Georgia Tech’s MS-HCI Program — Program Admissions FAQs
2024 Update
Answered by our Program Director, Dr. Richard Henneman
This is the time of year when Georgia Tech’s MS-HCI Program sees a spike in the number of questions asked by prospective students who are preparing applications for admission to the Program. This article contains answers to some of the most common questions we receive.
Georgia Tech’s program, almost 30 years old, is one of the oldest HCI Master’s programs in the country. We have graduated hundreds of students who are now filling key UX/HCI design, research, and development roles in organizations worldwide. Students enroll in the program via one of four academic schools (Interactive Computing, Digital Media, Industrial Design, and Psychology) and select courses from diverse offerings. Three required courses are taken in the Fall semester (HCI Foundations, HCI Research Methods, and Professional Practice) to give students a grounding in core HCI theories, methods, and best practices. The Program encourages much flexibility: students choose electives to gain depth in their home school and breadth via courses in the other schools. Students complete an internship between semesters 2 and 3 in the summer, and then undertake a 2-semester Master’s Project in semesters 3 and 4.
We include a lot of information on our website; I encourage you to review it for details that might not be addressed here. Our FAQ page also has a lot of good information. Other sources of information include:
- An on-line information session (October 2023)
- Several student-produced YouTube videos about the Program — look here and here.
- Our Instagram account (@georgiatechhci) contains several InstagramLive! recordings with students answering applicant questions along with other information about what it is like to be in the Program.
- Our LinkedIn page can give you a good feel for what is going on with students, faculty, and alums involved with the Program.
- The HC Hive, a student-run podcast, contains interviews with MS-HCI students, faculty, and alums.
For assistance with the mechanics of applying, e.g., Where do I send my transcripts? Did you receive ____?, How can I meet the English Proficiency Requirement? etc., please check in with the Georgia Tech Graduate Office. This page contains general Graduate Admissions FAQs. You can also contact the GT Graduate Office Help Desk.
If you still do not get the answers you need, submit a question via our contact form.
Some Basics
Following are answers to the questions we receive most often.
What percent of applicants are admitted each year?
We can admit far fewer students than are qualified due to our resource constraints. Less than 10% of applicants were accepted into the Program in the past few admission cycles.
What is the deadline for applying and the timeline for decisions?
The application deadline for August entry into the program is February 1 every year. Note that applying early has no advantage — all applications are only reviewed after February 1. We try to inform applicants if they have been accepted by the beginning of March, and decisions are due by April 15. Sometimes, we will make a late decision on a qualified student if it appears we will have capacity.
Do you consider GRE scores?
GRE scores are not considered for admission to the MS-HCI Program. If submitted, we do not look at them.
Does the MS-HCI Program result in a STEM degree?
Yes.
Do you have an online program?
We do not offer an online version of the MS-HCI Program. We do not rule out offering this at some point in the future, but right now, our program is designed to be taken as a full-time student on campus.
Can I complete the program part-time?
While we have had a few students successfully complete the program while working part-time each year, it’s essential to note that the curriculum is primarily designed for full-time engagement, especially in the first semester. The coursework demands a significant time commitment both in class and during collaborative group projects. Part-time enrollment can pose challenges due to the extensive time required outside of class and the complexities of scheduling team meetings.
In summary, opting for a part-time schedule is feasible, but it may present challenges in terms of managing the workload and coordinating with team members.
Track selection
We know that applicants spend much time determining which track fits their interests and background. In practice, once students have joined the program, the differences between tracks become less pronounced as our students take so many electives outside of their home tracks. Students work with faculty and other students across all four tracks.
Which track should I apply to?
You should apply to the track that best fits your background and interests. For all four tracks, we are looking for students who are passionate about HCI. The IC track is a good fit for applicants with some programming background, e.g., C++ and Java. Depending on the electives you select, you may or may not be doing a lot of coding, but it will give you a perspective on what it takes to implement a great UX. The Psychology track is mostly looking for students with an undergraduate background in Psychology, while ID and LMC are looking for students with some affinity for design. Most of the ID-admitted students would come from an undergraduate Industrial Design program.
Can I apply to more than one track?
Yes, but you will have to pay the application fee twice.
Can I switch tracks once I am in the program?
Yes, although we prefer that you stay in the track in which you entered the program. Switching tracks means that you would have been admitted to the new track if you had applied to it in the first place. Program administrators carefully consider these requests to determine if switching tracks is appropriate and how switching will impact your progress toward the curriculum requirements.
Funding
Can I get funding?
Understanding the funding landscape is important to the decision-making process for almost all students. Our program does not provide funding for our students; however, some students do secure it, particularly after the first semester. To be absolutely clear, your decision to attend Georgia Tech should not be based on the assumption that you will be able to find funding.
For those students who do secure funding, the four main sources include:
- GRA (Graduate Research Assistant) — Includes a monthly salary and covers tuition. You work on a funded research project, typically under the supervision of a faculty member or a Ph.D. student. The ability of a faculty member to hire a GRA depends on whether they have external funding to do so. Most/all MS-HCI faculty will not risk hiring you unless they are confident you have the skills they need, a genuine interest in their area, and a good fit with the other students in their lab.
- GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistant) — Includes a monthly salary and covers tuition. You support a faculty member who is teaching a course. Responsibilities may include grading, leading review sessions, and perhaps presenting. Decisions about GTA assignments are usually made in the semester before the course is offered and are determined in large part by your level of knowledge about the course material.
- Hourly work (on campus) — You are paid by the hour for work completed. Tuition is not covered.
- Off-campus employment — You work part-time for a company. First-year students on an F-1 visa are prohibited from working off-campus.
There is no reason to initiate these funding discussions before being admitted to the Program. Faculty are unable to commit so far in advance.
The Portfolio
Do all tracks require a portfolio?
No. While the ID and LMC tracks require a portfolio, the Psychology track does not. Submission is optional (bur recommended) for the IC track.
Do you have any details about the format of the portfolio?
We do not have any strict requirements for the portfolio. Most applicants submit an online portfolio, but we do not specify how many projects you should discuss, how large the portfolio should be, or anything at all about formatting. We want to see how you choose to represent yourself and your capabilities through the choices of what to share with us. Remember that we review many portfolios, so a certain amount of conciseness is preferred.
What should the portfolio include?
The portfolio is meant to be a showcase for your prior work. Have you designed something in the past? Show it here — but be sure you present both the final product and your process. Why did you design the system the way you did? If you did the work as part of a team, make sure you make clear what your contribution is. The work you show could extend to other areas of design as well, e.g., photography, print work, etc., as well as online or product designs. “Design” is meant very broadly, i.e., it can include information design, process design, etc.
For the ID track, one key entry criterion is a portfolio of past work. This is a graduate program focused on design; it is not a program that teaches design fundamentals. We are looking for students with a strong visual sense in their work and/or a strong background in design — particularly work that bridges the connection between digital design and physical products and involves an interest and understanding of sensor-based technologies.
Grades
My undergraduate GPA is below a 3.0. Do I have a chance for admission?
While we do admit applicants with GPAs below 3.0, it is not a common occurrence. In instances where we have admitted such candidates, they typically stood out in other aspects — a stellar portfolio, compelling letters of recommendation, or an outstanding statement of purpose, for instance. Sometimes, students may have faced challenges early in their college journey but demonstrated improvement in later years, particularly as juniors or seniors. Alternatively, strong work experience could suggest your potential success in our program.
Having a GPA below 3.0 doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but it might pose additional challenges on the path to admission. Your Statement of Purpose in the application is an excellent opportunity to shed light on any extenuating circumstances and provide context to your academic journey. We value your overall potential and consider various factors in our admissions process.
English Proficiency
My TOEFL score is below 100.
We strictly enforce a minimum TOEFL score of 100; most admitted students score much higher (typically greater than 110). Many of our courses require group projects. Being able to communicate effectively in English with other group members is essential to the success of our students. We have found that students who do not meet this minimum score have trouble succeeding in our program.
The MS-HCI Program has a minimum IELTS score requirement of 7.5; in practice, however, the minimum score of admitted students is 8 or above. Without a score of at least 7.5, you should not apply.
Does GT accept TOEFL “My Best Scores”?
As stated on the GT Graduate Office FAQ page, “At this time Georgia Tech does not accept the ETS “MyBest Scores” for TOEFL. Our TOEFL minimum requirements are such that we must receive your full test scores for each testing session. Please have ETS send us the full set of scores from each testing session.
Visit the GT Graduate’s website to learn more about Georgia Tech’s English Proficiency requirements.
Letters of Recommendation
How many letters of recommendation do I need?
Three.
Who should I get to write my letters of recommendation?
People who know you well and who can comment on your ability to do well in graduate school. If you would be entering the program directly from your undergraduate program, you might ask two faculty members at your current schools who are familiar with you and your work and, say, a supervisor from an internship. If you enter the program after being in the working world, finding a faculty member who remembers you may be more challenging. Select supervisors or others who can give a fair assessment of your capability to do well in a multi-disciplinary HCI graduate program. In general, relatives, direct reports, and peers do not fall into this category.
The Personal Statement
What should go into the personal statement?
We do not provide much guidance on what goes into your personal statements. This is your chance in the application to tell something about yourself that may not come through test scores, your grades, etc. You could use this space to ensure we understand your motivation for pursuing a degree in HCI, why your background uniquely prepares you for a career in HCI, and so on. We want to learn something about you as a person; use this essay to communicate that to the reviewers.
In Conclusion
One of the elements of the Program that we have not addressed in this document is the importance of community to our students. You will get to know your peers quite well during the Program’s 4 semesters. This group will become the foundation of professional relationships you will extend throughout your career in HCI. We place a high value on nurturing the growth of these relationships with your fellow students. We have an elected graduate council, whose members actively encourage activities ranging from game nights and camping trips to portfolio review sessions and peer-led discussions on trending topics. Much of the student work in the program is done in teams, which reflects how much work is accomplished in industry today. And so, in making our admission decisions, we try to form a diverse student body, the composition of which echoes the diverse workforce our graduates will be joining.
We look forward to reviewing your application in February!
