Master's track Environmental Psychology

Although humans evolved in nature, most people in the Western world spend more than 90% of their time indoors. These spaces are also growing ever more complex and are augmented by digital layers of media, sensing technologies and smart automated systems. Do intelligent buildings optimally balance sustainability, well-being, health and performance or do they frustrate users by taking away autonomy and control? Perhaps even pampering us into ever more vulnerable, ill-adapted and demanding indoor creatures? Are the spaces we design actually optimal for human functioning? These are the themes that form the core of Human-Technology Interaction’s Environmental Psychology track.

What you will learn as part of the Environmental Psychology track

We shape our environments and our environments shape us: whether working, studying, relaxing or recovering from illness, the outcomes of our activities are undoubtedly sculpted by the social and physical environment in which they take place.

In the Environmental Psychology track, we examine the interrelationship between people and their physical and social surroundings. This involves a deep delve into:

• how we perceive and come to interpret and understand the spaces we navigate.
• why we are drawn to certain spaces yet repelled by others.
• how these spaces shape our thoughts, influence our moods and change our circadian rhythms.
• how this ultimately impacts our health, social interactions and cognitive performance.

In addition, students learn to leverage elements such as media, tracking and sensing technology, virtual reality (VR) modeling, simulation software, statistical modeling, and machine learning techniques to investigate the impact of our natural, built and social environments on people, as well as to explore ways of designing environments in which occupants can truly thrive.  

When to choose the Environmental Psychology track

What if sunlight, natural views and mild variations in indoor environment conditions are the true components of healthy minds and bodies? What if we feel happier and more comfortable in spaces in which we operate the lights, blinds and windows ourselves? What is the optimal scale of buildings and neighborhoods for social cohesion? And what can we learn from human behavior in physical spaces when it comes to designing virtual ones? If these questions inspire you, Environmental Psychology might just be the right track for you.

How you will learn

TU/e is located in Brainport – Europe’s most innovative technology region – and this track therefore offers many opportunities to interact with leading companies. This includes site visits, organizational challenges, research projects and guest lectures. To ensure that students feel supported throughout their master’s program and make well-informed decisions, Human-Technology Interaction also makes use of a mentor system. An experienced lecturer and researcher will guide you in making choices on elective courses, studying abroad and the graduation project. This region, program and mentoring system all enable students to tailor their education to their skills and interests with a view to their long-term future.