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BACKGROUND:
Title: Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (MS,MISE, PhD). Contact: Robert E. Thomas, PhD, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, 207 Dunstan Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5346; 334/844-1420; rthomas@eng.auburn.edu, http://www.eng.auburn.edu/ie/ose. Est: 1969. Joint program: Program is part of the NIOSH-supported Deep South Education and Research Center (ERC), which includes programs in industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, and occupational health nursing. Semester. Granted last 3 years: MISE 7, MS 6, PhD 5. Part-time: yes. (The program is video-based, so students can pursue a degree while working full-time away from campus.) Program: Emphasis is placed on occupational safety engineering and ergonomics applications. The goal is to provide students the capability to effectively and economically resolve, preferably by engineering design, occupational human performance problems. HFES student chapter: no. Catalog: (free) Admissions Office, 202 Mary Martin Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849.

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: 7/15 fall, 11/15 spring, 4/15 summer. Fee: $25 domestic students, $50 international students.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: 3.0 GRE: 1150 v + q, 550 a. Other: Undergraduate degrees in IE, other engineering fields, and the life sciences are preferred (in that order). Mathematics equivalent to calculus for undergraduate engineers, statistics through single-factor ANOVA, basic ergonomics/safety, and computer literacy required or must be obtained from nongraduate credit prerequisite courses. Research: low. Work experience: low. Letters: medium. Interview: n/a.

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 12. Accepted: 7. Entered program: 4. Openings/year: 6.

TUITION AND FEES:
Resident: $2000/semester (est.). Nonresident: $6000/semester (est.).

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 90. Amounts: $8000/$19000/$24200. Available: Fellowship, TA, RA, tuition exempt. Apply: with application.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:
MS: 30 units (36 for students receiving NIOSH support), oral exams and research required, no languages or practical experience required, 2 years. MISE: 30 units (33 for students receiving NIOSH support), oral exams required, no languages, research, or practical experience required, 2 years. Nonthesis option: yes. PhD: 60 units beyond master's degree, qualifying, general, and final exams required, research required, no languages or practical experience required, 3 years.

CURRICULUM:
Required courses (units): Department core: 18 hours for all graduate degrees (includes Ergonomics I-Work Physiology (3)). Other required courses for safety/ergonomics students includes:  Ergonomics II: Biomechanics (3), Safety Engineering I (3): Principles and Management (3), Safety Engineering II: Systems Safety (3), Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Hazards (3), and Human factors Engineering (3). Electives:  Advanced Safety Engineering (3; required for PhD), Advanced Ergonomics (3; required for PhD). Required courses outside department: 0. Recommended courses outside department: TBD depending on student's background. Class size: 8.

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES:
Research facilities: State-of-the-art laboratory and computer facilities are available for research in safety engineering, ergonomics/human factors, particularly in the areas of biomechanics, physiology, and environmental stress. Teaching: Graduate students are encouraged to serve as teaching assistants or as the primary instructor in basic undergraduate courses in statistics, engineering economy, work measurement, and ergonomics. Current research: Workplace assessment and design; design and evaluation of warning systems; evaluation and control of work-related musculoskeletal disorders; personal protective equipment design and related operator heat stress; identification, evaluation, and control of safety and ergonomics hazards in forest harvesting and forest product-related operations; human error; manpower studies; operations research applications to occupational safety; ergonomics/ human factors.

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 9 men, 6 women. First-year students: 4. Mean scores: MS/MISE: GRE 550 v, 625 q, 600 a, GPA 3.3. PhD: GRE 550 v, 675 q, 600 a, GPA 3.5.

FACULTY:
Robert E. Thomas, PhD 1988, Texas A&M; safety and ergonomics,   Brian J. Carnahan, PhD 1999, U Pittsburgh; safety, ergonomics, human factors and operations research. Gerard A. Davis, PhD 2002, Auburn U; systems safety, ergonomics and manpower evaluations. Leo A. Smith, PhD 1966, Purdue U; safety and ergonomics. Robert B. Rummer, PhD, 1988, Auburn U; safety and ergonomics with focus in forestry related applications.