Overview

To apply for the Master of Human-Computer Interaction program, you must submit a completed online application package and pay a 75USD application fee no later than January 31. Admission decisions will be mailed in May.

The program starts at HCII/CMU in Pittsburgh USA, for the fall semester. The first day of classes is the last Monday before Labor Day and a mandatory program orientation is held during the week before classes begin. To apply for admission to the Master of Human-Computer Interaction program, please read the following instructions carefully and make certain that you have met all requirements when you submit your application. All necessary forms are with the application. Please feel free to attach additional sheets and/or photocopy forms as necessary.

If you’re not familiar with the graduate admission process for US Universities please check the The Complete Guide to US Graduate Admissions. Below is an abridged guide to the key aspects of this process.

Application Requirements and Process

1. Application Form.

Complete the online application form: https://applyweb.cs.cmu.edu/apply/index.php?domain=37

You will be able to apply to the MHCI for both the Madeira and/or Pittsburgh programs. The online application form includes all required instructions, however, these are also summarised below. 

2. Statement of Purpose.

Type a concise statement containing the following information:

1. Your objective in pursuing a Master of Human-Computer Interaction degree, including your career goals, and your reasons for choosing to apply to Carnegie Mellon.
2. Your background in human-computer interaction or other fields relevant to your objective. Describe how your academic, industrial, or commercial experience prepares you for admission to the HCI program. Please verify that your description here is consistent with your ésumé. You may want to outline the areas of human-computer interaction with which you have experience or exposure.
3. Any additional details you wish to give the Admissions Committee, including any projects on which you have worked.

3. Résumé.

Provide a complete up-to-date résumé. Order the relevant work experiences chronologically with the most recent first. Clearly distinguish part-time, co-op, or intern work from full-time positions.

4. Transcripts.

Submit official transcripts (photocopies are not acceptable) from all undergraduate and graduate institutions that you have attended.

5. Three Letters of Recommendation.

Request three letters of recommendation. If possible, at least one recommendation should be from an instructor and one should be from a professional supervisor. If you have little or no work experience, it is acceptable to provide three academic references. The recommenders you choose should know you relatively well and be able to discuss the quality of your work.

6. GRE (Graduate Record Examination).

Take the GRE general test. You should also request that ETS send an official score report of your GRE to Carnegie Mellon with institution code 2074, department code 0402. Official scores from ETS are required. Photocopies and student score reports will only be accepted for preliminary review of your application, but no application will be considered complete until the official scores have been received. GRE scores more than five-years old will not be accepted.

You can register for the GRE General Test at the ETS registration site. The GRE General Test costs $160 USD. In Portugal the GRE General Test is given at the New University of Lisbon School of Economy - Faculdade de Economia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa - in the Campolide campus; Test Center Number: 8074 and contact phone: +351213801625. For further information GRE test options, please get in touch through email to: mhci@m-iti.org.

7. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

If your native language is not English, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and request that ETS send an official score report to Carnegie Mellon with institution code 4236, department code 78. Official scores from the ETS are required.

Applicants whose undergraduate degree was completed using English as the language of instruction are exempt from this requirement. Students who have completed equivalent exams that demonstrate a high degree of English proficiency (e.g. Cambridge’s Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), Cambridge’s Certificate in Proficiency in English (CPE) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS)) may substitute these test results for the TOEFL. When in doubt, an inquiry can be sent to: mhci@m-iti.org

8. Prerequisites

The MHCI has programming, statistics and design prerequisites. Include on the online form any courses which you believe to fulfil the program prerequisites in Programming, Statistics and Design. Please attach copies of syllabi and/or web pages containing course descriptions. 

9. Portfolio (OPTIONAL).

If you have a portfolio or any design work you would like to submit to the Selection Committee, please include a list of URLs.

10. Application Fee.

A 75USD application fee is due with your application. Applications which are not accompanied by the application fee will be considered incomplete. Please enclose a 75USD check made payable to "Carnegie Mellon University" with your application.

Submitting the application

You should submit all materials online through the CMU CS online system. You will be able to choose to apply to the Madeira and/or Pittsburgh editions of the program.

Please see the Carnegie Mellon University MHCI pages for further information (including a FAQ): www.hcii.cs.cmu.edu/masters-program-application

Contact Us: mhci@m-iti.org / +351 291 705 151