Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to complete the HCIM on a part-time basis?

Yes. Some of our students choose to attend part-time, taking 1 – 2 classes per semester and completing the program in 3 (or more) years instead of the typical 2.

Can I complete the HCIM coursework online?

No. While the iSchool does offer some online courses, most coursework, including HCIM core coursework, must be completed in person, on campus.

Can I complete the program in under two years?

No. Due to constraints of course sequencing and class scheduling, it would be extremely difficult for students to complete the degree in under two years.

Is it possible to work while completing the program?

Certainly. Many of our students hold part-time and even full-time positions during their studies. While we cannot guarantee when courses will be offered, we do our best to schedule classes at times that can accommodate working professionals’ schedules. We do not recommend, however, that students who are working full time attempt to attend graduate school full time.

Do I need programming experience or a computer science degree?

No! We accept students from a wide range of academic majors, and some come in with no programming experience at all, while others have a significant academic or professional background in computer science. We feel strongly that students with all kinds of academic background and experience levels have valuable knowledge to bring to the conversation about HCI, and we are committed to developing an intellectually diverse cohort of students in our program.

Do you prefer that applicants have work experience somewhere before applying?

We don’t have a preference regarding work experience. Some of our master’s students have recently obtained their undergraduate degrees, while others come after working in their field for several years.

What is the career path for someone pursuing an HCIM degree?

Graduates occupy a variety of research and design roles within major companies. Some of the possible job titles include User Experience Designer, User Interface Designer, Interaction Designer, Usability Analyst, User Experience Researcher, User Researcher, Product Designer, and Visual Designer. Some of our graduates also go on to PhD programs.

Where do students from this program go on to work?

HCIM students have been recruited by companies such as American Airlines, Broadsoft, Capital One, Citrix, Deloitte Digital, The New York Times, Epic Games, Amtrak,Verizon, and IBM, among others.

How much does it cost to get a master’s degree?

You can look up College Park graduate tuition and fees here. Please note that there are different costs for students classified as Maryland residents and students from out of state or other countries.

Do you provide scholarships or assistantships for incoming HCIM students?

As is true with most professional master’s programs in the United States, students in our program are self-pay. While we have many highly qualified applicants, unfortunately, we do not have the institutional resources to offer scholarships or grants to our students. Current students fund the costs of the program through a combination of savings, loans, and work. In 2019-20, about 1/3 of our students were able to find graduate assistantships somewhere on campus during the academic year. Graduate assistantships are posted on ejobs.umd.edu. Some students find hourly employment at the Stamp Student Union, Eppley Recreation Center, or University Libraries. You can look at their home pages for hiring information.

What resources are available to help me learn about funding?

The HCIM Program team is focused on providing the best possible educational experience for students who enroll. Please note that we aren’t able to serve as a centralized source for funding and hiring information for current or prospective students. However, we are happy to point you to these campus resources:
Tuition and fees
U.S students financial aid 
International students financial aid

How do I get a paid research assistantship with a professor?

We do not have a central site to find research assistantships. Each professor manages their own research assistants. If you are interested in a particular professor’s research, go to their home page, where they generally announce any volunteer or paid student openings and explain the specific procedures they expect students to follow before contacting them. Follow those instructions! Professors get many, many requests to fund students each year. Please be aware that it is extremely unlikely that you will get a positive response if you simply send out a generic email request and/ or show up at their offices. Take time to learn about research at UMD’s iSchool so you can make connections where your interests and skills lie.

