Throughout the course you will learn the principles of human-centred design, how to design better products for human experiences. You will also build an understanding about how using digital technologies can impact people at an individual, group or societal level.

Our MSc is taught by staff from a world-leading HCI research lab within the School of Computing called Open Lab. Open Lab is based within the School of Computing in the University’s new and multiple award-winning £50M Urban Sciences Building.

The lab specialises in digital social innovation - sometimes known as ‘Tech 4 Good’. Open Lab and the wider School of Computing build on a vast range of research partnerships across both industry and public sector organisations, including:

• the BBC
• Microsoft
• Google
• Barnardos
• the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• numerous other charities and NGOs

These organisations offer rich opportunities for enhancing your learning through invited talks, collaborative dissertation projects and career-building activities.

You will be part of a close-knit cohort of fellow students, and part of a vibrant HCI community of over 80 staff, researchers and students within Open Lab, who will help support your learning. Our students have gone on to create a number of innovative digital technologies that have considerable real-world impact, working with community-led initiatives, the public sector, global NGOs and local citizens.

We are seeking British Computer Society (BCS) accreditation for all of our degrees, so you can be assured that you will graduate with a degree that meets the standards set out by the IT industry. Studying a BCS-accredited degree provides the foundation for professional membership of the BCS on graduation and is the first step to becoming a chartered IT professional.

The School of Computing at Newcastle University is an accredited and a recognised Partner in the Network of Teaching Excellence in Computer Science.

The programme is supported by academics at the School of Computing and is closely aligned with Open Lab. All our academics who work in HCI have international reputations for their contributions to the field and many have experience as practitioners in industry. You can find out more about Open Lab’s academic team on the Open Lab website.

Dr Jan Smeddinck, Degree Programme Director
Jan is a Lecturer in Digital Health at Open Lab in the School of Computing, with expertise and research interests in interaction design, serious games, web technologies, human computing, and machine learning. He has previously held research positions in the US and Germany. Jan is currently leading the Digital Devices and Technology strand of the €42million IDEA-FAST project.

The MSc in Human-Computer Interaction is a one-year full time course, based on the Newcastle campus and delivered by the School of Computing. It includes:

• seminars
• lectures
• practical classes
• group and individual project work
• guided independent reading
• self-directed learning

You will be assessed through:

• written essays
• project reports
• presentations

You will complete a dissertation research project in the second half of the course. You will have regular meetings with your project supervisor, who will help you to develop the specialist skills needed to complete your research project.

The School of Computing offers a range of facilities including workshops, a design space and a MakerSpace so you can build and test your own interactive products. We have 3D printers, a laser cutter, open-source hardware platforms (Arduino etc), crafting materials and other items to help you learn to be creative with technology.

CSC8606 Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction and UX
CSC8607 Research Methods for HCI
CSC8608 Interaction / UX Design Methods
CSC8601 Systems and Societies
CSC8604 Technologies for HCI
CSC8609 Project in HCI

You take one of the following modules:

• CSC8011 Introduction to Software Development*
• CSC8406 Object-oriented programming
• CSC8404 Advanced Programming in Java

*If you have limited programming experience on entry you are required to take this module option.

You take two of the following modules:

• CSC8207 Security Analysis of Complex Systems
• CSC8610 Physical Prototyping
• CSC8611 Human-AI Futures

• 8 week Pre-sessional entry: IELTS 6.0 overall (with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills)
• 12 week Pre-sessional entry:  IELTS 5.5 overall (with a minimum of 5.0 in all sub-skills)