Master in Engineering in Human-Computer Interaction (Joint Master)

Whether it’s smart homes, industry 4.0, or autonomous vehicles – many of today’s most cutting-edge developments are based on interactions between humans and computers. In the international joint master program “Human-Computer Interaction”, you learn how to shape the way people interact with digital applications, products, and services. Understand the relationship between people and interactive systems and become an expert in one of today’s most dynamic and significant fields of innovation.

Why study Human-Computer Interaction at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences?

The joint master's program of Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and Paris Lodron University of Salzburg combines key competencies from computer science, design, and psychology. Drawing from several areas of knowledge, the degree program revolves around the research, design, and development of interactive systems and innovative forms of interaction.

The program is aimed at international graduates from fields such as human-computer interaction, design, media, or communication studies, and addresses the following topics:

• HCI theory
• methodology and prototyping
• human factors & user experience engineering
• interaction design & digital innovation
• contextual interfaces
• HCI innovations & future technologies

Acquiring a degree in Human-Computer Interaction can open up many different career paths. Graduates enjoy excellent employment prospects and are highly sought after both in academia and industry, including IT & software, creative industries, product development, and research and education.

Professionals in HCI are needed in positions related to user experience, usability engineering, interaction design, human factors, user interface design, human-robot interaction, and beyond.

Typical jobs

Typical job titles include HCI professional, usability engineer, interaction designer, UX & usability expert, and digital innovation manager.

HCI/UX professionals/researchers design and optimize interactive products, systems, and services. In doing so, they take account of the conflict between the wishes and needs of the users, the economic, social, and societal conditions as well as the technical and creative possibilities. HCI/UX professionals/researchers lead the development process through concepts, models, specifications, and prototypes. They work in multidisciplinary groups with the users, the management, the marketing, the design, the development, and the operation of the software.

HCI/UX professionals/researchers are able to think beyond the current state of the art, to develop new concepts and applications that previously did not seem possible. But you also know the limits of the (currently) feasible. Similarly, consider the societal impact of designed interactive products, systems, and services.

Modules and elective courses

The curriculum is focused on providing students with the theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience to become competent designers and design-minded engineers. In addition to the fundamentals of HCI theory and methodology, courses deal with topics such as usability and experience engineering methods.

What’s more, students have the option of specializing in the research and development of interactive settings, ambient assisted living, public spaces, smart mobility, or virtual and augmented reality.

During the course of your studies, you will undertake one research and one industry project under the supervision of academic staff members.

Elective courses: Designed as a joint master program, “Human-Computer Interaction” provides you with the opportunity to choose elective courses from two universities with a total sum of 12 ECTS.

Relevant lectures offered at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and Paris Lodron University of Salzburg include the following:

Salzburg University of Applied Sciences:

• Game Design
• Recommender Systems
• Mixed Reality Technologies
• Digital Ideation
• Data Analysis
• Information Visualisation
• Predictive Analytics
• Realtime Visualisation
• Interaction Design

Paris Lodron University of Salzburg:

• Data Science and Big Data
• Geoinformatics
• Cognitive Psychology

Work experience and studying abroad

To fuse your theoretical knowledge with hands-on work experience, the master's program offers the possibility of doing an optional internship in the industry.

If you are interested in studying abroad, you can do so in the fourth semester when working on your master thesis. Salzburg University of Applied Sciences offers a wide range of international partner universities and is continuously expanding its partner network in the field of Human-Computer Interaction.