Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

Courses are held in English (100%).

In the English-language Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Master of Science programme, students acquire sound knowledge on theoretical and practical state-of-the-art methods and technologies in the fields of interface design, usability and interactive system development with a focus on technical aspects. The research-oriented programme is taught by internationally renowned professors. It also offers students the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary research and design projects. As part of their electives, students can attend courses from the Computer Science for Digital Media Master's degree programme as well as from all non-Computer Science degree programmes at the university, including Art and Design, Media Studies, Media Management, and other faculties of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

The international Master's degree programme is accredited by ACQUIN. It has already attracted students from all over the globe.

The programme is based on the following pillars:
(a) The study of current topics within the field of human-computer interaction and psychology: usability and user study methods; user-centred design and user interface testing; innovative interface technologies in virtual reality, computer vision and image analysis, adaptive systems, mixed reality, ubiquitous computing, and graphic interfaces
(b) Acquisition of key skills and competences through a project-based study approach that includes active training of scientific communication, presentation, and written skills in small groups

Students work in modern laboratories of the research groups at the Digital Bauhaus Lab and other on-campus buildings, which provide an excellent infrastructure including highly precise eye tracking equipment, 3D printers and other rapid prototyping technologies, unique multi-user stereoscopic projection, latest generation of head-mounted displays, a high resolution tiled display wall with multi-touch, 3D scanners, various unmanned aerial vehicles, and more. They are regularly involved in research and development projects during their studies and in international publication activities. Good students may also find teaching and research assistantships or other jobs at the university and with local companies.

Usability is becoming ever more important for computer systems, particularly as ubiquitous computing becomes pervasive. The ability to design complex systems and user interfaces with regard to usability and appropriateness for the usage context increases in importance. Job adverts for software developers often request knowledge of usability and interface design. Our graduates can work both in software development, in particular in conception and development of novel interface technologies, and in the area of usability and user research, which are both growing in demand.

Semesters begin in April or October. The programme is run on-site on campus.

Applicants who graduated outside the European Union:
15 July for the following winter semester
15 January for the following summer semester

Applicants who graduated within the EU:
30 September for the following winter semester
31 March for the following summer semester

The Master's programme comprises lectures, tutorials, seminars, and two student research projects as well as a Master's thesis. Students can choose from various specialised fields for the Master's thesis topic.
The programme comprises 120 ECTS, divided into the following compulsory, elective, and research components:

• "HCI Fundamentals" and "HCI Technologies" are covered with four modules: Psychology, HCI Concepts and Methods, Visual Interfaces and Computer Vision. Within each module, students can choose one of two courses on offer. Each module has six ECTS (24 ECTS in total).
• A specialisation module in which students choose one further course out of those offered for "HCI Fundamentals" and "HCI Technologies"
• A Design Theory course, offered at the Faculty of Art + Design
• Elective module (24 ECTS in total)
• Two research projects comprising (12 ECTS + 18 ECTS) done in small groups (30 ECTS in total)
• The Master's thesis module (30 ECTS)

Research projects are offered by our professors and research groups every semester.

The electives module (24 ECTS) allows students to incorporate a large variety of courses from other degree programmes and faculties alongside the general Computer Science for Digital Media course catalogue. This can be a range of courses from the fields of media studies, media art and design, media management as well as from architecture and urbanism, art and design or civil and environmental engineering. An additional project that relates to HCI and comprises a maximum of 15 credit points may also be done.

The third semester is an ideal semester for students to spend abroad, since it offers greater flexibility with respect to the choice of classes. The fourth and final semester is reserved for the Master's thesis project.

The standard duration of studies for the Human-Computer Interaction Master's degree programme is four semesters, leading to the award of a Master of Science degree. All Master's courses are offered in English.
For information about part-time studies, please contact the International Counsellor for details:
http://www.uni-weimar.de/de/medien/international

No tuition fees

The semester contribution is approx. 280 EUR per semester. This is allocated to student services & the student council. It grants free regional bus transport in Weimar, Erfurt, & Jena as well as train transport in Thuringia. Moreover, it provides student discounts for meals at the university cafeteria & for theatre and museum tickets, along with access to the university sports complex. An additional fee for the "Thoska" student ID is 20 EUR (one-time only fee).

In Weimar, living expenses tend to be lower than in larger German cities. We recommend that students budget approx. 960 EUR per month:

• Health insurance approx. 140 EUR
• Books and stationery approx. 70 EUR
• Rent approx. 350 EUR
• Meals approx. 220 EUR
• Other expenses approx. 180 EUR

Students coming from outside the EU need to provide proof of financial resources amounting to 992 EUR per month in order to obtain a residence permit.

The prerequisite for admission to the Master's degree programme is a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, media informatics, media technology, or related fields with a strong component of computer science.
English skills at level B2 (CEFR)
FAQ on the application: https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/medien/studium/medieninformatik-computer-science-for-digital-media-hci/faq-application-hci/

Applicants must provide proof of English at level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages - CEFR). Equivalent tests:

IELTS (minimum 6.5 points) or TOEFL (Internet-based) minimum 85 points or Pearson Test: PTE Academic min. 59 points.

In order to register for the Master's thesis, students must provide proof of English at level C1 (CEFR) and German A1. As part of our study programme, we offer advanced English classes up to level C1, which count towards the degree. The university offers German language courses.

Applicants who graduated outside the European Union:
15 July for the following winter semester
15 January for the following summer semester

Applicants who graduated within the EU:
30 September for the following winter semester
31 March for the following summer semester

There are scholarships granted by the university as an institution. There are scholarships based on academic merit and/or social engagement for second-year and more senior students.

