Human-Centered Computing

Tuition Fee

Start Date

Medium of studying

Duration

Details

Program Details

Degree

Bachelors

Major

User Experience Design

Area of study

Information and Communication Technologies

Course Language

English

About Program

Program Overview

Human-Centered Computing Bachelor of Science Degree

Overview

RIT's human-centered computing degree combines computing, psychology, and design to examine how people use technology and how computing systems can become more intuitive.

Why Study Human Centered Computing at RIT

Gain Hands on Experience: Two required blocks of cooperative education and internship mean significant hands-on, full-time paid work experience in industry.
Focused Degree Options: Choose two of six interdisciplinary concentrations to focus your education on your personal interests and career goals.
STEM-OPT Visa Eligible: The STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows full-time, on-campus international students on an F-1 student visa to stay and work in the U.S. for up to three years after graduation.

What is Human-Centered Computing?

Fundamental to human-centered computing (HCC) is a focus on humans as individuals and how they behave with technology. Students in this major find themselves at the intersection of computer advancements and human behavior around technology. Topics of consideration include the design, evaluation, and implementation of interactive computing systems and understanding the ways in which such systems can transform our lives.

RIT’s Human-Centered Computing BS

RIT's human-centered computing BS blends strengths from varied disciplines to understand how people use technology, and how technologies can be developed that are more intuitive and usable. This major prepares you for careers in industry or to pursue graduate study, offering options for you to specialize in different areas of computing depending on individual interests in computing, design, or psychology.

Human-Centered Computing Curriculum

The curriculum combines courses from three different RIT colleges to ensure students develop a firm understanding of these diverse subjects. Core courses include several foundational classes in:

Technology
Cognitive science and psychology
Gestalt
Color theory
Creative thinking

This is an interdisciplinary degree with six concentrations, allowing you to immerse yourself in two areas you find most interesting.

Accessibility: Learn to develop systems that are equally accessible to all people, making the benefits of technology a reality for everyone.
Design: Learn to integrate elements of imagery, type, actions, color, and more to form a unified graphical interface that is understandable to people everywhere.
Front End Development: Master programming and development for desktop, web, and mobile computing interfaces, with a focus on efficient code and meeting user needs.
Instructional Technology: Plan, organize and develop systems to effectively leverage technology to convey knowledge and skills to users.
Natural Language Processing: Study the interactions between computers and human language. Learn about the latest advances in computational linguistics and how computers derive meaning via natural language processing.
Psychology: Explore how humans perceive, process, and store information. Study best practices in research and evaluation, and learn how to implement them into your work.

The major also requires students to complete two blocks of cooperative education, which may begin after the second year of study.

Careers and Experiential Learning

Typical Job Titles

UX Designer
Product Designer
UI Developer
Software Developer
Technology Development Programmer
Web and Systems Programmer

Industries

Commercial Banking and Credit
Internet and Software
Performing and Fine Arts
Health Care

Cooperative Education

What’s different about an RIT education? It’s the career experience you gain by completing cooperative education and internships with top companies in every single industry. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world career experience that sets you apart.

Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Your computing co-ops will provide hands-on experience that enables you to apply your computing knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.

Students in the human-centered computing degree are required to complete two blocks of cooperative education experience.

Curriculum for Human-Centered Computing BS

First Year

ISTE-110: FYW: Ethics in Computing (WI) (General Education – First-Year Writing)
ISTE-140: Web & Mobile I
ISTE-262: Foundations of Human Centered Computing
NMDE-111: New Media Digital Design Survey I
PSYC-101: Introduction to Psychology (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
PSYC-223: Cognitive Psychology (General Education)
STAT-145: Introduction to Statistics I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
STAT-146: Introduction to Statistics II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
General Education – Elective
Open Elective

Second Year

ISTE-99: School of Information Second Year Seminar
ISTE-240: Web & Mobile II
ISTE-264: Prototyping and Usability Testing
ISTE-266: Design for Accessibility
ISTE-499: Undergraduate Co-op (summer)
NMDE-112: New Media Digital Design Survey II
PSYC-250: Research Methods I (WI-PR) (General Education)
PSYC-251: Research Methods II (WI-PR) (General Education)
GCIS-123: Software Development and Problem Solving I (General Education)
GCIS-124: Software Development and Problem Solving II (General Education)
General Education – Social Perspective
General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective

Third Year

ISTE-252: Foundations of Mobile Design
Choose one of the following:
- ISTE-498: Undergraduate Creative, Innovative or Research Experience
- ISTE-499: Undergraduate Co-op (summer)
HCC Concentration Courses
General Education – Artistic Perspective
General Education – Global Perspective
General Education – Immersion 1
Open Electives

Fourth Year

ISTE-500: Senior Development Project I
ISTE-501: Senior Development Project II (WI-PR)
HCC Concentration Courses
General Education – Ethical Perspective
General Education – Immersion 2, 3
Open Elective
General Education - Elective

Concentrations

Accessibility

ISTE-464: Accessibility Through the Lifespan
ISTE-562: Research in Accessibility
ISTE-563: Access & Assistive Technology

Design

NMDE-201: New Media Design Elements II
NMDE-203: New Media Design Interactive II
NMDE-302: New Media Design Graphical User Interface

Front End Development

ISTE-340: Client Programming
ISTE-454: Mobile Application Development I
ISTE-456: Mobile Application Development II

Instructional Technology

ISTE-560: Fundamentals of Instructional Technology
ISTE-561: Interactive Courseware
PSYC-235: Learning and Behavior

Natural Language Processing

ENGL-351: Language Technology (required)
LING-581: Natural Language Processing I (required)
Plus one of the following:
- LING-582: Natural Language Processing II
- LING-584: Undergraduate Speech Processing

Psychology

PSYC-430: Memory and Attention
PSYC-431: Language and Thought
PSYC-432: Decision Making, Judgment and Problem Solving

Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is STEM designated when studying on campus and full time.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes:

4 years of English
3 years of social studies and/or history
3 years of mathematics is required and must include algebra, geometry, and algebra 2/trigonometry. Pre-calculus ispreferred.
2-3 years of science is required and must include chemistryor physics; both arepreferred.
Computing electives are preferred.

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements:

A minimum of college algebra is required. Pre-calculus or calculus ispreferred.
Chemistry or physics is required.
Computing courses are preferred.

Faculty

Stephen Zilora
Matt Huenerfauth
Esa Rantanen

Contact

Program Contact:

Dan Bogaard
Associate Professor
School of Information
Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences
585‑475‑5231
dbogaard@rit.edu

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