Master in Human-Computer Interaction at University of Trento
Two-year English-taught LM-55 master's at the University of Trento in Rovereto, joining psychology, design and computer science to study how people use technology and to design better digital products.
Master
2 years
Trento
English
University of Trento
Human-Computer Interaction is a two-year, 120 ECTS master's degree (class LM-55) taught in English by the University of Trento at its Rovereto site, run jointly by computer science and psychology departments. Non-EU fees follow the admission score, so it can be tuition-free for eligible students.
Entry requirements
- A bachelor's degree (or recognised foreign equivalent) with at least 50 ECTS in subject areas of the Italian classes L-20, L-24 or L-31: humanities and languages, psychology, engineering and computing, education, law, economics, statistics and social sciences, or biology, physics and maths.
- Missing credits can still be earned after applying, as long as you have them by 31 July of the intake year (2026/27 rule).
- English at B2 level, shown by an international certificate, a statement that your degree was taught in English, a B2 English exam in your transcript, or a self-declaration as a native speaker.
- No entrance test: the committee scores your file out of 100, including a statement of purpose and a short self-presentation video, and may hold an online interview. You need 50 or more.
About the programme
Human-Computer Interaction is a two-year master's degree (laurea magistrale, class LM-55, cognitive sciences) worth 120 ECTS and taught in English. It is run by the Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science together with the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, and lessons take place in Rovereto, at Corso Bettini 84.
The degree puts people first in the design of technology. You study human cognition, behaviour and emotion at individual, group and social levels and use that knowledge to design interfaces and digital products, dealing with questions such as privacy, context, experience, emotion and participation. It welcomes graduates from psychology, computer science, engineering, design, the humanities and the social sciences.
What you will study
The first year combines design and research methods with a bridging course chosen to fill the gap in your background, either towards computer science or towards psychology, plus guided options and electives. The second year is lighter on teaching and centres on the internship and thesis. Units in the current plan include:
- Design Experience (12 ECTS) and Design Epistemology and Ethics
- Research Methodology, both qualitative and quantitative, and Social Interaction
- Visual Brain and Design, and Bridging HCI to Computer Science or to Psychology
- Options such as Mind and Interaction in Extended Reality (XR), Design for Social Inclusion, Multisensory Interactive Systems and Educational Technology
- Electives such as Fundamentals of VR/XR, Game Design Fundamentals, Human Language Technologies and Decision-making Processes and Digital Nudging
- Affective Computing and Prototyping Interactive Systems in the second year
- An internship (18 ECTS) and a master's thesis (18 ECTS)
How the programme is taught
Besides lectures you work through tutorials, laboratory activities and design seminars on current issues in human-centred design. An 18 ECTS internship in the second year lets you put these methods into practice before the thesis.
Career paths
Graduates can work as UX experts in software and service companies, in the private and public sectors, guiding software projects on the human side of the interface. Typical tasks include analysing context and user needs to write software requirements, designing interaction flows, and measuring the usability and user experience of digital products. The role can also be managerial, for example negotiating digital services with external suppliers.
Fees and scholarships
HCI sits in UniTrento's higher fee group for non-EU students living abroad (2026/27): up to €10,000 a year, with first-year fees set by admission score. A score of 90 or more means no fees; lower bands pay €1,000, €3,000 or €6,500. Applicants scoring 70 or more may win a UniTrento scholarship that includes a fee waiver, and Opera Universitaria di Trento awards income-based grants. The degree can be tuition-free for eligible students.
How to apply from outside the EU
For 2026/27 the degree offered 20 places to non-EU citizens living abroad. The committee gave up to 50 points for academic background and a reference letter, 20 for the statement of purpose, video pitch and any interview, and 30 for the relevance of your studies and experience.
Applications for 2026/27 closed on 4 March 2026 at 12:00 CET, with a €30 fee. Admitted candidates pay a €100 confirmation fee, pre-enrol on Universitaly within two weeks and apply for a type D study visa. The 2027/28 call is still to be published.
How ApplyAZ helps
If this programme fits your goals, ApplyAZ can include it in a shortlist of 20 to 30 English-taught programmes at Italian public universities. We write your CV and a tailored statement of purpose, submit your applications and Universitaly pre-enrolment, file your DSU scholarship application and prepare your visa file, with a named person on each stage. The university decides admission, the region decides the scholarship and the consulate decides the visa. See how ApplyAZ works or check your eligibility.
Questions and answers
Is Human-Computer Interaction taught in English?
Yes, fully in English. You show B2 English through a certificate, a degree taught in English, a B2 English exam in your transcript, or a self-declaration as a native speaker.
Where is the course taught?
In Rovereto, in the province of Trento, at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Corso Bettini 84.
Which bachelor's degrees are accepted?
Many backgrounds qualify: you need at least 50 ECTS in areas such as psychology, computing and engineering, humanities, education, social sciences, economics or natural sciences, linked to classes L-20, L-24 and L-31.
Is there an entrance test?
No written test. The committee scores your record, reference letter, statement of purpose, a short video pitch and relevant experience out of 100, and may hold an online interview.
When can I apply for 2027/28?
The 2027/28 call has not been published. For 2026/27, non-EU applicants living abroad applied by 4 March 2026 at 12:00 CET, paying a €30 fee.
What jobs does it lead to?
Mainly UX roles in software and service companies: user research, requirements, interaction design and usability evaluation, as well as managing digital services with suppliers.
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