What kind of GPA/test scores  are you looking for? (Including the GRE/TOEFL)

• The Graduate School requires that applicants must have earned a minimum 3.0 average GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all prior coursework.
• Competitive GRE scores are typically in the 40th percentile or higher for Verbal scores and in the 60th percentile or higher for Quantitative scores. Please note that GRE scores are optional for both international and domestic students.
• You will be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries. Please check on the list of English speaking countries and options for providing evidence of English proficiency here.
  • Note: Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens but the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE is required.
  • See the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirements for instructions on submitting scores. The University of Maryland’s TOEFL Institution Code is 5814.
  • You can find English language proficiency requirements here. Please note that your English proficiency scores (including listening, writing, reading, and speaking sub-scores) must satisfy the criteria for full enrollment to be accepted to the HCIM program. HCIM is a very rigorous program that requires an excellent command of the English language. Therefore, Bridge and Intensive English programs are not an option for applicants to the HCIM program. Please see the minimum English Proficiency Scores Requirements for full HCIM admission below.

iBT TOEFL Requirements 

iBT TOEFL	Requirements for Full Enrollment
Total	96
Speaking	22
Listening	24
Reading	26
Writing	24

IELTS Academic Requirements

IELTS	Requirements for Full Enrollment
Overall	7
Listening	7
Reading	7
Writing	7
Speaking	6.5

 PTE Academic Requirements

PTE Requirement	Requirements for Full Enrollment
Total	68
Writing	68

What kind of students are you looking for?

We seek to admit diverse students with varying perspectives and strengths in the areas of technology, social science, and design. We don’t expect any applicant to be equally strong in all areas.

What should be covered in my Statement of Purpose?

All applicants to any graduate program at the University of Maryland complete a Statement of Purpose (1,000 to 2,000 words) in which you describe your past work, your developed interest in your intended field, and any life experiences that have prepared you to pursue a graduate degree at a large, diverse institution. In addition to the Graduate School’s Statement of Purpose, the HCIM program requires a Supplementary Application. Please select and respond to three out of the five prompts listed. You can find additional instructions at the top of the application.

Is a portfolio required?

Yes! Within the online application, you will be asked to upload a PDF file or link to your portfolio. If you do not upload a PDF, you may upload a document with a clickable link to your online portfolio, website, or Github repository (all of which must NOT be password-protected).

What should I submit for the required portfolio?

We will be looking for how your skills and experience connect to human-computer interaction through the lens of three possible areas: art/design, the social sciences, or technology. Please show us work samples that will help us understand your strengths in one or two of these areas.

These can include past deliverables for school, work, or personal projects of interest. If you don’t have any previous projects or documents that you want to submit, you can create new pieces for your application. Some ideas of what to include:

• capstone and/or thesis work
• design competition entries
• photography
• design components, including personas, wireframes, UX reports, journey maps, etc.
• any non-proprietary professional work
• website designs
• code samples or a link to a code repository
• case studies
• prototypes, sketches
• unpublished writing samples
• undergraduate work connected to the HCI field

We encourage you to submit your best work – focus on quality rather than quantity. Portfolios usually include 3-5 pieces, but if you are confident in one, strong piece, you are welcome to submit that on its own. You may upload either a PDF or a link to a URL within a word document (please make sure that it is not password-protected).

Can I respond to all five prompts in the supplementary application?

We ask that you respond to only three prompts. Select prompts that enable you to best showcase your strengths, skills, and/or passions and reflect on how they connect to your understanding of HCI. We will be looking to understand the thought processes behind your chosen work.

I have a background that is completely different from art/design, social science, education, or technology. Can I still apply and how should I approach the supplemental application?

We understand that not everyone will have expertise or traditional experience in the above fields. However, we will be looking for how your skills and experience DO connect to HCI by way of art/design, the social sciences, education or technology. You may want to consider an online course you took or a personal project that bridges the gap between your background and the realm of HCI.

When is the application due?

When is the application due? Visit our admissions page for information on this year’s deadline. All applications received by that deadline will be reviewed by the admissions committee.

What am I supposed to enter in the second GRE field?

Nothing, you can leave this field blank.

Can I upload an encrypted transcript?

Please do not upload an encrypted transcript to the application. It will upload as a blank document and the program will not be able to use it for our evaluation. If you only have access to an encrypted transcript, please print the document out, scan it, then upload a scanned version.

