Human-Centered Intelligent System (HCIS)
Program Structure
Table of Contents
In order to complete the Human-Centered Intelligent Systems Master program, students must obtain a total/minimum of 120 ECTS credit points (CP) while respecting the subject areas‘ requirements as well as completing the compulsory modules and, finally, the master thesis.
Study plan | Semester | CP |
Compulsory area: Compulsory modules | ||
| Introduction to Learning Systems and Data Science | 1. Semester | 6 |
| Designing Interactive Systems I | 1. Semester | 6 |
12 | ||
Compulsory elective area: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | ||
At least 2 compulsory elective modules | 1.-3. Semester | each 4, 6 or 8 |
min. 12 | ||
Compulsory elective area: Human-Centered and Interactive Technologies | ||
At least 2 compulsory elective modules | 1.-3. Semester | each 4, 6 or 8 |
min. 12 | ||
Compulsory elective area: Use and Societal Impact | ||
At least 2 compulsory elective modules | 1.-3. Semester | each 4, 6 or 8 |
min. 8 | ||
Elective area: Computer Science Electives | ||
Max. 2 elective modules | 1.-3. Semester | each 4, 6 or 8 |
0 – 12 | ||
Compulsory elective area: Labs, Seminar and German Language Course | ||
Fraunhofer lab | 2.-3. Semester | 9 |
Second lab(1) | 2.-3. Semester | 7 or 9 |
Seminar | 2.-3. Semester | 4 |
German course (or additional seminar(2)) | 2.-3. Semester | 4 |
24 – 26 | ||
Master’s thesis | ||
Master’s thesis | 4. Semester | 30 |
30 | ||
Total | 120 |
Notes:
(1) The second lab can be chosen either from the courses offered by the Department of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University or from the courses offered by the Department of Computer Science at the University of Bonn. If the workload permits, the second lab may also be another Fraunhofer lab.
(2) Students who have acquired their study qualification at a German-speaking institution or who have German as their mother tongue must complete a further seminar instead of the German course.
Degree Content
The program will educate participants to successfully master the novel technical and economic challenges at the crossroads of computer science, software engineering, next-generation communication systems, and intelligent systems.
It consists of three main blocks:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Human-Centered and Interactive Technologies
- Use and Societal Impact
Two mandatory courses introduce the students to the first two blocks Introduction to Learning Systems and Data Science and Designing Interactive Systems. In the third block, courses like AI-Ethics are going to be offered. Students that what to follow yet another additional interest from general computer science can follow their interest in a small optional fourth block.
The program is particularly special in offering a significant proportion of research lab courses embedded in both basic and applied research of the participating Fraunhofer Institutes of Applied Information Technology (FIT) and Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems (IAIS). A further lab can be done at the university, at the Fraunhofer institutes, or in cooperation with industry.
Major topics covered by courses offered include:
- Data Science
- Advanced Methods of Text Mining
- Pattern Matching and Machine Learning
- Computer Graphics/Animation/Visualization
- Speech/Image/Video Processing and Technology
- Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Designing Interactive Systems
- Management of Information and Knowledge
- Explainable AI and Applications
- Business Process Intelligence and eBusiness
- Cooperative Work Environments
Seminars
Seminar selection
Students must make sure to not miss the seminar and lab selection deadline (usually around January for the following summer term and around June for the following winter term).
Seminars introduce students to academic research and writing and allow students to learn more about a specific area in software engineering. Students must complete one mandatory seminar as part of the area: Communication Skills. The seminar is worth 4 CP.
Students can choose from a broad variety of seminars offered by the many chairs and research groups of the Computer Science department of RWTH Aachen University or University of Bonn.
While seminar selection at RWTH Aachen University is centralized and offered in January/June every year for the upcoming summer/winter semester, seminars at University of Bonn are assigned via individual registrations in the beginning of the respective semester.
Lab course
Lab course selection
Students must make sure to not miss the seminar and lab selection deadline (usually around January for the following summer term and around June for the following winter term).
Lab courses give students the opportunity to conduct a project as a team over a few months. As part of the program, students are required to complete two mandatory lab courses:
- Fraunhofer Lab (10 CP)
- Second Lab (7 to 9 CP)
Students can choose from a broad variety of lab courses offered by the many chairs and research groups of the Computer Science department. Each lab course has a different topic and a different focus (from research-oriented to applied computer science) and some of the lab courses are conducted in cooperation with industry partners.
German course / additional seminar
The mandatory German course enables international students to learn the German language. Students with no prior knowledge do an entry-level German course. Students that already have learned some German can do a higher-level German course. The German courses are offered by RWTH Aachen University’s or University of Bonn’s language center and the mandatory German course is free of charge. The students must pass a German course providing 4 CP, which is a 4-hours-per-week course at the language center.
German-proficient students can choose an additional seminar instead of the German course. Students are considered as German-proficient if they either have German as native language or can provide a proof of sufficient German proficiency. Accepted German proficiency proofs are
- “Deutsch (ZD)” certificate with minimum grade “gut” (good);
- “Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache” (TestDAF) certificate with a niveau level of 3 in all examined areas; and
- “Goethe” certificate with level of at least B2.