Human-Technology Interaction, At least 120 cr

The major studies in Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) educate experts in user interfaces and user experience of IT systems and digital services. Join the studies to become a herald of human-centred design and a user-friendly digital world! ​

Information technology plays a significant role in all areas of life. Modern societies need professionals with a thorough understanding of how to study, design, and develop user-friendly and sustainable IT systems as well as engaging and innovative ways to interact with various new technologies. ​

Studies in HTI offer several interdisciplinary themes that build on expertise in computer science, design, psychology, humanities, and IT ethics. In the HTI studies, you will get up-to-date know-how on human-centred software development, design of user interfaces and interactions, service design, user experience evaluation, user psychology, usability engineering, accessible and cross-cultural design, multimodal human-computer interaction, playful and social applications, and a range of related research competencies. From a technological viewpoint, the studies cover the design and development of user interfaces for mobile and desktop applications, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, industrial machinery, as well as human-robot interaction. ​

In a broader sense, you will learn how technology affects people’s lives and how to design efficient, engaging and ethical IT products and services. The degree leads you to hands-on work in various course projects, as well as provides basics for scientific thinking and writing. In a very international and collaborative atmosphere, you will also work with students representing different cultures and clients representing the local industry. ​

HTI master’s studies have a direct link to HTI research carried out at Tampere University. There is a wide range of multidisciplinary research related to user experience, multimodal interaction, gamification, sociotechnical systems, accessibility, design philosophy, etc. Many of the HTI research groups explore and develop new intuitive user interfaces for the future. The overarching goal is to match the design of new technologies with human abilities and needs as well as the sustainable development goals — aiming at the best possible user experience with technology and responsible digital innovations. ​

The contents of Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) studies are the same regardless of your background studies and target degree (M.Sc. or M.Sc. in tech). As a student, you may build a personalized study plan by combining courses related to our three primary expert profiles (Designer, Interaction Developer, Researcher) and several thematic areas described above. ​

After completing the Human-Technology Interaction M.Sc. studies the student will: ​

• know the most central cross-disciplinary theories, concepts, research methods, and the history related to human-technology interaction (HTI), user interfaces (UI), user experience (UX), and information technology (IT) ​

• be able to lead or participate in the human-centred development of IT systems and digital services. This is based on know-how of the principles of human-centred and post-human design, software development processes and software business, specification and analysis of user requirements, methods for involving and studying end-users and other stakeholders, professional ethics guidelines, sustainability considerations in IT, and working in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams ​

• have a deep understanding of people as users of IT, covering multidisciplinary insight into human experiences, cognitive and emotional processes, user needs and values, social and cultural factors, and the diversity of people, as well as the practical implications of the above for designing and studying IT systems ​

• know a range of contemporary user interface solutions, interaction techniques, and applications of IT, as well as have literacy of program code and software tools relevant to their professional profile ​

• If the student follows the Designer study profile, they will develop a thorough understanding of design thinking and problem-solving. This is based on concrete skills in creatively envisioning, sketching, communicating and evaluating alternative solution proposals through collaborative processes and the competence to apply methods of different design philosophies in the creation of new IT systems for various application areas and technology domains ​

• If the student follows the Interaction Developer profile, they will develop a thorough understanding of UI engineering and development skills. This covers know-how of rapid prototyping and construction of user interfaces, front-end technologies, data analysis and information visualization, interaction with modern intelligent systems, and various multi-modal interaction techniques. ​

• If the student follows the HTI Researcher profile, they will develop strong scientific and methodological competencies. These cover skills in qualitative and quantitative user research, experimental research, and evaluation of the multi-criteria quality of IT systems from early-stage solution proposals to high-fidelity prototypes, as well as competence to plan, conduct, and report scientifically valid research in HTI. This offers a solid scientific and methodological basis for pursuing a doctoral degree after the MSc studies.