Location: Berkeley, California
Department: School of Public Health/Bioengineering Graduate Program
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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?
No
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
Graduate degrees offered
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
[Updated November 2015]