What if my transcripts are in a language other than English?

Please submit a single combined PDF, including English and native languages together. If your institution does not issue records in English, official English translations must be provided/uploaded, and the original language records must be submitted/uploaded, as well. Only translations issued by the institution or a professional translating service will be accepted. Translations must be literal.

I submitted my standardized test scores but my application is still marked incomplete. What happened?

Because standardized test scores must be manually processed by the University, it can sometimes take a little while for the scores to be marked as received on the application. If it has been more than two weeks since your scores were sent but your application is still marked as “incomplete”, you can contact either the iSchool Student Services Office or the HCIM program manager and we can check the status of your scores.

How can I confirm my recommendations have been submitted?

The online application will indicate when each of your recommenders has submitted their recommendation. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that recommendations have been completed, so please make sure to check that each of your recommendations has been received.

How do I upload the Statement of Purpose and Supplementary Application?

Your Statement of Purpose and Supplementary Application will be uploaded via the Program Upload Requirements tab in your application.

Who should I contact about technical difficulties?

The University of Maryland’s Graduate School is responsible for the application system. Should you experience technical difficulties with any aspect of your application (scores, document uploads, etc,) please email gradappsupport@umd.edu.

The applicant pool for the HCIM program is very competitive. We receive applications from more qualified applicants than we can admit. We understand that it can be discouraging to receive a rejection letter. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applicants, we are unable to provide any individual post-application reviews or debriefings. Because our review process is a holistic one, there is no one determining factor governing a decision to accept an applicant; rather, we are looking to shape a class with diverse strengths and perspectives.

We wish all of our applicants well in their pursuit of an advanced degree. Applicants who wish to be considered for the following year should note that the University of Maryland’s Graduate School will begin accepting applications for the HCIM class starting in fall of each year. Please check back to the Graduate School admissions page periodically to see when the portal opens.

Will I get to work closely with faculty?

Yes. Students who pursue the thesis option will work one-on-one with a faculty advisor in their second year, and many students work on faculty research projects, through independent studies, or as graduate assistants or volunteers.

Do instructors have experience in today’s business environment?

Yes. Your instructors include both full-time faculty members who serve as consultants in business and government and professional faculty who are professionals currently employed in such areas as usability testing and graphic design. Their client lists include Microsoft, Google, Facebook, the World Bank, and federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Science Foundation.

I’m interested in studying with a particular faculty member. Will I get to do research with faculty?

If there are particular faculty you’re interested in working with, you are welcome to contact them directly. If you do so, please be respectful and take the time to inform yourself about their work in advance. While most faculty are happy to hear from prospective students, keep in mind that they are not admissions advisors and will likely not be able to answer questions about program requirements.

Please keep in mind that the faculty member you’re hoping to work with may not be available. Faculty may be on sabbatical, or may not be teaching in a given semester. It’s a good idea to apply to programs with faculty you’re excited about working with, but pinning all your expectations on one faculty member may not be productive.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a fully online course structure during the first year of the pandemic. Is taking the program fully online still available?

The University of Maryland and the HCIM program has largely resumed in-person courses, and we will be in touch with incoming students regarding all updates we receive. The Graduate School Coronavirus Information page has a FAQ section and a variety of other helpful resources.

I was recommended for admission to the program, but I haven’t received an official acceptance letter yet. What does this mean?

The HCIM program can only recommend applicants for admission. Final admissions decisions are made by the University of Maryland Graduate School. You will receive official notification of your admissions decision from the Graduate School.

What is the Graduate School looking at when they review applicants who have been recommended for admission by the program?

While the HCIM review process involves assessing whether applicants will be a good fit for the program and have the qualities and skills necessary to be successful in the program, the Graduate School is mainly checking to confirm that information submitted by applicants is correct and that it meets the Graduate School’s requirements (i.e., a GPA of 3.0 or higher, a degree from an accredited institution, etc).

