+ MAS - Human Factors + General Information + Curriculum + Careers + Student Profiles + Lab + Application Materials

Why do some products make our lives easier, while others make our lives harder?

Missouri Western State University offers a Master of Applied Science with an emphasis in Human Factors and Usability Testing that is educating professionals to
be able to better answer this question. Being able to create product designs that are easy to use is becoming critically important as technology is quickly becoming a necessary part of our everyday activities.

NEW! Usability was named one of the best careers of 2009 by US News and World Reports

Our interaction with computing technologies is rapidly changing. This change is driven by an exponential growth of technology, which is quickly resulting in smaller and less expensive computing devices. These technologies are becoming increasingly embedded within our everyday environments (e.g., social online environments, multi-touch tables, cellular phones, music players). This technological growth is requiring professionals with multidisciplinary backgrounds (Psychology, Business, Marketing, Communications, Computer Science, Design, etc.) that are able to understand the complex interactions between humans and computing devices.

Missouri Western State University offers a Master of Applied Science with an emphasis in Human Factors and Usability Testing that focuses on producing business professionals with this multidisciplinary education. The program highlights the four major areas (product design, product implementation, professional phenomena surrounding, product evaluation) necessary for innovating or modifying products within a competitive industry environment. Missouri Western State University uniquely focuses on understanding human-centered design from a cognitive psychology viewpoint; how a user will perceive, process, and respond to a product’s design. The ultimate goal of human factors and usability professionals is to create and transform interactive devices into systems that naturally and effortless interface with their users. With the hope that their products will make everyone’s lives a little easier, safer and better.

The purpose of this degree is to not only educate future employees in human factors research, experimental design and statistical skills, but to provide them with the basic understanding of how such considerations might relate to the managerial, organizational and economic environment in which the company or agency operates. Graduates will apply the results of their analyses to improve work environments, production processes and business procedures.

This program targets those with undergraduate degrees in computer science, business, engineering or psychology who want to work in human factors and usability testing

PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 15TH (Applications received after this date will be considered, however, decisions regarding scholarships are likely to have already been made)

Informational Brochure

Curriculum

Application for Admission - You must complete both the Departmental Application and the Institutional Application

For more information, please contact Brian Cronk (cronk@missouriwestern.edu). The general institutional graduate studies page has information on financial aid and other information about Graduate Studies at Missouri Western.