Human-Technology Interaction

This programme is offered in collaboration between the University of Tampere (UTA) and the Tampere University of Technology (TUT). Students can deepen their knowledge in course units that cover a wide range of topics from user experience and emotions to innovative use of facial behavior like gaze and expressions, touch, speech, and human physiology in user interfaces.

The programme leads the students to scientific thinking and writing as well as to hands-on work in various course projects.

Graduates' typical jobs include interaction or UX designer, usability specialist, researcher, user experience architect, and software developer.

Although the programme is available in essentially the same format at both universities it is recommended that those applicants mainly interested in interaction design, development of interactive software or research apply to UTA and those mainly interested in user experience apply to TUT. That way the majority of their course units will be organized by their home university.

• Coordinating School at UTA: School of Information Sciences
• Duration: two academic years
• Extent: 120 credits/ECTS credits
• Programme period: autumn semester 2015 (mid-August) - spring semester 2017 (May)
• Specialization at UTA: Interactive Technology

Students having completed the Master's Degree Programme in Human-Technology Interaction will

• know product development methods in theory and practice well enough to work independently in research and product development,
• know user interface design and software development methods well enough to work as a HTI specialist in product development.

Eligible to apply is an applicant who has a completed suitable university level Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Interactive Technology (HCI), Computer Science, Design, Education, Psychology, Sociology, or other relevant field with studies in human-computer interaction.The Bachelor's degree or equivalent must be completed by the time the programme begins. If the degree is not completed by the end of the application period, an applicant can be accepted to the programme on the condition that s/he sends an attested copy of the degree certificate to the School office by the end of July. A successful applicant will, in this case, first receive a notification on conditional acceptance and later an official letter of acceptance once an attested copy of the degree certificate has reached the School office.Language requirementsApplicants must submit evidence on a good command of English for academic purposes.The programme accepts the following ways of indicating English language proficiency: TOEFL, Test of English as a Foreign Language: Minimum score: 90/Internet-based, 575/paper-based IELTS Academic, International English Language Testing System: Minimum score: 6.5 with no individual score below 5.5 PTE, Academic English Language Proficiency test by Pearson: Minimum score: 62For information on how to submit a language test score, please see the UTA Admissions webpage http://www.uta.fi/admissions/degreeprog/applying/language_requirements.html.Other acceptable ways of indicating English language proficiency: A Bachelor's degree in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, excluding online degrees, with the applicant having stayed in the respective country when studying for the Bachelor's degree. Secondary education in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States. Applicants who have taken their pre-university education (yläaste, lukio) in the Finnish language are not required to submit an international language test score but they must provide other sufficient evidence of their English language proficiency (for example information on studies conducted in English or work experience with English as the working language). It is possible to take some exams and complete the Master's thesis in Finnish. NB: a Bachelor's degree taken in English in Finland does not alone exempt from sending a language test score.Admission criteria by admission groupCandidates for admission should be well qualified and capable of benefiting from the programme of study. The selection of new students is based on the success and the relevance of the applicant's overall study record in the completed Bachelor's degree and other studies evidence of a good command of English for academic purposes the quality of the statement of purpose (motivation letter)In addition, work experience relevant to the programme, and other relevant merits and qualifications may be taken into account.Applicants with a Bachelor's degree from a Finnish AMK university of applied sciences must have a thesis graded no less than 3/5.Relevance of prior studies and the applicant's motivation are carefully considered. Applicants are expected to explain their reasons for applying to this programme specifically.Applicants who have not yet completed a Master's Degree or equivalent will be given priority in student selection.Complementing studies may be required depending on the student's previous studies. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 575 TOEFL iBT® test: 90