Program Overview

If you have a background in kinesiology or just like observing how people and products work together, how workplaces and environments influence our interactions and well-being, then our one-year Advanced Ergonomic Studies graduate certificate program is for you.

Program Details

Program Code
ADE1
Credential:
Ontario College Graduate Certificate
Duration
38 weeks
Start Dates
Locations
Availability

Full Time Offerings

2024 September
London
Open
2023 September
London
Closed
Start Dates
Locations
Availability

Full Time Offerings

2024 September
London
Open
2023 September
London
Closed

Your Learning Experience

The first of its kind in Canada, Fanshawe’s ergonomic training will provide you with opportunities to expand your fundamental understanding of the science of human-machine interactions and injury prevention through optimizing the design and workspaces of workplaces from manufacturing to healthcare.

 

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Association of Canadian Ergonomists Logo

Fanshawe’s advanced ergonomics training focuses on the concepts of human-centered design and the optimization of the workplace to prevent injuries. The program is led by seasoned professional ergonomists and classroom learning is reinforced with hands-on labs that utilize the diversity of workplaces at the Fanshawe campus and field placements that will put your analytical tools to the test. You’ll provide injury prevention and universal design recommendations using a variety of technologies and techniques including exoskeletons, wearables and virtual reality to evaluate and optimize worker and workspace interactions. There are many career opportunities in this growing field.

 

Upon completion of the program, graduates may apply to the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists (CCCPE) for the designation of Associate Ergonomist. CCCPE is an international certification and has been recognized by the International Ergonomics Association. Find further information regarding certification by the CCCPE. Students will also have the opportunity to attend the Applied Ergonomics Conference.

 

Hours of study required for designation

Students who intend to pursue the Associate Ergonomist designation from the Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists are encouraged to complete the following hours of study in the disciplines listed below at a post-secondary institution:

• Anatomy (45 hours)

• Physiology (45 hours)

• Biomechanics (45 hours)

• Qualitative and Quantitative Design and Analysis (45 hours)

 

Program timetable: The timetable includes afternoon and evening classes.

 

Career and Field Placement Information

Career Information

Fanshawe’s Advanced Ergonomics Studies graduate program provides graduates with theoretical and practical knowledge to optimize how products, environments and systems can effectively influence how people interact and engage each other. Career opportunities are diverse and may involve physical ergonomics and/or cognitive ergonomics in a variety of sectors, including health care, industry and manufacturing, government, utilities, software companies and consultancies. Job titles vary by the sector and area of specialization, but include ergonomist, occupational health and safety specialist, human factors engineer and product designer. 

Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario? The advanced ergonomics graduates have over an 86% employment rate. 

Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Advanced Ergonomic Studies program:

Ergonomist, Automotive sector
The design of parts, processes and products. Work with engineers, management and workers to assess, design and optimize the workplace to prevent injuries.

Environmental, Health and Safety Coordinator

Ergonomics is a key component of environmental health and safety compliance. Our Advanced Ergonomics Studies graduates bring unique skills to health and safety teams. 

 

Field Placement Information 

  • Ability at Work (Kitchener)
  • Air Canada (Mississauga)
  • Cambridge Memorial Hospital (Cambridge)
  • Cargill (Mississauga)
  • Ergonomics for Manufacturing (Hanover)
  • ergoNow (Windsor)
  • General Dynamics Land Systems (London)
  • Hamilton Health Sciences (Hamilton)
  • Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto)
  • Igloo Software (Kitchener)
  • Injury Prevention Plus (Ottawa)
  • Kingston General Hospital (Kingston)
  • Labatt (London)
  • London Health Sciences Centre (London)
  • Municipality of Chatham-Kent (Chatham-Kent)
  • Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (Hamilton)
  • Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (Windsor)
  • Optimal Fit Inc. (Calgary)
  • Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo)
  • Royal Victoria Regional Health Care (Barrie)
  • S.C. Johnson (Brantford)
  • Toyota (Cambridge)
  • Toyota (Woodstock)
  • Union Gas (Chatham)
  • University of British Columbia (Vancouver)
  • Woodbridge Foam (Blenheim)

 

Faculty and Program Advisory Committee

Faculty Members

  • Program coordinator: Allison Stephens, MSc, CCPE, CPE
  • Jim Arnold, BSc, CCPE
  • John Boakes, BSc,MBA, CCPE, CRSP
  • Claire Brisland, MSc, CCPE
  • Rob Caryn, MSc, R.Kin
  • Brendan Coffey, MSc, AE
  • Derek Dawson, BHK, MASc, CPC
  • Luigi Di Raimo, MSc, CCPE, CErgHF, UXC, PMP
  • Amir Estulin, BSc, CCPE
  • Gillian Greeley, BSc, PhD
  • Kelly Hogan, MSc, CCPE
  • Karen Hoodless M.Eng, CCPE, CPE
  • Anita Jogia, BSc, CCPE, R.Kin, CRSP
  • Elisha Lemoire, BSc, CCPE
  • Tanya Morose, MSc, CCPE, CRSP
  • Mike Sonne, PhD, CCPE

 

