FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Clinical Program
Human Factors Program
Industrial/Organizational Program
General Questions
Is UCF an accredited university?
Yes. The entire university is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools (SACS). The Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology program is nationally accredited by the Human Factors and Ergonomics
Society, and the Clinical Psychology program is nationally accredited by the American Psychological Association. There is no national organization accredits programs in Industrial and Organizational Psychology; however, UCF's I/O program has structured its curriculum and training model to be consistent with guidelines published by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
What kinds of research opportunities are available?
Graduate students have many opportunities for research here at UCF. Faculty
members who do funded research enlist graduate assistants
to help them out. Also, students work and do internships at
many labs and companies that are affiliated with the school. See questions regarding work and internships.
What are the steps to apply?
Applicants must provide: a completed UCF graduate degree program application
form, evidence of successful completion of undergraduate
courses in statistics and in the general area of experimental
psychology, official GRE scores, completed transcripts
showing a baccalaureate degree and grades for all undergraduate
and graduate work, a resume and written statement outlining
the student’s academic and professional goals, and three
letters of reference (at least two by college or university
professors who are acquainted with applicant). All requested materials must be submitted
by the deadline.
What are the minimum requirements for acceptance?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all applicants.
To be considered for acceptance as a regular graduate student,
successful applicants are expected to have a minimum cumulative
GRE score of about 1100 on the combined verbal-quantitative
sections and an undergraduate GPA of about 3.20 in the
last two years of study in psychology or related allied
field. However, the final admission criteria will normally
be more stringent because of the competitiveness of the
application process. Students whose native language is
not English will be required to submit scores of at least
220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based
test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
After applying, when should I expect to hear from UCF?
It is your responsibility to make sure that UCF has received
all necessary documents. Thus, you should call the Office of Graduate
Studies to confirm they have received everything that you
mailed. UCF will not call you until a decision has
been made about your acceptance. This
usually happens sometime in mid-March.
How will I pay for this?
Each student in the program receives tuition waiver from the
Psychology Department. Thus, each semester a percentage of the
tuition will be paid for each graduate student. This percentage varies each semester depending on the number
of students and the number of credits each student is registered
for. The University also offers many fellowships
and scholarships that will help to cover the remainder
of the tuition and living expenses as well. Finally,
students may be eligible for Federal loans and/or grants.
How do I register for classes?
Register for classes online. The web-page for registration is https://my.ucf.edu. The My UCF system provides many student
services besides registration. You can access your course schedule, view your audit, and even
check grades at the end of the semester.
Where will I live?
All graduate students live off-campus. There
are off-campus, furnished student housing
facilities available, as well as houses and apartments
for rent in the area.
How
do I become a Florida resident?
You must be in Florida for 12 months before you can become
a Florida resident. You will have to show proof, such as a lease, or a utility bill. Thus,
it is best to get your Florida driver’s license immediately
upon moving down so that you can show how long you have
been in Florida. You will also need to register to vote and turn in a photocopy
of your voter registration. Finally,
you will need notarized copies of your parents’ income
tax forms showing that you are no longer claimed as a dependent. It
is beneficial to become a Florida resident because then
you will only have to pay in-state tuition, which is substantially
cheaper than out-of-state tuition.
What is so great about Orlando?
Central Florida is noted for its dense population of high-tech
companies engaged in many different aspects of simulation
and training. More than 140 simulation and training companies have facilities
in the Central Florida area. This base gives UCF a broad
range of resources and experiences from which to draw. The
Naval Air Warfare Center Training System Division (NAWCTSD),
U.S. Army Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation Command
(STRICOM), Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation,
CHI Systems, and Marine Liaison Office (Trainers and Simulators)
are just a few of the companies in close contact with UCF.
I want to visit UCF...who do I contact, where will I stay?
For information about directions to UCF, nearby hotels, campus tours, and maps of UCF and its vicinity go to http://www.ucf.edu/contact/location.html.
Human Factors Questions
What is Human Factors?
Human Factors is an integrative approach that focuses on the interaction between human and the environment, like systems, products, people, and procedures. Human Factors is a science that adds the human into the equation
to make life easier, safer and more enjoyable by utilizing research, theory and thought applied toward factoring in the HUMAN and applying the knowledge of human behavior, capabilities, and limitations.
What is Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology?
The track seeks to develop the capacity to design, conduct,
and apply human factors research in a variety of professional
settings. It is patterned on the scientist-practitioner
model of the American Psychological Association (APA) and
adheres to guidelines established by the committee for
Education and Training of APA’s Division 21 (Applied Experimental
and Engineering Psychology). Students
must also select a concentration area, which may be in
human-computer interaction, human-machine-environment interface,
human performance, human factors in simulation and training,
or other areas of interest with the adviser’s authorization.
A dissertation representing a significant research contribution
to the field is required.
What
is the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society?
The Society was founded in 1957 as the Human Factors Society
of America. The Society's mission is to promote the discovery and exchange
of knowledge concerning the characteristics of human beings
that are applicable to the design of systems and devices
of all kinds. The Society furthers serious consideration of knowledge about
the assignment of appropriate functions for humans and
machines, whether people serve as operators, maintainers,
or users in the system. And, it advocates systematic use
of such knowledge to achieve compatibility in the design
of interactive systems of people, machines, and environments
to ensure their effectiveness, safety, and ease of performance. The
Society encourages education and training for those entering
the human factors and ergonomics profession and for those
who conceive, design, develop, manufacture, test, manage,
and participate in systems. For
more information on the society go to http://www.hfes.org/.
Does UCF have a student chapter of the HFES?
