Design and Environmental Analysis

The Applied Research in Human Environment Relations concentration is a multi-disciplinary program focused on the inter-relations between human beings and the physical environment. DEA’s faculty include environmental, developmental, and human factors psychologists, a housing economist, and designers with backgrounds in interior design, industrial design, and architecture.

Graduate training is suitable for those interested in further study for a Ph.D. and for persons interested in careers working closely with designers as behavioral science consultants/team members. 

• Role of physical settings in human behavior 
• Methods and processes for planning, designing, and managing built environment 
• Dynamic interplay between user characteristics (e.g., disability, age, socio-cultural, gender) and the built environment

Students may minor in any field at Cornell. Some common minor fields for Applied Research in Human Environment Relations are Human Development, Interior Design, City and Regional Planning, Organizational Behavior, Psychology, and Sociology.

The M.S. in Applied Research in Human Environment Relations provides an excellent foundation for more advanced graduate work in the fields of environmental psychology, planning, human factors, geography, housing, social epidemiology, and other social sciences. Career opportunities include facilities planning and management, architectural programming and post-occupancy evaluation, program evaluation, planning and environmental management, and various policy organizations, particularly pertaining to the physical environment.

Required DEA field course audits:
DEA1110	Making a Difference: By Design	3 credits
DEA1500	Intro to Human Environment Relations	3 credits
Research & design methods courses required:
DEA6500	Programming	4 credits
DEA6560	Research Methods in Human Environ Relations	4 credits
Varies	Statistics	Varies
Choose four courses from the following required MS courses:
DEA6510	Human Factors: Ergonomics-Anthropometrics	4 credits
DEA6520	Human Factors: Ambient Environment	4 credits
DEA6530	Planning and Managing the Workplace	4 credits
DEA6600	Environment and Social Behavior	4 credits
DEA6610	Environments and Health through the Life Course	4 credits
Required course:
DEA8990	Master Thesis	8-12 Credits

Summary of Curriculum	Number of Courses	Total Credits
Required DEA field course audits	2	[6] audit
Research & Design methods	2-3	10-12
Required M.S. courses	4	16
Master Thesis	1-2	8-12
Courses in minor	2-3 as required	6-10*
Additional courses (if not TA)	1-3	3-9
Total	12-17	Total: 49-65*

*Additional courses in research specialization are at the discretion of the student's thesis committee.  They are necessary only when required courses or the minor do not provide adequate background for completion of the thesis.

NOTE: Effective as of Fall 2007, a minimum grade of B- is required for courses taken within this major.