An overview of the air force institute of technology’s human systems master’s degree program

Abstract

The US Air Force employs systems today to perform tasks we could only have dreamed of in the past. The evolution of the Wright Brother’s flying machine permits operators to fly farther, faster, and higher than originally imagined. Too often, however, the complexity of these and other DoD systems lead to complex, non-intuitive user controls and interfaces that produce less than optimal performance or excessive system brittleness. The Air Force Institute of Technology’s (AFIT) Human Systems specialization, sponsored by the research branch of the US Air Force 711th Human Performance Wing, is designed to provide students with systems engineering and human factors knowledge to permit them to contribute to the research and development of complex systems and systems of systems. This specialization within AFIT’s systems engineering programs, introduces the student to the interdisciplinary technical and management processes for integrating human considerations within the design of complex systems.