I was looking for somewhere with a good reputation in Ergonomics plus the opportunity to have in person lectures rather than distance learning, as I felt it would be better for developing networks with likeminded people. It also helped that º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ was recommended to me by a well-regarded Human Factors professional and I already knew some of the teaching faculty.
There was great support for us to be independent thinkers and tailor assignments to link with our own professional or personal backgrounds. This helped to me see the wider application of what we were learning and get deeper insight.
This course provides a great mix of topics that really help you recognise the breadth of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) and there are lots of opportunities to explore different industry perspectives, as well as focusing on how HFE applies to your own profession. The mix of people on the programme is already really good for getting diverse perspectives and growing a network for future support.
The course has consolidated my enthusiasm for the subject - I already enjoyed learning about HFE and this has only been strengthened, which is part of the reason I wanted to continue studying with a PhD. The teaching faculty have also been very supportive of my ambitions to undertake further study, which gave me confidence to take that step. I also appreciate the knowledge and skills I’ve gained, which have empowered me to put myself forward as a specialist and recognise the value I can bring to healthcare quality and safety.
Since completing my master’s, I have been awarded a funded PhD place to study safety systems management in more detail. This is based at the University of Leeds and I will continue working with º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ faculty as part of the wider team I’ve joined.
I worked through this programme part time alongside a part time job and family life - it is a big commitment but for me the independence of postgraduate study gave me the flexibility to fit everything together.
There was less emphasis on the social side of university, particularly as I was predominantly based away from campus, but there were still plenty of opportunities to make friends. I really liked that the people on this course were all passionate about the subject and many had quite a few years’ experience in an industry before studying, which made for really rich conversations.