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M.S., Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics

Overview

Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics (HFEE) is concerned with ways of designing jobs, machines, operations, and work environments so they are compatible with human capacities and limitations. The HFEE practitioner is called upon both to apply existing human performance knowledge to the design or modification of equipment and also to generate new experimental data required for design.

The M.S. degree in the HFEE option emphasizes both methodology and content areas. Foundation coursework includes a detailed study of existing research, design, and evaluation methods that are appropriate to human factors engineering and ergonomics. Additionally, content courses include sensory ergonomics dealing with sensory capabilities and limitations of humans, physical ergonomics dealing with biomechanics and work physiology, cognitive ergonomics dealing with human information processing, and macroergonomics dealing with group processes. This course work is supplemented by supporting courses in a variety of human factors engineering and ergonomic application areas including auditory communication, computer displays, industrial safety, training, and transportation systems. Emphasis is placed upon specific content area courses, and elective courses in the student’s area of interest. Those students pursuing a thesis conduct research under the direct guidance of an HFEE faculty member.

Each human factors engineering and ergonomics M.S. Advisory Committee must have at least two current HFEE full-time instructional faculty, and the chairperson or co-chairperson must be a current HFEE full-time instructional faculty. The remaining members of the Advisory Committee may be teaching members of the human factors and ergonomics faculty or may be from other options in Industrial and Systems Engineering, other types of positions, other departments, or from other organizations providing they meet graduate school requirements for eligibility.

Every student should be able to demonstrate basic computer proficiency. Students who have previously taken courses equivalent to those indicated below may be exempt from such requirements as determined on a course-by-course basis. Students petition for substitution of these equivalent courses in their Program of Study. This petition must be approved by the Virginia Tech instructor for the course(s) in question, the HFEE Option Area Coordinator, and the ISE Graduate Program Director. ISE 3614 (pass/fail), or an equivalent course taken previously, is an HFEE graduate program requirement that must be satisfied no later than the end of a student’s first fall semester.

M.S. Curriculum: THESIS

Master level students with thesis are required to complete four required core courses, a minimum of four elective courses, and six hours of thesis work. A listing of pre-approved tracks with suggested programs of study are provided in tables below. These tracks are designed to allow the student to specialize in a particular area within HFEE, but also allow some flexibility in course selection. Students may change up to two courses from the listed electives in each track with committee approval. Other deviations are possible with approval of the HFEE faculty.

Course Number	Course Title	Credit Hours
ISE 5604	Human Information Processing	3
ISE 5605	Human Factors System Design I	3
ISE 5614	Human Physical Capabilities	3
ISE 5615	Human Factors Research Design I	4
ISE 5694	Research Thesis	9
Electives	(See Pre-Approved Tracks Table)	12
	Total Hours	31

Pre-Approved Tracks (Electives)

A minimum of four courses can be chosen from any one of these pre-approved tracks and used as electives. At least two of the electives must be ISE courses and at least one of these ISE courses must be an HFEE course. No more than two electives courses outside of ISE may be used toward meeting degree requirements.

Note: Deviations from this curriculum are possible with approval of the student’s committee, the HFEE option coordinator, and the ISE Graduate Program Director.

Cognitive Ergonomics	Human-Computer Interaction
*ISE 5634 Training Systems	*ISE 5634 Training Systems
*ISE 5694 Macroergonomics	*ISE 5714 Usability Engineering
*ISE/CS 5714 Usability Engineering	*ISE 6604 Visual Displays
*ISE 5794 Independent Study/Special Topics	*ISE 6614 Human Computer Systems
STAT 4504 Applied Multivariate Statistics	CS 4624 Multimedia, Hypertext, and Information Access
PSYC 5344 Cognitive Psychology	CS 5734 Computer-Supported Cooperative Work
	CS 5724 Models and Theories of Human Computer Interaction
Macroergonomics	Methods
*ISE 5694 Macroergonomics	*ISE 5616 Human Factors Research Design II
*ISE 5606 Human Factors Systems Design II	ISE 5424 Simulation
*ISE 5634 Training systems	EDRE 6614 Qualitative Methods in Educational Research
CS 5734 Computer-Supported Cooperative Work	PSYC 5134 Advanced Psychometric Theory
PSYC 5125 Organizational Psychology	SOC 6204 Survey Research Methods
STAT 4505 Applied Multivariate Statistics	STAT 4504 Applied Multivariate Statistics
ENGR 5104 Applied Systems Engineering	STAT 5644 Nonparametrics
Occupational Biomechanics	Sensory and Perception
*ISE 4624 Work Physiology	*ISE 5644 Human Audition
ISE 5104 Operations Research or ISE 5405 Optimization	*ISE 6604 Human Factors in Visual Display
ISE 5424 Simulation	*ISE 5606 Human Factors Systems Design II
ESM 4204 Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Biologic Control	PSYC 5144 Sensory Processes
ESM 5984 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering	PSYC 4074 Sensation and Perception
HNFE 4984 Exercise & Neuromuscular Performance	CS 5754 Virtual Environments
HNFE 5814 Skeletal-Muscular Function in Exercise
Transportation	Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
*ISE 5606 Human Factors Systems Design II	*ISE 4624 Work Physiology
*ISE 6604 Human Factors in Visual Displays	*ISE 5694 Macroergonomics
*ISE 5644 Human Audition and Auditory Display Design	*ISE 4644 Occupational Safety
*ISE 5674 System Safety	STAT 4504 Applied Multivariate Statistics or 5644 Nonparametrics
*ISE 5714 Usability Engineering	HNFE 4984 Exercise & Neuromuscular Performance
*ISE 6614 Human Computer Systems	HNFE 5724 Epidemiology
ISE/CEE 5944 Human Factors in Transportation	EMS 5984 Physiology

*Denotes an HFEE course

Special Comments on Safety Engineering. The Safety Engineering Track in the ISE Department at Virginia Tech is the only safety engineering program in the State of Virginia. The safety, ergonomics and occupational biomechanics programs currently receives funding through a training grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which provides stipends and tuition. Students must be U.S. citizens and enroll in specific Tracks to be eligible for financial assistance under this grant. Dr. Nussbaum directs the NIOSH training grant, and can be contacted for further information.

M.S. Curriculum: NON-THESIS

A coursework-only Master level curriculum is available, and will typically be selected by students pursuing an application-oriented degree and without an interest in continuing for a doctoral degree. Non-thesis MS students are required to complete at least 31 credit hours of course work, as described in the table below. Deviations from the suggested courses are possible with approval of the HFEE faculty.

COURSE# AND TITLE	HOURS
All of the following or their equivalent are required:	13
ISE 5604 Human Information Processing	3
ISE 5605 Human Factors System Design I	3
ISE 5614 Human Physical Capabilities	3
ISE 5615 Human Factors Research Design I	4
Elective Courses:	≥ 18
At least 4 Additional Graduate Level ISE-HFEE courses	≥ 12
At least 1 non-HFEE ISE Graduate Level course	≥ 3
At least 1 non-ISE Graduate Level course	≥ 3
Total Hours	≥ 31

 

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