PROGRAM BACKGROUND
Year human factors/ergonomics program was established:
Contact person for more information, including applications:
Dr. Carryl Baldwin, PhD, 1997, University of Nebraska of South Dakota at Vermillion. Professor of Psychology, Carl and Rozina Distinguished Professor in Aging and Director of the Regional Institute on Aging.
Wichita State University, Psychology Dept., 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0034; 316/978-3170;
carryl.baldwin@wichita.edu
Catalog:
Graduate School, Wichita State University, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0004
Web site:
http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=psychology&p=/graduate/humanfactors/humanfactorsphd
Human factors/ergonomics graduate degrees offered:
Goals, objectives, and emphasis of the program:
The PhD program is the only PhD program in human factors psychology approved by the Kansas Board of Regents. It has also been accredited by HFES. The human factors psychology program at WSU is designed to provide strong academic training in the tradition of experimental psychology in the context of an applied specialization. Training is rooted in the behavioral sciences, with an emphasis on research methods. Training occurs in the context of applying this knowledge and these skills to the world of the professional human factors psychologist. The university provides a unique environment for students to gain practical experience while receiving fundamental academic training. All students are required to complete an approved internship, and each student's program is balanced between the academic and applied aspects of our profession.
Number of degrees granted during last 3 years:
Can students attend part-time?
Are required courses offered through distance learning?
Does the university have an HFES student chapter?
APPLICATION PROCESS
Are separate applications required for university and department?
Application fees:
U.S. $60, international $75. Online application available.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Minimum requirements
- GPA: no specific GPA required
- GRE: v + q required
- Other: Psychology. Undergraduate degrees, background, or coursework required or recommended for admission: psychology background with emphasis on learning, physiological psychology, and perception is recommended; strong background in math and/or science/engineering is desirable.
Importance of other criteria as admission factors:
- Research: medium
- Work experience: medium
- Letters: medium
- Interview: medium
Tuition and fees:
http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=tuitionfees&p=/2015/tuitionfees
ADMISSIONS
Number of students applying to the human factors/ergonomics program last year:
Number of students accepted into the program last year:
Number of students entering the program last year:
Number of students entering the program last year:
Anticipated number of openings per year for the next two years:
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Percentage of students in program receiving financial assistance:
Amount received per year:
Types of assistance available:
TA (nonresident reduced to resident tuition, varying amounts of resident tuition waived), RA, scholarship (nonresident tuition reduced to resident tuition)
When should students apply for financial assistance?
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Graduate degrees offered:
MA (must be currently enrolled in PhD program) and PhD
Number of units required:
Exams required:
MA: no PhD: qualifying exam, oral defense of dissertation, demonstrated math competency
Research required:
- MA: second-year project research required
- PhD: second-year project research required
Practical experience required:
- MA: no
- PhD: six-month internship
Typical number of years required to obtain degree:
Is there a non-thesis option?
CURRICULUM
Required courses (units):
Biological Foundations of Psychology (3), Cognitive Foundations (3), Advanced Research Methods I & II (8), Ethics (3), Seminar in Perception (3), Psychological Principles of Human Factors (3), Seminar in Human Factors (3), Seminar in Software Psychology (3), Graduate Research (10), Predoctoral research project (16–18), doctoral dissertation (12), Electives (from Psychology and other departments) (24), Internship (6), Teaching of Psychology: Principles, Practices & Ethics (3)
Number of courses outside department that are required:
Average or typical class size in a required course:
RESEARCH/TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES
Research and support facilities available to students in the program:
The department, housed in the four-story science building, maintains fully equipped labs and a carpentry and electrical shop for use in human factors research. These facilities include the, Applied Cognition & Expertise (ACE) Lab Challenge, Metacognition and Perception (ChaMP) Lab, High Performance and Design Lab, Vision and Accessibility (VISA) Lab, Visual Perception & Cognition (VCP) Lab, Wichita Auditory Research Group (WARG). Additional facilities are housed outside of the science building and include the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) Human Factors Lab, the Social Science Research Lab, and Applied Psychology Research Institute (APRI). The computer facilities are state of the art and available to students for coursework and research. The empirical focus of the program seeks to provide to students wide exposure to research training, practice, and literature, as well as theory.
Teaching opportunities available to students in the program:
Most, if not all, students will receive teaching assistantships and will have the opportunity to obtain teaching experience.
Current research activities and projects being carried out by program faculty and/or students:
Current human factors research involves cognitive function, aging, development, human-computer interactions, aerospace issues, perception and motor behavior, software usability, application of technology to instruction, distance education, perceptual learning, decision making, and the design of medical devices. (All students are required to be actively engaged and enrolled in research throughout their tenure as a graduate student.)
STUDENT STATISTICS
Current number of active students in program, by gender:
Current number of first-year students in program:
Based on current graduate students in the program, the mean score on admission tests and undergraduate GPA by degree being sought are:
- PhD: GRE 4150 V, 150 Q,
- GPA 3.50
FACULTY
Dr. Baldwin, Carryl, Professor of Psychology, Carl and Rozina Distinguished Professor in Aging and Director of the Regional Institute on Aging. Aging, driver behavior, neuroergonomics, spatial navigation, auditory cognition, multimodal displays and warnings
Dr. Lei, Quan., PhD 2015, Northeastern University. Visual impairment rehabilitation, accessible design, autonomous driving
Dr. Ni, Rui, PhD 2001, Chinese Academy of Science, visual perception and cognition in 3D space, driving, aging, psychological and physical training, autonomous vehicles and drivers
Dr. Suss, Joel, PhD 2013, Michigan Technological University naturalistic decision making, cognitive task analysis expertise, human factors, visual attention, accelerate training
Dr, Vangsness, Lisa, PhD 2019, Kansas State University, Judgements of difficulty, metacognition, task engagement, risk mitigation procrastination
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Updated July 2022]