Bachelor | Master | PhD
Introduction to Programming – HEC Bachelor
Pedagogical Objectives: Students develop practical programming expertise using Python to analyze large datasets, create visualizations, and implement algorithms. Beyond technical syntax, the course cultivates algorithmic thinking—the ability to decompose complex problems into simpler components that computers can execute. Students emerge capable of creating tools for data analysis and providing creative solutions to real-world problems.
Teaching Philosophy: The course employs blended learning with pre-class materials and in-class practical activities combining lectures, guided examples, and exercises. Active participation is emphasized as essential to learning success. Students work with real financial datasets, applying their programming knowledge to inform decision-making. This practical, project-based approach helps students understand not just how to code, but why programming is a powerful problem-solving methodology in business contexts.
Data-driven Interface Design (HUM-297) – HEC Bachelor/EPFL BA
Pedagogical Objectives: This course teaches quantitative UX research methods to validate design decisions at scale. Students learn foundational statistics, experimental testing, and data visualization techniques. By course end, students can design rigorous UX studies, apply statistical analysis to user data, translate findings into actionable insights, and communicate results to stakeholders through data-driven storytelling.
Teaching Philosophy: The course progresses from basic usability principles toward sophisticated quantitative analysis of user interactions. Combining theoretical foundations with practical application, students complete a capstone project analyzing real datasets from user interactions with digital services. The approach emphasizes that while qualitative research explores motivations and pain points, quantitative methods validate, generalize, and optimize design choices. Students learn to make evidence-based decisions and influence product strategy through compelling data visualization and clear stakeholder communication.
Courses for the Master
Interaction Design (IxD) – MSc Information Systems
Pedagogical Objectives: This course equips students with fundamental techniques to create and evaluate interactive digital products, environments, systems, and services. Students learn two parallel tracks: interaction design principles and user experience research methods. The course emphasizes practical application through a capstone project where students research and design novel interactive systems or redesign existing services.
Teaching Philosophy: The course combines theory with hands-on practice through case-based and problem-based learning in small teams. Students engage in iterative cycles of research and design, presenting their work multiple times to receive feedback. The approach balances conceptual understanding of design principles with real-world prototyping and user testing, preparing students for professional roles in IT departments or startups. Learning outcomes include evaluating design failures through heuristics, conducting formative research, building prototypes, and communicating designs effectively.
Digital Transformation of the Democratic Discourse (DTDD) – MSc Information Systems
Pedagogical Objectives: This transnational, transdisciplinary course addresses how digital technologies reshape democratic engagement and public discourse. Students develop critical thinking about digital civic participation, disinformation, polarization, and online platforms’ role in democracy. Students learn to analyze civic media design and propose solutions—through either research or design—to strengthen democratic practices in the digital age.
Teaching Philosophy: Using a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) model, students engage in seven weeks of online theoretical learning followed by an intensive onsite week in Lausanne. The curriculum combines lectures with case studies and group work, inviting contributions from NGOs and civic organizations. Students choose between proposing novel technologies for civic participation or conducting original research on civic media. This participatory design approach ensures solutions are user-centered, relevant, and sustainable—reflecting diverse perspectives on democracy in the digital era.
Courses for the PhD school
Good Research Practices and Research Ethics (GRP) – PhD Programme
Pedagogical Objectives: This doctoral-level course develops critical thinking about reproducibility and research integrity in academic research. Students learn to identify design flaws that compromise research validity, apply rigorous experimental designs, and ensure their scientific reporting enables reproducibility. The course covers research ethics, scientific integrity, and reproducibility across both human and animal research contexts.
Teaching Philosophy: Using contrasting case studies, the course reveals different facets of research challenges. Students analyze real-world examples and develop practical strategies for preventing experimental mistakes and improving scientific rigor. The final workshop invites students to bring their own experimental designs for collaborative critique and improvement. This approach transforms abstract ethical principles into tangible, actionable practices that PhD students can implement in their careers.