​​The Bachelor in Science in Human Technology Interaction (BS HTI) is a USC Iovine and Young Academy degree offered in partnership with the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and in collaboration with four other USC schools (USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Science, Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and USC Rossier School of Education). The degree provides students with the diverse skills necessary for Full Stack Development for Emerging Technologies (interactive AI, Extended Reality, Data and Decision systems, IoT and Physical Computing). Graduates are able to collaborate with diverse stakeholders to develop and implement novel strategies for integrating emerging technologies into products and processes in a manner that leverages the interaction of human expertise with emerging technologies and advances improved performance of human experts and overall product/process innovation. Students develop integrated expertise across front end, back end and API development as well as complimentary skills in product management.   

The degree provides a strong preparation for the following jobs: Product Development Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Hardware developer, Software Engineer

The degree leverages unique Challenge-Based Reflective Leaning (CBRL) Framework. Students motivate their learning through complex sociotechnical challenges provided by industry and community partners, as well as driven by students and faculty. Students and industry partners work together to learn how to spot challenges and generate creative responses in complex and often under-explored territories. To accomplish this, students work in and out, back and forth, and through a series of stages for innovation: discern, prompt, prototype and iterate.  In addition to challenge-based learning courses students complete sequences of Academy courses on interaction design, technology development and business management. A sequence of Viterbi courses on software development and a sequence of electives across USC on areas related to the challenges and ventures each student is working on.

Challenge-Based Reflective Learning Courses

Challenge Based Reflective Learning Required Courses (16 Units)

Any 2-unit course needs to be taken twice for 4 units. 

ACAD 376 Industry Practicum I: Designing and Implementing Real-World Solutions Units: 4 or

ACAD 419 Professional Internship Units: 1, 2 or

ACAD 450 Industry and Impact Projects Units: 2

HTI Design Sequence Required Courses (12 Units)

ACAD 325 Human Technology Interaction and the User Experience Units: 4

ACAD 360 Design Strategy: Problem Solving for Organizations Units: 4

Business Courses in Product and Process Innovation 

Business Courses in Product and Process Innovation Requirements (8 Units)

ACAD 183 Product Management for Challenge-Based Innovation Units: 4

ACAD 184 Operations Management and Finance for Challenge-Based Innova Units: 4 or

ACAD 185 Analytics and Marketing for Challenge-Based Innovation Units: 4

Academy Technology Requirements (12 Units)

ACAD 217 Extended Reality Design Units: 4

ACAD 288 Constructing Digital Worlds Units: 4

IDSN 537 Extended Reality for Fashion Units: 4

IDSN 539 Extended Reality Development Units: 4

IDSN 574 Extended Reality in Medicine Units: 4

ACAD 191 Python for Machine Intelligence Units: 2

ACAD 220 Introduction to Data Innovation and Analytics Units: 4

ACAD 222 Introduction to Machine Intelligence Units: 4

ACAD 490 Directed Research Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

IDSN 544 Transformative Artificial Intelligence in Society Units: 4

ACAD 230 Introduction to Interactive Physical Computing Units: 4

ACAD 535 Ambient Computing for Fashion Units: 4

IDSN 571 Devices and Systems for Body Computing Units: 4

IDSN 572 Embedded Computing for Human Performance Units: 4

ACAD 415 Dev III: Designing Applications for Emerging Platforms Units: 4

ACAD 404 Advanced Front-End Web Development Units: 4 or

ACAD 405 Advanced Back-End Web Development Units: 4

Software Development Requirements – USC Viterbi (20 Units)

Enrollment in CSCI 103L requires (a) taking CSCI 102L, or (b) prior introductory programming in Java or C++ and passing the CSCI 102 challenge exam.

CSCI 103L Object Oriented Programming Units: 4

CSCI 170 Discrete Methods in Computer Science Units: 4

CSCI 201L Principles of Software Development Units: 4

HTI Elective within Viterbi School of Engineering (4 units)

Note that some of the courses below have additional prerequisites.

CSCI 445L Foundations of Robotics Units: 4

DSCI 352 Applied Machine Learning and Data Mining Units: 4

ISE 370L Human Factors in Work and Systems Design Units: 4

ISE 440 Socio-Technical Systems and Work Organizations Units: 4

ISE 470 Human/Computer Interface Design Units: 4

TAC 449 Applications of Machine Learning Units: 4

TAC 459 Applied Natural Language Processing and Generative AI Units: 4

HTI Electives from Keck, Annenberg, Dornsife, Marshall, Rossier (12 Units)

Choose 12 units from the following (or other approved electives from these schools):

ARCG 305Lg Virtual and Digital Culture, Heritage and Archaeology Units: 2, 4

BIOC 581 Toolbox for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Units: 2, 4

BISC 408 Systems Neuroscience: From Synapses to Perception Units: 4

BUAD 310g Applied Business Statistics Units: 4

DSO 470 Optimization with Analytics for Better Decision-Making Units: 4

MEDS 445 Cancer: Biology, Prevention and Therapy from the Bench to the Bedside Units: 4

OHNS 303 Telehealth and Assistive Technology in SLP Units: 4

PSYC 304L Sensation and Perception Units: 4

PSYC 440 Foundations of Cognitive Neuroscience Units: 4

Additional Domain-Specific Electives (8 Units)

Take an additional 8 units of elective course work with advisor approval. 

The university requires eight courses in six Core Literacies, plus two courses in Global Perspectives (which may double-count with courses in the Core Literacies) and two courses in writing. For more information about USC’s general education requirements, see General Education.

*Note that the Curriculum for 2025-2026 is being substantially revised to increase student options in choice of classes. The details are subject to approval by the University Committee on Curriculum. 

Bachelor of Science in Human Technology Interaction

The USC Iovine and Young Academy's Bachelor of Science in Human Technology Interaction.