Engineering Psychology
'Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology is the application of psychological principles, knowledge, and research to improve the ability of humans to operate more effectively in a technological society. [Its] research focuses on people's interaction with or involvement with communication, decision making, and computer information systems, work places, energy and transportation systems, medical and health care settings, consumer product design, living environments, etc. The goal is safer, more effective, and more reliable systems through improved understanding of the user's requirements and performance capabilities' (Division 21 – Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology of the American Psychological Association).
Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology is a specialized sub-discipline of Human Factors/Ergonomics, which is defined as '...the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and other methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance' (Definition adopted by the International Ergonomics Association in August 2000. See also the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society).
Program Description
The MS Program in Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology emphasizes human behavior and performance in both simple and complex human-machine systems. Engineering psychology examines human capabilities and limitations to sense, perceive, store, and process information and how these human factors impact human interactions with technology. This knowledge is applied to the design, use, and maintenance of human-machine systems.
Students will be trained both in research methods of experimental psychology and application of the results in contemporary problems in the industry. Faculty from the Department of Psychology, the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering and the Department of Information Technology all contribute to the teaching of specialty courses in the program. The mission of RIT is to provide technology- based educational programs and to vigorously pursue emerging careers by developing new programs in response to changing technology.
This program prepares students to function as effective engineering psychologists in industrial, governmental, or consulting organizations. The program also provides a foundation for further advanced academic study in Engineering Psychology, Human Factors/ Ergonomics, or Experimental Psychology. Teaching and research assistantships are available.Contact:
Dr. Andrew Herbert
Chair of The Psychology Department
Email: amhgss@rit.edu
Phone: 585-475-4554
Fax: 585-475-7120
Office: Liberal Arts A114
HFES Directory of Human Factors/Ergonomics Graduate Programs