Bachelor of Science in
Human Factors Psychology
Designed for students who want to create processes that maximize human performance and safety, this degree prepares graduates for a wide range of career pursuits.
The Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Psychology (also called engineering psychology, user experience design, ergonomics or cognitive engineering) at Embry-Riddle is designed for students who want to create and improve products, equipment, machines and environments (including virtual) to complement human capabilities and maximize performance and safety.
Because the field of human factors is necessary for successful product and system design, graduates may join a wide range of industries. Embry-Riddle works closely with the aviation/aerospace industry. Thus, many of our graduates launch their careers within these areas, but the career opportunities don’t stop there and include positions in tech companies (e.g., META, Apple; Microsoft), healthcare, government organizations, the financial industry (banks, insurance, etc.) and more!
At Embry-Riddle, students benefit from an environment where they can develop and test their skills as they learn. Many advances in technology that have entered mainstream society have come from aviation and aerospace, where human factors play a key role.
The Department of Homeland Security has designated human factors psychology a STEM degree program.
DETAILS
About Human Factors Psychology at the Daytona Beach, FL Campus
Students fascinated with the challenges involved in optimizing the performance of both humans and their technology would fit into the Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Psychology degree program. In this program, students learn how to integrate an understanding of human psychology with systems design to help create technologies that are more intuitive to use and make people more effective. Thus graduates enter the workplace as human factors specialists prepared to help make this increasingly technology-driven world more human-friendly.
The Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Psychology degree is housed in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology in the College of Arts and Sciences.
A typical first year will include general education courses, plus core requirements from Human Factors and Psychology and related foundation courses such as Mass Communication Law and Ethics, Aviation, and Aerospace Communication or Computer Science.
With a host of state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, ERAU’s Daytona Beach campus is well suited for human factors research endeavors. The department has a strong record of collaboration with EagleWorks, ERAU’s Aerospace Engineering Research Center, which helps take our research to other levels.
Among the facilities used by students in Human Factors Psychology is the Technically Advanced Aircraft Performance Lab (TAAP) focused on evaluating equipment, such as the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) navigation system and others that are designed to relieve much of the cognitive workload for pilots.
Embry-Riddle offers two combined programs that allow well-qualified students the chance to begin graduate work toward their Master of Science in Human Factors (MSHFP) or the Master of Business Administration (MBA) while finishing their B.S. in Human Factors Psychology.
General Education Requirements
For a full description of Embry-Riddle General Education guidelines, please see the General Education section of this catalog. These minimum requirements are applicable to all degree programs.
| Communication Theory and Skills | 9 | |
| Humanities - Lower level | 3 | |
| Social Sciences - Lower level (PSY 101) | 3 | |
| Humanities or Social Sciences - Lower or Upper level | 3 | |
| Humanities or Social Sciences - Upper level | 3 | |
| Computer Science | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 6 | |
| Physical and Life Sciences (one course must include a laboratory) | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Embry-Riddle courses in general education may be chosen from those listed below, assuming prerequisites are met. Courses from other institutions are acceptable if they fall into these broad categories.
Core Requirements
| College Success | ||
| UNIV 101 | College Success | 1 |
| Advanced Communication | ||
| For the Advanced Communication requirement, Human Factors majors are required to take one Advanced Communication class for a total of three credits. This exists in addition to the nine credits (three classes) taken for the Communication General Education Requirement. | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
COM 320 | Mass Communication Law and Ethics | |
COM 322 | Aviation and Aerospace Communication | |
COM 350 | Environmental Communication | |
COM 360 | Public Relations | |
COM 362 | Communication and Organizational Culture | |
COM 364 | Visual Design | |
COM 412 | Advanced Technical Writing | |
COM 415 | Nonverbal Communication | |
COM 460 | Crisis Communication | |
HU 330 | Values and Ethics | |
HU 332 | Cross-Cultural Communication | |
HU 335 | Technology and Modern Civilization | |
HU 338 | Interdisciplinary Explorations | |
HU 363 | Communication and Society | |
HU 375 | The Nature of Language | |
HU 415 | Nonverbal Communication | |
| Computer Science | ||
| Six credit hours from any CS course or from the additional courses listed below. These courses are in addition to those taken as General Education. | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
BA 125 | Foundations in Business Data Analytics | |
BA 232 | Techniques in Business Analytics | |
CEC 220 | Digital Circuit Design | |
CEC 222 | Digital Circuit Design Laboratory | |
CYB 235 | Computer and Network Technologies | |
EGR 115 | Introduction to Computing for Engineers | |
EGR 120 | Graphical Communications | |
SE 300 | Software Engineering Practices | |
| Psychology and Human Factors | ||
| HF 300 | Human Factors I: Principles and Fundamentals | 3 |
| HF 302 | Human Factors II: Analytic Methods and Techniques | 4 |
| HF 307 | Human Factors III: Performance Processes | 3 |
| HF 307L | Human Factors III: Performance Processes Lab | 1 |
| HF 310 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 |
| HF 312 | Ergonomics and Bioengineering | 3 |
| HF 400 | Human Factors IV: System Design | 4 |
| PSY 310 | Sensation and Perception | 3 |
| PSY 312 | Research Analysis in Psychology | 4 |
| PSY 315 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 323 | Research Design | 3 |
| PSY 323L | Research Methods Laboratory | 1 |
| PSY 335 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| Practicum | ||
| HF 490 | Practicum in Human Factors Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
Specified Electives
Take three courses from each of the following two groups of courses (18 credit hours total).
