Resources

Bentley University

Location:   Waltham, Massachusetts

Department:   Information Design and Corporate Communications

Quick links:

Directory of Graduate Programs


PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Title of program:

Human Factors in Information Design (MS)

Year human factors/ergonomics
program was established:

1998

Accredited by HFES?

No

Contact person for more information, including applications:

Janelle Estes
Bentley College
175 Forest St
Waltham, MA 02452
jestes@bentley.edu

Online Catalogue
https://catalog.bentley.edu/graduate/graduate-courses/hf/

Website:
http://www.bentley.edu

Academic calendar:
Semester

Human factors/ergonomics graduate degrees offered:
The Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design (MSHFID) program prepares working professionals to meet the requirements of the changing marketplace for technology products. Bentley's human factors program educates tomorrow's leaders in the experience design profession. Bentley University emphasizes the strategic role of UX in business by enhancing an organization's competitive advantage.

Goals, objectives, and emphasis of the program:
The program combines a deep understanding of human behavior and perception to inform the design and optimize the experience. Our graduates have the ability to move quickly from research and data to innovative design solutions. At the core of our program design is a deep commitment to internationalization and universal accessibility in product and service design.

The Bentley HFID program gives students access to three comprehensive learning centers and facilities that offer hands-on experience with real-world client work, utilizing state-of-the-art technology, including:  

  1. The User Experience Center (UXC): The UXC is the technological centerpiece of the MSHFID program. This facility exemplifies the philosophy underlying all of our programs: to build "real world" bridges between the theory of human factors and the practice of product design. Full-time students may apply for one of the available consulting positions in the center. Since 1999 the UXC has worked with well over 200 clients from around the world, including Fidelity, Blue Cross Blue Shield, SAP, TD Bank, Geico, Partners Healthcare, MetLife, Philips, and more.
  2. Dr. Ziat's Haptics Lab: Taking advantage of her eighteen years of experience in haptics, Dr. Ziat’s lab studies issues related to human-machine interaction, focusing on perception and human interactions with natural and artificial environments. The experimental approach employs the techniques of engineering, cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction (HCI), and neuroscience, to gain an understanding of human touch and how the brain interprets variable sensations as a stable perception of the world. The overall goal is to establish design principles for haptics. Dr. Ziat holds degrees in Electronic Engineering (B.A.) and Cognitive Science (M.A. and Ph.D.).
  3. Dr. Ericson's Virtual & Augmented Reality Lab: Dr. Ericson directs a research lab that uses immersive technologies to address complex design challenges in health care, sustainability, education/training, and architecture. The lab is a dedicated space designed for the use of immersive technologies, equipped with a powerful 3D graphics computer, high-quality virtual reality and augmented reality hardware, game development, and avatar creation software, along with a variety of biometric tools for assessing psychological and physiological responses to immersive experiences. Ongoing research projects include collaborations with faculty at several major healthcare organizations and across various departments at Bentley.

Number of degrees granted during last 3 years:

MS: 138

Can students attend part-time?

Yes

Are required courses offered through distance learning?

Yes

Are required courses offered at night?

Yes

Are required courses offered during summer?

Yes

Does the university have an HFES student chapter?

No


APPLICATION PROCESS

Application deadlines:

International students: June 1st
Domestic students: August 1st

Application fees:

$133


ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum requirements

  • GPA: 3.3
  • GRE: 160 per section (GRE optional)
  • Other: MSHFID candidates must have at least three years in an experience design, user experience, or technology-related role; a bachelor’s degree in engineering, psychology, design, or sociology; or permission from the program director.

Importance of other criteria as admission factors:

  • Related undergraduate and/or graduate degree: High
  • Work experience: High
  • Interview: High
  • Research: Medium
  • Letters: Medium

Tuition and fees:

$5,590/three-credit course


ADMISSIONS

Number of students applying to the human factors/ergonomics program last year:

120

Number of students accepted into the program last year:

50

Number of students entering the program last year:

50

Anticipated number of openings per year for the next two years:

100, 50 per year


FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Percentage of students in program receiving financial assistance:

20%

Amount received per year:

$11,200

Types of assistance available:

Research assistants, 40% tuition discount

When should students apply for financial assistance?

