HCI-Related Master’s Degrees at UW

Compare related degree programs at the University of Washington side by side

Compare MHCI+D with CSE PMP HCDE MS iSchool MSIM IxD MDes

Career Impact

Degree Earned

Career Possibilities

Focus

Capstone or Thesis Project

Internship

MHCI+D	CSE PMP	HCDE MS	iSchool MSIM	IxD MDes
Master of Human-Computer Interaction + Design	Master of Science in Computer Science & Engineering	Master of Science in Human Centered Design & Engineering	Master of Science in Information Management	Master of Design in Interaction Design (terminal design degree)
User Experience Designer User Experience Researcher Interaction Designer Usability Researcher Product Designer Developer Prototyper Project or program Manager User Experience Manager	Software Developer Software Engineer Computer Engineer	User Experience Designer User Researcher Information Architect Interaction Designer Product Designer Product Manager User Interface Developer Web Developer Business Analyst	Information Architect User Experience Designer Data Visualization Specialist Systems Analyst Data Scientist Software Design Engineer Risk Consultant Web Computing Specialist Network Administrator Database Developer Cybersecurity Professional Project Manager	Senior Interaction Designer Design Researcher Design Strategist Creative Director Professor of Design
Usability and user research Design of interactive computing technologies Prototyping interactive digital systems	Development of critical skills for career path enhancement for experienced software developers	User-centered research and design Use of communication, design, and visualization methods Design and prototyping of interactive products, services, platforms, and systems Applies to all domains, including technology and engineering	Information and information technologies management	Design of interactive products and services Design research and strategy
Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside advisors & sponsors Projects from the spine of studio work Culminates in a full time studio during final summer quarter	Neither	Team-based capstone project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors Student-driven format and topic	Full-Time 2-year: • Capstone project • Team-based project offers opportunity to work with outside sponsors • Student-directed • Research or design oriented Full-Time 1-year and Mid-Career: • Practicum experiential learning • Either Capstone project, internship, faculty-sponsored research project, or other approved experiential learning project	One-year long thesis that culminates in a design project comprised of a design project and written document Thesis project identified by student as result of exploration of graduate-level themes, methods, and techniques surveyed in required graduate seminar and studio sequence in year one Thesis committee selected by student and comprised of Design faculty and subject matter experts from other UW research units and industry Thesis development guided by thesis committee chair who acts as the main adviser and works closely with M.Des student
NA	NA	Elective	Fulltime: Recommended Mid-career: Recommended	Elective

Courses

Curriculum

Instructional Style

# of Required Credits by Course Type

Course Scheduling

MHCI+D	CSE PMP	HCDE MS	iSchool MSIM	IxD MDes
Prescribed sequence of core courses Electives from sponsoring departments and UW Culminates in a capstone project	Choice of 8 core CSE courses Choice of 8 CSE colloquia courses	Individualized program Select core courses and electives in three specialized content areas (Strategy, Design, and Engineering) Option to take electives from outside HCDE (max 2) Culminates in a capstone project	Core courses plus specializations in Business Intelligence Data Science User Experience Information Consulting Information Architecture Information Security Culminates in Capstone project or Experiential Learning (dependent on choice of MSIM program track)	Prescribed sequence of graduate seminars and studios plus elective courses in year one Student-directed thesis completed in year two in close collaboration with chosen thesis committee chair and advisory committee Supplement design coursework with UW electives in year one and two
Design studio, lectures, individual and group projects Tightly integrated, project-based curriculum Sequenced schedule	Lectures focusing on latest research and theory Assignments, projects and examinations conform to time availability of full-time employed students	Project-based, lecture, and studio courses Core courses in sequenced format Flexible elective schedule	Lectures and project-based courses	IxD M.Des students take cross-disciplinary seminars and studios with M.Des students in Industrial Design and Visual Communication Design. M.Des students also take studios, electives and independent studies with Design faculty Special research projects are available, often with corporate sponsorship in the form of research associateships, in alignment with design faculty research, student qualifications and interest area
Core: 30 Capstone Project: 9 Electives: 7	Core: 32 Colloquia: 8	Core: 24 Specialized Content Areas: 12 Electives: 14	Core: • Full-Time (2 yr): 15 • Full-Time (1 yr): 15 • Mid-Career (1 yr): 12 Electives: • Full-Time (2 yr): 45 • Full-Time (1 yr): 19 • Mid-Career (1 yr): 24, or more if desired Experiential Learning/ Captsone: • Full-Time (2 yr): 5 • Full-Time (1 yr): 6 • Mid-Career (1yr): optional	Core: 30 Electives: 35 Thesis: 25
Primarily daytime	Weekday evenings Each course meets one night/week Colloquia can be attended or viewed online	Primarily evening Each course meets one night/week Full-time or part-time students studying in the evening	Full-Time Core: daytime; Electives: day, evening, Sat morning Mid-Career Core: Evenings Electives: evenings, Saturday morning	Primarily daytime

