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Interaction design is the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems and services. It focuses on behaviour how users act and how products respond to user behaviour.
As such, it is a necessary discipline in any design project aiming to create something complex and computer-augmented that is to be used by humans: computer software, games, interactive products such as smart phones or MP3-players, intelligent homes, cars, clothes and so on.
Given the increased focus on interaction design in general, and on social media, entertainment and new physical products in particular, the programme aims to provide interaction designers with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the ever-shifting demands of this emerging job market segment.
The programme allows the following specialisations
- Interaction designer focused on user interface design and information visualisation
- Interaction designer focused on tangible interaction
- Interaction designer focused on entertainment, games and social media
- Game developer with some experience of gameplay design and interaction design
Who should apply
The programme is intended for anyone with a keen interest in the interaction between humans and digital artefacts . This means that the programme attracts students from different educational backgrounds from psychology and cognitive science to computer science and information technology, including those with different design backgrounds.
Why apply
It is no longer enough to build a system, product or application that is only functional or efficient; there is an increasing demand for products that are not only efficient but also have other values, such as being pleasurable to handle and use or even fun or intriguing. As a result of the new demands, there is a whole new set of interaction design-oriented jobs on the market.
Interaction designers can now be found in any software company, as well as in the game industry, or in companies that combine hardware and software, e.g. mobile phone producers like Apple or Sony Ericsson. Other key areas include web design and web marketing, information visualisation and design of physical interactive products like toys, GPS etc.
Research connections
The programme is offered by the Division of Interaction design at the Department of Applied IT. The research group specialises in areas such as tangible and pervasive interaction, game design, innovative graphical user interfaces, health care informatics and the use of IT in vehicles. We have close collaboration with for instance Volvo and the Interactive institute.
First Year
AUTUMN TERM Study period 1
Compulsory courses
- Prototyping in interaction design, Examination 3,5
- Prototyping in interaction design, Laboratory 4,0
- Interaction design methodology, Examination 4,0
- Interaction design methodology, Project 3,5
AUTUMN TERM Study period 2
Compulsory courses
- Graphical interfaces, Project 3,5
- Graphical interfaces, Laboratory 2,0
- Graphical interfaces, Examination 2,0
Elective courses
- Tangible interaction, Written and oral assignments 3,5
- Tangible interaction, Project 4,0
- Computer graphics, Examination 7,5
- Computer graphics, Laboratory 0,0
SPRING TERM Study period 3 Elective courses
- Information visualization, Examination 3,5
- Information visualization, Written and oral assignments 1,5
- Information visualization, Project 2,5
- Tabletop interaction, Project 7,5
- Aesthetics of interaction, Project 4,0
- Aesthetics of interaction, Written and oral assignments 1,5
- Aesthetics of interaction, Laboratory 2,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 3,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 0,8
- Simulation engines, Project 7,5
SPRING TERM Study period 4
Elective courses
- Interaction design of social media, Written and oral assignments 1,5
- Interaction design of social media, Examination 4,0
- Interaction design of social media, Project 2,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 3,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 0,7
- Methods of interaction analysis, Project 7,5
- Gameplay design, Project 7,5
- Artificial intelligence, Examination 7,5
Second Year
AUTUMN TERM Study period 1
Compulsory courses
- Interaction design project 1, Project 7,5
Elective courses
- Requirements engineering, Written and oral assignments 3,5
- Requirements engineering, Examination 4,0
- Human-centred design, Project 7,5
AUTUMN TERM Study period 2
Elective courses
- Mobile computing - Design and implementation, Examination 3,5
- Mobile computing - Design and implementation, Project 4,0
- Interaction, games and learning, Examination 4,5
- Interaction, games and learning, Examples class 3,0
- Interaction design project 2, Project 7,5
- Software product line engineering, Examination 4,5
- Software product line engineering, Project 3,0
- Empirical software engineering, Examination 7,5
- Databases, Examination 4,5
- Databases, Laboratory 3,0
- Computer graphics, Examination 7,5
- Computer graphics, Laboratory 0,0
SPRING TERM Study period 3
Elective courses
- Aesthetics of interaction, Project 4,0
- Aesthetics of interaction, Written and oral assignments 1,5
- Aesthetics of interaction, Laboratory 2,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 3,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 0,8
- Advanced software architecture, Examination 5,0
- Advanced software architecture, Project 2,5
- Model-driven engineering, Examination 3,0
- Model-driven engineering, Project 4,5
- Computer security, Examination 6,0
- Computer security, Laboratory 1,5
- Simulation engines, Project 7,5
SPRING TERM Study period 4
Elective courses
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 3,0
- Advanced computer graphics, Project 0,7
- Model-based testing, Examination 7,5
- Agile development processes, Projec 4,5
- Agile development processes, Examination 3,0
Diploma thesis
- Master's thesis in Applied information technology, Diploma thesis 30.0
- Master's thesis in Applied information technology, part A, Diploma thesis 30.0
- Master's thesis in Applied information technology, part B, Diploma thesis 30.0
- Master's thesis in Computer science and engineering, Diploma thesis 30.0
- Master's thesis in Computer science and engineering, part A, Diploma thesis 30.0
- Master's thesis in Computer science and engineering, part B, Diploma thesis 30.0
Important: Applications for scholarships should be made along with the application for Master's studies. Students should not wait until they receive an admission to do so.
