http://www.rit.edu/cla/psychology/engg.htm

Program overview

The master of science degree program in applied experimental and engineering psychology emphasizes the role of human behavior and performance in both simple and complex human-machine systems. The departments of psychology, industrial and systems engineering, and information technology all contribute to the program's curriculum.

Engineering psychology examines human capabilities to sense, perceive, store, and process information and how these human factors impact interactions with technology. This knowledge is applied to the design, use, and maintenance of human-machine systems. Students are trained in both research methods of experimental psychology and application of the results to contemporary problems in industry.

Engineering psychologists are interested in how and why performance might be changed through the use of technology. For instance, a new interface for controlling the radio in a vehicle may cause errors because a control is too sensitive for human-motor performance or because the driver is confused as to how to use the interface.

The 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 human factors or experimental psychology.

Curriculum

The MS program in applied experimental and engineering psychology includes 16 credit hours of core courses, 16 credit hours of required engineering pscyhology courses, two elective courses, and 8 thesis credits.

Electives

Students select two from the following. (Students should check for course prerequisites or if permission of the instructoir is required)

4004-748 Usability Engineering
4004-749 Usability Testing
4004-755 Advanced Topics in HCI
0303-760 Product/Process Development and Design
0303-732 Biomechanics
2014-701 Introduction to Computer Graphics
2014-717 Authoring Multimedia 
2014-723 Graphical User Interface

Thesis

The thesis requires a minimum of eight credit hours. Students select a thesis adviser during the first year. Selection of an adviser, thesis topic, and research proposal must be completed in the third quarter of the first year of the program. Ongoing research activity is expected in the spring and summer quarters of the first year of the program. At the completion of the thesis, students will publically present their findings and defend their research before a thesis committee.

Admission requirements

To be considered for admission to the MS in applied experimental and engineering psychology, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Have 20 quarter credit hours (15 semester hours) of course work in undergraduate psychology or a related field (e.g., engineering, computer science, information technology), including one course in experimental psychology and another in statistics,
• Submit official transcripts (in English) for all previoulsy completed undergraduate and graduate work,
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (for undergraduate work),
• Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE),
• Submit at least two letters of reference from professors or supervisors,
• Submit a biographical statement describing the applicant's experience and goals regarding the program, and
• Complete a graduate application.

Additional information

Cooperative education

The program includes an optional cooperative education component. Co-op is generally completed in the summer quarter after the first year of the program. The goal of a co-op experience is to provide experiential learning that integrates with classroom education. It allows students to apply psychological principles to problems in a variety of work environments. Co-op may be completed in any business or industrial setting.