With application


DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Graduate degree offered:

MS

Number of units required:

30 units

Language requirements:

None

Typical number of years required to obtain degree:

2.5 years part-time, 1 year full-time

Is there a non-thesis option?

Yes, for part-time students


CURRICULUM
Required MS courses (credit hours)
Note: Some of the courses are offered online:

Required courses (units):

  • Foundation in Human Factors (3)
  • Usability Testing and Assessment Programs (3)
  • Managing the Experience Design Process (3) OR User Experience Leadership and Management (3)

Electives:

  • Research Methods for Human Factors Internship (3)
  • Internationalization and World-Ready Product Design (3)
  • Visualizing Information (3)
  • Design Ethics (3)
  • Information Architecture (3)
  • Measuring the User Experience (3)
  • Intelligent User Interfaces (3)
  • Multi-Modal Experience Design (3)
  • Prototyping and Interaction Design (3)
  • Design Innovation (3)
  • Research Methods for Human Factors (3)
  • Field Methods (3)
  • Ethnography for Experience Design (3)
  • Thesis (3)

Number of courses outside department that are required:

Two selected from either management, analytic, statistics, marketing, or computer science departments.

Number of courses outside department that are recommended:

0

Average or typical class size in a required course:

25


RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

Research and support facilities available to students in the program:

  • Full-time students can apply for one of the limited Research Assistant roles at the User Experience Center (UXC), which collaborates with leading high-tech, healthcare, and financial services organizations globally to consult on development projects and conduct tests and user research. This offers students a unique and valuable experience to witness firsthand the integration of human factors and experience design.
  • Students can apply to support projects in the Haptics Lab, led by Dr. Ziat, and focuses on human-machine interaction and perception, particularly in how humans interact with natural and artificial environments. Using an interdisciplinary approach that includes engineering, cognitive psychology, HCI, and neuroscience, the lab aims to understand human touch and develop design principles for haptics.
  • Students can apply to support projects in the Dr. Ericson’s Virtual and Augmented Reality lab, which focuses utilizes immersive technologies, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, to tackle complex design challenges in fields like health care, sustainability, education, and architecture. The lab is well-equipped with advanced technology and is involved in ongoing research projects, collaborating with faculty from major healthcare organizations and various departments at Bentley.

Teaching opportunities available to students in the program:

None

Current research activities and projects being carried out by program faculty and/or students:

This past year, the User Experience Center, Dr. Ziat’s Haptics Lab, and Dr. Ericson’s Virtual & Augmented Experiences Lab worked with over 30 organizations across the healthcare, education, high tech, government, and financial services industries.

STUDENT STATISTICS

Current number of active students in program, by gender:

30% men, 70% women

Current number of first-year students in program:

50

Based on current graduate students in the program, the mean score on admission tests and undergraduate GPA by degree being sought are:

GRE 600, GPA 3.3


FACULTY

Pierre Berthon, PhD, Brunel University; design ethics

Gary David, PhD 1999, Wayne State U.; ethnography

Rahul Divekar, PhD 2020, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.; human-AI interaction, immersive experiences

Jonathan Ericson, PhD 2013, Brown, U.; immersive experiences, visualizing information, prototyping and interaction design, experience design process

Janelle Estes, MS 2007, Bentley U.; usability testing, field methods

William Gribbons, PhD 1986, U. Maryland; human factors engineering, HCI, usability engineering

Roland Hubscher, PhD 1995, U. of Colorado; human factors, performance support

Amy Kidd, MS 2008, Bentley U.; experience design, experience design process, experience design leadership

Meena Kothandaraman, MS 1995, Syracuse U.; user-centered behavior, field methods

Jen McGinn, MS 2007, Bentley U.; experience design, experience design process, experience design leadership

Darrell Penta, PhD 2013, Northeastern U.; language & cognition, quantitative user research

Mounia Ziat, PhD 2006, Universite de Technologie de Compiegne; human factors, HCI, haptics, multi-modal design

[Updated March 2024]