The Accreditation Committee of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) recently granted reaccreditation to the Human-Computer Interaction and Human Factors (HCI/HF) program at Rice. Housed within the School of Social Sciences’ Department of Psychological Sciences, the HCI/HF program offers a doctoral degree and a professional master’s degree.
The study of Human Factors involves the exploration of the way humans interact with one another, and various products, services, and systems. Human-computer interaction specifically focuses on the way humans interact with computers and other technologies, with the ultimate aim of improving people’s ability to use these systems effectively and efficiently.
“Accreditation is an enormously important factor in graduate students' selection of programs, and we are one of only 20 programs to have this designation,” said Philip Kortum, a professor in the HCI/HF area, and co-director of the professional master’s program. “Garnering reaccreditation speaks volumes about the continued outstanding quality of our program in the education of human factors professionals.”
The HFES is the largest scientific association for human factors and ergonomics professionals in the world. This accreditation from the HFES is valid for six years, at which time Rice’s HCI/HF program will be considered again for renewal.
“The HFES reaccreditation is a reflection of the exceptional quality of Rice's HCI/HF program,” said Pat DeLucia, associate dean for research for the School of Social Sciences and professor of psychological sciences. “Furthermore, it is a testament to the high caliber of nationally recognized faculty we have in the program.”