[IxDA Discuss] Best schools for HCI degrees?

[Christine Boese]

Won,

I'm a bit biased here because I'm a product of that program (PhD, not just
HCI), and I also worked with the RPI distance learning program, but now it's
a decade ago.

I can tell you this: the HCI program has in some ways pre-empted the
tech-com certification in the distance learning context, and they have put a
lot of energy and resources into it.

And in regard to the RPI distance learning model, it is a very
well-established and long-running program (must be 20 years, almost now, and
in the distance learning game, that means something), granting graduate
degrees in many tough engineering fields as well, with a rigorous video
satellite model (or at least they did when I was there... the interactive
satellite courses with all the multiple cameras and course discussions did
require sophisticated work site facilities, so most attendees were at big
companies, like GM, IBM, and so on). That may have changed some now,
especially with some new video conferencing tools that they were working on
at the RPI incubator. What I'm saying is, this ain't no lite glorified
correspondence course dressed up and called "distance learning." While
there's a lot of that going around, RPI's program has considerable substance
and serious pedagogical approaches backing it up.

The faculty guy to talk with, at RPI, about this program, is Roger Grice. He
has always been the top distance learning professor, and he'll also give you
the straight skinny about what the program can give you, and what it can't.
Just call up the LLC department (www.llc.rpi.edu/, which houses the HCI
program) and ask to be hooked up with Roger. I'm pretty sure he's still
around, although who knows what people's summer schedules are.

They used to host a pretty decent summer institute there too, but I don't
know if that's still running. Looks like the campus is having a power outage
today, or I'd run down some links for you.

Here's Roger Grice's page, for when the power is back up:
http://www.llc.rpi.edu/people/faculty.pl?RCSID=gricer

He also won Outstanding Professor of the Year in 2002. I know he's earned
every bit of that, and he has many fans.

Chris

On 7/10/07, Michael Tuminello <mt at motiontek.com> wrote:
>
> I looked into it a bit.  Unless things have changed it's actually a
> lot less convenient than it appears at first glance.  There's some
> onsite time required and the classes are not all offered on a regular
> basis.
>
> Michael
>
> On Jul 10, 2007, at 2:26 AM, Won Sun Parque wrote:
>
> > Kind of an old thread, but I'm thinking about taking some classes for
> > the HCI certificate program in Rensselaer Polytechnic. Has anyone had
> > any experience with them or heard anything about their program
> > before?
> >
> > I've been working as a UI Designer for several years now, but feel
> > the need to gain more fundamental knowledge of how human minds
> > interact with technologies.
> >
> > I'm thinking about Rensselaer Polytechnic because it seems that they
> > are the only one that provides flexible schedule for working
> > professional.
> >
> > Anyone can give me a pointer or two?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Won Sun Parque
> > Senior UI Designer
> > Akamai Technologies
> >
> >
> > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
> > Posted from the new ixda.org
> > http://beta.ixda.org/discuss?post=13256
> >
> >
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