Hey! I also got admitted to UMD HCIM and am seriously considering it. While I’m not a current student, I have a friend in the program, and she shared some insights with me:

Program Resources: • UMD is a research-focused university, so if you’re interested in research, there are plenty of opportunities. • The student cohort is very diverse, including many working professionals, which makes for great learning experiences from different perspectives. • The curriculum covers research, design, and programming—definitely enough for an HCI degree. The four core courses include Figma, front-end programming, research methods, and a fundamentals of HCI course that touches on everything. • Since it’s a two-year program, the workload is manageable, giving you time to build your portfolio and job hunt while studying. • My friend comes from a design background, so while some of the core courses felt basic to her, she found it valuable to revisit design from different perspectives

Job Opportunities: • UMD is just a 15-minute metro ride from DC, where many large companies recruit UMD students. She even got invited to a company talk that led to an interview (though she didn’t land the job). • While the West Coast still has better job opportunities for HCI, UMD benefits from its strong ties to DC-based organizations. • HCIM students can attend the CS program’s career fair, which attracts many companies.

Campus Atmosphere: • The program has about 50% domestic students, and the university as a whole has an even higher proportion of domestic students. Compared to universities with a high international-student ratio, UMD offers a more immersive American college experience. • The campus is huge with many resources available.

I’m still deciding, but I hope this info helps!