Course overview
This course introduces learners to the engineering profession with the goal of fostering vital personal and professional skills for sustainable engineering practice. Learners will develop their identity as modern engineers, contributing collaboratively to sustainable and equitable communities. Emphasising the interdisciplinary nature of engineering, themes include intercultural competence and collaboration with First Nations peoples, professional conduct and skills, effective communication, the engineering method from problem formulation through the complete life cycle, ideation and critical assessment of solutions (including critical evaluation of sustainability and socio-economic aspects), alongside basic project management strategies and processes. These themes are explored through team and project-based learning activities.
- Professional Skills
- Professional Responsibility
- Professional Development
Course learning outcomes
- Describe the role and responsibilities of the professional engineer in modern society, identify key attributes of professional engineers, and develop a professional development plan based on an evaluation of personal strengths and areas for improvement incorporating reflective skills to support ongoing personal and professional growth.
- Demonstrate an awareness of engineering as a socio-technical profession including the sustainable, environmental, safety, economic, ethical and diverse social, cultural and global contexts in which it is practiced and critically evaluate proposed engineering solutions using these perspectives.
- Explain the engineering method from problem formulation through the complete life-cycle, and apply the engineering method to generate and assess ideas and solution alternatives.
- Integrate cultural awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing into engineering practice, developing an understanding of inclusive collaboration and respectful engagement with First Nations communities.
- Practice professional conduct, inclusive teamwork skills and apply basic project management principles to engineering problems.
- Locates and appropriately references reliable and relevant sources of information and demonstrates written, oral and graphical communication skills appropriate for academic and professional engineering contexts.