CMU To Offer New Pre-College Program in Human-Computer Interaction

Starting in summer 2027, Carnegie Mellon University will offer a new Pre-College Program in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) open to high school sophomores and juniors. HCI is an interdisciplinary field that combines computer science, design, social sciences, and learning science to understand, improve, and create technology that puts people first. Students in the program will learn directly from faculty at the CMU Human-Computer Interaction Institute, widely regarded as the academic birthplace of the HCI field. “We’re really excited to expand our programming to welcome high school students to CMU,” said Haiyi Zhu, associate professor and director of HCI undergraduate programs. “As we introduce them to the field of HCI, we want students to discover how HCI brings together people, technology, and design, and how they can use technology to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Teenagers can easily relate to human-centered computing, even if HCI is not yet a household term as common as computer science (CS). High school students are spending hours every day navigating apps, game interfaces, social platforms, and artificial intelligence. This program can teach them to think critically about when digital tools feel intuitive or frustrating, unhelpful or intrusive. “Computer science is more than coding. Tech needs designers, psychologists, storytellers, and ethicists to make software and tools that work for users everywhere,” said Amelia Baisley, undergraduate program manager. “Our students learn here that the digital world is shaped by many different perspectives, and that they can help build the future.” During the four-week summer experience, high school students will learn the human-centered design process and build brainstorming, research and prototyping skills. The experience ends with a live showcase where teams present their finished projects. The new HCI program joinsComputational Biology,CS Scholars, andAI Scholarsas the fourth computer science-related subject offered by the CMU Pre-College office. The Pre-College HCI Program will be hosted on Carnegie Mellon's campus in Pittsburgh and is open to high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old. Applications will open in December. For more information about the program and admissions, visitPre-College HCI Program. Questions should be directed toAmelia Baisley.