[Sigia-l] Graduate Tracks for UX

[Tom Donehower]

Hi All,

I'm considering graduate/specialization programs for continuing UX
education.

Couple questions:

1) As a UX professional, what track would you pursue to continue your
career path in UX if cost and distance was not a concern? It seems the
default would be a masters in HCI, but I'm also curious about what others
think about Psychology, Computer Science, Informatics, Philosophy, Design,
MBA, etc. based on where we are headed.

2) Do specialization certifications like the one offered by UC Santa
Barbara in Interaction Design hold any credibility? Consider you have two
candidates with their undergrad degrees and both are equal in every way
except one candidate has a MS in HCI and one has a specialization in HCI
from an accredited university. After interviews and portfolio review you
come to the conclusion the candidates are equal except for this one
difference. Do you value one more than other?

Thanks for tackling my hypothetical.

Best,

-Tom