Certificates
To add depth to your communication knowledge and skills, we highly recommend that a student in our M.S. in Technical Communication or M.S. in Communication and Rhetoric program include either the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) or Graphics Certificate to the required M.S. coursework. Both certificates increase your skills and marketability.
The Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Certificate is also offered as a stand-alone option for distance students.
Undergraduate students seeking to attain competency in either print or electronic media should consult the Communication Design Certificate curriculum.
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Certificate
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Computers have become embedded in devices ranging in size from space stations to fingernails, yet their user interfaces still must be understandable by the same human brains.
The Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Certificate gives students the skills and knowledge they need to work in this new environment that includes the Web, multimedia, wizards, agents and still-developing technologies. All human-computer interaction courses are distributed both at a distance through electronic media and live on campus.
Watch a short video about our HCI Degree and Certificate program (Mac users must have Windows Media Player components for QuickTime installed).
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The HCI Certificate, designed in cooperation with industry experts, provides those involved in the design of human-computer interactions with the knowledge and skills they will need to create new and better ways for people to communicate with and through computers.
Students complete twelve credit hours to fulfill the requirements for the HCI Certificate. All graduate credits completed successfully under this certificate program (and not used to satisfy the credit requirements of an undergraduate degree at Rensselaer) can be applied towards the completion of the M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
The program consists of four three-credit courses:
Electronic design tools for the web, multimedia, image-editing, page layout and drawing enable communicators easily to integrate text and graphics, but they also demand that communicators have command of both words and visual imagery.
To satisfy the market for this knowledge and skill set, the Department offers a graduate graphics certificate as an option in our M.S. programs.

The Graphics Certificate program integrates design theory with in-depth studio work. It has been popular with both students and prospective employers.
Students complete twelve credit hours to fulfill the requirements for the Graphics Certificate. All graduate credits completed successfully under this certificate program (and not used to satisfy the credit requirements of an undergraduate degree at Rensselaer) can be applied towards the completion of an M.S. degree.
The program consists of courses divided into four groups. All students must fulfill the Group 1 requirement, but they may select any other combinations of courses from Groups 2-4 as long as they work within the upper limits listed below:
- Group 1:
- Group 2:
- Group 3:
- Group 4:
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- three credit hours
- up to nine credit hours
- up to nine credit hours
- up to nine credit hours
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The Department may, from time to time, designate other courses that fulfill requirements in any or all of these categories.
All students should complete the following form and submit it to Pat Marra in addition to the M.S. Plan of Study paperwork. Please do this no later than the beginning of your final semester of course work to allow time for review of your Graphics Certificate Plan of Study and preparation of your Graphics Certificate prior to your graduation.
Graduate Graphics Certificate Plan of Study (.doc, revised 08.31.2006)
Students using a graphics course to fulfill the capstone requirement for the M.S. in Technical Communication must indicate the course as such on both their Office of Graduate Education Plan of Study and their Graphics Certificate Plan of Study. Students must make arrangements with the professor at the beginning of the semester to do appropriate-level projects.
Students with previous academic work in graphics may want to waive specific courses. Waiver requests are made to the Department's Graphics Curriculum Committee. Submit petition and supporting documents to Pat Marra.
Group 1 - three credit hours
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All students must take one of these courses (three credit hours).
Cross Cultural Graphics is geared more towards print design. Visual Design is a foundation course in visual design theory, research, and application that is appropriate for students working in a wide range of media.
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Group 2 - up to nine credit hours
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Students may take one to three courses (three to nine credit hours) from Group 2, depending on their selections in other groups.
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The following courses may fulfill Group 2 requirements if not used in Group 1:
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Group 3 - up to three credit hours
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Students may take one course (three credit hours) from Group 3, depending on their selections in other groups.
The course chosen must focus on a graphics project.
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Group 4 - up to three credit hours
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Students may take one course (three credit hours) from another department, subject to advisor and Graphics Curriculum Committee approval.
Submit to the Chair of the Graphics Curriculum Committee a course syllabus, a statement that describes how the course fits into the Graphics Certificate Plan of Study, and the Graphics Certificate Plan of Study. The course may be taken at either the 4000- or 6000-level.
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Course Rotation
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This rotation indicates the availability of courses for upcoming semesters. Note that some courses are only offered alternate years.
You may wish to refer to this course rotation grid while developing your personal plan of study.
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FALL
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SPRING
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