UW Affiliation

College/School Department/ Division

Faculty

Facilities

Contacts

MHCI+D	CSE PMP	HCDE MS	iSchool MSIM	IxD MDes
Graduate School Interdisciplinary Programs Jointly sponsored by the Information School, Computer Science & Engineering and HCDE (College of Engineering), and Art, Art History + Design (College of Arts & Sciences)	The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering (CSE)	College of Engineering Department of Human-Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) Students earn Engineering degree	Information School (iSchool)	College of Arts & Sciences School of Art (SOA) Division of Design
Interdisciplinary faculty from CSE, HCDE, ISchool, Division of Design plus external industry lecturers	Dedicated CSE faculty plus some notable industry research lecturers	Interdisciplinary tenure track HCDE faculty plus industry lecturers	Dedicated iSchool faculty plus external industry lecturers	Dedicated Design faculty, plus industry lecturers and UW faculty outside of Design
Dedicated design studio for the cohort	UW Campus classrooms Use of CSE student computer labs	Design Lab with shared access for all HCDE students UW campus classrooms	iSchool classrooms Shared computing labs Group work space	School of Art building Access to design studios, fabrication shops, and specialized equipment
Ana Pinto Da Silva, Director Scott Ichikawa, Associate Director Matt Bartels, Assistant Director, Student Services	Dave Rispoli, PMP Advisor	Alex Llapitan, Academic Counselor - Senior	Sean McGann, MSIM Program Chair Shasta Jennings, MSIM Academic Adviser Kari Brothers, MSIM Admissions Counselor	Audrey Desjardins, M.Des Program Chair Ann Langford-Fuchs, Academic Advisor

Time and Money

Duration

Option for full-time work while in school

Application Deadline

Number of Students Accepted Annually

Required # of Credits

Approximate Total Tuition subject to change and total credits taken

Financial Aid

MHCI+D	CSE PMP	HCDE MS	iSchool MSIM	IxD MDes
1 year (4 quarters), full-time, immersive experience Students are members of a cohort of peers.	Average 2.5 years part-time Average one 4-credit PMP course and one 1-credit colloquium course per quarter Liberal leave policy for full-time working professionals	Self-paced, flexible schedule (most full-time students graduate in 6 quarters and part-time students in 9 quarters) Full-time and part-time students; many are working professionals	Full-Time program: 2 years or 1 year Mid-Career program: 1-2 years (Fri./Sat. courses)	2 years, full-time immersive experience Small cohort: 6-12 M.Des students per year total (ID, IxD, an VCD M.Des concentrations combined)
No	Yes	Yes	Full-Time: No Mid-Career: Yes	No
Jan. 15 All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only.	Autumn Quarter: Jul. 1 Winter Quarter: Nov. 1 Spring Quarter: Feb. 1	Jan. 15 (varying slightly only to avoid overlap with holidays/weekends) All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only.	Jan. 15 (Full-time MSIM deadline) Mid-career MSIM: Incremental deadlines. All offers of admission are for Autumn quarter only.	Jan. 15
30-40	85	100	Full-time 2 year: 70-75 Full-time 1 year: 35 Mid-career: 35	2-4 IxD M.Des 6-12 M.Des in ID, IxD, and VCD combined
46	40	50	Full-time 2-year: 65 Full-time 1-year: 40 Mid-career: 36	90
$53,038 $1,153/credit x 46 credits	$39,000 $975/credit x 40 credits	$45,000 $900/credit x 50 credits	Full-time 2-year: $52,585 Full-time 1-year: $32,360 Mid-career: $29,124 $809/credit in both	$32,544
Occasionally tuition may be reduced through Fellowships and Teaching/Research Assistantships, which are offered by individual departments and based on merit.	None (No TA or RA positions offered)	With the exception of a small number of departmental fellowships, the HCDE Master's program does not have the resources to offer direct tuition support/scholarships to students.	All applicants are eligible to receive a limited number of iSchool merit-based scholarships. Occasionally tuition may be reduced through Fellowships and Teaching/Research Assistantships, which are offered by individual departments and based on merit.	Occasionally tuition may be reduced through Fellowships and Teaching/Research Assistantships, which are offered by individual departments and based on merit.