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

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

BACKGROUND:
Title: Human Factors Engineering (MS, PhD)
Joint program: with Aviation, Communication, Computer Science, Industrial Design, Education, and Psychology Departments
Est: 1957
Quarter system
Granted last 3 years: MS 12, PhD 13
Part-time: yes
Distance learning available: no
HFES student chapter: yes
Program: This highly interdisciplinary program emphasizes cognitive systems engineering and occupational biodynamics, allowing specialization in either area. A specialization in occupational safety and ergonomics also was recently added. In addition to taking courses in several departments, students are expected to be involved in research and development. Research areas include cognitive systems engineering (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), intervention development and validation. 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 health care.
Accredited by: HFES
Contact: Philip J. Smith, Industrial and Systems Engineering Program, Ohio State University, 210 Baker Systems, 1971 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210; 614/292-4120; smith.131@osu.edu.
Catalog: (free) Graduate Committee Chair, Industrial and Systems Engineering Program, Ohio State University, 210 Baker Systems, 1971 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, http://www.iwse.osu.edu/futurestudents_grad.cfm

APPLICATION:
Deadlines: 8/15 fall, 11/1 winter, 2/1 spring, 5/1 summer
Fee: $40 for nonresident (non-Ohio) U.S. citizens; $50 for international students

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
GPA: 3.4
GRE: must be no less than 1250 v + q; minimum 450 v, 600 q, analytical writing score greater than 4.5
Other: For those applicants required to submit the results of the TOEFL - the score must be at or above 550 on the paper-based (213 on the computer-based) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 82 on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB), 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, or 79 on the Internet Based TOEFL Test. 1 year calculus, 1 course linear algebra, 1 course computer programming, 1 course probability and statistics. Additional background in computer science is highly desirable for the cognitive systems engineering program.
Research: medium
Work experience: high
Letters: high
Interview: high

ADMISSIONS:
Students applying last year: 23
Accepted: 8
Entered program: 7
Openings/year: 8

TUITION AND FEES:
Resident: $5080/quarter
Nonresident: $8822/quarter

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
% receiving: 88
Amount: $14000/$15000/$16500
Available: Traineeship (occupational safety and ergonomics specialization), 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), Industrial Design (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), Cognitive Systems Engineering (3), Engineering Mechanics (3), Epidemiology I (3), Epidemiology II (3), Epidemiology III (3), Ergonomics and Product Design (3), Exercise Physiology (3), Exercise Physiology II (3), Gross Anatomy (3), Practice Oriented Ergonomics (3), Principles of Occupational Health (4), Principles of Risk Assessment (4)
Required courses outside department: MS 0, PhD 4
Recommended courses outside department: MS 3-6, PhD 4-7
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 systems engineering: 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, laboratory biomechanical studies, computers in schools, musculoskeletal disorder intervention development and validation.

STUDENT STATISTICS:
Active: 18 men, 7 women
First-year students: 7
Mean scores: GRE V: 530; GRE Q: 720

FACULTY:
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
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, childrens' use of computers
David D. Woods, PhD 1979, Purdue U; human-computer interaction, human-computer cooperation, human error

AFFLIATED FACULTY:
Ted Allen, PhD 1997, U Michigan; experimental design
Richard J. Jagacinski, PhD 1973, U Michigan; perceptual-motor skills, control theory, decision theory

[Updated March 2011]