Course alpha, number, title

ECE 480—Senior Design

 

 

 

Course (catalog) description

Electrical engineering and computer engineering senior design experience involving contemporary design tools and practices, engineering standards, cross-functional teaming, oral and written technical communication, lifelong learning

 

 

Prerequisite(s)

(ECE 302 and ECE 303) and (ECE 331 or ECE 313 or ECE 306) and (ECE 410 or ECE 411 or ECE 421 or ECE 435 or ECE 457 or ECE 466 or ECE 476 or ECE 418) or (CSE 410 or CSE 420 or CSE 422) and ECE 390 (or concurrent) and completion of Tier I writing requirement.

 

 

Textbook(s) and/or other required material

Current literature found in trade journals, professional-society publications, manufacturer's publications, etc., related to the course learning objectives.

 

 

Course objectives

At the completion of this one-semester course, each student should have actively participated as a member of an engineering design team and made significant contributions to achieving the team's stated goal and objectives. Specific team activities should include: 1) propose an engineering design project that has clearly stated design criteria, which includes realistic constraints; 2) share in the day-to-day design activities and management of the project; 3) share in the presentation of oral and written progress reports; 4) share in the demonstration of results at key milestones during the life of the project; and evaluate the project's progress and outcomes against a clearly articulated set of criteria.

At the completion of this course, each student should be able to:

  1. describe the reasons and forms of technical communication;
  2. write technical reports;
  3. write a team proposal for a major design project and obtain approval;
  4. understand and be able to work in Peer Response Groups on writing feedback;
  5. comprehend the content and style of oral presentations;
  6. access relevant standards and interpret their meaning and application;
  7. delineate the principal design criteria and constraints for an electrical or computer engineering design project—e.g., cost, size, power, environmental factors, reliability, safety, maintainability, and reusability;
  8. describe and understand the overall engineering design process—e.g., project justification, identification of constraints, establishment of design criteria, establishment of timetables, the partitioning of work, project monitoring, and project evaluation;
  9. describe and understand contemporary industry practices and trends with respect to electrical and computer engineering;
  10. describe, understand, and apply key tools used in the overall electrical and computer engineering design process;
  11. understand the benefits and potential problems of teaming, describe qualities and processes of effective teams, and describe the role of teamwork in system design;
  12. acquire and understand information contained in contemporary technical literature—e.g., trade journals, magazines, books, conference proceedings, and supplier literature—about hardware components, software, design tools, third-party suppliers, etc.; and
  13. browse the web to acquire information about electrical and computer engineering, software, design tools, third-party suppliers, etc.

 

 

Topics covered
  1. open-ended design
  2. proposal writing
  3. project management and associated tools
  4. oral presentations
  5. engineering safety
  6. design standards
  7. team development
  8. engineering design process
  9. intellectual property in the workplace
  10. contemporary issues in ECE

 

 

Contribution of course to meeting the professional component
  1. college-level mathematics and basic sciences—0 credits
    with experimental experience—yes or no
  2. engineering topics—4 credits
  3. general education—0 credits

 

 

Relationship of course to program outcomes

The following measurement standard is used to evaluate the relationship between the course objectives and selected educational-program outcomes:

1 = Strong Emphasis, 2 = Emphasis, 3 = No Emphasis

Indicate the level of emphasis of each education outcome in the course:   (1, 2 or 3)

  1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering— 2
  2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data—2
  3. an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs—2     
  4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams—1
  5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems—2
  6. an ability to communicate effectively—1
  7. the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global/societal context—2
  8. a recognition of the need for and the ability to engage in life-long learning—1
  9. a knowledge of contemporary issues—1
  10. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice—1
  11. a knowledge of probability and statistics, including applications appropriate to the program name—3
  12. a knowledge of advanced mathematics, typically including differential equations, linear algebra and complex variables, and discrete mathematics—3
  13. an ability to design complex devices and systems containing both hardware and software components, as demonstrated by engagement in a major engineering design experience—1

 

 

Class/laboratory schedule

4(3-3)—Flexible lecture and lab schedule to accommodate the overall course learning objectives

 

 

Person(s) who prepared this description

E. Goodman

 

 

Date of Preparation

January 5, 2009