Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Interaction Design | The George Washington University

The field of interaction design shapes how we use and engage with technology, how we access information, and how we experience designed systems and products. It draws from a wide range of disciplines that deal with aesthetics, behavior, social impact, and technological innovation. George Washington University's bachelor of arts (BA) in interaction design program educates students to undertake user-oriented research, digital product design, and prototyping of digital and physical interactive experiences. The program emphasizes ethical design processes within the many ways that interaction designers shape the everyday behaviors of objects and services. This approach is an arts and design model for technology and systems development that benefits people and considers the long-term impacts of design decisions. The BA in interaction design is for students who wish to contextualize their design study within a broader liberal arts education. Graduates are prepared for careers in UI/UX design, user research, communications design, design management, or for further study in arts and design or related fields from which its methodologies emerge.

Visit the program website for additional information.

For information about the admission process, including deadlines, visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Applications can be submitted via the Common Application.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The George Washington University
800 21st St NW Suite 100
Washington, DC 20052

For questions visit undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/contact-us.

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

45 credits in courses for the major. No course may be counted toward more than one major requirement.

Completion of a minor or second major program.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Major requirements
Fundamentals (9 credits)
CFN 1093	First-Year Studio 4: Interaction
CGD 1090	Design Fundamentals I
CGD 1091	Design Fundamentals II
Programming and development (9 credits)
CIXD 2111	Creative Code
CIXD 3091	Prototyping and Fabrication for Interaction
and one course selected from the following:
CIXD 3112	Data Visualization and Sonification
CGD 3020	Web Design
CSCI 1011	Introduction to Programming with Java
CSCI 1012	Introduction to Programming with Python
CSCI 1111	Introduction to Software Development
History and theory of design and technology (6 credits)
CIXD 2091	Systems Thinking and Human-Centered Design
CIXD 3085	Design Futures
User experience and design research (9 credits)
CIXD 2090	Narrative Media and Design Research
CIXD 2015	User Interface and Digital Product Design
CIXD 4193	Design Leadership and Professional Practice
Electives
9 credits in elective courses, to include the following:
Major electives—any two CIXD or CGD courses (6 credits).
Studio elective—any one CGD, CIXD, CORX, or CSA studio course (3 credits).
Capstone
(3 credits)
The capstone requirement may be fulfilled with one of the following three options. If a student chooses to pursue the thesis option and completes both CIXD 4090 and CIXD 4091, then CIXD 4091 may be counted as either a major or studio elective course.
CIXD 3910	Collaborative Design Project
or CIXD 3820	Engagement Lab
Or completion of a thesis (with the permission of the advisor:
CIXD 4090	Interaction Design Thesis I
CIXD 4091	Interaction Design Thesis II
Required minor or second major program
In addition to requirements for the major, students must successfully complete a minor or second major program. Students should consult the advisor concerning this requirement.