Program Overview
The program equips graduates with advanced skills in human factors, cognitive science, and systems engineering, preparing them for careers in industry, academia, and government. The curriculum includes core courses, foundations, electives, and a culminating dissertation, and the program is approved for a STEM-OPT extension for international students.
Program Outline
This program explores how people interact with technological and social systems in various contexts, including transportation, medicine, military, computing, and other complex systems. The program aims to equip graduates with advanced skills and knowledge in:
- Human factors: applying psychological and physiological principles to the design of products, processes, and systems.
- Cognitive science: integrating human capabilities and limitations into complex sociotechnical systems.
- Systems engineering: designing and evaluating complex sociotechnical systems. The program offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of topics, including:
- Methods and tools in applied cognitive science
- Methods and tools in human systems engineering
- Foundations of applied cognitive science
- Foundations of human systems engineering
- Learning engineering
- Intelligent agents
- Driving simulators
- Dynamical systems models of team interaction
- Gaming simulators for studying business decision-making
- Human-in-the-loop simulation studies of cybersecurity analysis
- Medical simulations for health care research
- Models of cognitive states and processes of sociocultural systems
- Nuclear control room simulations
- Pilot training research
- Simulations of consumer behavior
- Tests of future airspace control concepts
Outline:
The program curriculum consists of the following components:
Required Core (12 credit hours):
- HSE 520 Methods and Tools in Applied Cognitive Science (3)
- HSE 521 Methods and Tools in Human Systems Engineering (3)
- HSE 540 Foundations of Applied Cognitive Science (3)
- HSE 542 Foundations of Human Systems Engineering (3)
Foundations (6 credit hours):
- Methods and Tools (3 credit hours)
- Applications (9 credit hours)
Electives (36 credit hours):
- Research (6 credit hours)
- HSE 792 Research (6) or additional electives as selected by the PhD committee
Culminating Experience (12 credit hours):
- HSE 799 Dissertation (12)
- The program allows up to 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree.
- Students can petition the HSE Executive Committee to allow HSE-relevant or dissertation-relevant courses to be included as HSE elective courses.
Assessment:
The program utilizes various assessment methods to evaluate student learning outcomes, including:
- Examinations: written and oral comprehensive exams
- Research: dissertation
- Coursework: assignments, projects, and presentations
Teaching:
The program features a diverse faculty with expertise in various areas of human systems engineering, cognitive science, and psychology. The teaching methods employed include:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Individualized supervision
- Research opportunities
Careers:
Graduates of the program are well-equipped for careers in various sectors, including:
- Industry: human factors engineer, human systems integrator, information systems designer, interface designer, usability engineer, user experience designer
- Academia: research scientist, professor
- Government: military scientist, human factors specialist
Other:
The program is approved for a STEM-OPT extension for international students on F-1 visas. This extension allows eligible graduates to gain up to 36 months of work experience in the United States.
