Assistant Professor Caroline G. L. Cao, Mechanical Engineering
An interdisciplinary program offered jointly by the departments of mechanical
engineering and psychology. Engineering psychology, more commonly called human factors,
applies knowledge of human behavior and attributes to the design of products, equipment,
machines, and large-scale systems for human use. Areas of application include biomedical
engineering, environmental design, safety, consumer product design, and computer interface
design.
Students in the School of Engineering or the College of Liberal Arts will receive the bachelor of science degree from their respective colleges after meeting the general requirements set by each college.
The program prepares students for professional work and further graduate studies in this discipline. It also serves as a preparation for premedical and predental students and for those interested in legal or management careers.
Undergraduate Concentration Requirements
The program features a common core of fifteen courses. For engineering students, an
additional twenty-one courses are required for the bachelor of science degree. (See School
of Engineering Information.) For liberal arts students, an additional nineteen courses are
required to meet the foundation and distribution requirements for the bachelor of science
degree. (See College of Liberal Arts Information.) The core courses can be used by these
students to meet the social and natural science distribution requirements.
(See departmental listings for course descriptions.)
Core Course Requirements
Engineering 1 Introduction to Computers in Engineering (one-half credit)
Engineering 2 Engineering Graphics (one-half credit)
Two elective half-credit courses in introductory engineering
Engineering Psychology 61 Introduction to Human Factors and Ergonomics
Engineering Psychology 120 Project Study in Human Systems
Engineering Psychology 161 Human Factors in Product Design
Engineering Psychology 162 Human-Machine System Design
Engineering Psychology 151 Engineering Systems: Deterministic Models
or
Engineering Psychology 152 Engineering Systems: Stochastic Models
Mathematics 11 and 12 Calculus I and II
Psychology 17 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Psychology 31 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences
Psychology 32 Experimental Psychology
Psychology 53 Engineering Psychology
Psychology 130 Advanced Engineering Psychology
One elective in psychology
Students enrolled in the School of Engineering will also satisfy the following distribution requirements for the Engineering Psychology Program: Engineering Science 5 (required); Physics 11 and 12, Civil and Environmental Engineering 102 or Psychology 107; two approved courses (minimum) from biology, anatomy, physiology; two approved courses (minimum) from environmental sciences; Computer Science 11, 15, and 106 or 171 or 175.
It is recommended that students in the College of Liberal Arts take additional courses in probability, statistics, chemistry, physics, physiology and anatomy, environmental studies, and relevant courses from the engineering science series.
Sample course plans can be obtained from either of the sponsoring departments.
Certificate Program in Human-Computer Interaction
In an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Psychology, the
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Computer
Science, and the Department of Occupational Therapy at Tufts, this four-course, graduate-level
certificate is designed to train the next generation of computer professionals for tomorrow's complex
challenges. The program is open to individuals with a bachelor's degree, and is designed
to be pursued on a part-time basis by computer programmers, Web designers, human factors
professionals, software engineers, and user-interface designers who wish to develop or enhance their user-interface design and implementation skills. For more information, see the alphabetical
listing in this bulletin under Human-Computer Interaction, or contact the Office of
Graduate and Professional Studies at 617-627-3395 or visit
http://ase.tufts.edu/gradstudy.
Undergraduate Courses
61 Introduction to Human Factors and Ergonomics. (Cross-listed as Biomedical Engineering 61.) A practical introduction to human performance and to designing for human use. Studies include human factors, ergonomics, work stations, and environmental and legal concerns that impact on design. Examples of good and bad designs illustrate course principles. Fall. Cao
99 Internship in Engineering Psychology. A mentored preprofessional experience in engineering psychology at an off-site organization. The internship must conform to all the requirements of the School of Engineering internship programs. The engineering psychology program will grant course credit for internships if the following conditions are met: 1) The student has junior or senior standing and has declared a major in engineering psychology. 2) The student has submitted a written internship proposal that has been approved prior to the semester in which the internship will be performed. No internships with course credit will be approved once the semester of the internship has started. 3) A faculty mentor in engineering psychology holds supervisory and technical control of any work that receives credit. 4) The student submits a written report that is to be evaluated by the faculty adviser and the outside institutional supervisor. Work of a proprietary nature cannot be used as a basis for the granting of course credit. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing and consent. Soraci
120 Project Study in Human Systems. (Cross-listed as Biomedical Engineering 120 and Psychology 120.) A senior-level project design (capstone course), led by faculty from engineering and psychology as well as outside lecturers. Students participate in team fashion in human-factors design problems set by industry sponsors. Professional-level work is required, including report preparation and presentations. Timely lectures supplement the projects. Prerequisites: Engineering Psychology 161, 162, Psychology 31, 32, 130. Spring. Cao