The Avancez Scholarships are 75% tuition fee waivers awarded by Chalmers University of Technology and are funded by the Chalmers Foundation. These scholarships are available to all students who are liable to pay tuition fees i.e., students with non-EU/EEA nationality.
The IPOET (International Programme Office for Education and Training) Scholarships are 75% tuition fee waivers funded by the Government of Sweden. They are awarded by Chalmers University of Technology and available to nearly all fee-paying students, with the exception of 12 countries.
The Mölnlycke Health Care Scholarships are 100% fee tuition waivers with possibilities for summer internships and a final master's thesis project.
The Sievert Larsson Scholarship Fund (within Friends of Chalmers) offers a 100% tuition fee waiver and living expenses to students of Thai nationality who aim to study on a Masters programme at Chalmers University of Technology.
The US Friends of Chalmers Scholarship is a scholarship comprising USD 35 000 (i.e. a reduction of the tuition fee by USD 8750 per semester) and is awarded to one student with US citizenship.
The Volvo Car Corporation Scholarships are 100% tuition fee waivers awarded to 2 Chinese students with the guarantee of participation in the VESC (Volvo Engineering Student Concept) programme which includes a summer job, master thesis project, mentorship and possible employment at Volvo Car Corporation.
The Volvo Group Scholarship Programme is a 100% fee tuition fee waiver awarded to students of Indian nationality and Chinese nationality. The Scholarship includes possibilities for internships during the summer, a final Master thesis project and mentorship.
Scholarships that will not be offered in 2014
The Chalmers MasterCard Scholarship (will be offered again in 2015) Available biennialy for a Master's student from Central America, South America or Mexico. The scholarship comprises a 280 000 SEK reduction of the tuition fee (70 000 SEK reduction/ semester).
The FlexLink Scholarship (not available in 2014) for a Master's Student from China is a 100% tuition fee waiver along with possibilities for internship and a final master thesis project.
Note: Being granted alternative funding from external patrons does not affect the possibility of obtaining scholarships from Chalmers as an applicants financial status is not taken into account during the nomination process.
Scholarships for current students
Adlerbert 60th Anniversary Scholarships - Will be offered for the first time during 2014 to fee paying Master's Programme students who were admitted Autumn 2013, including scholarship holders whose scholarships do not include costs of living coverage. This means that, for instance, holders of Swedish Institute scholarships and Sievert Larsson, version 2 scholarships will not be eligible to apply. In order to be eligible the applicant must have passed at least 60 credits during the first year of studies. The scholarships, which amount to 60 000 SEK each, will be awarded based on the applicants' cumulative grade point average . Around 10 to 20 scholarships will be offered in 2014. More information about how to apply, etc., will be published soon.
Adlerbert Foreign Student Hospitality Fund - Only open for international students who have been admitted to, and enrolled on, a Master's Programme at Chalmers. Thus, prospective students cannot apply. Students can be awarded the scholarship a maximum of two times. The application period opens in late January and closes in late February. Consequently, it is only possible to apply during this period of a student's first and second year.
Scholarships administered by the Swedish Institute
The Swedish Institute, a government agency, administers over 500 scholarships each year for students and researchers coming to Sweden to pursue their objectives at a Swedish university. Use their online guide in order to find out if any of the Swedish Institute scholarships are available for citizens of your country at your intended level of study.
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