Program Information | Degree Requirements | Career Outlook

Bachelor of Science in Human Factors
Master of Business Administration

FIVE-YEAR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN FACTORS / MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

BS Human Factors/MBA

If you're interested in psychology and you want to learn more about human interaction with machines -- especially aviation/aerospace equipment and computers -- Embry-Riddle has the program for you.

In our Human Factors Psychology program, you'll learn about the challenges involved in optimizing the performance and safety of both humans and the machines they use.

The Human Factors and Systems department has the best stuff to offer. The well-respected faculty conducts important research for the aviation and aerospace industry. Pardon our name-dropping, but we've done human factors research for NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, Lockheed Martin, and Galaxy Scientific, among others. As a human factors student, you'll have access to the the research potential of an entire campus focused on aviation and technology.

Because we have one of the few undergraduate degree programs in human factors psychology centered on aviation, our graduates are uniquely prepared to address many of today's concerns about aviation and aerospace safety.

Fast Track to a Graduate Degree

The human factors psychology program seeks to develop a student with the capacity to design, conduct and apply human factors research to the design of simple and complex systems. The goal is to educate and graduate professionals who are equipped for employment in industry and government as human factors specialists, or to continue their education in graduate school.

The department now offers an academic program that will allow a student to complete both a B.S. in Human Factors and an Master in Business Administration in just five years. For more information about this five-year degree, see below.

Human factors important in many fields

Human factors psychology is of utmost importance to aviation and aerospace systems development and deployment. Yet, because it's an applied discipline and important to every facet of life, this degree is the ticket to a wide array of career choices.

You'll receive training in the content and techniques of human factors research, including statistical and quantitative procedures, experimental design, survey methods, computer techniques, and other research methodologies.

Human Factors professionals can be found in a variety of work settings, including:

Academic institutions
Private industry
Military-related research centers

Government agencies
Research and consulting organizations
Independent consulting companies

 

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PROGRAM INFORMATION

Program Focus: Both Traditional and Emerging Areas of Human Factors and Systems in Aviation and Aerospace

Interdisciplinary Integration

The department is oriented toward teaching, service, and research, and focuses on both traditional and emerging areas of human factors and systems in aviation and aerospace. The department is intended to be a community of teacher-scholars.

The program emphasis is on the interdisciplinary integration of theory, data and methodology of the relevant disciplines, including experimental psychology, computer science, engineering, aeronautical science, and human factors. The curriculum stresses the interdisciplinary integration of knowledge, theory, and tools of relevant areas particularly focusing in the following three major areas: (1) theoretical models and quantitative research methodology associated with the behavioral sciences, computer and aeronautical sciences, and engineering disciplines; (2) the application of knowledge about processes relevant to the development of aerospace systems, interfaces, and work environments; and (3) the methods and tools that human factors and systems applies during system analysis, design, and evaluation. In all cases, emphasis is on the relevance of principles of total system performance, while including a focus on human performance.

Research Aims to Improve Safety

The Department of Human Factors and Systems is committed to the ongoing development and expansion of its research programs. Current research efforts are funded by federal and state agencies, industry, and private foundations. These efforts are dedicated to improving the safety and efficiency of aviation at the state, national and international levels.

Embry-Riddle's combination of flight- experienced faculty and students, in combination with extensive simulator capabilities, creates one of the world's best human factors research testbeds. Accordingly, the University has stimulated efforts to build a major human factors research capability.

The University's dedicated, aviation-oriented faculty and student body, laboratories, simulators, and flight facilities provide the basic ingredients for supporting the ongoing development and expansion of human factors research. This program has been designed to support the FAA objective of using human factors research to improve safety and efficiency throughout the National Airspace system.

Current and future research plans include projects focused on human-centered automation; applications of virtual reality; assessing the human role in causing and avoiding accidents; development of better methods of assessing quality of human performance in aviation/aerospace systems; development of improved flight crew/controller communications and systems support capabilities; the development of cost-effectiveness evaluation of techniques for the selection and training of aviation administrative, operations, flight and maintenance personnel; and the development of standards and procedures for the validation and certification of human engineering design criteria.

The Department of Human Factors and Systems has a cadre of human factors specialists, a wide variety of training facilities capable of supporting research program objectives, and a master plan to guide the orderly development of the research programs and facilities. The facilities include: A large fleet of aircraft and pilots with all levels of skill; a networked air traffic control simulator; a real-time meteorological laboratory; and many other simulators.

