Empowering tomorrow's digital innovators
UC Irvine’s Department of Informatics offers the only mixed format, low residency one-year Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Design (MHCID) in the world, providing students the benefits of in-person, high-touch learning in accelerated on-campus visits with flexibility of online education.
The MHCID program prepares its graduates to be leaders in user experience research and design, interaction design, information architecture, product design, and human-computer interaction.
The MHCID program is also fully accredited by WSCUC and overseen by the Academic Senate of the University of California.
We highly recommend attending an information session before applying to the MHCID program. Our information sessions cover the basics of the program, workload, and admissions.
Program highlights
Led by pioneering faculty with diverse backgrounds in art and design, business, computer science, media arts, information science, and psychology, UCI’s Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Design (MHCID) equips students with in-demand UX skillsets and soft skills necessary for a successful career.
Interdisciplinary orientation
Empowering versatility and forward-thinking creativity for evolving job markets by equipping them with versatile skillsets combined with expertise in multiple areas.
Designed for you
Complete your Master’s program while continuing in your profession provides opportunities to apply gained knowledge to real-world problems.
Elevate your career
Enhancing your technical and soft skills is critical to enhancing your marketability. Access to our Career Development team ensures you’re ready to enter the workforce.
Why MHCID?
Preparing for the future
MHCID offers an inclusive, interdisciplinary academic community geared toward highly successful professionals in user experience. Graduates of MHCID will be prepared for a variety of careers, including user experience (UX) research and design, systems analysis, design research, product design, project management, usability evaluation, web development, and more. Students will attend intensive, accelerated in-person classes on the beautiful UCI campus in Orange County, Calif., as well as courses online.
Real-world experience
MHCID students solve real-world problems in diverse teams that work closely with our award-winning interdisciplinary faculty. After mastering a range of key UX skills and subjects, graduates will gain important academic and practical experience through our capstone project course. Working in teams of four to six, students will collaborate with an industry sponsor to innovate, improve, or modify a new or existing human-to-machine technology.
Flexibility and support
MHCID maintains low student-faculty ratios across the program, with every class taught by a faculty member and receiving support from multiple Teaching Assistants. The flexibility of distance learning allows students to complete their coursework on a schedule that meets their professional needs without moving and leaving successful career paths. MHCID students will have access to a broad range of networking activities through our extensive alumni network, as well as our industry and academic advisory boards.
Get the latest from MHCID
For more information, contact mhcid@ics.uci.edu.