| Group I: Applied Systems in Human Factors | 9 | |
HF 315 | Automation and Systems Issues in Aviation | |
HF 321 | Psychopharmacology | |
HF 325 | Human Factors and System Safety | |
HF 326 | Human Performance in Extreme Environments | |
HF 330 | Human Factors in Space | |
HF 352 | Human Factors in Entertainment Systems | |
HF 410 | Human Factors Engineering: Crew Station Design | |
HF 412 | Simulating Humans in Complex Systems | |
HF 415 | Human Factors in Simulation Systems | |
HF 422 | Applied Ergonomic Design, Analysis, and Evaluation | |
HF 440 | Aerospace Physiology | |
| Group II: Psychological Foundations of Human Factors | 9 | |
PSY 320 | Aviation Psychology | |
PSY 330 | Learning and Motivation | |
PSY 340 | Industrial-Organizational Psychology | |
PSY 345 | Training and Development | |
PSY 350 | Social Psychology | |
PSY 352 | Personality: A Systems Approach | |
PSY 354 | Developmental Psychology | |
PSY 365 | Abnormal Psychology | |
Other courses with approval of advisor. | ||
| Total Specified Elective Credits | 18 | |
| Open Elective Credits | 18 | |
| Total Elective Credits | 36 | |
| Total Degree Credits | 123 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
Students should be aware that several courses in each academic year may have prerequisites and/or co-requisites. Please check the course descriptions at the back of this catalog before registering for classes to ensure requisite sequencing.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Credits | ||
| UNIV 101 | College Success | 1 |
| COM 122 | English Composition | 3 |
| COM 219 | Speech | 3 |
| CS 120 | Introduction to Computing in Aviation | 3 |
| HU 14x Lower Level Humanities | 3 | |
| MA 111 | Pre-Calculus for Aviation | 3 |
| MA 112 | Applied Calculus for Aviation | 3 |
| BIO 120 Foundations of Biology I OR CHM 101 Basic Chemistry OR PS 113 Introductory Physics I | 3 | |
| BIO 120L Foundations of Biology I Lab OR CHM 101L Basic Chemistry Lab or PS 113L Introductory Physics I Lab | 0-1 | |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| HF 300 | Human Factors I: Principles and Fundamentals | 3 |
| Credits Subtotal | 28.0-29.0 | |
| Year Two | ||
| COM 221 | Technical Report Writing | 3 |
| HF 302 | Human Factors II: Analytic Methods and Techniques | 4 |
| PSY 312 | Research Analysis in Psychology | 4 |
| PSY 312L | Research Analysis in Psychology Laboratory | 0 |
| PSY 335 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| HU/SS Upper or Lower Level Elective | 3 | |
| Physical Science Elective | 3 | |
| Computer Science Elective for HF | 3 | |
| HF/PSY Specified Elective | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 6 | |
| Credits Subtotal | 32.0 | |
| Year Three | ||
| HF 307 | Human Factors III: Performance Processes | 3 |
| HF 307L | Human Factors III: Performance Processes Lab | 1 |
| HF 310 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 |
| HF 312 | Ergonomics and Bioengineering | 3 |
| HF 490 | Practicum in Human Factors Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 323 | Research Design | 3 |
| PSY 323L | Research Methods Laboratory | 1 |
| HF/PSY Specified Elective | 3 | |
| Computer Science Elective for HF | 3 | |
| HU/SS Upper-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 6 | |
| Credits Subtotal | 32.0 | |
| Year Four | ||
| HF 400 | Human Factors IV: System Design | 4 |
| PSY 315 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 310 | Sensation and Perception | 3 |
| HF/PSY Specified Electives | 12 | |
| Advanced COM/HU Elective for HF | 3 | |
| Open Electives | 6 | |
| Credits Subtotal | 31.0 | |
| Credits Total: | 123.0-124.0 | |
Get Started Now:
Summary
123 Credits
Estimate your tuition by using the Tuition Calculator
View Financial Aid Information
Learn about our General Education
Find out about transferring credits to this degree
Learn more about our Veterans & Military benefits
View our Academic Calendar
Spotlight
RELATED DEGREES
You may be interested in the following degrees:
