Resources

University of Virginia

 

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Title of program

Human-Computer Interaction/Cognitive Systems Engineering

Year human factors/ergonomics program was established

1991

Accredited by HFES?

No

Contact person for more information, including applications

Stephanie Guerlain, 434/924-4438,
guerlain@virginia.edu

Ellen J. Bass, 434/243-5531

Gregory J. Gerling, 434/924-0533

University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400747, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4747

Catalog (free)

University Bookstore, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904; information available at departmental Web site

Web site

https://engineering.virginia.edu/departments/
systems-and-information-engineering

Academic calendar

Semester

Human factors/ergonomics graduate degrees offered

ME, MS, PhD

Goals, objectives, and emphasis of the program

The research program focuses on human-computer interaction and cognitive systems engineering, in both cognitive and biophysical domains. Visualization of genome/protein sequences; patient safety research; computer-based training; supervisory control and decision support systems design; eye gaze development and analysis; cognitive modeling of individual and team performance; usability testing, modeling the neural and physiological bases of touch, designing and evaluating medical simulators. Research is conducted in the medical, military command and control, process control, weather, and aviation domain areas. Accredited by ABET.

Number of degrees granted during last 3 years

ME 1, MS 10, PhD 2

Can students attend part-time?

No

Are required courses offered through distance learning?

Some courses are taught through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program distance learning program on a rolling basis. These courses are for credit and are viewable from video sites throughout Virginia.

Are required courses offered at night?

Yes

Are required courses offered during summer?

Yes

Does the university have an HFES student chapter?

Yes

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application deadlines

Rolling admissions

Application fees

$60


 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum requirements

GPA: 3.0 

GRE: 1300 

Other: An undergraduate degree in systems engineering, industrial engineering, cognitive psychology, computer science, or other relevant field is recommended. Math through mutlivariate calculus, differential equations and linear algebra, probability, statistics, and computer programming are highly recommended. 

Importance of other criteria as admission factors

Research: medium

Work experience: medium 

Letters: high

Interview: high

Tuition and fees

Residents: $9,810/year

Nonresidents: $20,410/year


 

ADMISSIONS

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

12

Number of students accepted into the program last year

6

Number of students entering the program last year

6

Anticipated number of openings per year for the next two years

4–6


 

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Percentage of students in program receiving financial assistance

100%

Amounts received per year

$17,200 (+ tuition exemption and health care for both TAs and RAs)

Types of assistance available

TA, RA

When should students apply for financial assistance?

With application by January 15 for full consideration


 

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Graduate degrees offered

ME, MS, PhD

Number of units required

ME: 32

MS: 32

PhD: 26 beyond master's

Exams required

ME: none

MS: thesis proposal and defense

PhD: comprehensive oral and written exams, dissertation proposal and defense

Language requirements

None

Research required

ME: project 

MS: thesis research, journal article

PhD: dissertation research, 3 journal articles

Typical number of years required to obtain degree

ME: 1

MS: 2

PhD: 3 beyond master's

Is there a non-thesis option?

Yes


 

CURRICULUM

Required courses

ME: 5 including colloquium, total 30 credits

MS: 4 including colloquium, total 24 credits

PhD: total of 24 credits beyond MS

Electives (units)

ME: 5

MS: 5

Number of courses outside department that are required

ME: 0

MS: 0

PhD: 6 credits of graduate math

Number of courses outside department that are recommended

3

Average or typical class size in a required course

10–20


 

RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

Research and support facilities available to students in the program: 

Human-computer interaction laboratories (3), video observation and editing equipment, eye-tracking hardware/software system, PHANTOM Omni interactive force-feedback device, BioPac non-invasive equipment to record physiological responses speech recognition software, networked computer lab with extensive software, scanners, printers, phones, e-mail, etc. Research assistantships, graduate student offices, and computer labs are available to graduate students. Active collaborations with research labs at the Navy, NASA, and University Hospital.

Teaching opportunities available to students in the program:
Teaching assistantships are available.

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

Visualization of genome/protein sequences; patient safety research; computer-based training; supervisory control and decision support systems design; eye gaze development and analysis; cognitive modeling of individual and team performance; usability testing, modeling the neural and physiological bases of touch, designing and evaluating medical simulators.


STUDENT STATISTICS

Current number of active students in program, by gender

10 men, 7 women

Current number of first-year students in program

6

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

N/A


 

FACULTY

Ellen Bass, PhD 2002, Georgia Tech; aviation human factors, cognitive systems engineering, dynamic decision making, human-automation interaction, intelligent decision support systems, intelligent learning environments

Stephanie Guerlain, PhD 1996, Ohio State U.; cognitive systems engineering, human-automation interaction, HCI, computer-based training, data visualization, decision support

Gregory J. Gerling, PhD 2005, U. of Iowa; HCI, haptics, computational neuroscience, brain-machine interaction, medical simulation, biomechanics, control theory, rehabilitation

Mike Gorman, PhD 1981, U. of New Hampshire; scientific and technological thinking, invention and design, interdisciplinary collaboration

Dennis R. Proffitt (Dept. of Psychology), PhD 1976, Penn State U.; HCI & InfoCockpits, presence & virtual reality, brain imaging (fMRI), perceiving spatial layout, context-dependent memory, intuitive physics

[Updated Winter 2007]