Yes.
The members of the UCF Student Chapter of the Human Factors
and Ergonomics Society (HFES) are mostly graduate students
in the Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology
and Industrial Engineering programs. The
Student Chapter gives members the opportunity to further
their professional goals by encouraging members to attend
conferences and sponsoring colloquia where members have
the opportunity to meet the foremost researchers in the
field.
Why should you choose Human Factors as a career?
Human Factors is all around you. How
effective would a computer be if you couldn’t use it, a
car if you couldn’t steer it, or a cell phone if you couldn’t
call anybody? THEY WOULDN’T! As technology continues to
advance without consideration for the user, there has become
an increasing need for Human Factors psychologists. This
highly dynamic and exciting field represents one of the
fastest growing and highest earning fields of psychology.
Human Factors utilizes human characteristics, operations,
limitations and abilities to make your life easier, safer
and more enjoyable by applying research and theory to areas
such as: aerospace technology, automobile design, medical
applications, consumer products, virtual environments,
human-computer interaction and many related areas that
involve interaction with the human being. This is why it
has become extremely important that individuals like yourself
further explore your interest in the area of Human Factors
so that you can contribute to the advancement of technology,
the advancement of human kind, and make great money while
your at it!
What
kinds of jobs are available for professionals in this field?
Our graduates commonly obtain human factors positions in industry
(e.g., IBM, Boeing, Microsoft), take on teaching positions
at leading universities, engage in private consulting,
or become involved with various government agencies (e.g.,
National Transportation Safety Board, Naval Air Warfare
Center).
What are the main areas of Human Factors research at UCF?
Students and faculty have very diverse research interests such as
aviation and aerospace, human-computer interaction, product
design, aging, automation, cognition, driving, HCI, simulator
sickness, stress, team performance, vision, and VR/VE.
What type of internships will be available?
A variety of research, consulting, and internship arrangements
are included in the track. The University of Central Florida
has associations with a variety of businesses in the area,
including NAWCTSD, FAA, NASA and Lockheed Martin.Students receive training in the content and techniques of human
factors psychology—including statistical and quantitative
procedures, experimental design, survey methods, computer
techniques, and other research methodologies—that prepares
them to engage in research activities in diverse areas. We
have been able to place all of our human factors graduate
students who desired them into internships.
Is this program only for students with Bachelor degrees in Psychology?
No. Many students come to the AEHF program from diverse backgrounds such as computer science, aerospace studies, engineering,
and business.
Are students required to have a Master's degree to be accepted?
No. The AEHF program is offered to those with a baccalaureate or master’s degree in psychology or an allied area.
Can I be accepted for the spring or summer terms?
No. The AEHF program only accepts students for the fall semester.
Where will I work?
Many of our graduate students have the opportunity to work both
off-campus for a variety of different employers such as
Army Research Institute (ARI), Naval Air Warfare Center
Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), Team Performance Lab
(TPL), Institute for Simulation and Training (IST), In-Touch
Computing, CHI Systems, and Siemens-Westinghouse. Internships
have been conducted at NASA-Ames, NAWCTSD, IBM, Microsoft,
and Johnson Engineering.
How do I choose an adviser?
Following acceptance to the AEHF program, an advisor will be assigned
to you based on your initial research interests. However
once you have met with the AEHF faculty, you are free to
change advisors to one who you feel is better suited to
your interests.
What are comprehensive/qualifying exams?
Comprehensive exams, better know as “comps”, are designed to test your
critical thinking skills rather than your declarative knowledge. Comps
have been described as both "a nifty little exam you
get to take after you finish your coursework" and "a
rite of passage". The sarcasm runs deep here, but
you should always keep comps in mind during your coursework.
Keeping detailed class notes and reading notes will go
a long way when it comes time for you to study for comps!
These exams are comprised of three days of essay questions
covering the following topic areas: Research Methods, Sensation & Perception, Human Performance, Research Critique, Design/Ergonomics, Human-Computer Interaction, Organizational Psychology & Team Performance, Cognition & Learning, and Physiological Psychology.
In addition, you will also be required to answer questions
in a specialty area of your choice. This specialty area
will need to be approved by a committee of three faculty
members who will be responsible for writing and grading
these questions. The general section questions will be
written and graded by at least two professors.
How many years will it take for me to graduate?
The amount of time that it will take for you to graduate is
dependent on you. Students who are able to transfer courses in from other universities
will reduce this time. Generally, students who do not transfer any courses into the program
complete the program in 4 – 5 years. The maximum amount of time allotted to complete the program
is 7 years.
I/O Questions
Is the program available to part-time students?
No. The program is for full-time students only.
Are classes offered in the evening?
No. With very few exceptions, all classes are offered during daytime hours (i.e., between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.).
What sort of criteria are used in making admission decisions?
Admissions decisions are based upon five primary criteria: (1) grades in undergraduate and/or graduate classes, (2) scores on the GRE Verbal and Quantitative tests, (3) previous research experience, (4) strength of letters of recommendation, and (5) fit between student’s interests and those of the area faculty.
How much credit will be given for graduate-level classes taken elsewhere?
Normally, we will accept up to 9 credit hours of work completed elsewhere.
How long will it take to complete the I&O Ph.D. Program?
A student who completes all course work on time, and completes dissertation-related work in a timely fashion should be able to complete the program in 4-5 years.
How long will it take to complete the I&O Ph.D. Program for a person who has completed an M.S. Program at UCF or elsewhere?
A student who completes all course work on time, and completes dissertation-related work in a timely fashion should be able to complete the program in 4-5 years.
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