OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Columbus, Ohio
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

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

BACKGROUND:
Title: Human Factors Engineering (MS, PhD). Contact: Philip J. Smith, Industrial and Systems Engineering Program, Ohio State University, 210 Baker Systems, 1971 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210; 614/292-4120; phil+@osu.edu. Est: 1957. Joint program: with Aviation, Communication Computer Science, Industrial Design, Education, and Psychology Departments. Quarter. Granted last 3 years: MS 12, PhD 11. Part-time: yes. Program: This highly interdisciplinary program emphasizes cognitive systems engineering and occupational biodynamics, allowing specialization in either area.  In addition to taking courses in several departments, students are expected to be involved in research and development. Research areas include cognitive ergonomics (artificial intelligence, computer-supported cooperative work and distributed work, human-computer interaction, and human error) and physical ergonomics (biomechanics -- back and upper extremities, clinical assessment techniques, industrial risk surveillance). These research topics are studied in a number of applied contexts, including applications in occupational safety and health, aviation, education, information systems, military command and control, and medicine. Accredited by: HFES. HFES student chapter: no. Catalog: (free) Graduate Committee Chair, Industrial and Systems Engineering Program, Ohio State University, 210 Baker Systems, 1971 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210.

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: 8/15 fall, 12/1 winter, 3/1 spring, 6/1 summer. Fee: $30 for nonresident (non-Ohio) U.S. citizens; $40 for international students.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: 3.5. GRE: 550 v, 650 q, 1100 v + q, 600 a. Other: 1 year calculus, 1 course linear algebra, 1 course differential equations, 1 course computer programming, 1 course probability and statistics. Additional background in computer science is highly desirable. Research: medium. Work experience: high. Letters: high. Interview: high.

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 32. Accepted: 8. Entered program: 7. Openings/year: 8.

TUITION AND FEES:
Resident: $2111/quarter. Nonresident: $5468/quarter.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 100. Amount: $13200/$15000/$16500. Available: Fellowship, TA, RA, all tuition exempt. Apply: with application.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
MS: 45 units, thesis, oral defense of thesis, research, no languages or practical experience, 2 years. Nonthesis option: no. PhD: 90 hours beyond MS, qualifying exam, dissertation, oral defense of dissertation, research, practical experience, no languages, 3 years beyond MS.

CURRICULUM:
Cognitive ergonomics required courses (units): Cognitive Systems Engineering (3), Experimental Design (3). Electives: Artificial Intelligence I (3), Artificial Intelligence II (3), Cognitive Engineering: Research and Design Methods (3), Decision Analysis (3), Expert Systems (3), Human-Computer Interaction (3), Human Error (3), Human Interaction with Intelligent Systems (3), Instructional Design (3), Models in HF Engineering (3), Organizational Psychology (3), Psychology of Perception (3), Psychology of Decision Making (3), Psychology of Learning and Memory (3), Software Engineering (3), Usability Studies (3). Physical ergonomics required courses (units): Work Physiology and Biomechanics in Workplace Design (3). Electives: Advanced Topics in Biomedical Ergonomics (3), Biomedical Engineering Seminar I (3), Biomedical Engineering Seminar II (3), Exercise Physiology (3), Exercise Physiology II (3), Engineering Mechanics (3), Epidemiology I (3), Epidemiology II (3), Epidemiology III (3), Gross Anatomy (3). Required courses outside department: MS 0, PhD 4. Recommended courses outside department: MS 3-6, PhD 5-10. Offered: summer. Class size: 10-20.

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES:
Research facilities: Focus is on applied, real-world contexts dealing with occupational safety and health, aviation, education and training, information systems, medicine, and military systems. Excellent state-of-the-art facilities exist to support field and laboratory studies in these areas. Teaching: Students may teach two undergraduate courses (Cognitive Systems Engineering; Work Physiology and Biomechanics in Workplace Design). Current research: Cognitive ergonomics: cooperative learning, distributed work, computer-supported cooperative work, human interaction with intelligent systems, human error, intelligent information systems, intelligent tutoring systems, military command and control, problem-based learning. Physical ergonomics: biomechanics (back and upper extremities), clinical assessment techniques, biomechanical mathematical modeling, industrial risk surveillance, and laboratory biomechanical studies.

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 16 men, 6 women. First-year students: 8. Mean scores: n/a.

FACULTY:
Ted Allen, PhD 1997, U Michigan; experimental design. Richard J. Jagacinski, PhD 1973, U Michigan; perceptual-motor skills, control theory, decision theory. Steve Lavender, PhD 1990, Ohio State U; orthopaedic ergonomics, biomechanics, training and behavior modification. William S. Marras, PhD 1982, Wayne State U; biomechanics (back and upper extremities), clinical assessment techniques, industrial risk surveillance. Richard A. Miller, PhD 1971, Case Western Reserve U; theory of modeling, multilevel systems theory, manufacturing systems. Thomas H. Rockwell, PhD 1957, Ohio State U; vehicular control systems, driving performance, eye movement. Nadine Sarter, PhD 1996 human-automation communication and coordination, multimodal interfaces and interactions, decision support, human error/error management. George L. Smith, Jr., PhD 1969, Oklahoma State U; work measurement, workplace and product design, productivity. Philip J. Smith, PhD 1979, U Michigan; distributed work and computer-supported cooperative work, intelligent tutoring systems, intelligent information systems. Carolyn M. Sommerich, PhD 1994, Ohio State U; biomechanics and ergonomics. David D. Woods, PhD 1979, Purdue U; human-computer interaction, human-computer cooperation, human error.