Design and Environmental Analysis (Graduate Field)
Field Description
The Field of Design and Environmental Analysis brings together some of the world's leading experts in interior design, human factors and ergonomics, facility planning and management, and environmental psychology into a single field and department. Students benefit from a low faculty-to-student ratio and the faculty's integrated approach to the study of the planning, design, and management of the built environment and its effects on those using it.
Graduate students in DEA are admitted within one of three degree programs within the DEA Graduate Field: Masters of Art in Design, Masters of Science in Human Environment Relations or Ph.D. in Human Behavior and Design.
The M.A. degree is a two-year, post-professional degree program intended for students with an undergraduate degree in interior design, architecture, or product design who want to do advanced study and research in interior design. The program culminates in a formal research thesis in which students are encouraged to systemically develop and test research based design solutions, theories, and methods.
The M.S. program is intended for students with a wide variety of undergraduate degrees who want to study the relationship between people and their physical surroundings, some aspect of facility planning and management, or human factors.
The Ph.D. in Human Behavior and Design at Cornell University is a multidisciplinary program integrating the social sciences and design. Research focuses on environmental settings across a range of scales (from products to buildings to cities), that support safe, healthy and productive behaviors and foster sustainable design and lifestyles.
For more information, check the department web site.
Research opportunities:
Much of the research occurs in the field. The department also has a computer-aided design and facility management lab; human factors and ergonomics research labs; an art and environmental design gallery; and a wood workshop.