The multidisciplinary Department of Human Factors, Safety and Social Sciences includes Economics, Human Factors/Ergonomics, Military, Psychology and Sociology, as well as important aspects of Safety Science and Security Science.
It offers a multidisciplinary Master of Science in Human Factors accredited by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) as well as a Graduate Certificate in Human Factors, tailored to working professionals who want to better understand the interrelationship between humans and technology, environment and other system components as it relates to human performance, limitations and error in simple and complex systems.
A Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Psychology is also offered. With applications spanning across industries and disciplines, the relevance of an undergraduate program in this domain has never been more pronounced. This program helps ensure that future professionals are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to innovate and improve human-system interactions. Human Factors Psychology is a unique area of psychology aimed toward the abilities and limitations of humans to sense, store and process information, and then act. This knowledge is used to guide decisions for the design, use, maintenance and improvement of systems that rely on human interactions. This complete human factors cycle approach focuses on the fact that a broad range of professional areas benefit from human factors psychology, including artificial intelligence, aviation, ergonomics, human systems integration, safety, simulation and robotics.
The department also offers a Bachelor of Science in Safety Management with special emphasis on safety challenges in virtually every occupational setting, from aviation/aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare and construction to military and government. A Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management — which received an international accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) — and a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Safety Management are offered as well. These programs aim to create world-class leaders, managers and practitioners who want to design safer workplaces, ensure employee wellness, conduct safety audits and otherwise address industry hazards across a broad range of high-reliability organization domains.
Sociology and Psychology courses tie community and social organization and psychological principles to various professional fields. Economics courses make important connections regarding the way that individuals, groups, governments and businesses make resource allocations, and the consequences of those choices for people, nations and society.
The knowledge gained in these areas of study will strongly connect to other courses in the student's degree program and directly translate to the skills required of today's professionals.
The department’s faculty members have research and teaching interests that span a broad range of fields and encourage critical thinking and scientific inquiry to explore social, financial and environmental phenomena nationally, internationally and globally, as well as in their interconnectedness — with several related minors also available.
Submissions from 2024
Advancements in AI-Driven Education: Transforming Learning and Training with Intelligent Technologies, Sharon L. Burton
Securing Tomorrow: Synergizing Change Management and Cybersecurity in the Digital Era, Sharon L. Burton
Submissions from 2023
Racially Motivated Police Brutality Is a Community Public Health Issue in the United States, Darrell Norman Burrell, Sharon L. Burton, and Grace E. McGrath
Moral Considerations in Political Decision-Making: Differences by Political Orientation and Gender, Christina M. Frederick and Shawn Doherty
Submissions from 2022
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The New Look of Customer Service In a Cybersecurity World, Sharon L. Burton
Strategy: A Business and Cybersecurity Intertwined Necessity, Sharon L. Burton
Submissions from 2021
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR): Disambiguated in the Telemedicine / Telehealth Sphere, Sharon L. Burton
Cybersecurity Leaders: Knowledge Driving Human Capital Development, Sharon L. Burton
Submissions from 2020
Collaboration Between Library, Faculty, and Instructional Design to Increase All Open Educational Resources for Curriculum Development and Delivery, Kelly Whealan-George and Anne Marie Casey
Submissions from 2019
Collaboration Between Faculty and the Library Using OER for Curriculum Development, Kelly Whealan George and Anne Marie Casey
Submissions from 2000
Institutionalization and Conflict Management in the New Europe, Alexander Siedschlag