BS Human-Centered Design and Development at Pennsylvania State University

Programme overview

The Human-Centered Design and Development major (HCDD) in the College of Information Sciences and Technology is a Bachelor of Science degree program that will educate students in the fundamental concepts and state-of-the-art skills in developing applications of technology for people, with a focus on learning outcomes needed to: a) identify opportunities to support human activity with technology; b) design and create useful and usable technology-mediated activities; and c) evaluate and iterate designed technologies in their context of use.

Faculty: College of Information Sciences and Technology | Duration: minimum 120 credits | Study mode: full-time | Location: University Park, PA, United States

What you will study

The degree requires a minimum of 120 credits, including General Education and the requirements for the major. Required courses include Internship, Design Practice in Human-Centered Design and Development, Object-Oriented Design and Software Applications, Human-Centered Design for Mobile Computing, Methods for Studying Users, Distributed-Object Computing.

Career pathways

Society increasingly recognizes the need for technologies designed to account for people's capabilities, needs, desires, and limitations. Human-Centered Design and Development graduates have many career paths available to them depending on their strengths, interests, and focus of study.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

To be eligible for the Human-Centered Design and Development (HCDD) major, students must: Have completed the following entrance-to-major requirements with a grade of C or better in each: HCDD 113S or HCDD 113 , IST 140 or ( CMPSC 101 and IST 240 ) or CMPSC 121 or CMPSC 131 , IST 210 , IST 220 , IST 242 or CMPSC 122 or CMPSC 132 , STAT 200 Have achieved a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 prior to and through the end of the semester during which the entrance to major is requested.

Undergraduate applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer entry; the application opens August 1 for Fall and Summer and June 1 for Spring.

Early Action: apply by November 1 to receive a decision by December 24. Recommended submission deadline for all applications: December 1. Applicants apply through the MyPennState application or the Common App. A nonrefundable application fee is paid by credit card; fee waivers are available to eligible students.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.psu.edu/apply/

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