Quantitative analysis of graduate-level systems engineering programs

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ipek Bozkurt ◽  
Jim Helm
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Graduate Level ◽  
Engineering Programs

Systems Engineering Design Projects in Freshmen Engineering Courses

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter R. Frise
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
First Year ◽  
Engineering System ◽  
High Failure Rate ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Freshmen Students ◽  
System Solution

Abstract The first year of most engineering programs: does not normally include much material in engineering practice or design, nor are professionalism, human factors or the concept of an engineering system solution to design problems emphasized. This lack of engineering content has been found to be a factor in the relatively high failure rate in the first year due to students not becoming interested in, and energized by, their studies. The author has developed a number of open-ended design problems which have been successful in teaching the engineering method to freshmen students while at the same time not over-taxing their relatively undeveloped engineering analysis skills. The projects are described and examples are available upon request from the author to allow interested readers to use them in their own programs. The other benefit of these projects has been in identifying students who have difficulty with written communications. Using the design project reports as a diagnostic tool we have been able to refer these students to assistance with their writing skills from the on-campus writing tutorial service.

On Improvement of Graduate Mechatronics Course

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winncy Y. Du
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
State University ◽  
San Jose ◽  
Graduate Level ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
Hands On ◽  
San Jose State University ◽  
Future Topics

Colleges and Universities across the world have developed Mechatronics courses, programs, certificates, and even degrees in order to meet the increasing demands of Mechatronics products and engineers. These Mechatronics courses, mainly focusing on undergraduate level, consist of lecture presentations, well-designed laboratory experiments, and team projects. However, how to teach Mechatronics courses at graduate level remains to be an open area for discussion. The challenge is: what subjects should be addressed, at the graduate level, to closely reflect the latest Mechatronics technologies with much broad coverage and fast growing features, while distinguished from an undergraduate-level Mechatronics course. This paper discusses the approaches that the author used when teaching a graduate level Mechatronics course (ME285 Mechatronics Systems Engineering) at San Jose State University (SJSU). The course outline, laboratory experiments, and sample course projects are presented. The goal is to provide graduate students with a challenging, timely, hands-on, minds-on, and enjoyable experience in advanced Mechatronics. A suggestion of future topics for graduate Mechatronics education is also discussed.

Integration of Education and Research in Mechatronics Engineering Programs

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir V. Vantsevich
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
International Student ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Mechatronic Systems ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
Software Products

Based on extensive experience of establishing and teaching new mechatronic systems engineering courses and M.Sc.-degree program since 2006 at Lawrence Technological University, this paper concentrates on the integration of education and engineering research processes. The paper analyzes challenges such as the content of each academic course and cross-lists all the courses to provide the continuity of education/research process in the mechatronic systems engineering program, selection of modeling and design techniques, usage of software products in the courses and research projects, different educational degrees (including students with PhD degrees) and professional backgrounds of mechatronics students, domestic/international student ratio, and part time/full time student ratio. Based on the analysis of the challenges, a key plan for the education-research integration was developed and implemented. Details are in the paper.

scholarly journals USING META-CASES FOR CAPSTONE LEARNING

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen L. James ◽  
Douglas W. Ruth
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Real World ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Difficult Case ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Aerospace Systems

The purpose of capstone courses and projects in engineering is to provide a learning experience that effectively and reliably solidifies earlier acquired understandings. It provides a culminating exercise that lies just beyond a student’s existing ability so that learning is furthered while motivation is preserved. Historically, individual engineering projects, practicums, and internships have been heavily used to provide that culminating experience; however, with often disappointing results. This has been particularly the case in attempting to cap off programs in systems engineering where the learning ideal would be to have a student experience a real-world complex multi-disciplinary engineering and program environment. Given the limitation, this paper proposes using a term-long, class-based, repeatable meta-case as the capstone learning venue, particularly in support of systems engineering programs where securing meaningful experiential learning is difficult. Case teaching is a classic approach in law, medicine and business faculties where the need to develop higher cognitive abilities—analyzing, synthesizing and judging—inside high ambiguity and across multi-disciplines is paramount. A meta-case, as opposed to other case types, is characterized by the use of a very complex, multi-factor (engineering) real-world challenge with a long, multi-stage solution scenario. In proposing the use of a capstone meta-case, the paper presents its use in an aerospace systems engineering environment where development timelines are very long, and where the engineering requirements and solutions are many and highly interdependent. It specifically discusses the course design structure and considerations associated with a meta-case based on the development of the Airbus A400 military transport aircraft. The paper is based on a year-long study into the use of the case method for teaching aerospace systems engineering.

Levels of Ethics Education in University Graduate Programs

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin Filush ◽  
Nael Barakat
Keyword(s):  
Professional Ethics ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
The United States ◽  
Graduate Level ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Engineering Sciences ◽  
Professional Degree ◽  
Significant Shortage

Professional ethics are critical in guiding how professionals conduct themselves as they apply their knowledge for providing services to the public. Therefore it should be without question that during education, professional degree seeking students should be taught ethics pertaining to their field of study. However, in many graduate programs in the field of engineering sciences throughout the country, professional ethics is not required for a degree, particularly beyond undergraduate degrees. A study was performed in 2006 polling some major universities, covering most of the geographical areas and states of the United States, on the content of their graduate engineering programs pertaining to professional ethics. The results showed that only a very small percentage of universities had a full course or a subject of a course pertaining to professional ethics. These numbers reflect a significant shortage in the students’ education on how to perform in a professional setting. Five years later in 2011, the same universities were polled again to see if any change has been made to improve the ethics education at the graduate level. The data showed a small increase in the number of schools mentioning professional ethics at the graduate level, but the numbers are still very low. This paper covers the poll results along with an analysis of the findings and attempts to explore the reasons behind this lack of emphases on ethics education in engineering at the graduate level. It also discusses what Universities should be teaching students in regards to professional ethics. The analysis includes skills needed in industry as well as the supporting arguments for the importance of ethics education.

Incorporating Basic Systems Thinking and Systems Engineering Concepts in a Sophomore-Level Product Design and Development Course

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim H. Muci-Küchler ◽  
Mark D. Bedillion ◽  
Cassandra M. Degen ◽  
Marius D. Ellingsen ◽  
Shaobo Huang
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Low Complexity ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Development Course

Although many US undergraduate mechanical engineering programs formally expose students to the basic concepts, methodologies, and tools used for the design and development of new products, the scope is usually limited to products of low complexity. There is a need to include activities in the undergraduate curriculum that allow students to learn basic systems engineering concepts, that promote the development of their systems thinking skills, and that allow them to practice these skills. This paper describes an initial effort at integrating systems engineering concepts in the curriculum focusing on a sophomore-level product development course. The paper discusses the approach that was used to identify topics related to systems thinking and systems engineering, provides the list of topics that were selected, and outlines the approach that will be used to incorporate those topics in the course. In addition, it provides the results of a pilot self-efficacy survey focusing on some of the topics selected that was delivered to junior students who had already taken a formal product development course. Although a specific course was considered, the same approach could be used in the context of the entire mechanical engineering undergraduate curriculum. Also, the results presented in the paper could be easily adapted to similar courses at other institutions.

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