General Contact Information: Department of Psychology and Communication Studies University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83844-3043 phone: (208) 885-6324 fax: (208) 885-7710 hfprogram@uidaho.edu   No relevant news at the moment

Steps in the Application Process General Information about Human Factors at the U of Idaho Required Background Application Materials Tuition/ Financial Aid Degree Requirements Required Coursework (for both options) Frequently asked questions... General Information about Human Factors at the U of Idaho Founded in 1984, the Human Factors Emphasis is an interdisciplinary effort between human factors specialists in the Department of Psychology and Mechanical Engineering The program consists of a broad array of graduate courses, including: Training and Performance Ergonomics and Biomechanics Human-Computer Interaction Advanced Human Factors. In addition students take advanced courses in statistics and research methods. The M.S. in Psychology with a human factors emphasis is offered by the University of Idaho via the Engineering Outreach distance education degree program. The intent of the program is primarily to provide preparation for work in government or industry as a human factors specialist. Students also earn the M.S. as a way to expand their current job skills or enhance job mobility. However, some of our students have gone on to seek Ph.D. at other institutions after finishing their M.S. at the University of Idaho. Required Background An applicant must possess an undergraduate degree in psychology or a related field, such as engineering, computer science, or business. In addition, applicants are required to have completed courses in: introductory statistics experimental psychology or research methods cognitive psychology sensation and perception a course in computer programming Students without all of the necessary undergraduate coursework may be admitted, however, they will be required to complete their deficiencies before beginning graduate work. Students are able to take undergraduate courses at any time through Engineering Outreach; being accepted into the M.S. program is not required. The University of Idaho Graduate College requires a minimum GPA of 2.8 for admission. The Psychology Department requires a GPA of 3.0, and a combined Verbal + Quantitative GRE score of at least 1,000. However, admission is competitive and meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Application Materials To apply for acceptance into the M.S. program, contact Engineering Video Outreach at 800-824-2889, or access their website to find relevant forms and information. To apply: Use the Application for Admission as an Engineering Outreach Student form contained in that publication. Contact the UI Psychology Department (contacts listed under additional information) and request departmental application materials. What University of Idaho Graduate Admissions Needs: The completed Application to the Graduate College (click for the on-line application) with the application fee Two copies of official undergraduate and graduate record transcripts of all work at accredited institutions of higher learning, mailed directly from the degree-granting institution Results of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), General Test only. No exceptions are made for this requirement. Application to the Graduate College and application fee should be received by the university prior to receipt of reference letters and other materials, so the applicantŐs file can be established in the Psychology Department. What University of Idaho Graduate Psych. Dept. Needs: A personal statement which should include your background, the emphasis in which you are interested, your intentions of taking the thesis or non-thesis option, and professional objectives after completing the graduate program. Three letters of recommendation The Application for Admission and all other required application materials must be received by March 1 for the following fall semester. Students are notified regarding acceptance into the program in about one month. Tuition/ Financial Aid Please visit Student Financial Aid Services for up-to-date tuition, fee, and other financial information. Special fees apply for students who are able to watch tapes at the University of Idaho Resident Instructional Centers in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, and Idaho Falls. Please check with Engineering Outreach for details. University of Idaho Engineering Outreach students may be eligible for Federal Financial Aid. For further information contact Engineering Outreach and we will transfer your call to the University of Idaho Financial Aid Office. Degree Requirements Students must meet requirements at three levels for the M.S. in Psychology: University of Idaho Graduate College requirements Psychology Department M.S. requirements (30 units plus other requirements for thesis or non-thesis options) Human Factors emphasis required coursework shown below. For the non-thesis option, the student must complete 30 credits of approved coursework, and pass a written exam covering coursework, research methods, and data analysis. Exams are completed at the end of the student's coursework. Note: off-campus students typically choose this option. For the thesis option, students need to be accepted into the program under the thesis option. This requires special permission at the time of program application. Required Coursework (for both options) ME 409 Human Factors in Engineering Design STAT 401 Statistical Analysis PSYC 446 Engineering Psychology PSYC 585 Research Methods PSYC 586 Research Design PSYC 561 Human-computer Interaction PSYC 562 Advanced Human Factors PSYC 550 Training and Performance PSYC 552 Ergonomics and Biomechanics Frequently asked questions... What type of positions do graduates obtain? Our graduates commonly obtain human factors positions in industry (e.g., Battelle, Diamond Technology Partners, IBM, Boeing, Intel), engage in private consulting, or continue their academic studies in a Ph.D. program (e.g., New Mexico State University, University of Iowa). What if I haven't completed all of the undergraduate course requirements? Students who haven't completed all of the undergraduate course requirements may sometimes be admitted. They are expected to complete the deficiency courses before beginning graduate level classes. This means that students should expect to take up to a year longer than they would otherwise. How do I know if my undergraduate courses will count for the admission requirements? If you have taken courses that have roughly the same title as the courses listed under admission requirements, you are probably OK (even if you took them several years ago). If you took a different course, such as Learning, it will probably not be considered equivalent. If you are unsure, the quickest way to find out is to inquire using e-mail. What types of internships will be available? The University of Idaho faculty have associations with a variety of businesses in the area, including Potlatch Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, NASA, and Boeing Aircraft. We have been able to place all of our human factors graduate students who desired them into internships.

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