Program Advisory Committee 

  • Katie Allanson, CCPE
  • Jim Arnold, CCPE
  • Andrew Beath, CCPE
  • Holance Chan, AE
  • Nancy Gowan, Reg. OT (ON), CDMP
  • Derek Graansma
  • Karen Hoodless, CCPE, CPE
  • Brenda Mallat, CCPE
  • Marny Mason, CCPE
  • Tanya Morose, CCPE, CRSP
  • Don Patten, CCPE, CRSP, R.Kin
  • Amii Pereira, CCPE
  • Katie Selman, AE
  • Mike Sonne, CCPE
  • Melissa Statham, CCPE
  • Carrie Taylor, CCPE, CPE, R.Kin
  • Renee Uruski, R.Kin
  • Curtis VanderGriendt, CCPE
  • Shannon Woods

 

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

  1. Assess worker-machine and worker-workplace interactions and ergonomics concerns using current technologies and appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques. added for HCI course
  2. Identify the mechanisms and causes of injury in a variety of workplace settings, and recommend appropriate assistive tools and workplace modifications to reduce the potential for workplace injury.
  3. Synthesize information about the elements of an ergonomically sound workplace or product to guide study design, evaluation, and/or proposed intervention.
  4. Analyze the cost-effectiveness of control methods and their value in mitigating the financial impacts of risk in the workplace.
  5. Prepare succinct technical reports and design specifications that include conclusions and recommendations that are supported by the analysis of data and the relevant scientific literature.
  6. Collaborate and communicate effectively across functional teams and levels of management to influence effective workplace outcomes.
  7. Recommend workstation, equipment, and tool design changes based on the application of anthropometric tables and calculations. 
  8. Examine the impact of biophysical and psychosocial factors including human perception and information processing on an individual’s performance in the workplace.

 

Academic School

Program Coordinator:

Karen Hoodless

 

Admission Requirements

A Degree in Kinesiology or Human Kinetics
OR
A Degree in Engineering, Health Sciences, Nursing (or equivalent) or in a related discipline (as determined by the College)
AND
Successful completion of the following university or college courses (as determined by the College): 
    - Anatomy
    - Physiology
    - Biomechanics
    - Qualitative and Quantitative Design and Analysis

Note:
- Applicants who lack the required Anatomy and Physiology may still gain eligibility for admission by completing appropriate prior upgrading. Please contact the Program Coordinator for more information about online courses.

International Admission Equivalencies
Admission equivalencies for Fanshawe depends on your country of study. Please enter your location to see the requirements for your country below.
English Language Requirements

English Language Requirements

Test Score
TOEFL iBT 88
IELTS Academic Overall score of 6.5 with no score less than 6.0 in any of the four bands
CAEL Overall score of 70 with no score less than 60 in any of the four bands
PTE Academic 59
Cambridge English Overall score of 176 with no language skill less than 169
ESL4/GAP5 Minimum grade of 80% in Level 9, 75% in Level 10
Duolingo Overall score of 120, with no score lower than 105

 

Learn More about English Language Requirements

Applicant Selection Criteria

Applicant Selection Criteria

Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:
  1. Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
  2. Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full)
  3. Achievement in the Admission Requirements

Courses

Level 1
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
ERGO-6006Ergonomics Theory & Practice4.5
This course, along with the hands-on experience gained in the lab, will build upon students' fundamental understanding of ergonomic principles and the application of those principles in the design of work systems including the assessment of workplaces and injuries through use of ergonomic tools and implementation of solutions. Topics of study will also include: ergonomic methodology and measurement, ergonomic assessment tools, program implementation including cost benefit analysis and psychosocial factors that impact worker performance. The course includes practical application of the assessment tools and theory through laboratory assignments. The final project will allow the students to demonstrate their understanding of the course content through application to a real world problem in the workplace.
ERGO-6011Research Methods & Statistics5
This course will prepare students to conduct research and academic writing as it applies to the field of ergonomics. The research process will be introduced including: literature review, conceptualization, operationalization, and report writing.The foundations of statistical analysis will also be examined including: ANOVA, t-tests, and post-hoc tests. Additional focus will be given to the importance of sample sizes, power, and the corresponding effects on research outcomes. At the end of the course, students will be able to design a study, interpret research findings, and critically examine technical reports. The students will also learn how to use statistical software to help them solve their research problems, and present their data in an effective and efficient manner.
ERGO-6004Human-Computer Interactions2
This course introduces students to the methodologies and principles for designing user interfaces, as well as the importance of program layout and suitability. Additional focus will be given to human psychology and how humans process information and react to their environment.
ERGO-6012Safety in the Workplace3
This course, along with the hands-on experience gained in the lab, will build upon students' fundamental understanding of ergonomic principles and the application of those principles in the design of work systems including the assessment of workplaces and injuries through use of ergonomic tools and implementation of solutions. Topics of study will also include: ergonomic methodology and measurement, ergonomic assessment tools, program implementation including cost benefit analysis and psychosocial factors that impact worker performance. The course includes practical application of the assessment tools and theory through laboratory assignments. The final project will allow the students to demonstrate their understanding of the course content through application to a real world problem in the workplace.
View all courses

Tuition Summary

London

Canadian Costs
$5,683.93
Total Cost of Program
International Costs
$24,457.23
Total Cost of Program

*Total program costs are approximate, subject to change and do not include the health and dental plan fee, bus pass fee or program general expenses.

 

Contact/Questions