HCI DECISIONS HELP :(

[uxer2020]

Hi! I'm planning on pursuing UX Design as a career and am currently making final decisions for graduate school. I'd love your inputs as every program seems to be excellent in their own ways. I'd appreciate any opinions thanks!

1. Carnegie Mellon University - MHCI
2. UC Berkeley - MIMS (Concentrations: HCI & UX Design)
3. Parsons - MFA in Design and Technology

[DrF8]

I would compare the courses for all 3 programs. I'm familiar with the program at Parsons and it's a really good, highly creative program, but UX Design is not a concentration. You would study it through random electives. Compare that to the other two programs that do have UX design as a concentration. From looking at the courses for all 3 programs, CMU looks to be the strongest for what you want to do, and this coming from someone who was part of an ad comm for a UX Design program.

Also, to be a good well-rounded UX Designer, you need to be decent at visual design. You can take visual design electives at CMU and Parsons, but it doesn't look like you can at Berkeley.

Another thing to consider is cost. Parsons is an MFA program and incredibly expensive and not worth it without some money thrown your way via scholarships/assistantships. I don't know what the other programs cost. Just my 2 cents.

Edit: Sorry, I thought this was from March 2021.

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Edited March 21, 2021 by DrF8