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DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

FIVE-YEAR BS/MBA DEGREE PROGRAM

Human Factors Students Can Earn Both
Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Five Years

REQUIREMENTS

Download complete requirements for this program in pdf format.

The five-year program options allow exceptional students to complete a baccalaureate degree (B.S.) in Human Factors and a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.). The objective of these five-year degrees is to provide the opportunity for students to build a well-rounded undergraduate education and then further prepare themselves as professional managers in the aviation/aerospace industry.

Admission Requirements

Students interested in pursuing one of these five-year programs must:

  • Maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA throughout the undergraduate course of study.
  • Maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA throughout the graduate course of study.
  • Take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) during their junior year earning a score at least at the 50th percentile and apply for admission to the program through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Complete a minimum of 100 credit hours, including the required Business Administration minor courses, before enrollment in the Business Administration graduate transition classes are allowed.

Students should review the undergraduate degree program sections for the recommended course of study and program requirements.


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CAREERS OUTLOOK

Career Opportunities in Human Factors/Ergonomics

(© Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Reprinted with permission.)

Where do our Alumni(ae) work?

Work in the field of human factors and ergonomics (also known as human engineering) is exciting, challenging, and rewarding. Human factors professionals apply their scientific and engineering expertise to the many problems people encounter in the use of tools, equipment, and systems. Solutions to these problems often involve a combination of product design, user training, and refinement of procedures for using or maintaining the products. Among the areas of application are computer hardware and software, aerospace systems, communication, training, transportation, military systems, consumer products, and medical devices.

The work of the human factors engineer and a brief history of how the field began are stated concisely in the words of one of the outstanding human factors scientists and a pioneer in the field, Alphonse Chapanis: "Human engineering got its big push during World War II, when it was found that many of the new and complicated weapons were useless because they exceeded the capacities of their human operators. This same kind of mismatching of people and machines is common today in modern industry, in the skies above us, and on our highways. It is this fact, together with the technological demands of space research and defense needs, that is the challenge for human factors engineers. Their job is to redesign present equipment and devise new equipment so that human errors, accidents, and frustrations can be reduced and efficiently increased."

According to a recent survey, the level of job satisfaction among human factors practitioners was found to be higher than among those working in other professional and technical fields. The same study found that human factors positions are notable for the variety of tasks involved, the employee's relative independence, and the amount of feedback he or she receives.

Your Educational Background

Virtually all employers seek job candidates with at least a bachelor's degree, and many jobs require a master's or Ph.D. Of the members of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 39% hold a Ph.D., 33% hold an M.A. and 20% have a B.A. (The remaining are full-time students.)

Fields of Study

Degrees in human factors are offered by a number of universities and colleges. Human factors practitioners come from a variety of academic disciplines, primarily psychology and engineering, but also industrial design, medicine/life sciences, education, business administration, computer science, and others. Specializations within engineering include general, industrial, mechanical, electrical, and aeronautical-astronautical.

Preparing for Work in the Field

Educational preparation for working in the human factors/ergonomics field starts with a bachelor's degree. Undergraduate programs in any of the fields of study listed above will prepare you for most jobs. You also need strong communication skills, both written and oral, and you will be working with statistical methods.

