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Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors MS, PhD Programs

Technology is only as effective as the way people understand and use it. Applied cognitive science and human factors examine human cognition, behavior, and performance in systems that combine people and technology, whether they are robotics, automation, STEM education, medicine, military, and video games. Join a program that develops scholars and practitioners who improve human-machine systems through theoretically grounded instruction and technological design. Are you ready?

The Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Who is This Program For?

This degree may be a good fit for students interested in how people perceive information, make decisions, and interact with technology. It can serve interests in psychology, cognition, systems design, and related technical fields. Consider it if you want to investigate human performance in technology-rich environments; study usability, accessibility, or human–machine interaction; and connect behavioral research with the design and assessment of systems.

What You'll Study

Analyze how human thinking, behavior, and performance influence interactions with technology. Previous research has included decision tools for disaster response, accessible auditory graphs, computational models of expert knowledge, in-vehicle motion detection, support for cognitive aging, and medical decision making. These examples connect cognitive science with the evaluation and design of human–machine systems.

Where You'll Apply Your Knowledge and Skills

How can a driver recognize a warning sooner, or a clinician navigate information more easily? Human-factors knowledge helps you evaluate whether technologies work for the people using them. Applications include usability testing, accessible interfaces, operator decision-support systems, and assessment of human performance in complex environments.

Workplaces where these questions arise include automotive product-development teams, healthcare technology groups, and research laboratories. For instance, Ford works on vehicle systems and ergonomics whereas Mayo Clinic has digital product and healthcare technology functions—two different settings where human-centered analysis can inform design.

Delivery Options
- Accelerated: MS
- On-Campus: MS, PhD

Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors Program Details

Choose a specific degree option or delivery type to learn more about the applied cognitive science and human factors program at Michigan Tech. For international students, Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors is a designated STEM program.

On-Campus Programs

PhD requirements: Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors

To complete a doctoral degree, students must complete the following milestones:

Complete all coursework and research credits (see credit requirements below)
Pass Qualifying Examination
Pass Research Proposal Examination
Prepare and Submit Approved Dissertation
Pass Final Oral Defense

The minimum credit requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Degrees	Credits
MS-PhD (minimum)	30 Credits
BS-PhD (minimum)	60 Credits

Individual programs may have higher standards and students are expected to know their program's requirements. See the Doctor of Philosophy Requirements website for more information about PhD milestones and related timelines.

MS, Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

MS, Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate Admissions. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Accelerated MS, Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors

Bachelor's + 1 Year = Master's Degree

Our accelerated master's degree program is a faster, easier way for Michigan Tech students to earn a master's degree. Up to nine approved credits from your bachelor's degree can be applied towards your accelerated master's degree. Consult your graduate program director for your individualized plan. If you're thinking about pursuing a master's following your bachelor's this option may be the right choice for you.

Additional Program Information

Want to learn more about applied cognitive science and human factors at Michigan Tech? Visit the department for more information:

Contact

Graduate Director

Kevin Trewartha

Graduate Assistant

Megan Johnson

Sample Areas of Interest

Select areas of interest to help customize your applied cognitive science and human factors MS and PhD. Sample areas include:

Applied Ethics
Attention
Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making
Experimental Philosophy

View full listing for this program

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Using a holistic approach, our graduate admissions team reviews applications on an individual and ongoing basis. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, but you will need to upload them later.

Graduate Admissions Process

Applying to your graduate program is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. Please note that international applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps.

Graduate Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate Admissions Requirements

To be considered for admission to your program as either a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program-Specific Requirements

Program Specific

Bachelor's / Master's degree in a field related to Cognitive Science, Human Factors, or Ergonomics (Preferred but not required)
3 Letters of Recommendation
Résumé / Curriculum vitae
Admitted students generally have an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale
Writing Sample (preferably related to the field of interest)
For Master's thesis and PhD, you must list faculty and areas of interest. Students must list at least one faculty member as a potential advisor whom they have contacted before applying.
For all PhD applicants, the GRE is required.

International Students

TOEFL scores as of January 21, 2026: Recommended Score of 4.5
- For tests taken before January 21, 2026: Recommended Score of 90 iBT
IELTS: Recommended Overall Band Score of 6.5

Michigan Tech requires a minimum of 4.5 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Fall decisions made beginning on February 1

Recommended Deadlines

Fall Semester: January 15

Spring/Summer Semester: Typically students are admitted in the Fall, but applicants will be considered for other semesters if their materials are submitted at least a semester in advance.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Accelerated Master's Requirements

Our Accelerated Master's Program is available for current Michigan Tech students.

Program Specific

2 Letters of Recommendation
Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater
Resume/Curriculum Vitae
No GRE Required
Course Plan

Psychology Minors Only

Prerequisite: Undergraduate statistics course

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

Psychology
Management Information Systems (MIS)
Any Major with a Psychology Minor

Accredited by HLC

Michigan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1928. We offer over 125 graduate certificates, master's degrees, and PhD programs to provide our students and the world with what tomorrow needs.

Who You'll Learn From and Work With

Work with an interdisciplinary faculty community that includes psychologists, engineers, philosophers, computer scientists, and usability specialists. Their research examines how people perceive information, make decisions, and interact with technology. Faculty research and collaborations have addressed human performance, accessibility, transportation, and health-related questions, connecting the study of cognition with the design and evaluation of systems.

Their research has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Department of Education, and industry partners.

Where You'll Study and Do Research

You'll access state-of-the-art research environments designed to study how people interact with technology. Interact with robots, driving simulators, video-game consoles, eye movement and motion tracking systems, physiological measurement tools, and experimental development software.

Faculty Spotlight

Kevin M. Trewartha

Kevin M. Trewartha
Associate Professor,
Psychology and Human Factors

"There is an intimate link between motor behavior and cognitive function."

Using a robot and virtual reality displays, Trewartha examines neurodegenerative disease as revealed by motor behavior when learning a novel task.

"You can see differences in motor behavior and performance that are indicative of cognitive decline and aging, even in individuals who we would say are normal with cognitive and neurological tests."

Program Faculty