EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY
Daytona Beach, Florida
Department of Human Factors and Systems

To return to the contents page, click your browser's "Back" button.

BACKGROUND:
Title: Human Factors and Systems (MS)
Est: 1997
Semester
Granted last 3 years: 14
Part-time: yes
HFES student chapter: yes
Program: The program has two tracks: human factors engineering and systems engineering. The human factors engineering track is designed to meet the HFES and APA accreditation guidelines and is a research-based degree. The program develops graduates with the capacity to design, conduct, and apply human factors research in support of the design of simple and complex systems. It develops students' ability to work as human factors professionals in real-world environments through a combination of their academics and their active participation in projects. A variety of research, consulting, and internship opportunities are available in the program.
Contact: MSHFS Program Coordinator, Dept. of Human Factors and Systems, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900; 386/226-6790; humanfactors@erau.edu, http://www.db.erau.edu/hufactors.
Catalog: (free) http://www.db.erau.edu/hufactors or Graduate Programs, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: U.S. citizens and permanent residents: 30 days prior to start of term. International students: 90 days prior to start of term.
Fees: $30 ($50 international)

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: 2.75
GRE: n/r
Other: Work experience or steady increase in GPA during undergraduate years can mitigate lower GPA; course-by-course review, class standing, adequate behavioral science and math background, and familiarity with a computer language recommended. Relevant research, previous work experience, letters of recommendation, and a personal interview are considered as equal parts of a whole. Work experience may be the critical factor in an older student, whereas letters of recommendation and grades will be more important for a recent graduate.

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 44
Accepted: 32
Entered program: 22
Openings/year: 45

TUITION AND FEES:
Residents and nonresidents: $790/hour

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 80
Amount: $9000 + tuition
Available: RA, tuition waiver
Apply: with application

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
MS: 36 units, oral/written comprehensive, exam, oral defense of proposal, oral defense of thesis, no languages or research, internships recommended, 2 years
Nonthesis option: no

CURRICULUM:
Required courses (units): Systems Concepts, Theory, and Tools (3); Human Factors (3); Research Design and Analysis I (3); Research Design and Analysis II (3); Sensation and Perception (3); Memory and Cognition (3)
Electives: Ergonomics (3); Systems Psychology (3); Human Performance Assessment (3); Applied Testing and Selection (3); Cognitive Systems (3); Human Computer Interaction (3); Aviation Psychology (3); Team Resource Management (3); A/C Development (3); Operations Research (3); Aircraft Safety Certification (in France) (9)
Required courses outside department: 0
Recommended courses outside department: 0
Offered: night
Class size: 5-20

TEACHING/RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES:
Research facilities: A fleet of more than 100 single- and multiengine general aviation aircraft flying more than 100,000 hours/year on various levels of training missions; 20 dedicated procedures trainers and simulators including FRASCA 141s. The department has access to flight faculty/instructors with extensive background and experience and more than1500 students enrolled at various levels of flight training. The Human Performance Lab has an Applied Science Lab Series 4000 Eye Tracking System, several research simulators including an AGATE-class single-pilot cockpit, and an eight-channel physiological data collection and analysis device. It also houses a variety of PC-based stimulus generation tools for the study of a variety of information display issues. The Human Computer Interface lab houses a variety of both Windows and Mac computers. A traditional ATC training lab has 15 ATC workstations and access to ATC faculty/instructors with extensive background and experience in civilian and military air traffic control both in the United States and internationally.
Teaching: Some teaching assistant assignments are available.
Current research: Effects of automation, development of selection tools, command and control problems, aviation security, future aviation systems, advanced display concepts, safety, human performance assessment, human-in-loop simulation, air traffic management, and pilot training.

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 21 men, 19 women
First-year students: 22
Mean scores: GPA 3.5

FACULTY:
Jodi J. DeLuca, PhD 2000, Fielding Institute; biocybernetics, neural psychology, abnormal
Shawn M. Doherty, PhD 2000, U Illinois Urbana-Champaign; navigation, control dynamics, visual displays
Christina M. Frederick-Recascino, PhD, U Rochester; motivation, sports psychology, cognition
Fran A. Greene, PhD 1994, Texas A&M U; visual perception, system engineering, display design
Steven M. Hall, PhD 2000, U South Florida; statistics, experimental design, I/O psychology
V. David Hopkin, MS 1954, U Aberdeen (UK); air traffic control, automation, traffic flow management, navigation
Dennis Vincenzi, PhD 1998, U Central Florida; automation, simulation (VR), aging
John A. Wise, PhD 1977, U Pittsburgh; automation, information display, cockpits