays market. I’ve seen plenty of posts on this sub for masters programs but they seem to be asked by people going into product/ux design. I’ve also posted in the UXR sub but it seems to have less chatter in general.

My background: I have ~2 years of experience as an jr. UXR at an agency. i want to gain more quantitative skills and (hopefully if the market picks up) transition to an in-house mixed-methods role. My company doesn’t really have much opportunity or room for growth.

I’ve saved up and neither price nor location are huge factors for me (although cheaper is more appealing). I’m trying to base it solely on program reputation and rigor in UXR. My options:

CMU’s MHCI: - 1 year, full time, time to fully immerse in school + quickly get back to industry but seems too short to really gain hard skills - no internship but there is a capstone opportunity - courses are more rigid (only opportunity for 4 electives) - smaller cohort, seems the best for alumni network - CMU name (not sure how far this goes for UXR though) - seems more of a design-focused program

UW’s HCDE: - 2/3 years part-time, evening classes (depends on how long you want to take). I would try for 2 years - could keep job + recruit for new roles - is the most cost efficient program - larger, more disconnected cohort (100-150 students, mix of students doing part and full time) - more flexible course options than CMU, but seems less so than GT. Would love insight on this - worry about burnout with 9-5 and then classes from 6-10 twice a week - seattle tech scene, industry connections seem strong with the program

GT’s MSHCI: - note: currently waitlisted here, but still want thoughts in case i do get in - 2 years, full time, time to fully immerse in school and gain skills - opportunity for summer internship - has the most flexibility with courses, a lot of quant skill options - smaller cohort (~60), not sure about alumni network - don’t feel like there’s many cons with this one, but want thoughts on leaving industry for 2 years in this market

Got accepted into both these programs and wanted to hear from you guys on which program you'd pick and why? For some background, I have a BS in UX Design and 2 years of work experience as a UX Designer. I wanted more info on:

1. If one program has a significantly better reputation when it comes to hiring
2. Advantages and drawbacks from people currently in the program
3. Tuition waiver/scholarship opportunities

Thanks all!

Same as the title, what are the chances of me getting off the waitlist?

Similar to many other posts on here but I’m having a hard time making a decision. But, it’s between two less known programs. I recently have been admitted to the MS in Integrated Design Business and Technology at USC Iovine and Young Academy. It was previously an online Masters but I believe fall 2024 was the start of the in person option. I would love to hear more testimonies or real thoughts from current students as it seems interesting but not super clear. For reference, I’m an aspiring product designer who wants to learn more technical skills (programming), XR/VR, and also explore technology with design. I’m drawn to the networking opportunities and events that the school puts on but also don’t have as much entrepreneurial spirit so I’m unsure if it’s the right fit since the business side of the program is emphasized. However, I’m also not opposed to learning more startup and business insight.

I’m torn between USC and WashU’s new Master of Design HCI program which has clear core courses and more research-based projects opportunities lined up. They also have XR/VR development classes, mentorship and closeness with the faculty, and I enjoyed the campus. I just have concerns about it being the first cohort and less alumni support. Location post grad is also something to consider as I have heard LA has more opportunities.

Sorry if the message is poorly written and kind of disorganized, but anything will help!

Want someone to write and publish a research paper with, will apply for conference publications. Anyone genuinely interested kindly reach out. Preferably someone in academia.

Anyone at UMD with a 20-hour Graduate Assistantship? I know these come with full tuition remission, but are not given like candy. Would love some insight into those currently holding positions while attending the HCIM program.

I’m running a quick interactive study on how dual-modality reading (combining advanced text-to-speech with visual word highlighting) affects reading comprehension and speed for my HCI course at the University of Cambridge. This has helped me a lot in gradschool, so I want to test if it actually had general effect.

You’ll get a personalised summary showing which method worked best for you afterwards.

These techniques are being used in blog posts from Google, ereader apps, and read-it-later apps like Readwise, but there is no good research on whether it actually works.

https://reader.hiddeh.com/

Takes just 10–15 minutes, needs to be done on laptop.

Would love to hear you guys' feedback.

"Our university has an open-access publishing deal with a few organizations, and one of them caught my attention. I’d like to hear your thoughts—would it be appropriate for me, as a PhD student, to submit to this journal? Also, how can I determine if it is a predatory journal?

I can not travel to conferences, and SIGCHI Conferences are becoming in person again, and topic of my work is pure HCI, so it does not fit in software engineering journals.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/3637

I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could really use some advice. I’m planning to do my Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and trying to decide between Germany and Austria (University of Siegen and University of Salzburg). My biggest priority? Getting a job (UX) after graduation.

For my Human Computer Interaction master thesis at Utrecht University I am researching the effects of handedness on smartphone interaction. To test this, I have created a website on which you have to execute multiple tasks with both hands. The experiment takes around 10-15 minutes and is conducted on your phone. If you are interested in participating, please follow the link below. https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~6269192/

Recently I graduated with a bachelors degree in CS, now I work as a software engineer (about to complete a full year this summer). I don’t enjoy the work and I am looking to go back to school to get my masters. Im straddling the fence on whether to pursue my masters in Europe or in the US. I did a little bit of research and some schools in Germany, Norway,and Austria provide free tuition for international students but there are some pretty great schools in the states too. I have a heavy interest in sociology and would like to combine it with the technical skills I’ve learned over the years. I see most post talk about UI/UX design, but I’m more interested in algorithmic bias. Is HCI the right move?

Hey guys! it's nearly end of March and I still haven't heard back from UCI MS informatics. I just want to get some data if anyone has applied for the same program and heard back anything!

ps. could you guys please leave me a comment if you are still waiting also:(

Hey everyone,

I’m an international student trying to decide between three schools for my master’s in UX/Interaction Design, and I’d love some advice!

I’ve been accepted into: • CCA (California College of the Arts) – MDes in Interaction Design ($21K scholarship) • Pratt Institute – MS in Information Experience Design (no scholarship) • SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) – MFA in UX Design ($8K scholarship)

A bit about my priorities: • Career prospects after graduation (especially for international students) • Strength of the program and faculty in UX/Interaction Design • Networking and internship opportunities • Cost and return on investment

From what I’ve gathered, CCA has a strong focus on design thinking and industry connections in the Bay Area, Pratt has a research-heavy approach and is based in NYC, and SCAD has a well-established UX program with a more creative focus.

Does anyone have insights on job placement, alumni network, or overall experience at these schools? Any advice would be super helpful!

Thanks in advance!