HCI applicant w/unusual? background

[ag_dubs]

i am planning on applying to hci programs for fall2012. however, i do not have any *formal* cs background and am wondering if this should push towards an MS over a PHD, or if perhaps there is a way to properly couch this situation in my SOP.

about me:

-undergrad at wesleyan u (in ct), self-designed interdisciplinary major in cognitive studies (mainly neuroscience, philosophy, psychology) GPA:3.2, in major 3.6; honors thesis

-i have post grad work in education (from city college cuny) and design (parsons and SAIC) none of which cumulated in a degree, gpa:4.0

-2 years teaching middle school science in harlem through nyc teaching fellowship

-2 summers teaching programming and design to kids at computer camp

-currently working IS at northwestern, managed IS at wesleyan for 4yrs as an undergrad

-taking the GRE in t-minus 3.5hrs (!!!)

-1 summer research experience at BU CNS CELEST program during undergrad

my recommendations will be coming from a deptchair/prof in neuroscience, deptchair/prof in philosophy, and another prof in philosophy who i co-ran a forum with in undergrad. i expect them to be very strong (i.e. lots of initiative, unique perspective, bold thinking, etc etc; just based on the personal relationship i have with them)

my sop will focus primarily on the cognitive aspects of HCI, and how cognitive processes can inform the design of interfaces and user experience. i'm particularly interested in how the manipulation of time/space variables of data sets within an interface can change the learning experience, particularly for students who have language/memory disorders, which is something i experienced/had to cope with firsthand as a ms teacher in harlem. (these are "keyboarded" thoughts that i am well aware need to be made more concrete/focused/understandable; i've just seen people ask about this on other posts, so i thought i'd try to write something)

i have programming skills in java, c++, processing, and a variety of scripting and markup languages, and several samples in each. all of this knowledge is self-taught and/or from AP CS in highschool. almost all of the projects are from non-degree classes at parsons or SAIC, or self-initiated projects.

so anyways- i'd love feedback on:

1) my concern that i lack any formal cs background

2) properly balancing my academic work vs. work experience in my SOP

3) holes in my app + how to address them

4) ms vs phd? i love research/teaching and would like to eventually do that, however my less than awesome undergrad gpa and lack of formal research experience may exclude me from a phd?

5) recommendations: should i get an employer or someone form my teaching experience instead of 3 undergrad professors?

thanxxx

[ag_dubs]

k, GRE score:

670-770 verbal

720-800 math

will have to wait til nov2011 for real scores in new format

[starmaker]

You might consider a post-bac program, like they have at Tufts and Brandeis. Post-bac programs are intended to provide formal CS background to people who want to get graduate degrees in CS or work in industry in CS jobs, but don't have the formal CS background for it. They're shorter than MS degrees (generally five classes or so).

[a.healbot]

I don't think that your background is actually very unusual. I also majored in cognitive science, and worked for 2 years doing HCI research at a large technology corporation. I've met a number of HCI researchers during my undergrad and at work to know that there is a lot of psychology and ethnography involved, for which a formal computer science background is not necessary. As a field, HCI is very interdisciplinary and cognitive science involved, so I don't think there is any disconnect.

If you're mostly interested in teaching, you could easily get an MS and become an instructor. If you're more interested in doing research then you may want the PhD, but I don't consider this a light decision, especially if you haven't actually worked in a research position. Working in research can be very different from working elsewhere. I agree with starmaker--see if you can find a pre-doc/post-bac program of some sort that will give you CS and/or research experience so that you can figure out if this is something you'd actually like to do. My 2 year contract was a pre-doc program and it was extremely valuable--I'm looking at MS programs now.

You should definitely consider having a letter of reference from an employer. It's nice to have glowing recommendations from your professors, but it's better to have a wider variety of sources to give you glowing recoommendations.

Edited November 15, 2011 by a.healbot

[hahahut]

Informatics program normally won't put too much focus on programming experience as they get people from psychology, business, social science, etc. But if you happen to be in interested in very technical demanding topic, your coding background might make some difference then.