Objective:  To explore how technology changes how we communicate.

Concentrations

• Psychology / emotions
  • How does the brain cope with dropped voice and body cues when communicating through text alone?
  • What is the importance of symbols when communicating emotions?  How does their effectiveness compare to face to face contact?
  • Empathy in instant messaging
• Informatics
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informatics
  • Humans are processing trying to process way more information than they ever have before, and the emergence of Web 2.0 has stretched us to capacity.  How does technology need to evolve to prevent us from reaching information bankruptcy?
• Flow
  • Make all this apply to designing software systems that people love to use

Requirements

• GRE
• Probably the GRE Psychology exam (wouldn't hurt even if it wasn't required)
• GPA 3.0 or thereabouts (was I at 2.9 at UTA?)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose

Preferences

• Definitely want research as a significant component of study, but more as a means to explore my own theories than to prepare for a research position after graduation
• Searching for schools in the bay area, but will expand depending on how well the program matches my needs.  Definite bias for the west coast.

Programs

• UC Irvine School of Information and Computer Sciences:  http://www.ics.uci.edu/informatics/grad
• UC Berkeley School of Information:  http://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/programs/overview
• Stanford Symbolic Systems Program:  http://symsys.stanford.edu
• Stanford Joint Program in Design:  http://design.stanford.edu/PD/gradprogram.html + d.school:  http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/index.html
• UC Davis School of Communication:  http://communication.ucdavis.edu/graduate
• SJSU Human Factors and Ergonomics:  http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/hfe
• UC Davis School of Psychology:  http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/graduate
• SJSU Communication:  http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/commstudies/grad/specialization.html 

PS:  For the love of god, don't make the same mistake from UTA again.  Explore before admission.  Talk to people who know more than I do (Brynn and Alex will be crucial).  Know exactly what you're getting into.  Don't fail and wing it the rest of the way just to make it through.  Contribute as much to the idea pool as you take from it.  Earn the right to be wrong.