The Bachelor of Science in Human Computer Interaction, a joint degree program with Rutgers-Newark, provides the student with the necessary background to conduct design activities including: eliciting from the client, formulating, and articulating functional specifications; knowing how human factors and cognitive models influence design; knowing the principles of, and having experience with, communication design; understanding how implementation constraints influence design; and incorporating evaluation results into iterated designs.

Students implement their design knowledge by using their analysis and programming skills and demonstrating their computational literacy, such as knowledge sufficient for effective communication and decision making about interface construction tools and languages, multimedia authoring tools, data structures and algorithms and systems development. They also become proficient in evaluation activities, including experimental design, survey methods, usability testing and statistical analysis.

The program includes the following options, which are four courses selected from a list provided in each department: learning systems, human systems, applications development, publishing and multimedia, communications, networks, and the Web, or tailored options in computer applications.

All students majoring in HCI are required to prepare a Program of Study Form, an approved copy of which must be on file with the IS department (for NJIT students) or psychology department (for Rutgers students). The form should be prepared as early as possible in the student's career, and changes should be made only in consultation with the department advisor.

Students are admitted to the program by applying to either NJIT or to Rutgers-Newark. Those admitted to NJIT must satisfy the GUR at NJIT and those admitted to Rutgers-Newark must satisfy the General Educational Requirements at Rutgers-Newark.

The curriculum as described below is for students entering as freshmen in the fall of 2002 or after that date.

† Basic Social Sciences GUR: Three credits of the basic social sciences requirement must be taken in economics; acceptable courses are SS 201, Econ 265, or Econ 266. The remaining 3 credits may be satisfied by HSS 202, STS 257, or STS 258. Students also may take approved introductory courses in basic social sciences at Rutgers-Newark to fulfill this requirement.

Cultural History GUR: Take two courses (6 credits) from among HUM 211,HUM 212, Hist 213, and 200-level history courses at Rutgers-Newark.

Lit/Hist/Phil/STS GUR: Students must take one 300-level course from any of the following fields: literature; history; philosophy; or science, technology, and society (STS); or an approved 300-level course at Rutgers-Newark.

Open Elective in Humanities and Social Science GUR: Students must take one 300-level course from any of the following fields: English (Eng); history (Hist); literature (Lit); philosophy (Phil); science, technology, and society (STS); social science (SS); or theater (Thtr). Students also may satisfy this requirement with Architectural History IV (Arch 382) or by taking an approved 300-level course at Rutgers-Newark. The department recommends HCI majors take either Eng 352 or Eng 353 .

Capstone Seminar in Humanities and Social Science GUR: All students, except those enrolled in the honors college, take one of the following: HSS 403, HSS 404, HSS 405, HSS 406, HSS 407, HSS 408, HSS 409. Students enrolled in the honors college take one from HSS 491H-499H .

Physical Education GUR: Students who register as full-time undergraduates for two or more consecutive semesters must take two PE courses, one of which must be a 100-level fitness core course. Students are urged to complete the requirement as soon as possible.

Management GUR: Students take IE 492 or Mgmt 390 or AS 333, which is acceptable only for students taking the aerospace option.

CS: Three 300/400-level CS electives as offered by the College of Computing Sciences

Science: A two-course related sequence (8 credit minimum) of laboratory science in physics, chemistry, biology, or as approved by advisor. These courses fulfill the Natural Sciences GUR.

General: A minimum of four courses (12 credits). At least two of the four general electives must be upper division courses. Courses may be selected, if needed, to meet prerequisite requirements for the option sequence. See below.

Options:
Students choose a sequence of four (300/400-level) courses, focusing on an area and/or subject relevant to the methodologies of, the design of or the application of computing systems.

Learning systems: Studies of human learning and the systems and technology to support learning and educational processes.

Human systems: Studies of groups and organizations and their use of information and computer applications.

Applications development: Further studies of the technology for development of applications. Recommended for students aiming to work in small organizations or end user units where the designer may also be the implementer.

Publishing and multimedia: Further studies of the technology involving the production of material in multimedia forms and specialized areas such as graphics and data visualization.

Communications, networks, and the Web: Further studies of the technology involving the nature of applications in communication environments and the relationship of design to groups, communities, and organizations.

Tailored: Any possible area of computer application of particular interest to the student. This is also for students with graduate school objectives in a specific field. This choice must be developed with the approval of the department HCI advisor.

The option courses must form a coherent unit, should be chosen from a set of courses complementary to the computer and information science and psychology courses required for this major, and must be approved by the department. A list of possible courses is available from the CIS department.

Refer to the General University Requirement section of this catalog for further information on electives.

Co-op
In human-computer interaction, CIS 310 and CIS 410 are taken for additive credit.