uwloo

SYDE 543Cognitive Ergonomics

Units
0.50
Faculty
Engineering
Subject
Systems Design Engineering

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course focuses on the role engineering psychology research plays in design of the information displays and devices associated with simple and complex cognitive tasks. Main topics include signal detection and target location tasks, navigation tasks, training tasks, communication tasks, human error, stress and mental workload, supervisory control, and situational awareness.

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • AVIA210 - Human Factors in Aviation (0.50)

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 001479155 / 55T 10:00–11:50
Th 10:00–10:50
TUT 101479255 / 55Th 11:00–11:50

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00149340 / 68T 09:30–11:20
Th 09:30–10:20
LEC 7011995118 / 9999Online or by arrangement
TUT 10149350 / 68Th 10:30–11:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

94% liked it92% easy87% useful

From 17 ratings and 6 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Took this course with Christine Murad, who was a new professor teaching for the first time. Assignment 1 worth 15%, assignment 2 worth 20%, term paper worth 40%, presentation about the term paper worth 10%, 2 online quizzes worth 5% each, and participation worth 5% (it all comes from showing up to your classmates' term paper presentations). If you want a bird TE, this is absolutely one you should take. The concepts are extremely easy, and you don't even have to show up to class since she basically just reads off the slides that she posts anyways. There's little to no benefit to going to class, which is why attendance rate was like 20% throughout the term. Everything about this class was…

    Dec 2024 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • An interesting course that I'd highly recommend. For the F23 offering, there was no final, however, the course is still very back-heavy. The midterm happened a good 3-4 weeks after the midterm period and a good 60% of grades are due in the last month of class.

    Dec 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The only reason this was difficult was because of the disorganized professor. The course covers exciting topics but the delivery roped in a lot of unnecessary, usually out-of-scope material that diluted the interesting topics.

    Apr 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • For any SYDE students who were taking this course this term, it was mostly a review of SYDE 162. I expected to learn a little bit more new material, but this may be because we have a different Prof than Shi Cao this term. Really good course, though!

    Mar 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Continuation of Human Factors. Can be interesting for people interested in applied psych, design and so on. Birdy course.

    Oct 2018 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

10 posts and comments in 9 threads mention SYDE 543, October 2012 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Spring 2022

Anyone taken CHE 361 or BME 393? Or other TE suggestions? 1 point, 2 comments

“Can't find any course reviews for these. I'm in Nano, but looking for interesting TEs. Ideally courses that are fairly easy to get above 80 in as well. …”

u/ab_zillaa: “BME 393 is only offered in the winter term fyi. Course was fine (Parsin is a wonderful teacher and great person overall). However, the lab is a LOT of work imo. …”

u/ab_zillaa: “… To relate with OP's interesting/easy to get a high mark in, I'd recommend SYDE 543 (cognitive ergonomics), I really enjoyed it. …”

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Spring 2021

Technical elective choice help: MTE 545, NE 481, BME 550, ECE 484, NE 466 1 point, 9 comments

“Hello everyone. I am a struggling almost 4A student struggling to choose electives. If you have any experience from these courses and general topics, difficulty, other notes please lmk”

u/BME_or_Bust: “I took NE 466 online. Super short lectures and not many deliverables. Pretty long group research paper at the end. Not too hard, decently interesting, but meh prof.”

u/BME_or_Bust: “All SYDE courses For fall term, SYDE 533 and SYDE 543 are good and easy. Also heard good things about the BME ultrasound course if that’s running.”

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Winter 2021

Fall 2020

Spring 2019

Fall 2017

Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments

“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”

u/Jackhofmann: “… SYDE 252 SYDE 262 SYDE 283 SYDE 286 SYDE 292 SYDE 292L SYDE 401 SYDE 411 SYDE 461 SYDE 533 SYDE 543 SYDE 553 SYDE 575 SYDE 631 SYDE 677 SYDE 682 SYDE 740 SYDE 750 SYDE 770 SYDE 780 TAX 600 TAX 614 TAX 616 TAX 619 TAX 620 TN 700 TOUR 603 TPM 1X000 TS 600 TS 610 TS 637 TS 652 TS …”

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Fall 2015

Best marks 7 points, 74 comments

“Given all these posts about everyone failing courses this term, switch it up and post your best grades from this term or in the past, or grades which far exceeded your expectations in a course. …”

u/Victawr: “95 in SYDE543 Wasn't particularly difficult.”

u/ErgoBiomech: “96 in SYDE 543 94 in KIN 354 93 in SYDE 348”

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Fall 2012

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar