Admission Requirements
- Degree Requirement: bachelor's degree (with demonstrated technical skills).
- Minimum Overall Grade Point Average: 3.0 (4.0 point scale).
- Three letters of recommendation from academic instructors and/or employers are required to support the application of admission. At least two of the letters should be from faculty with full-time academic standing from the institute of your most recent degree.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required when applying for financial support only.
- A student's statement of purpose, explaining his/her reason for applying to the program and what career path he/she plans to take upon graduation, is required for all programs.
- Some programs have additional requirements and prerequisites. See below for additional admission requirements.
Bioinformatics
Students must have completed all or part of the prerequisite courses listed below:
- Genetics and Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology or Molecular Biology
Students holding a bachelor's degree or master's degree in the life sciences or a related field from an accredited four-year collegiate institution must have completed all or part of the prerequisite courses listed below:
- Programming in C, C++, or Java
- Programming/Database
- Statistics
Health Informatics
A bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, biology, biochemistry, nursing, mathematics, statistics, physics, health information management, a health-related field, or a similar discipline is a basic requirement for admission to the graduate degree program.
Students holding a bachelor’s degree in the life sciences or a related field from an accredited four-year collegiate institution must have completed all or part of the prerequisites courses listed below:
- Programming: 3 credits (i.e. C, C++, Java or equivalent)
- Programming/Database: 3 credits (i.e. N510 Web-Database Concepts)
Students holding a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field from an accredited four-year collegiate institution must have completed all or part of the prerequisites courses listed below:
- Medical Terminology: (HIA M330) or equivalent
- Human Anatomy and Physiology: (BIOL N212/N213 AND BIOL N214/215) or equivalent
Human-Computer Interaction
Students applying to the HCI graduate program should have a foundation of core knowledge and skills in one or more of the following proficiency areas. These are usually obtained through undergraduate or graduate level courses previously taken by the applicant or from his/her work experience.
Programming
Proficiency in programming/scripting is a core knowledge component, including:
- One or more languages, such as HTML, JAVA, C++, and Visual Basic.
- A basic understanding of programming methodologies, such as system design and architecture, problem and algorithm analysis.
- Other systems knowledge such as artificial intelligence and database analysis / database technology.
Design
The second proficiency area includes familiarity with the principles and processes of visual communication, industrial design, new media, or other disciplines that deal with design theory and practice. A competent background in this area would include core knowledge of:
- Knowledge and application of three-dimensional animation and/or modeling tools.
- Design methodologies for two and/or three dimensional product development.
- Conceptual modeling, prototyping, and product delivery.
- Fundamental concepts of visual communication, e.g., page design, and layout.
- Design principles, typography, and color theory.
- Knowledge and application of a range of digital (vector and raster) authoring tools for Web or interface design.
Social Sciences
The current trend of HCI is clearly moving toward a pedagogical model that embraces a contextual understanding of human behavior and cognition in interaction with computing. This interaction includes a broad range of processes that must be studied from the perspective of the social sciences. Students entering the HCI Graduate Program with this core knowledge would include course work in the areas of:
- Psychology: general, cognitive, and behavioral
- Sociology and anthropology (ethnography)
- Cross-cultural psychology and communication.
- Information management and/or Information and library science
Media Arts & Science
Typically, applicants desiring to enter the graduate program will have a strong background in media arts and science, fine arts, graphic design, computer science, informatics, communication or media studies, or film / cultural studies. At the same time, however, students with backgrounds in the sciences or the humanities are also encouraged to apply if their interest is in developing a multidisciplinary approach to media arts.
Remedial Course Work: Promising applicants who have deficiencies in media technologies will be directed to take one or more remedial courses before or while they are in the program. Competencies gained from these courses are meant to help overcome the skill-sets needed to apply in course projects. Once a student is accepted, your faculty advisor or advisors in Student Services will direct you to the appropriate courses.
Portfolio or Other evidences of academic excellence
- Portfolio: If an applicant has a background in fields that are more visual/graphic/media in nature, they should provide a professional portfolio. The work may be provided through submitting a CD or a Web site dedicated to the applicants work. (The URL of the portfolio should be indicated clearly in the Statement of Purpose.) It is important that applicants use their Statement of Purpose to explain or refer to the contents of the portfolio.
- Other Evidences: Applicants that do not have a new media, art, or graphic design background should provide samples of their academic writing, published papers, software or programs, or any other evidence of scholarship. It is important that applicants use their Statement of Purpose to explain or refer to the contents of any examples of work submitted.
