Assistive Design

A blend of human factors engineering and mechanical engineering, students in this Department of Mechanical Engineering certificate program will learn the fundamentals of design in both fields and apply them to the design of assistive devices to address real-world problems.

Program Highlights

Students are provided with a unique opportunity to tailor their interests in product design to focus on optimizing for a user's unique needs; developing skills that will be of value in the fields of rehabilitation, medical technology, education, and specialty services where dedicated understanding of a user's needs in product design are required.

The courses in this program fulfill requirements in both the MS in Human Factors Engineering and the MS in Mechanical Engineering programs. Students may transfer credits towards a master's degree in either of these programs at Tufts.

Courses

• Designing Physical Solutions for Unique Populations
• Inventive Design
• Human-Machine System Design
• A 100-level course elective in Engineering Psychology

Career Outcomes

The program serves as a technical credential to professionals interested in expanding their skill set to include designing for the needs of unique populations. These populations include professionals (e.g., veterinarians, dentists, and firefighters) as well as individuals with disabilities. Students with a passion for service to the community will find this program particularly worthwhile.