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Reach Your Full Potential with a UX Degree

Bentley's Human Factors in Information Design (HFID) graduate program is an accelerator for successful careers in user experience (UX) research and design, as well as customer experience.

Students master UX research methods, including ethnography, field research, interviews, survey design, and formative and summative usability testing. Graduates with these in-demand HFID skills are sought after by top organizations across a variety of industries, from cutting-edge tech startups to the Fortune 500.   

upcoming events

The Business of UX

Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. EDT (optional tour beginning at 6 p.m. if attending in person)

Please join lecturer and seasoned UX leader, Janelle Estes, to learn more about the critical link between user experience and business success. Janelle will also share more information about Bentley's Master's in Human Factors and Information Design program, ranked #1 by UX Magazine as the top academic program.  This session is hybrid. You are welcome to join us in person in Smith Hall on the Bentley campus or virtually via Zoom. Parking and directions with a campus map can be found here. Arrive early at 6 p.m. to participate in an optional campus tour before the session begins at 7 p.m.

Register

Interested in learning more about the program?

ux degree graduate ben huggins at youtube

A Global Alumni Network

From Bentley to Silicon Valley and Beyond

Over the past 20 years, hundreds of distinguished graduates have been added to our alumni network. Alumni remain actively involved with the program by recruiting graduates, offering internships, and serving as mentors to our current students. Join a dynamic community of UX professionals working at leading companies including Tesla, Facebook, Google, Amazon, Fidelity, Sony and more.

Meet Our Alumni

user experience center

Graduate Salaries

According to data from our recent HFID graduates, the average starting salary you can expect with this degree is $121,018.

#1 Ranking from UX Magazine

Rankings & Recognition

The top-ranked HFID program is often cited for its strength of the curriculum and emphasis on helping students with career planning.

HFID in the News

Listen to a WBUR public radio interview with Professor Bill Gribbons from the Bentley HFID program on how students are working with the Massachusetts Trial Court to improve the user experience.

Listen

Expert Faculty

HFID student Terez Lowry discusses her experience with the program faculty and why the program stands apart. 

Program Overview

A Customizable Curriculum

The Masters in Human Factors is a 10-course program including three core human factors courses, five electives, and two business electives.

human factors graduate student in class

Human Factors Core: Up to Four Courses*

  • HF 700 Foundations in Human Factors
  • HF 710 Managing a User-Centered Design Team
    or
  • HF 725 UX Leadership and Management
  • HF 750 Testing and Assessment Programs
  • HF 715 Innovation Bootcamp
human factors professor teaching class

Human Factors Electives: Five Courses**

  • HF 720 Internationalization and World-Ready Product Design
  • HF 730 Visualizing Information
  • HF 735 Design Ethics
  • HF 740 Information Architecture
  • HF 751 Measuring the User Experience
  • HF 760 Intelligent User Interfaces
  • HF 766 Multi-Modal Interface Design 
  • HF 770 Prototyping and Interaction Design
  • HF 775 Design Innovation
  • HF 795 Research Methods for Human Factors
  • HF 780 Field Methods and Human Computer Interaction
  • HF 785 Ethnography for Experience Design
graduate students participating in ux hackathon

General Electives: Two Courses**

  • CS 602 Data-Driven Development with Python
  • CS 607 Cybersecurity
  • IPM 652 Managing with Analytics
  • MG 632 Leading Effective Work Teams
  • ST 625 Quantitative Analysis for Business

* Students have the option to take either HF 710 or HF 725 as part of their three core course requirements. Students may take both, and count one as an HF elective. Online students in California will be required to also take HF 715

**This is a sample of courses you can select from, with more available in our program guide.

ciara morley, ux degree graduate
The combination of business, technology and design in the HFID curriculum prepared me to tackle complex user problems in any industry, leading me to top companies like Fidelity and Spotify.
Ciara Morley
Principal UX Designer at Fidelity Investments

Meet Our Faculty

Here is a glimpse of some of our distinguished faculty you will meet during the course of your program duration here at Bentley. Our professors serve as advisors, and mentors and collaborate with students on new and exciting projects.