The International Office grants scholarships through the Erasmus+ programme that support students (including international ones) who are going abroad for studies or internships.

A part-time job can be a good way to supplement your finances during your studies. There are opportunities for students who are looking for teaching and research assistantships at the university or part-time jobs with local companies and within the service sector of the city. International students should be aware that a good command of German is necessary for working outside the university (and for many jobs within the university as well).

Jobs are offered on the "Pinnwand" message board of the university, on the job portal operated by the Career Service, and on the "Studierendenwerk Thüringen's" Job Search platform.

International students from outside the EU are only allowed to work a limited number of hours in Germany (140 full days or 280 half days per year). Student jobs at the university are exempt from this rule. Either way, during the lecture period, students are not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. The minimum wage is 12.82 EUR per hour and is standard for student jobs.

If you earn more than 556 EUR per month, you will be subject to higher health insurance premiums.

You can find accommodation in Weimar through the "Studierendenwerk Thüringen", which manages more than 1,000 apartments in the student halls of residence. These halls of residence are located at various locations in the city and are geared towards different needs and preferences. Accommodation costs between 250 and 350 EUR per month, depending on the size and location. The university itself does not provide accommodation.

If you want to rent a room through the "Studierendenwerk Thüringen" – which we strongly recommend to all newly arriving students – it is paramount to apply as early as possible as spaces are limited.

Further information: https://www.stw-thueringen.de/en/housing/residential-homes.html
Online application: https://www.stw-thueringen.de/en/housing/application/online-application.html

Typically, between two and up to five students share an apartment. Students have their own bedrooms and share a kitchen and a bathroom. Most rooms are furnished (bed, desk, chair, cupboard, shelf), but kitchenware and appliances are not included. Mentors for international students provide assistance in settling in during the first couple of days and also organise events.

Students advertise private and shared flats on the message board ("Pinnwand") on the university website: https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/universitaet/aktuell/pinnwaende/bereich/wohnen/.

The Careers Service of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar offers individual career consultation, etc.
https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/studies/careers-service/

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is a small, renowned, and very international university with a very distinctive range of subjects. It is located in the historic city of Weimar and emerged from two progressive institutions: The "Saxon-Grand Ducal School of Art Weimar" and the "State Bauhaus", founded here in 1919.

Various personalities from different countries have shaped the institution and developed ideas that are recognised and respected worldwide. At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, we continue to follow a unique path that offers unrivalled opportunities by combining science and technology with art and design.

The international and interdisciplinary approach encourages experimentation and offers space for creativity, which attracts an above-average number of international students to Weimar. The university specialises in study and research in the fields of architecture and urbanism, civil and environmental engineering, art and design, and media.

We offer an ideal space for creative academic and artistic work, supported by laboratories, workshops, studios, libraries, online teaching facilities, and a favourable student-teacher ratio. Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is connected worldwide due to a large network of partners, which our students benefit from through programmes such as study abroad periods as well as international projects and excursions. Among more than 200 international partners are universities and schools throughout the European Union as well as in Ethiopia, Japan, Switzerland, and the USA.

Here are some important facts from the history of the university: In 1919, Walter Gropius created the "State Bauhaus" in Weimar. Four years later, he called for the search for the "new unity of art and engineering". That meant combining the vanguard of art and design with modern industry. With this approach, the Bauhaus became the most famous school of architecture, art, and design in the 20th century.

Our university flourishes through its experimental environment, familiar atmosphere and especially through the people, who study, research, and work here at the university. The best way is to experience this special atmosphere yourself. Join our "Welcome to Weimar" online crash course or visit us, for example, at the annual Bauhaus Spring School or the Bauhaus Summer School and learn about what lies behind the following numbers:

• Four faculties – Architecture & Urbanism, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Art & Design, Media
• 42 degree programmes
• Approx. 4,000 students, including doctoral students
• Approx. 30% international students
• 87 professors
• More than 200 partner universities and more than 500 student exchanges
• Many opportunities for funded short-term stays at partner universities

https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/international/to-weimar/fulltime-students/preparing-your-studies/

The historic city of Weimar is a cosy town that has had a profound influence on Europe. This becomes most evident in architecture, art and design, music, and literature.

Weimar is situated right in the middle of Thuringia, the "green heart of Germany", and it is about 300 km from both the German capital, Berlin, and the German financial centre, Frankfurt am Main. Today, Weimar is a lively town with about 66,000 inhabitants and a town centre where you can reach everything within 15 minutes. The green areas of the town, such as the park on the Ilm River, include many sights, e.g. Goethe's summer house and the palaces of Tiefurt, Ettersburg, and Belvedere. Among many others, the famous German writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller walked in the park along the Ilm River. The famous pianist and composer Franz Liszt stimulated modern music, and the architects Walter Gropius and Henry van de Velde initiated modernism.

Weimar has much to offer art lovers, culture lovers, revellers, lovers of nature, and gourmets. There are more than 20 museums, three cinemas, a national theatre, various cabaret theatres, student clubs, concerts, and multifaceted cultural events, such as the traditional folk event and the "Zwiebelmarkt". Additionally, one can enjoy Thuringian delicacies like "Rostbratwurst" (sausage), "Rostbrätel" (marinated grilled meat), and "Thüringer Klöße" (dumplings). During the spring and summer, Weimar hosts the annual Bauhaus Spring School and the Bauhaus Summer School as well as Yiddish Summer Weimar (featuring klezmer music) and several art festivals. Other highlights include the "summaery" annual exhibition at the Bauhaus-Universität and the "Master classes" at the "Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt". According to the International Student Barometer survey, 95.4 percent of international students commend the exceptional quality of life in the city of Weimar. We hope to welcome you to Weimar soon!