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)
Est: 1974
Semester
Granted last 3 years: MS 10, PhD 2
Part-time: yes
HFES student chapter: no
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.
Contact: Gary Allen Mirka, Chair, Dept. of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Iowa State University, 2019 Black Eng, Ames, IA 50011-2164; 515/294-8661; mirka@iastate.edu
Catalog: (free) ISU Graduate Admissions, 100 Alumni Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: 3/1, 10/1
Fee: $20 for U.S., $30 for international. 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:
Gary Allen Mirka, PhD 1992, Ohio State U.; industrial/systems engineering
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