149 Research and Analytical Methods in Human Factors. (Cross-listed as Biomedical Engineering 149.) Graduate-level seminar course designed for students who are interested in getting a broad overview of different research methods and analytical techniques in human factors/ergonomics research. Topics to be covered are related to the acquiring, recording, and analyzing of empirical data. Theory underlying these methods in human factors/ergonomics research also studied. Three term assignments. Fall. Cao
151 Engineering Systems: Deterministic Models. (Cross-listed as Civil and Environmental Engineering 151 and Engineering Science 151.) An introduction to the use of systems theory and modeling in the study/design of complex deterministic engineering, economic, environmental, and social systems. Topics include network models, economic analysis, optimization, linear and dynamic programming. Practical treatment is stressed; applications and projects are chosen from several areas, including civil and environmental engineering and engineering psychology. Prerequisites: junior standing, or consent. Fall. Levine
152 Engineering Systems: Stochastic Models. (Cross-listed as Civil and Environmental Engineering 152 and Engineering Science 152.) An introduction to network models in the study/design of engineering, economic, environmental, and social systems with an emphasis on systems exhibiting probabilistic behavior. Topics include network models, Markov chains, queuing theory, reliability analysis, and genetic algorithms (GAs). Practical treatment is stressed; applications and projects are chosen from several areas, including civil and environmental engineering. Prerequisites: junior standing or consent. Spring. Levine
161 Human Factors in Product Design. (Cross-listed as Biomedical Engineering 161.) Material relevant in consumer product design, biomedical engineering, architectural design, and machine design. Topics include design methodologies, user feedback techniques, performance measurements, sensory evaluation techniques, creative design, and prototyping. Extensive individual and group project design work. Emphasis on designing and creativity. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, Engineering Psychology 61, Psychology 31, 32, 53, and junior standing, or consent. Spring. Cao
162 Human-Machine System Design. (Cross-listed as Biomedical Engineering 165.) Techniques for man-machine system designs in which cognitive and dynamic aspects are of major importance. Applications to computer-interface design, auto/semiautomated systems, biomedical systems, and others. Topics include information processing, decision making, reaction times, and signal detection theory. Individual and group projects, laboratory demonstrations. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, Engineering Psychology 161, Psychology 31, 32,107, or Civil and Environmental Engineering 102. Fall. Cao
166 Applied Design of Software User-Interfaces. (Cross-listed as Biomedical Engineering 166.) This hands-on course challenges students to design computer-based products and systems that are easy to learn and use. Lectures cover the user interface-design process, basic design principles, and design evaluation methods. In-class exercises and projects reinforce the students' understanding of the lecture material and provide practical design experience. Students use computer-based prototyping tools to model and demonstrate their design solutions. Frequent guest lectures by user-interface design specialists from industry. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, and junior standing, or consent. Engineering faculty
171 Industrial Ergonomics for Manufacturing. The course introduces the basics of ergonomics/human factors in manufacturing processes, concentrating on the optimization of worker and productivity concerns within the manufacturing environment. Topics include human/robot interactions, biomechanics, cumulative trauma syndromes, work physiology, environmental design, governmental safety regulations and standards, safety analysis techniques, and safety practices. Individual and group project assignments will aid in developing application skills. Prerequisites: junior standing or consent. Engineering faculty
181 Fuzzy Sets and Genetic Algorithms. (Cross-listed as Civil and Environmental Engineering 181.) Fuzzy sets and genetic algorithms hold great power in modern engineering, particularly in the area of controls and complex systems modeling, where classical techniques are unfruitful. Fuzzy control logic (FCL) has been implemented into many consumer products and complex systems, e.g., the control of camera exposures, elevators, high-speed trains, and helicopters. Genetic algorithms (GAs) are computer-based routines modeled after the mechanisms of natural selection and inheritance that control biological evolution. These routines are very useful for finding good solutions to what are often complex problems. GAs find application in areas such as artificial intelligence as well as in traditional engineering areas, such as system design and parameter estimation. Seminar format with research readings, exams, homework, and a project implementing the course material. Prerequisites: junior standing and competence in computer use. Levine
193, 194 Special Topics. Guided individual study of an approved topic. Credit as
arranged. Engineering faculty
Courses for Graduate Students
293, 294 Special Topics. Guided individual study on an approved topic. Credit as arranged. Engineering faculty
295, 296 Thesis. Guided research on a topic that has been approved as a suitable subject for a master's thesis. Engineering faculty
297, 298 Graduate Research. Guided research on a topic suitable for a doctoral dissertation. Credit as arranged. Engineering faculty
401PT Master's Continuation, Part-time.
402FT Master's Continuation, Full-time.
501PT Doctoral Continuation, Part-time.
502FT Doctoral Continuation, Full-time.