I’m still waiting to hear from the Graduate School about my admissions decision. When can I expect to receive my official notification?

Depending on the volume of applications being processed at the time, it can take the Graduate School several weeks to review applicants who have been recommended for admission. The Graduate School processes applications from all across campus, and this can be an extremely busy time for their office, so please be patient as they work to review your application. However, if it has been more than three weeks since you received your recommendation letter from the HCIM program, you’re welcome to contact the HCIM program coordinator to check in on your application status.

How do I respond to my offer of admission?

When you open your offer of admission letter in the admissions portal, you will see a button beneath your letter that allows you to accept, decline, or defer your offer of admission. In order to guarantee a seat in the incoming class, admitted students must accept their offer of admission by a deadline set by the college. The specific date for the deadline may vary from year to year, but is generally in early May. The college will share this deadline with every admitted student well in advance, but if you have any questions about this, you can email your program coordinator.

Can I defer enrollment to the HCIM program?

Admitted students may defer enrollment for up to one year. Students may defer for any reason, at any time before the start of the fall semester. When you open your offer of admission letter in the admissions portal, you will see a button beneath your letter that allows you to defer your offer of admission. This option is also available from the portal home page.

Where can I find my University ID (UID) number?

Your UID number is listed on the bottom of your initial acceptance letter from the Graduate School. If you’ve misplaced your letter and have not yet set-up your UMD email account, please contact us.

Why do I need to get a student ID?

Your student ID serves as your library card, and is required for access on-campus resources, such as the University Health Center and the free UMD shuttle system.

Where do I get my student ID?

You can get your ID on the first floor of the Mitchell Building on the College Park campus, 8:30-4:30 PM Monday – Friday. Call (301) 314-8240 if you have additional questions.

Do I have to submit my official transcripts by mail?

You may submit your official transcripts by mail, but you can also drop them off in person once you arrive on campus, as long as they are in a sealed envelope.

What kind of computer do you recommend for the program?

In order to run memory-intensive software essential for your coursework, you’ll need to invest in a professional-grade laptop. A tablet by itself will not serve your needs.

Please arrive on campus with a laptop comparable to a late-model Dell XPS or Macbook Pro system, with at least 16GB of RAM and a third-party add-on mouse to allow precision design work. An external monitor is strongly recommended for laptops with screens smaller than 13″.

You may wish to check prices and models available from the Terrapin Tech store at https://techstore.umd.edu/ because this will give you access to academic pricing and you can purchase an accident protection plan and access repairs easily from campus.

What books/software/programming languages should I be familiar with before attending?

The HCIM program does not have prerequisite coursework, and there is no required reading ahead of the start of the semester. However, if you are interested in getting a headstart on the tools and theories you’ll encounter during your studies, here are some recommendations.

• Books: The Design of Everyday Things, Donald Norman; Don’t Make Me Think, Steve Krug
• Articles: “Back Off, Man. I’m a Scientist” by Jennifer Golbeck; “8 Golden Rules of Interface Design” by Ben Shneiderman; “10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design” by Jakob Nielsen
• Software: Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Sketch
• Programming Languages: JavaScript, HTML, CSS

If you’re looking for some quick introductions or refreshers on topics, you may want to check out the tutorial site Lynda.com, which UMD students have free access to (requires UMD login). W3 Schools and Codecademy are also good, free options.

How do I know what courses to register for?

The HCIM Advising and Resources page provides guidance about how HCIM students typically complete their degree, as well as links to resources like the program checklist, student handbook, and the iSchool two-year course plan. Most HCIM students register for INST 630 – Introduction to Programming, INST 631 – Fundamentals of HCI, and INST 710 – User Experience Research Methods (or another appropriate research methods course) in the fall of their first year.

How do I register?

Students register for courses via Testudo. For detailed information about registering, please consult the registration guide.

Can I waive any core courses?

The HCIM program is not accepting any course waiver requests.

Can I transfer credits and apply them toward my degree at UMD?

Students may transfer up to 6 credits earned prior to enrollment from an institution other than the University of Maryland, College Park. To be eligible for transfer, courses must have a grade of B or better, be graduate-level, and cannot have been applied to a previous degree. They must be less than five years old at the time of the request. For more information about taking courses outside of the iSchool and transferring credits, please visit the Forms page.

How many courses should I take?

Most students take 3 courses their first semester, and 2-3 courses in subsequent semesters. International students are required to maintain a full-time status, which often means taking 3 courses per semester. More information about maintaining full-time status is available here. We strongly recommend that students do not register for more than 3 classes a semester, as three 3-credit courses per semester is considered a full course load for graduate students.

How much time should I plan on spending on coursework outside of class?

This will vary greatly from student to student, but a good rule of thumb for estimating workload for a graduate class is 2-3 hours a week per credit hour. So a 3 credit course would take somewhere between 6-9 hours a week outside of class time.

How do I know what textbooks are required for my course?

For every class you take, you should check the class Testudo listing to see if there are textbooks required for the course.

1. Go to Testudo
2. Find the listing for your individual course
3. Select the section for which you are signed up
4. Click the stacked book icon to the right of your section number.  This will inform you of any required textbooks.

Keep in mind, not all instructors list their required materials on Testudo. If you still have questions about required readings for your courses, feel free to contact your course instructor to verify.

In order to run memory-intensive software essential for your coursework, students in the program need to invest in a professional-grade laptop.

Please arrive on campus with a laptop comparable to a late-model Dell XPS or Macbook Pro system, with at least 16Gb of RAM and a third-party add-on mouse for precision design work. An external monitor is strongly recommended for laptops with screens smaller than 13″.

A tablet such as a Surface or iPad will not give you the performance you need.

Students may wish to consider the computers available from the Terrapin Tech store at https://techstore.umd.edu/ because they will give access to academic pricing and an accident protection plan and repairs can generally be handled easily from campus. If you find something better on your own, of course, you are free to purchase that instead.

As a student at the University of Maryland, you will be able to download free software from Terpware as you wish: https://terpware.umd.edu/

Your instructors will share information about accessing other UX-specific software used in your courses during the first weeks of class.

How much does it cost to get a master’s degree?

You can look up College Park graduate tuition and fees here. Please note that there are different costs for students classified as Maryland residents and students from out of state or other countries.

Do you provide scholarships or assistantships for incoming HCIM students?

As is true with most professional master’s programs in the United States, students in our program are self-pay. While we have many highly qualified applicants, unfortunately, we do not have the institutional resources to offer scholarships or grants to our students. Current students fund the costs of the program through a combination of savings, loans, and work.
In 2018-19, about 1/3 of our students were able to find graduate assistantships somewhere on campus during the academic year. Graduate assistantships are posted on ejobs.umd.edu. Some students find hourly employment at the Stamp Student Union, Eppley Recreation Center, or University Libraries. You can look at their home pages for hiring information.

What resources are available to help me learn about funding?

The HCIM Program team is focused on providing the best possible educational experience for students who enroll. Please note that we aren’t able to serve as a centralized source for funding and hiring information for current or prospective students. However, we are happy to point you to these campus resources:
Tuition and fees
U.S students financial aid
International students financial aid

How do I get a paid research assistantship with a professor?

We do not have a central site to find research assistantships. Each professor manages their own research assistants. If you are interested in a particular professor’s research, go to their home page, where they generally announce any volunteer or paid student openings and explain the specific procedures they expect students to follow before contacting them. Follow those instructions! Professors get many, many requests to fund students each year. Please be aware that it is extremely unlikely that you will get a positive response if you simply send out a generic email request and/or show up at their offices.

How much should I budget for the year?

The Office of Student Financial Aid provides cost of attendance estimates, which should give you a general idea of what your expenses will be.

When will I be billed for my courses?

Your tuition bill will be available after you register for courses. Once you are enrolled, we send information with registration procedures. For planning purposes, Spring and Fall billing information and due dates can be found here. Summer courses have an alternate billing schedule than fall/spring. You can review the billing policies for summer courses here. If you have any questions regarding tuition or billing, please reach out to the Office of the Bursar.

Where do I view my bill?

You can view your bill through the Office of Student Financial Aid webpage. For quick reference, this page can be reached from the bottom of the Testudo home page by clicking on “Financial Aid.” Once on the Student Financial Aid webpage, click “Check Your Financial Aid Status Online” and log in using your university username and password. From there you can click “View Monthly Billing Statement” which will again prompt you to log in using your university username and password. You should now see your “eBill Menu” where you can view your bill by selecting the appropriate date from the drop-down menu, pay your bill, view your student account, and add email accounts to receive information about billing updates.

When should I plan to arrive on campus?

New students should plan to arrive on campus the week before classes start, as a number of events for new students take place during this week, including the iSchool Orientation, Graduate School Orientation, and International Student Orientation.

Do I have to attend orientation?

The iSchool Orientation is mandatory for all new students, except in extenuating circumstances. HCIM students are also required to attend one of two virtual information sessions over the summer. We do not require students to attend the Graduate School orientation, though they are encouraged to do so. International students are required to attend International Student Orientation, and should receive details about new student requirements for international students via International Student & Scholar Services.

Where do graduate students live, and how can I find housing?

Most graduate students live off-campus. Many live close to campus, in College Park or nearby Hyattsville. Others live in neighboring areas like Takoma Park, Silver Spring, or Bethesda, which are a short drive away. Some choose to live in DC or commute from elsewhere in Maryland and Virginia. Where students live depends greatly on their budget and available transportation, as well as personal preference.

UMD’s Off-Campus Housing Services provides information about housing in the area and maintains a database of housing opportunities and people seeking roommates.The University also owns two small apartment complexes called Graduate Hills and Graduate Gardens that are reserved exclusively for graduate students. Both are managed by Southern Management Corporation. Because of their convenient location and affordability, competition is strong for these units. For an application and additional information, contact Southern Management Graduate Hills and Graduate Gardens Apartment Homes, 3426 Tulane Drive, Suite #3, Hyattsville, MD 20783 (888-633-6173).

How do I get to campus?

If you’re flying in to Maryland, there are three airports in the region:

• Baltimore Washington International Airport
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
• Washington Dulles International Airport

The UMD campus is served by the College Park stop on Metro’s green line. Free shuttle service runs to and from the College Park Metro station.

Check out the UMD Department of Transportation site for lots of information on how to get around the College Park campus by free UMD shuttle, via the Metro, on foot, by bike, or by car. They also have a number of apps that you can use to help navigate to the campus.

How can I find a graduate assistantship?

Unfortunately, the HCIM program isn’t able to offer assistantships to students on admission. The program works to connect students to assistantship opportunities when they become available, but students are also encouraged to apply to positions across campus via the University’s ejobs.umd.edu portal.

What does a graduate assistantship entail?

Assistantships are typically either full-time (20 hrs/week) or part-time (10 hrs/week) positions and can be designated as either a teaching assistantship (TA), research assistantship (RA), or administrative assistantship (AA). Masters students typically hold administrative assistantships, and, more rarely, RAs or TAs. These positions usually include a stipend and some amount of tuition remission; the amount varies depending on the assistantship, but a 20-hour GAship usually includes full tuition remission.

When are graduate assistantships advertised?

Most hiring for graduate assistantships tends to take place over the summer and at the beginning of the school year. However, graduate assistantships continue to be advertised throughout the year, and a number of HCIM students who arrived without an assistantship have found them once they arrived on campus.

When will I be added to campus listservs?

Incoming HCIM students will be added to the program listserv at the start of the Fall semester

Is there an official HCIM group on social media?

Please follow us on the UMD iSchool Social Media channels.