Employment Areas

Whether you prefer an academic environment, private industry, government, or the military, employment opportunities in human factors are numerous and wide ranging.
Academic institutions
Many human factors professionals work in state and private colleges and universities. Faculty positions range from research associate (often filled by graduate students) to full professor, both part-time and full-time.
Industry employment
Human factors professionals work in a wide variety of industries. Jobs range from research positions to management of product development teams, with titles such as human factors engineer, ergonomist, safety scientist, technical specialist, and research scientist.
Military-related research centers
Several research laboratories across the services employ human factors professional. Examples include the Army's Human Engineering Laboratory, Naval Ocean Systems Center, Naval Training Systems Center, Air Force Armstrong Laboratory (medical research), and Air Force Human Resources Laboratory.
Government agencies
Agency employers include the National Research Council, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Academy of Sciences, National Transportation Safety Board, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Human factors professionals also work in city and state agencies.
Independent research and consulting organizations
Examples include American Institutes for Research, Anacapa Sciences, BBN Laboratories, Essex Corporation, and the MITRE Corporation.
Independent consulting
Human factors professionals offer their services as consultants on a permanent or temporary basis, either full-time or part-time. Some consult part-time in addition to a permanent full-time job. Human factors consultants are often retained by trial lawyers to provide expert witness services in areas such as accidents, consumer product design, and safety.
Salaries
The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society periodically conducts surveys to collect information about salary levels in all areas of human factors employment. The results indicate that salaries increase at about the level of inflation from year to year. Not surprisingly, professionals who have obtained a Ph.D. earn more than those with less education. In general, positions within industry are the highest paying, followed by academia and then government agencies.
To obtain a copy of the 1997 Salary Survey, contact HFES at (+1) (310) 394-1811 or via the Web at http://hfes.org.
Some Human Factors Industry Employers
Hundreds of product and service industries across the country employ one or more human factors professionals. Here is a sample of those companies:
Aviation/Aerospace: Boeing, Ford Aerospace, General Dynamics, Hughes, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Rockwell, TRW
Automotive: John Deere, General Motors, Nissan, Ford, Toyota,
Communications: AT&T, GTE, Lucent Technologies, NYNEX, US WEST
Computers: Compaq, INTEL, Apple, Digital Equipment, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, NCR, Sun Microsystems, XEROX
Insurance: Travelers, Liberty Mutual State Farm
Power & Utilities: EG&G General Electric
Some Related Professions
Architectural psychology, biomedical engineering, biophysics, biotechnology, engineering psychology, environmental engineering, industrial anthropology, industrial design, industrial engineering, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, safety engineering, and systems safety.
Membership in the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES)
HFES provides important links with colleagues in the field through its annual meetings, as well as meetings of its regional chapters and interest groups. Within the Society are more than 50 local and student chapters, and 20 technical specialty areas. Both chapters and technical groups are open to nonmembers. These groups offer excellent opportunities to build collegial, research, and employment networks.
These are the technical groups: Aerospace Systems, Aging, Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, Communication, Computer Systems, Consumer Products, Professional Educators, Environmental Design, Forensics Professional, Industrial Ergonomics, Macroergonomics, Medical Systems and Rehabilitation, Individual Differences in Performance, Safety, Surface Transportation, System Development, Test and Evaluation Training, Virtual Environments, Visual Performance,

Dues to join HFES are $30 per year for Student Affiliates in 1998 and $115 for Members, Associates, and Affiliates in 1998. Benefits include free publications, discounts on special publications, and discounted registration for annual meetings.

HFES Placement Service
HFES operates a Placement Service year-round to assist job seekers. It can be found on the the Web at http://www.hfes.org. There is student chapter at Embry-Riddle.

© Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Reprinted with permission.

The Embry-Riddle Advantage: The Career Services Office

One of the most valuable benefits of being a student or alumnus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is access to the resources of the Career Services Office.

The Career Services Office provides career development assistance to all students and alumni of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, regardless of campus affiliation. The Daytona Beach office serves Daytona Beach, Worldwide Campus, and Worldwide Online students. Prescott campus students are served by the Prescott office.

The Career Services Web site offers students and alumni:

  • A virtual library of job search aids including interview tips
  • An alumni network which enables students to contact alumni throughout the United States and abroad to learn more about their careers and employers.
  • Sample résumés and cover letters
  • Company profiles and employment hotlines
  • Cooperative education opportunities
  • Current job listings; and
  • A Web-based résumé referral service

A career fair is hosted at the Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses each fall. Throughout each year, dozens of companies visit the campuses to recruit students and to provide information about their industry. On-campus interviews are also scheduled year-round.

The Career Services Office employs a staff of program managers to provide one-on-one career advisement, mock interviews, and résumé critique services. The Career Services Office encourages students to make contact early in their Embry-Riddle educations to explore career options and develop a successful job search strategy.

More From the Career Services Office

Career Advisement
Several degree-specific program managers are available for assistance with career choice/change, exploration of career opportunities, and development of job search techniques.

Career Resource Center
The Career Resource Center is a library of information that includes addresses and information on potential employers, as well as information on hiring trends, salaries, and other career references. The Career Resource Center is continuously updated and expanded to meet student needs. The Career Services Web site also serves as a virtual resource center with links to job listings, salary information, sample résumés, interview preparation, and company Web sites.

EagleHire Network
The EagleHire Network allows students and alumni to submit résumés directly to employers seeking full-time and co-op/internship candidates. EagleHire is a free service and is available to all students and alumni of the University.

Cooperative Education/Internship Program
Cooperative education positions provide an opportunity for students to gain valuable work experience while earning college credit, learn about their chosen field, and establish contacts in the industry. Co-ops and internships are opportunities to earn college credit while gaining career-related work experience for undergraduate and graduate students.