PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Title of program

Ergonomics

Joint program

School of Public Health (Environmental Health Sciences) University of California, Berkeley; Department of Bioengineering University of California, Berkeley

Year human factors/ergonomics program was established

1990

Accredited by HFES?

No

Contact person for more information, including applications

Carisa Harris-Adamson, Ergonomics Program, 1301 S. 46th St., Bldg. 163, Richmond, CA 94804; Carisa.Harris-Adamson@ucsf.edu

Catalog

School of Public Health: http://ehs.sph.berkeley.
edu/prospective

Ergonomics Program: http://ergo.berkeley.edu

Academic calendar

Semester

Human factors/ergonomics graduate degrees offered

MS, PhD

Goals, objectives, and emphasis of the program

Program is NIOSH approved and supported. The emphasis in this program is on understanding how to design work tasks, tools, and workstations to minimize body loads and fatigue. Besides coursework in engineering, physiology, public health, statistics, and ergonomics, students will spend time in an occupational musculoskeletal disorder clinic and evaluate work tasks and tools of the patients. Students will also work in an ergonomics laboratory, where biomechanical evaluation of hand tools and tasks is performed.

Number of degrees granted during last 3 years

MPH 1, MS 2, PhD 2

Can students attend part-time?

No

Are required courses offered through distance learning?

No

Does the university have an HFES student chapter?

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application deadline

December 1

Are separate applications required for university and department?

Yes

Application fees

$120 to the School of Public Health (SOPAHS), and a $90 fee to the Graduate Division

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum requirements

GPA: 3.0 

GRE: v + q + a required, TOEFL may be required 

Other: Baccalaureate degree required. Engineering background recommended, but accept undergraduate or graduate degrees in biology, physical sciences, industrial health, psychology, nursing, and physical therapy.

Importance of other criteria as admission factors

Research: medium

Work experience: medium

Letters: high

Interview: medium

Tuition and fees

Resident: $17,185/year (MS or PhD, School of Public Health)

Nonresident: $32,286/year (MS or PhD, School of Public Health)

ADMISSIONS

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

7

Number of students accepted into the program last year

2

Number of students entering the program last year

2

Anticipated number of openings per year for the next two years

3

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Percentage of students in program receiving financial assistance

50%

Amount received per year

Stipend plus tuition and fees

Types of assistance available

Fellowships, RA (exempt), TA, scholarships (nonexempt)

When should students apply for financial assistance?

With application

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

MS (Public Health [EHS], Bioengineering)
For Bioengineering MS, see UC Berkeley Bioengineering Web site.

PhD (Public Health [EHS], Bioengineering, or Mechanical Engineering)

Number of units required

MS (Public Health): 24 

Exams required

MS (Public Health): thesis

PhD (Public Health [EHS], Bioengineering, or Mechanical Engineering): dissertation, qualifying and comprehensive exams

Language requirements

None

Research required

MS (Public Health): research per adviser's recommendations 

PhD (Public Health [EHS], Bioengineering, or Mechanical Engineering): research per adviser's recommendations

Practical experience required

MS (Public Health): 1- to 3-month internship

PhD: none

Typical number of years required to obtain degree

MS (Public Health): 2 

PhD (Public Health [EHS], Bioengineering, or Mechanical Engineering): 5

Is there a non-thesis option?

No

CURRICULUM

Required courses (units)

Ergonomics (4), Occupational Biomechanics (2), Human & Organizational Factors (3), Behavioral Issues in Injury Prevention (2), Probability and Statistics (4), Safety (2), Ergonomics Internship (3), Industrial Design (3), Research (8)

Electives (units)

Motor Control & Lab (3), Occupational Epidemiology (2), Advanced Statistical methods (4), Engineering Design (3)

Number of courses outside department that are required

3

Number of courses outside department that are recommended

8

Average or typical class size in a required course

20

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

Research and support facilities available to students in the program: 

Both laboratory and work site research opportunities are available. Laboratory space overseen by a senior engineer and postdoctoral fellows with extensive bioinstrumentation, electromyography, motion analysis, and statistical software. Focus of lab research is on upper-extremity biomechanics and hand-intensive tasks (e.g., office/computer work, dental, pipetting, agricultural, construction, etc.). Epidemiologic field studies available in a variety of industries, such as construction, health, biotechnology, computer work, food manufacturing, and utilities. Full machine shop available for developing prototypes.

Teaching opportunities available to students in the program:
Doctoral candidates may become TAs for ergonomics courses.

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

The design and evaluation of input devices for human-computer interaction, including mice, gesture, touch screens, tablets; use of a robotic system for evaluating factors that influence handle vibration and dust during concrete drilling; interventions for hotel room cleaning work; human factors for endoscopy; human and hand modeling for tool design; epidemiologic exposure response studies on upper extremity disorders and work disability

STUDENT STATISTICS

Current number of active students in program, by gender

2 men

Current number of first-year students in program

1

FACULTY

Ellen Eisen, PhD; biostatistics 

Fadi Fathallah, PhD; ergonomics, biomechanics 

Ken Goldberg, PhD; human factors

Carisa Harris-Adamson, PhD; epidemiology, ergonomics, biomechanics, musculoskeletal disorders

Ira Janowitz, MPS; ergonomics 

Steve Lehman, PhD; kinesiology, electromyography, lifting 

Patty Quinlan, MPH; safety

David Rempel, MD; occupational medicine, epidemiology, biomechanics, ergonomics, bioengineering, musculoskeletal disorders