<p>What's the difference between HCI and CS major?</p>
<p>Also, if you pursue HCI as your second major, do you get Bachelor of Science in HCI in your diploma?</p>
<p>HCI = Human computer interaction, which is a subfield of Computer Science (CS). </p>
<p>The two majors are fairly different. You can only do HCI as a 2nd major while CS is available as both a primary and secondary major. In addition, you have to submit an application to study HCI but don’t have to apply to study CS. Check the CMU course-catalog for information on the coursework for both majors.</p>
<p>You also don’t get a second degree with HCI. It’s a dual major, not degree. So for example, my diploma was “Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing with an additional major in HCI”.</p>
<p>CS is focused on the actual construction of software, whereas HCI is focused on improving software and hardware at the intersection where people use it. Classes consist of crash courses in web design, UI deign, communication design, etc. </p>
<p>The analogy I like to use is that CS will teach you how to build a toaster, and HCI will teach you how to make the toaster easier to use. Even if the toaster works amazingly, if no one can figure out how to use half of its features, it’s practically useless.</p>
<p>@completelykate, is that how the diploma looks with any double major? For example, if you double majored in math (primary) and CS (secondary), would your degree say “B.S. in Math w/ additional major in CS”?</p>
<p>bump *</p>
<p>bump*</p>
<p>Yes, AFAIK that’s how it always looks unless you have enough units that the second major counts as a whole second degree – that usually involves taking a fifth year or a crazy courseload. </p>
<p>HCI cannot actually be a secondary degree, only a secondary major.</p>