PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Title of program

Occupational and Environmental Health (MPH, MS, PhD), Industrial Engineering (MS, PhD), Biomedical Engineering (MS, PhD)

Joint program

College of Public Health, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH); College of Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering (IE); College of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME)

Year human factors/ergonomics program was established

2000

Accredited by HFES?

No

Contact person for more information, including applications

Thomas M. Cook, University of Iowa, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, A102 Oakdale Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242-5000, 319/335-4533,
thomas-cook@uiowa.edu

Nate Fethke, University of Iowa, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, 158C IREH, 100 Oakdale Campus, Iowa City, IA 52242-5000, 319/467-4563, nathan-fethke@uiowa.edu

Catalog (free)

Office of Graduate Admissions, University of Iowa, 11 Calvin Hall, Iowa City, IA 52242

Web site

http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/
heartland/academic-programs/Ergonomics.html

Academic calendar

Semester

Human factors/ergonomics graduate degrees offered

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health),
MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health), PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health),  MS (Industrial Engineering), PhD (Industrial Engineering), MS (Biomedical Engineering), PhD (Biomedical Engineering)

Goals, objectives, and emphasis of the program

The Ergonomics Training Program provides academic, practical and research experience in the field of ergonomics. The goals of the program are for students to have a thorough understanding of the physical environment at the workplace that contributes to musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses, as well as knowledge of the engineering and administrative methods of controlling these risk factors. The highly interdisciplinary nature of the Ergonomic Training Program prepares students for the variety of interactions they will encounter in their daily practice in the field of ergonomics/human factors. Students take courses from Occupational and Environmental Health in the College of Public Health, Industrial Engineering and Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering, and the College of Medicine.

Can students attend part-time?

Yes

Are required courses offered during summer?

Yes

Does the university have an HFES student chapter?

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application deadlines

Ongoing

Application fees

$60

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum requirements

GRE: MS: 480 (v), 570 (q); PhD: 510 (v), 590 (q) 

Other: TOEFL minimum 600 (paper), 250 (computer). OEH: bachelor's in public health, business, engineering, psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, premed, exercise science, statistics, or communications. English language competency.

IE or BME: bachelor's in engineering, math, physical science, computer science, psychology (with a math background), statistics, or computer programming; English language competency.

PhD (all disciplines): evidence of research capability. 

Importance of other criteria as admission factors

Research: medium

Work experience: high

Letters: high

Interview: high

Tuition and fees

Residents: $4,128/semester

Nonresident: $10,930/semester

ADMISSIONS

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

6

Number of students accepted into the program last year

5

Number of students entering the program last year

5

Anticipated number of openings per year for the next two years

4

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Percentage of students in program receiving financial assistance

100%

Amount received per year

minimum $5,000, maximum $30,000 

Types of assistance available

RA, tuition exempt 

When should students apply for financial assistance?

With application

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health),
MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health), PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health),  MS (Industrial Engineering), PhD (Industrial Engineering), MS (Biomedical Engineering), PhD (Biomedical Engineering)

Number of units required

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health): 38

MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health): 40 

PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health): 72

MS (Industrial Engineering): 30 hours of 100-level courses (incl. up to 6 hours of research), 

PhD (Industrial Engineering): 72 hours (incl. dissertation research)

MS (Biomedical Engineering): 30 hours of 100-level courses (incl. up to 6 hours of research)

PhD (Biomedical Engineering): 72 hours (incl. dissertation research)

Exams required

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health): oral defense of thesis

MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health): MPH practicum and presentation

PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health): comprehensive exam, oral defense of dissertation

MS (Industrial Engineering): oral defense of thesis

PhD (Industrial Engineering): comprehensive exam, oral defense of dissertation

MS (Biomedical Engineering): oral defense of thesis

PhD (Biomedical Engineering): comprehensive exam, oral defense of dissertation

Language requirements

None

Research required

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health): thesis and research 

MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health): no 

PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health): no

MS (Industrial Engineering): up to 6 hours

PhD (Industrial Engineering): dissertation research

MS (Biomedical Engineering): up to 6 hours

PhD (Biomedical Engineering): dissertation research

Practical experience required

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health):  preceptorship (ergonomics field experience)

MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health): no 

PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health): preceptorship (ergonomics field experience)

MS (Industrial Engineering): preceptorship (ergonomics field experience)

PhD (Industrial Engineering): preceptorship (ergonomics field experience)

MS (Biomedical Engineering): preceptorship (ergonomics field experience)

PhD (Biomedical Engineering): preceptorship (ergonomics field experience)

Typical number of years required to obtain degree

MS (Occupational and Environmental Health): 2

MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health): 2

PhD (Occupational and Environmental Health): 4

MS (Industrial Engineering): 2

PhD (Industrial Engineering): 4

MS (Biomedical Engineering): 2

PhD (Biomedical Engineering): 4

Is there a non-thesis option?

No

CURRICULUM

Required courses (units)

Occupational Ergonomics I: Principles and Methods (3), Clinical Ergonomics (3), Human Factors I (3), Ergonomics of Occupational Injuries (3), Occupational Health (3), Ergonomics Preceptorship (field work; 3), Occupational and Environmental Seminar (1), Occupational Ergonomics II (req for PhD; 3), Human Factors II: Design and Evaluation (req for PhD; 3)

Average or typical class size in a required course

4–30

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

Research and support facilities available to students in the program: 

The Biomechanics and Ergonomics Facility is a 5,500 square foot laboratory with state-of-the-art electromyography instrumentation, nerve conduction equipment, electromagnetic motion analysis systems, force platforms, video analysis systems, ergonomic analysis software, and computers. The facility is used for job simulation and intervention effectiveness studies as well as biomechanical analyses of occupational activities. The facility also has a digital video suite for the production of ergonomic training videotapes. This interdisciplinary environment is used by graduate students and faculty in Public Health, Engineering, Exercise Science, Physical Therapy, Medicine, and Dentistry. The Cognitive Systems Lab is used to examine how to shape new technology to enhance user performance. The Operator Performance Laboratory is used to examine the limits of human performance and system effectiveness. The laboratory houses a driving simulator, an on-road instrumented vehicle, 4 high-performance graphics workstations, robotics equipment, eye-tracking equipment, and computers. The Jolt/Vibration/Seating Laboratory, part of the Iowa Spine Research Center, is used to evaluate the effect of whole-body impact and vibration on humans. Additional research opportunities are available at the Iowa Driving Simulator Laboratory, the National Advanced Driving Simulator, and the Skeletal Biomechanics Laboratory.

Teaching opportunities available to students in the program:
In the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, students may direct graduate labs or provide lectures on specific ergonomic topics. Additionally, students assist in providing ergonomic consultation services to companies in Iowa and nationally. In the College of Engineering students may direct undergraduate labs or supervise an entire course. 

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

Occupational and Environmental Health research includes epidemiology of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and medical worker populations; field and laboratory exposure assessment of physical risk factors; intervention effectiveness for construction and medical workers; ergonomic sampling strategies, and biomechanical and physiological analysis of overhead construction work. Engineering studies include cognitive human factors including virtual reality, scientific visualization, complex system design and control, telerobotic interface design, driving simulation, measurement of control performance, human performance modeling, visual conspicuity, medical simulation, training, visualization, ecological interface design, human-machine cooperative problem solving, supervisory control, and human response to vibration and impact.

STUDENT STATISTICS

Current number of active students in program, by gender

2 men, 3 women

Current number of first-year students in program

1

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

MS/MPH/PhD students: GRE 600/NA/550 v, 620/NA/720 q, 700/NA/730 a, 1920/NA/2000 combined

GPA 3.54/3.06/3.42

Of the number of those graduating in the past
year, what percentage gained employment in

Academia: 67%

Industry: 33%

Government: 0%

FACULTY

Thomas M. Cook, PhD 1987, U. of Iowa; occupational biomechanics, ergonomics, international occupational and environmental health

Nate Fethke, PhD 2006, U. of Iowa; occupational biomechanics, exposure assessment, ergonomic intervention effectiveness

Tom Schnell, PhD 1998, Ohio State U.; driver and pilot visual performance, driver eye scanning, color perception

David Wilder, PhD 1985; spinal biomechanics, biomechanics of sudden loads and impact, whole-body vibration