This is a practical application paper that looks into the development of a new curriculum for a particular engineering school and looks into the importance of such an activity to the institution, looks at the challenges that the current curriculum has and proposes the subjects of emphasis as the new one id being developed
Engineering Curriculum Content
Engineering curriculum
Acquiring Engineering education is essential in training good quality engineer who afterwards becomes equipped to take up challenging task and responsibility as they undertake their duty. As one who is bestowed with responsibilities of administering an institution with limited resources and assigned to take part in revising the engineering curriculum that can accommodate more number of graduates, it is important to have necessary curriculum contents.
As time passed by, Engineering has continued changing in order to accommodate new challenges as well as the growing technology. Indeed there has been current technological breakthrough in the following areas: nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, information and communications technology, and photonics, among others, (Advisory Committee on Engineering and Technology Education in Georgia., 2008). While responding to the changes that are taking place in engineering, engineering education is also experiencing changes. While engineering is increasingly becoming more specialized, many other materials have to be covered in lower division courses, in junior as well as senior courses. Important changes have been undertaken within engineering education in four-year B.S. programs: the introduction of principles of design as well as other professional engineering features within lower division courses; additional project-based learning; and extra stress on life science, liberal arts, and interdisciplinary material, (.Akmal, T., Oaks, M.M., & Barker, R., 2002).
The rise in need for prerequisite knowledge in related disciplines could facilitate the rise in the required amount of coursework for an A.S. degree at 2-year educational institutions. Some of the states are already having their community college students complete both general education courses and apparently unrelated fields courses, like physical education. Due to this, the required number of credits for an engineering degree has gone up, (Asunda, P.A., 2007). According to one of the study, students who began at community colleges completed an average of 160 credits, while students who had earned a baccalaureate degree in engineering and had started at four-year institutions completed an average of 149 credits.
The content of this engineering curriculum will cover Mathematics Courses, Science Courses, Engineering Courses, and General Studies Courses. These have been considered from an outcome based approach that ensures student acquire knowledge and skills.
Mathematics Courses
As much as mathematics courses do not form part of the engineering courses, it is important for proficiency for individuals who are eager to be more successful in engineering, (McVearry, R.D., 2003). When I will be revising the engineering curriculum, a fair share of mathematics classes has to be of higher priority. Trigonometry, Calculus, Differential Equations, Algebra, as well as coordinate geometry form an integral part of the engineering curriculum.
Science Courses
Science courses are always a great module in an engineering curriculum, especially in case concentration of a student falls in areas such as chemical or biological engineering. Still whether concentration of a student falls in engineering, the requirement will be to cover to some extend areas of physics and chemistry, (University of Georgia. 2009). Some like computer science are frequently modified to the particular needs of the engineering curriculum, and finally they definitely realize that proficiency in such area will be of significant to the rest of their studies.
Engineering Courses
The very engineering courses are at the focal point of each engineering curriculum. Whichever kind of classes that students take part on will be largely based on the individual's area of concentration, (Massachusetts Department of Education, 2001). Within the first year however, engineering courses somehow lean more to the introductory as well as also revolves around the tools that they require in order to carry out the job; particularly computers. Upon understanding the basics, their engineering curriculum changes to concentrate on their specialization areas, (American Society of Mechanical Engineers., 1986). For instance, in case the student concentrate on electronics engineering, the individual has to take a lot of solid state physics in addition to semi-conductor device classes, on top of classes regarding circuit theory and logic circuits.
General Studies Courses
Many of the United States' four-year universities try to make sure that their graduate becomes well-rounded and familiar in areas aside from their specialization. Due to this, their engineering curriculum has to capture various classes such as political science, music appreciation, anthropology, economies, and English composition. My revision to these subjects and integrates them within General Subject in the first year as well as Engineering Management in the final year.
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