WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
Wichita, Kansas
Department of Psychology

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BACKGROUND:
Title: Human Factors Psychology (MA, PhD)
Est: 1990
Semester
Granted last 3 years: MA 7, PhD 7
Part-time: no
Distance learning available: no
HFES student chapter: yes
Program: The PhD program is the only PhD program in human factors psychology approved by the Kansas Board of Regents. It has also been accredited by HFES; reaccreditation is in process. The human factors psychology is designed to provide strong academic training in the tradition of experimental psychology in the context of an applied specialization. Training is rooted in the behavioral sciences, with an emphasis on research methods. Training occurs in the context of applying this knowledge and these skills to the world of the professional human factors psychologist. The university provides a unique environment for students to gain practical experience while receiving fundamental academic training. All students are required to complete an approved internship, and each student's program is balanced between the academic and applied aspects of our profession.
Contact: Charles G. Halcomb or Alex Chaparro, Wichita State University, Psychology Dept., 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0034; 316/978-3170; alex.chaparro@wichita.edu, http://psychology.wichita.edu/hf/.
Catalog: ($3.25) Graduate School, Wichita State University, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0004

APPLICATION:
Deadline: 3/15
Fee: U.S. $35, international $50. Separate applications required for university and department. Online application available.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: no specific GPA required
GRE: v + q required
Other: Psychology. Undergraduate degrees, background, or coursework required or recommended for admission: psychology background with emphasis on learning, physiological psychology, and perception is recommended; strong background in math and/or science/engineering is desirable.
Research: medium
Work experience: medium
Letters: medium
Interview: low

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 20
Accepted: 6
Entered program: 6
Openings/year: 4-6

TUITION AND FEES:
Resident: $198/credit hour
Nonresident: $548/credit hour

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 100
Amount: $6000-7000
Available: TA (nonresident reduced to resident tuition, varying amounts of resident tuition waived), RA, scholarship (nonresident tuition reduced to resident tuition)
Apply: with application

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
PhD: 90 units, qualifying exam, no languages, demonstrated math competency, second-year project research required, six-month internship required, 5 years
MA: (must be currently enrolled in PhD program) 36 hours; second-year project research required; no exams, languages, or practical experience required; 2 1/2 years
Nonthesis option: yes

CURRICULUM:
Required courses (units): Biological and Philosophical Foundations of Psychology (3), Social and Developmental Foundations of Behavior (3), Personality and Individual Differences (3), Cognitive Foundations (3), Research Methods (8), Ethics (3), Seminar in Perception (3), Seminar in Motor Behavior (3) Psychological Principles of Human Factors (3), Seminar in Human Factors (3), Seminar in Software Psychology (3), Graduate Research (10), Predoctoral research project (16-18), doctoral dissertation (12), Internship (6)
Required courses outside program: 12 units
Class size: 8-10

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES:
Research facilities: The department, housed in the four-story science building, maintains fully equipped labs and a carpentry and electrical shop for use in human factors research. These facilities include the Vision and Psychophysics Lab, Microcomputer Lab, Cognitive Research Lab, and Human-Computer Interaction Lab (including software usability labs and an instructional technology lab). The computer facilities are state of the art and available to students for coursework and research. Facilities include student/faculty access to Internet. The department local area network provides students access to major software packages and ample secure disk space for all their storage needs. The LAN also provides students with opportunities to experience first hand human factors applications associated with network management. Students also have access to the National Institute for Aviation Research. The empirical focus of the program seeks to provide to students wide exposure to research training, practice, and literature, as well as theory.
Teaching: Most, if not all, students will receive teaching assistantships and will have the opportunity to obtain teaching experience.
Current research: Current human factors research involves cognitive function, aging, development, human-computer interactions, aerospace issues, perception and motor behavior, software usability, application of technology to instruction, distance education. (All students are required to be actively engaged and enrolled in research throughout their tenure as a graduated student.)

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 8 men, 13 women
First-year students: 6
Mean scores: PhD: GRE 500 v, 530 q, 578 a, GPA 3.73

FACULTY:
Paul D. Ackerman, PhD 1968, U Kansas; social processes, application of computer to lab
Randy Chambers, (adjunct); cognition
Alex Chaparro, PhD 1990, Texas Tech U; visual perception, driving, and night vision
Barbara Chaparro, PhD 1990, Texas Tech U; human-computer interaction and usability
Edgar Merkle, PhD 2005, Ohio State U; quantitative methods
Evan Palmer, PhD 2003, UCLA; cognition and perception, cognitive psychology
Udo Schultheis, (adjunct) PhD 2005, Christian-Albrecht U (Germany); aviation psychology
Victoria Shaffer, PhD 2005, Ohio State U; decision making

[Updated Winter 2007]