Fall 2003

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Cover Story
Back to School Professionals seek master's degrees in human-computer interaction.

A PHYSICIAN, A CHEMIST and an architect are among the Georgia Tech graduate students transforming their careers – blending their professional experience with a greater understanding of how humans and computers interact.

photo by Stanley Leary The Digital Family Portrait, developed by Associate Professor of Computing Elizabeth Mynatt and her students, will give adult children a virtual awareness of the condition and activity level of their independently living parent, who often resides in another town. (300-dpi JPEG version -372k)

These professionals have been among the 20 students a year accepted into Georgia Tech's nationally ranked, interdisciplinary master's degree program in human-computer interaction (HCI). Begun in 1997, the program is jointly offered by the College of Computing, School of Psychology and the School of Literature, Communication and Culture.

"We get people from the workforce who are intrigued by the relationship between people and technology," explains Elizabeth Mynatt, associate director of the GVU Center, which administers the program. ".... For many, the program is a launching point. They have a background in graphic design, for example, but don't have the tools to understand its usability, to know what they can accomplish with an interface. This degree enables them to do different types of jobs in their industry."

The medical doctor, for instance, may now design medical technologies, such as a virtual reality program to assist surgeons in time-critical operating room environments.

© Getty Images Inc., 2003 A medical doctor with a master's degree in human-computer interaction might design medical technologies such as a virtual reality program to assist surgeons in time-critical operating room environments.

Competition is stiff for acceptance into the program – ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Mynatt gets 170 applications a year.

Administrators consider an applicant's score on the Graduate Record Exam, though it is not the key factor in acceptance. "We consider what they already understand about HCI and what they want out of this program," she explains. "We look for how it will make a difference in what they want to do in their careers. That's the make or break part of the application."

Students apply to one of three tracks, each with slightly different criteria for the knowledge they already have – either from a degree or work experience – to inform their work.

A master's degree in HCI takes three semesters to complete as a full-time student. Part-time students work part of the business day and are in school the rest of it. They take one or two courses a semester. Part-time students have hailed from such workplaces as the Centers for Disease Control, Turner Broadcasting, CNN and the U.S. Army's Fort Benning, Ga.    – JMS

For more information, contact Elizabeth Mynatt at 404-894-7243 or mynatt@cc.gatech.edu. Or visit www.gvu.gatech.edu.

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Last updated: Dec.11, 2003