Human-Computer Interaction, Additional Major
Additional Major in Interdisciplinary HCI
Haiyi Zhu, Undergraduate Director
Email: haiyiz@andrew.cmu.edu
www.hcii.cmu.edu
Overview
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is a fast growing field devoted to the design, implementation, and evaluation of interactive computer-based technology. Examples of HCI products include intelligent computer tutors, wearable computers, social networking sites, and internet-connected personal digital assistants (PDAs). Constructing an HCI product is a cyclic, iterative process that has at least three stages: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation.
The Design stage involves principles of design and human behavior, the Implementation stage principles of computer science, and the Evaluation stage empirical research methods common to several disciplines. There are thus four topical areas to cover in this major: Human Behavior, Design, Implementation, and Evaluation.
There are many courses relevant to these areas that are offered by departments in four different colleges at Carnegie Mellon (School of Computer Science, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Fine Arts, and Tepper School of Business).
About the Additional Major
The Additional Major in Interdisciplinary Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is available to current undergraduate students from any CMU college. Students maintain their primary major, and by adding an additional major in HCI, can explore multiple areas of study during their time at CMU. Applications to the additional major are processed once a year, in the spring (see below).
Curriculum
The following requirements are for students entering Fall 2026.
The Additional Major in Interdisciplinary Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) consists of 12 prerequisite and required courses.
Prerequisite Courses (4)
These courses do not need to be taken before applying to the additional major program. However, please note the required order sequence for three courses, listed below.
- Introductory statistics course, details below
- Psychology (details below) must be completed before enrolling in the HCI core course 05-410 User-Centered Research and Evaluation
- A freshman-level programming course (details below) must be completed before enrolling in the HCI core course 05-391 or 05-380 or 05-431
- 05-360: Interaction Design Fundamentals must be completed before enrolling in the HCI core course 05-361 Advanced Interaction Design
| Prerequisites | Units | |
| Psychology (Select one) | ||
| 85-110 | Cognitive Psychology | 9 |
| 85-150 | Social Psychology | 9 |
| 85-213 | Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence | 9 |
| Design | ||
| 05-360 | Interaction Design Fundamentals Design majors do not need to take 05-360 as a prerequisite, since they learn similar material in other courses for their major. | 12 |
| Statistics (Select one) | ||
| 36-200 | Reasoning with Data | 9 |
| 36-220 | Engineering Statistics and Quality Control | 9 |
| 36-225 & 36-226 | Introduction to Probability Theory and Introduction to Statistical Inference | 18 |
| 36-226 | Introduction to Statistical Inference | 9 |
| 70-207 | Probability and Statistics for Business Applications | 9 |
| Introduction to Programming (Select one) | ||
| 15-104 | Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice | 10 |
| 15-110 | Principles of Computing | 10 |
| 15-112 | Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science | 12 |
| 15-121 | Introduction to Data Structures | 10 |
| 02-120 | Programming for Scientists | 12 |
HCI Core Courses (4)
The HCI core courses include the following required courses: (prerequisite courses and the electives are not core courses.)
- 05-410: User-Centered Research & Evaluation (UCRE)
- An Advanced Design course (see details below)
- 05-391: Designing Human-Centered Software or 05-380: Prototyping Algorithmic Experiences (PAX) or 05-431: Software Structures for User Interfaces (SSUI)
- 05-571: Undergraduate Project in HCI (Capstone) *The Capstone course should be taken during the student’s final spring semester.
| Core Courses | Units | |
| 05-410 | User-Centered Research and Evaluation | 12 |
| Select one (Advanced Design): | ||
| 05-361 | Advanced Interaction Design | 12 |
| 05-312 | The AI Augmented Designer | 12 |
| 05-315 | Persuasive Design | 12 |
| 05-317 | Design of Artificial Intelligence Products | 12 |
| 05-362 | Transformational Game Design Studio | 12 |
| 05-418 | Design Educational Games | 12 |
| 05-452 | Service Design | 12 |
| 05-470 | Digital Service Innovation | 12 |
| *Some (but not all) special topics classes (05-499) might also count towards the advanced design class requirement. Please consult with an HCI undergraduate advisor. | ||
| Select one (Technical Core): | ||
| 05-380 | Prototyping Algorithmic Experiences | 12 |
| 05-391 | Designing Human Centered Software | 12 |
| 05-431 | Software Structures for User Interfaces | 12 |
| Capstone | ||
| 05-571 | Undergraduate Project in HCI | 12 |
| **Please note that it is highly recommended that HCI Additional Major students complete 05-410, 05-360 and the technical core course before registering for Capstone in the senior spring. | ||
Special Note for Design Majors
- Design majors do not need to take 05-360 Interaction Design Fundamentals as a prerequisite, since they learn similar material in other courses for their major.
Electives (4 courses)
HCI additional major students must take four HCI-related electives (9 units or more). Electives are intended to provide additional major students with advanced concepts and skills relevant to HCI or breadth of experience not available from their primary major. Two out of the four HCI electives must be courses in HCI offered by the Human-Computer Interaction Institute, meaning they have an 05 prefix number.
Students can take electives in the HCII or courses relevant to HCI from many other departments on campus. All external electives are approved on a case-by-case basis.
All 05-xxx courses are pre-approved as HCI electives; however, core courses cannot double count as electives. See the HCII website for a list of current pre-approved electives: https://www.hcii.cmu.edu/academics/hci-undergrad/electives
Double Counting
Students may double count up to two (2) of the required core and elective courses (prerequisite courses do not apply to the double-counting rule) with their primary major.
Accelerated Master's Program (AMHCI)
The HCII currently offers a three semester (12-month), 15 course Masters in HCI. Undergraduates currently enrolled in the HCI major may apply for the Accelerated Masters program in the fall semester of their senior year. If admitted, students finish the masters degree the following fall semester. For more information, see the HCII website: https://www.hcii.cmu.edu/academics/accelerated-masters
Admission to the Additional Major
Because space is limited in the major's required courses, enrollment in the HCI additional major is currently limited. The admissions period occurs in spring semesters. For more details, see the website at hcii.cmu.edu/academics/hci-undergrad/additional-major-hci/admissions.