What kind of job can I get with a human-centered computing major?

Question

So, I'm at a point in school where I have to start looking for internships. But, I'm not entirely sure what I can do with my major. I am majoring in Informatics with a cognate/specialization in human-centered computing. But, I'm not really sure what I can do with it exactly. I know its about designing things for the user but I don't know what kind of jobs or internships you can get with it.

So, first of all, is human-centered computing the same thing as human-computer interaction? I don't know the difference, if there is one.

And, what kind of jobs can I get with a human-centered computing major? Would it be more interaction and UX designer stuff or something else?

Help, please?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there is no "right" answer to this question, but I can share some of my experience.

Your education doesn't really dictate your job, it builds a foundation on which to build your career. One of the reasons that you may feel unsure about your degree program is that you have chosen an inter-disciplinary degree. That means that you're going to get a broad base of skills instead of being groomed for a particular job, so those internships and small jobs in the field will be especially helpful for you to find exactly what you want to dig into.

If I can give any advice, it would be to leverage the hell out of that. Look for ones that seem neat and maybe a little different. Also, don't discount big companies, but be wary of internships where you end up doing data entry or menial tasks while you watch employees do real work. Find places that will let you get in the mix a bit. Sure, you might not be ready to take on a professional project by yourself at first, but that doesn't mean you can't be a contributing part of it.

That was kind of generic, I know, but really, have fun with it.

Side-Note: HCI and human-centered computing are very similar. Human-centered computing is a slightly newer term, but the understanding I have is it's the academic discipline people are trying to create to further HCI.