Last modified: 22 Jul 2026 13:42
Good workplace design is vital to ensure worker comfort, performance and safety. This course will take a human factors and ergonomics approach to workplace design, taking into account both physiology and cognition. An ergonomics approach to designing tasks, work systems, and interfaces aims to deliver an inclusive workspace, which is user friendly and reduces the likelihood of injury and accident. Core topics within this approach, and that will be covered by the course, include:
• Human cognition and performance limitations (e.g. memory, perception and attention).
• Human physiology and potential risks to health (e.g. repetitive strain injury).
• The workplace environment, such as heat, light, noise and vibration.
• Worker diversity and the design of inclusive workspaces.
• Practical applications of ergonomics, such as risk assessment, upper limb assessment.
• Alarm and emergency response system design.
In order to support the application of learning, the concepts above will be discussed across a range of industrial contexts, such as healthcare, aviation and offshore drilling – supporting students to consider the design of real-world workplaces.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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How will this course be taught? This online course will be delivered primarily through pre-recorded lectures. You will also be provided with real world case studies, learning exercises, and recommended reading (drawn from the latest research and industrial papers).
What does this course cover? The course will introduce and discuss the concepts of cognitive and physical ergonomics at work, including human cognition and performance limitations, physiology and design, workload assessment, environmental factors and design for emergencies.
Why should I take this course? This course bridges theory and application, providing students with a unique opportunity to learn more about the psychology underpinning core design concepts within today’s industry.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 60 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 20 | Feedback Weeks | 24 | |
| Feedback |
Projects will be marked using a defined marking rubric, with feedback provided via Turnitin. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Apply knowledge from the course to make recommendations about safe and effective workplace design |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate the core design considerations relevant to creating safe and inclusive workplaces. |
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key aspects of physical ergonomics within the workplace. |
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key principles relevant to cognitive ergonomics in the workplace. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 17 | Feedback Weeks | 17 | |
| Feedback |
MCQ will be delivered online with automatic marking (1 point for each correct answer). |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key principles relevant to cognitive ergonomics in the workplace. |
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key aspects of physical ergonomics within the workplace. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 12 | Feedback Weeks | 15 | |
| Feedback |
This will be an online interactive discussion board where students will be required to share a post regarding a defined topic relevant to ergonomics, and to comment on the posts of other students. Discussion boards will be marked as pass/fail with online feedback provided. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate the core design considerations relevant to creating safe and inclusive workplaces. |
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key aspects of physical ergonomics within the workplace. |
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key principles relevant to cognitive ergonomics in the workplace. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 60 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key principles relevant to cognitive ergonomics in the workplace. |
| Factual | Understand | Understand the key aspects of physical ergonomics within the workplace. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Evaluate the core design considerations relevant to creating safe and inclusive workplaces. |
| Conceptual | Apply | Apply knowledge from the course to make recommendations about safe and effective workplace design |
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