This specialization trains students to apply basic research skills in the cognitive sciences to "real-world" problems. Faculty help place students who do not have real-world experience in a part- or full-time practicum before completing their degree. Practicum placements use the extensive resources of the local Washington, D.C. area.

Students in our MA program can elect to focus on either professional training or preparation for a doctoral program. Both tracks stress the analytic and empirical methodologies that are used in all phases of interactive systems design (where this is broadly defined to include any human-machine system). The power and interpretation of these techniques reside in their close ties to cognitive theory. The professional training track emphasizes coursework and practical experience; the doctoral preparation track involves students in ongoing research projects.

For Engineers & Computer Scientists:

Many Human Factors and Applied Cognitive professionals work closely with engineers and computer scientists. It is therefore not surprising that many people with bachelor-level training as engineers and computer scientists express interest in HFAC as a profession. Obstacles to such career paths have included the apathy of traditional engineering and computer science schools towards such training, as well as entrance barriers erected by psychology departments against those without substantial undergraduate coursework in psychology. The Psychology Department at George Mason University seeks to overcome such traditional barriers and facilitate the graduate training of engineers and computer scientists in our HFAC masters program.

M.A. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

32 hours of graduate credit including the following:

General
3 hours of cognitive core: PSYC 701 or equivalent
8 hours of quantitative and research methods: PSYC 611, 612
Human Factors/Applied Cognition Core
6 hours of specialized content: PSYC 530, PSYC 645
6 hours from 734, 737, 766, or 768 (these may be repeated)
Electives
Thesis: 6 hours, with permission of advisor
Practicum: 6 hours, with permission of advisor
Additional hours of 734, 737, 766, 768
Other courses within or outside the department may be taken with advisor's approval 3 hours of core (PSYC 667, 701 or 703)

M.A. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants are expected to have 15 hours of course work in psychology, including a statistics course and an experimental laboratory course in psychology (PSYC 304, 305, or 309); however, these criteria may be waived or modified, on a case-by-case basis, for engineers, computer scientists, or other non-traditional applicants. Admission is competitive.

The following are also required:

- GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work
- A minimum GPA of 3.25 in undergraduate psychology courses
- Scores from the Graduate Record Examination taken within the last five years
- Three letters of reference from professors or supervisors
- The submission of a completed Departmental M.A. Program Application
(word format)
-Biographical statement describing the applicant's background, experience, and goals for the HF-AC program.
-A GMU Graduate Admission Application

Work experience, publications, or special recommendations may compensate for deficiencies in other qualifications. Because space is limited, fulfillment of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.

M.A. ADMISSION PROCEDURE

Applications may be obtained from the Admissions Office and should be completed and returned with fee to:

College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Graduate Admissions Office, MSN 2D2
College Hall C119
4400 University Drive
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia 22030-4444

(703) 993-2400
Applicants may also apply online from the Office of Admissions webpage at http://admissions.gmu.edu/grad/.
Because space is limited, fulfillment of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to graduate program.

M.A. DEADLINE

We have a rolling admissions process. The formal deadline is March 15, though we begin considering applications as early as February 15. If you are considering a late application (after March 15), we suggest you contact Dr. Raja Parasuraman, Dr. Chris Monk, or another member of the HFAC admissions committee. (All new students must begin in the Fall semester.) All materials, including GRE scores and letters of recommendations must be received before the application can be evaluated. Applicants should plan to take the GRE at least two months prior to this deadline.

M.A. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Tuition coverage and stipends are not guaranteed, but many of our MA students receive financial aid. In fact, over the past 10 years, we have been able to find some support for all of our masters students who were looking for support. Some of this support comes from placements in paid, part-time government or industry internships that extend for the duration of the program. In other cases, MA students are funded on faculty research grants or as a teaching assistant in the Psychology Department. For more information financial aid click here. For more information on financial aid click here.

JOB PROSPECTS

Job prospects for our MA graduates are very rosy. All of our graduates have been employed within 2 months of graduation. Some of our students' internships have turned into job offers so that they were employed prior to leaving the program. Our students have gone to work for both government (e.g., NIST - National Institute of Standards & Technology, FAA-Federal Aviation Administration, NTSB-National Transportation Safety Board, National Academy of Sciences) and industry (e.g., Microsoft, Intel, Yahoo, Mitre, MitreTek, Crown, American Institutes for Research, SAIC, Booz-Allen Hamilton, Verizon, Motorola). For a partial listing of our MA alums, please click here.