Human-Centered Design, Ph.D.

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Major Code: 9200	Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy
Delivery Mode(s): Classroom	Admission Status: Graduate
Admission Materials: Letters of recommendation, résumé/CV, objectives, transcripts	Location(s): Main Campus - Melbourne

The Ph.D. program in human-centered design is designed to provide advanced education and research opportunities to qualified students with master’s degrees. On completion, the students can conduct independent scholarly work, teach in academia or pursue advanced research careers in government, or commercial or private sectors.

Admission Requirements

Admission to doctoral study is granted to qualified students on a limited basis who have successfully completed master’s degrees in human-centered design or in the fields of engineering, physical or biological science, computer science or mathematics from accredited institutions. The program is ideally suited for applicants with a strong interest in human and social science or the arts. Applicants with a demonstrated background in industry and academia are eligible, and prior experience is highly recommended.

The applicant must have a master’s degree cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. International applicants must score 100 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL. Applicants must submit undergraduate and graduate transcripts, a résumé/CV, two letters of recommendation and a statement of objectives in addition to the TOEFL scores.

General admission requirements and the application process are discussed under Graduate Academic Information .

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in Human-Centered Design is conferred for the successful completion of the coursework outlined below. General degree requirements are discussed under Graduate Academic Information .

Curriculum

Students must successfully complete the core courses listed below before beginning doctoral research. Student who earned the M.S. in Human-Centered Design from Florida Tech will automatically satisfy this requirement. Students with master’s degrees in related areas may fully or partially satisfy this requirement, dependent on courses taken.

The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 42 credit hours beyond the master’s degree including a minimum of 15 hours of formal courses. Students with no background in human-centered design will satisfy the formal course requirements by completing the core courses, while those who have previously completed some or all of the required core courses will work with their advisor to select additional courses to satisfy the program requirements. Electives must be approved by the student’s advisor and department head.

A minimum of 18 hours of dissertation research (HCD 6999 Dissertation ) is required and at least 15 credit hours of HCD 6999 must be taken beginning with the term in which a student is admitted to candidacy.

Required Core Courses (15 credit hours)

Coursework and Dissertation Summary

Doctoral coursework minimum beyond the master’s degree credit hours: 18
Doctoral research and dissertation credit hours: 24