Jon Ericson

Jon EricsonJon Ericson holds a Ph.D. from Brown University. Ericson uses virtual reality (VR), motion tracking, and eye tracking technologies to study human-computer interaction and experience design. As a designer and consultant, his work has earned a mention in Forbes, driven investments, and received industry awards and nominations including a Webby nomination for Best User Interface and a rare 10/10 from Computer Music. As a researcher, Jon's work has been supported by Bentley University, Brown University's Brain Science Program, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the NASA RI Space Grant. His current research interests include health care communication, data visualization, environmental design, sustainability, and creative interfaces.

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Mounia Ziat

Mounia ZiatRelying on her multidisciplinary background, Dr. Ziat's approach to science is holistic; her goals are to better understand perception and human interaction with the natural and artificial environment. For the last eighteen years, she has been studying haptic perception by combining engineering, cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction (HCI), and neuroscience to understand all aspects of human touch. From the moment fingers contact a surface to the time information reaches the brain, her research focuses on making sense of sensations that lead to a stable perception of the world. Dr. Ziat holds an Electronic Engineering degree and a Master's and Ph.D. in Cognitive Science.

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Our Thought Leadership Network

Frequently Asked Questions about the HFID Program

Cutting Edge Centers & Labs

The Bentley HFID program gives students access to three comprehensive learning centers and facilities that offer hands-on experience with real-world client work, utilizing state-of-the-art technology. 

User Experience Center (UXC)

The campus-based UXC is the hands-on research centerpiece of the HFID program. Its full-time staff of UX professionals provides consulting services to corporate and nonprofit clients around the globe. Graduate students accepted to the Research Assistantship program receive financial support and gain valuable experience by working in the UXC on client projects. Many clients return to recruit our students for their expertise. Since 1999 the UXC has worked with well over 200 clients from around the world, including Fidelity, Blue Cross Blue Shield, SAP, TD Bank, Geico, Partners Healthcare, MetLife, Philips, and more.

bentley student in ux degree center lab

Dr. Ziat's Haptics Lab

Dr. Ziat holds degrees in Electronic Engineering (B.A.) and Cognitive Science (M.A. and Ph.D.). Taking advantage of her eighteen years of experience in haptics, Dr. Ziat’s lab studies issues related to human-machine interaction, focusing on perception and human interactions with natural and artificial environments. The experimental approach employs the techniques of engineering, cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction (HCI), and neuroscience, to gain an understanding of human touch and how the brain interprets variable sensations as a stable perception of the world. The overall goal is to establish design principles for haptics.

vr handset used for ux degree

Dr. Ericson's Virtual & Augmented Reality Lab

Dr. Ericson directs a research lab that uses immersive technologies to address complex design challenges in health care, sustainability, education/training, and architecture. The lab is a dedicated space designed for the use of immersive technologies, equipped with a powerful 3D graphics computer, high-quality virtual reality and augmented reality hardware, game development, and avatar creation software, along with a variety of biometric tools for assessing psychological and physiological responses to immersive experiences. Ongoing research projects include collaborations with faculty at several major healthcare organizations and across various departments at Bentley.

bentley student using virtual reality for ux degree

Admission Details and Requirements

A key point of distinction for our program is the professionally experienced, talented, and intellectually capable students who join our ranks each year looking to push their careers to the next level. Consequently, we expect students to enter with the appropriate preparation to make an immediate contribution.

Candidates applying to Human Factors Information Design and choosing to apply without a standardized test should demonstrate relevant professional experience in a Tech or User Experience Design industry, exceptional academic credentials, and are required to complete an admission interview with the Program Director to better understand their experience in preparation for graduate school. Our admission committee will take into consideration all aspects of the application to evaluate your preparation for this program but the McCallum School of Business encourages candidates to submit a score as it could have a strong impact in strengthening an application for HFID.

Candidates considering applying with test scores should demonstrate preparation through a combination of GRE score (ideally 157 or higher on each section), educational background (completed bachelor's degree with preferably a 3.3 GPA or higher in a social science, design, or engineering field), and professional experience (at least three years in a user experience or technology-related role).

Candidates are encouraged to discuss their options and are strongly advised to schedule a consultation with the Program Director before applying. Prospective students new to the UX field who lack sufficient preparation should consider our non-credit boot camp and certificate options to develop relevant experience.

program director

Bill Gribbons, ux degree program director
Bill Gribbons
Program Director and Professor, Information Design and Corporate Communication
781.891.2926

Talk to the Program Director

Contact Dr. Gribbons today to schedule a time during which you will discuss your background, career goals, and alignment with Bentley's top-ranked UX graduate program.

Begin Your UX Design Journey