IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Ames, Iowa
Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering

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BACKGROUND:
Title: Industrial Engineering with Specialization in Human Factors (MS, PhD). Contact: Keith Adams, HF Graduate Coordinator, Iowa State University, IMSE Dept., 205 Engineering Annex, Ames, IA 50011; 515/294-5065. Est: 1974. Semester. Granted last 3 years: MS 10, PhD 2. Part-time: yes. Program: Areas of study include human factors engineering using biomechanics, work physiology, and engineering psychology; work design; industrial safety; and human-computer interaction. Supporting courses in psychology, physiology, computer science, statistics, biomedical engineering, and other elective areas. Students are free to choose an area of specialization. Each program of study is individually tailored to meet the needs of a given specialization. Typical areas of specialization include industrial ergonomics with emphasis in biomechanics and work physiology, safety engineering and reliability, biomedical engineering, and ergonomics in manufacturing and system design. HFES student chapter: no. Catalog: (free) ISU Graduate Admissions, 100 Alumni Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: 3/1, 10/1. Fee: $20; $30 for international students. Separate applications required for university and department.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: 3.00. GRE: 520 v, 700 q, 1220 v + q, 630 a. Other: TOEFL 550, BS degree in engineering or physical science. Research: low. Work experience: medium. Letters: high. Interview: high.

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 9. Accepted: 7. Entered program: 7. Openings/year: 10.

TUITION AND FEES:
Resident: $1851/semester. Nonresident: $5449/semester.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 80. Amount: $8000/$10000/$12000. Available: TA (50% tuition exempt for half-time assistantship), RA (tuition exempt when available). Apply: with application.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
MS: 30 semester hours, oral defense of thesis, thesis research, no languages or practical experience required, 2 years. Nonthesis option: no. PhD: 72 semester hours, qualifying exam, comprehensive exam, oral defense of dissertation, dissertation, no languages or practical experience required, 4 years.

CURRICULUM:
Required courses (units): Advanced Ergonomic Analysis (3), Human Factors (3), other courses selected per student program interests and specialization. Required courses outside department: individually determined. Recommended courses outside department: individually determined. Class size: 10-15.

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES:
Research facilities: Department lab facilities include equipment for measuring heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, force, and reaction time and for simulating visual perception and control tasks. Resources in the Department of Health and Human Performance include advanced and computer-enhanced equipment for monitoring the cardiovascular system and electromyographic and electrocardiographic input, as well as evaluating physical performance and biomechanical forces and torques. The Virtual Reality Lab is available through the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Teaching: Opportunities exist in teaching laboratory sections of an undergraduate course in Applied Ergonomics and Work Design. Current research: Using EMG to predict muscle forces, biomechanics in wheelchair design, situation awareness applications, evaluation of medical forms, medical prescription errors, development of the virtual patient, human factors in intensive care unit design.

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 8 men, 4 women. First-year students: 4. Mean scores: n/a.

FACULTY:
S. Keith Adams, PhD 1966, Arizona State U; human-system interaction, safety engineering, human reliability. Patrick E. Patterson, PhD 1984, Texas A&M U; biomechanics, work physiology, rehabilitation technology, human-computer interfaces.