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Industrial Engineering

Human Factors and Ergonomics EFA

Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) represent increasingly important engineering specialties.  The dramatic increase in computer technology makes system performance increasingly dependent on the match between system characteristics and human capabilities.  Opportunities to apply HFE are very broad and graduates with this focus area find employment in diverse industries that include vehicle systems (e.g., GM, Ford, Delphi, Visteon, DaimlerChrysler, Caterpillar), healthcare (e.g., GE, Medtronics, Guidant), computer systems (e.g., Microsoft, Intel, IBM), and consulting (e.g., Accenture, Battelle).  Human Factors considers cognitive characteristics and ergonomics considers physical characteristics.

The HFE EFA builds on the required coursework for undergraduate students in Industrial Engineering and provides advanced education in psychology, systems, statistics, and biomechanics. The EFA consists of 21 semester hours (SH) as listed below.  Students who take 15 semester hours from the department of psychology (031:XX) receive a minor in psychology.  This requirement can be met with the three required courses (031:001, 031:016, 031:120) and two electives from the table below.  The first four courses in the table provide a general background and the three elective courses allow for an emphasis in human factors (HF) or ergonomics (E).

The following courses are required:

Semester

Course

Session

SH

Pre-/Co-Requisites

4 (Spring)

031:016 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

All

3

031:001

5 (Fall)

031:120 Experimental Psychology I

All

3

031:016

7 (Fall)

22S:152 Applied Linear regression    

Fall

3

22S:030
8 (Spring) 055:040 Linear Systems II or 055:180 Fundamentals of Software Engineering Fall/Spring
3
 22C:022 or 055:033 or 059:008
8 (Spring) Elective      
8 (Spring) Elective      
8 (Spring) Elective      

The following courses are electives:

Electives*

SH

Pre-/Co-Requisites

Emphasis

056:148 Human-Centered Design

3

056:147

HF

056: 240 Human Perf in Engineering Systems

3

056:147

HF

056:242 Human-Computer Interaction

3

056:147

HF

056:098 Individual Investigations: IE

1-3

Varies

General

055:060 Control Systems

3

059:012

General

22S:158 Experimental Design and Analysis

3

22S:152

General

031:012 Introduction to Brain and Behavior

3

031:001

HF

031:019 Psychology in Business and Industry

3

031:001

HF

031:043 Evaluating Psychological Research

4

031:001, 22S:030

HF

031:122 Experimental Psychology II

4

031:120

HF

031:131 Cognitive Science

3

031:016

HF

031:133 Sensation and Perception

3

031:016

HF

031:134 Cognition and the Brain

3

031:016

HF

031:154 Psychology of Decision Making

3

031:016

HF

072:154 Biomedical Engineering Physiology*

4

 

E

051:050 Biomechanics*

3

 

E

051:152 Ergonomics of Occupational Injuries

3

051:050

E

175:190 Occupational Ergonomics

3

056:147

E

175:192 Occupational Safety

3

056:147

E

*Pre-requisites may require enrollment in additional courses.

For further information, please contact: Professor J. D. Lee, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, Tel. (319) 384-0810, e-mail: jdlee@engineering.uiowa.ed

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