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HCI Graduate Certificate Admissions

Admission Requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale

Successful applicants for the HCI Graduate Certificate will have knowledge and skills (from either past education or work experience) in one or more of the following proficiency areas:

Programming

Proficiency in programming/scripting, including:

  • One or more languages (e.g., JavaScript, Java, C++, Python)
  • A basic understanding of programming methodologies, such as system design and architectures or problem and algorithm analysis
  • Other computing knowledge, such as artificial intelligence and database administration

Design

Proficiency with the principles and processes of visual communication, industrial design, digital media, or other disciplines using design theory and practice, including:

  • Knowledge and application of 3D animation and/or modeling tools
  • Design methodologies for 2D and 3D product development
  • Conceptual modeling, prototyping, and product delivery
  • Fundamental concepts of visual communication (e.g., page design/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

  • Coursework in one or more of the following areas:
  • Psychology (general, cognitive, and behavioral)
  • Sociology and anthropology (ethnography)
  • Cross-cultural psychology and communication, information management, and/or information and library science

Application Deadlines

Fall Admission: May 1

Spring Admission: November 1

How to Apply

Online Application

Complete your application through the Indiana University Graduate CAS Application.  Once you log on to the application, select the Add Program tab on the top menu, and search Human Computer Interaction.  Select the Human Computer Interaction Graduate Certificate or Human Computer Interaction Graduate Certificate online program from the IUPUI heading.  We offer both on-campus and 100% online options.

The Graduate Admissions Committee will not review applications until the application fee and all required materials are completed and received by the deadline indicated.  No hard copies are required for application review.

Resume and Portfolio

Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) listing your education, work experience, research, honors and awards, and computer programming experience.

Personal Statement

Submit a 500-750 word personal statement in your own words indicating

  • Why you’re applying to the program
  • Your post-certificate career plans

(The IU Writing Center provides instructions on how to write a personal statement and avoid plagiarism.)

Transcripts

Upload transcripts and/or academic documents for every institution of higher education you attended to the online application. If a transcript is not in English, upload an English translation certified by the college issuing the transcript.  We do not require hard copies of transcripts for application review. You do not need to physically mail any documents for admissions purposes.

Applicants with a bachelor’s, master’s or professional degree from a non-U.S. institution are encouraged to submit an official course-by-course transcript evaluation completed by one of the following credential evaluators:

All transcripts and/or academic documents uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial. Your unofficial transcript will be used for application review and admission. If you are admitted, you must submit your official hard copy transcripts. If you are currently finishing your bachelor’s degree, you must submit a document that certifies the awarding of the degree.

We accept official electronic transcripts submitted directly from the awarding institution.  Those transcripts can be submitted to our admissions team at LuddyGRD@iu.edu.

We do not require transcripts from Indiana University campuses.

TOEFL or IELTS

Submit proof of English proficiency if your native language is not English. Minimum score required for the on-campus certificate is 79 TOEFL or 6.5 IELTS.  Minimum score for the online certificate is 100 TOEFL or 7.5 IELTS.

This requirement may be waived if you are a citizen of the United States or a country where English is the official language for higher education, or you are completing your bachelor’s or master’s degree in the United States or a country that is predominately English speaking.

Upload a copy of your test score results in the Documents Section (under Test Score Report upload option) on the online application.  Test results may also be sent through ETS to IUPUI school code 1325.

Application Fee

There is no application fee for this online application.