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BACKGROUND:
Title: Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics Center (MS, PhD). Contact: Maury A. Nussbaum, Grado Department of ISE (0118), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061; 540/231-6053; nussbaum@vt.edu (additional information available at: http://hfec.vt.edu/). Est: 1972. Semester. Granted last 3 years: MS 25, PhD 10. Part-time: yes. Program: MS and PhD programs provide in-depth studies of methodologies and theories used in human factors and ergonomics. Foundation courses focus on research, design, and evaluation methods. Optional courses focus on sensory, physical, cognitive, and macroergonomics topics. Students follow an approved sequence of foundation and optional courses (curriculum track) that best matches their academic and professional interests. PhD students also take graduate courses in other ISE areas: management systems, manufacturing, and operations research. All students conduct degree research with human participants. Accredited by: HFES. HFES student chapter: yes (HFES Student Chapter of the Year, 2001, 2002). Catalog: (free) Lovedia S. Cole, Grado Dept. of ISE; (540) 231-5586, lovediac@vt.edu.

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: open. Fee: $25.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: 3.0. GRE: 500 v, 650 q, 650 a. Other: No specific undergraduate degree required, although industrial engineering and psychology are typical. Introductory course in human factors is expected, and courses in computer science, engineering, math, and psychology are recommended. Research: medium. Work experience: medium. Letters: high. Interview: medium.

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 47. Accepted: 27. Entered program: 18. Openings/year: 15-20.

TUITION AND FEES:
Resident: $3020/semester. Nonresident: $4854/semester.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 50-100 per year. Amount: $1445-$1535/month. Available: fellowship, TA, RA, tuition exempt; scholarship not tuition exempt. Funding preference given to applications received before March 1 with exceptional merit. Apply: with application.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
MS: 31 units, thesis proposal defense, progress meeting, final exam and thesis defense, thesis research, no languages or practical experience, 2 years. Nonthesis option: no. PhD: 90 units, preliminary exam, dissertation proposal defense, progress meeting, dissertation defense, dissertation research, no languages or practical experience, 2-3 years beyond MS.

CURRICULUM:
Required courses (units):  Students must complete their approved curriculum track with a 3.0 GPA or better. The following courses are available: Occupational Safety and Hazard Control (3), Human Information Processing (3), Human Factors System Design (6), Human Physical Capabilities (3), Work Physiology (3), Human Factors Research Design (4), Training Systems Design (3), Human Audition and Auditory Display Design (3), System Safety Analysis (3), Industrial Health and Safety Engineering (3), Macroergonomics (3), Usability Engineering (3), Human Factors in Visual Display Systems (3), Human-Computer Systems (3), Special Topics in Human Factors Engineering (3). Required courses outside department: track-dependent. Recommended courses outside department: track-dependent. Offered: summer. Class size: 10-20.

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES:
Research facilities: The Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics Center is a consortium of state-of-the-art, faculty-directed laboratories: Assessment and Cognitive Ergonomics, Auditory Systems, Displays and Controls; Environmental and Safety, Human-Computer Interaction; Industrial Ergonomics and Biomechanics, Locomotion Research, Macroergonomics and Group Decision Systems. Teaching: Graduate teaching assistants help faculty with course preparation, grading, lab exercises, group work, and lectures. Senior PhD students occasionally teach an undergraduate course under faculty supervision. Current research: The center supports research in many HF/E areas: aging, audition and auditory displays, cognitive performance, consumer product design, human-computer interaction, industrial ergonomics, input/control devices, locomotion and balance, musculoskeletal disorders, occupational biomechanics, safety, sociotechnical (macro) systems, training, visual perception and  displays. Some current projects are antiglare filters for computers, auditory and visual displays for driving, biomechanical modeling, collaboration and communication technology, ergonomic guidelines, designing for occupational safety and health, flat panel and CRT image quality, flight deck aural alerts, hearing protection, localized muscle and general operator fatigue, speech recognition, sociotechnical issues in design, surface and air transportation, usability evaluations, virtual/augmented reality visualization, visual detection and recognition, visual fatigue, and workload assessment.

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 35 men, 25 women. First-year students: 18. Mean scores: MS: GRE 500 v, 670 q, 600 a, GPA 3.6.

FACULTY:
Kari L. Babski-Reeves, PhD 2000, Mississippi State U; industrial ergonomics, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, operator fatigue. Robert J. Beaton, PhD 1984, Virginia Tech; visual displays, manual controls, virtual and augmented reality. John G. Casali, PhD 1982, Virginia Tech; acoustics and hearing protection, auditory displays. Brian M. Kleiner, PhD 1990, SUNY Buffalo; macroergonomics, computer-supported collaborative work, HF in complex work systems (manufacturing, transportation, health care). Thurmon E. Lockhart, PhD 2000, Texas Tech U; industrial engineering/biomechanics, locomotion, aging, industrial ergonomics. Maury A. Nussbaum, PhD 1994, U Michigan; occupational biomechanics, industrial ergonomics, human simulation. Tonya L. Smith-Jackson, PhD 1998, North Carolina State U; safety, warnings, risk perception, cognitive ergonomics, individual  differences in attention.