Human FactorsProgram Description
Research and study in the field of Human Factors aims to improve human interaction with equipment, software, and other people in ways that will enhance performance, increase safety, and improve user satisfaction. Technology is usually engineered in the hope that it will improve lives and make daily tasks easier. However, an increase in productivity and happiness is not always a guarantee of technological advancements, making it necessary to perform careful study in this field. Students in the Human Factors program will complete courses in psychology, ergonomics, and human performance and engineering psychology; electives include coursework in cognitive psychology and human error. All students must complete an individualized research project, a hands-on experience that allows students to design or redesign a system to meet human factors standards. With a certificate in Human Factors from the University of Utah, you will learn how humans and technological systems interact, ultimately discovering how to engineer safe and effective technology solutions.
Academic and Career Opportunities
The department offers several involvement opportunities for those looking to network and meet like-minded peers: consider joining Psi Chi (the International Honor Society in Psychology), the Human Factors and Ergonomics Student Group, or Systems ‘n Coffee (a reading group focusing on Dynamical Systems Theory). Graduates of the program can use their certificate in tandem with an appropriate major to pursue careers in a number of fields: for example, engineering students may use the certificate to enhance their human-computer interaction design skills. With completion of the certificate and additional education at the graduate level, students may become counselors, psychologists, engineers, or researchers.
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