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Course specification
The current and official versions of the course specifications are available on the web at .
Please consult the web for updates that may occur during the year.

ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering

Semester 2, 2020 On-campus Toowoomba
Short Description: Professional Skill Engineering
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
Student contribution band : Band 2
ASCED code : 039999 - EnginTech not classified
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Rationale

The commencing cohorts in the graduate programs offered by the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying at USQ have a diverse range of cultural, life, educational and work experiences. Many students enter these programs with advanced academic standing based on prior studies, either in Australia or overseas. However, all of them will be challenged when they study a contemporary tertiary level engineering or spatial science program. The reasons for those challenges will vary from student to student. Students who are undertaking tertiary study at an Australian university for the first time will be challenged by the educational environment and its expectations. Mature age students may be challenged because some of the knowledge and skills they acquired may have degraded and this could impact on their ability to study a tertiary level in their chosen program.

Synopsis

This course will provide students with the opportunity to acquire or enhance the personal and professional skills required for them to succeed in their respective USQ engineering program. Two themes are followed throughout the course. Firstly, the development of personal and self-management skills and, secondly, the development of skills and understanding about the stages in, and processes used when applying the 'engineering method'. The learning is situated in the Australasian context and case studies are used so students will acquire their knowledge and skills about the engineering and spatial science professions in a real world environment. The first assessment item requires students to reflect on and self-assess their progress towards achieving Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competencies and then map a pathway to help them achieve that goal. In the second assessment, item students will apply the engineering method to a project, and use basic project management skills to manage the processes in each stage of the method.

Objectives

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. On completion of this course, students should be able to:

  1. Reflect on, assess, and report on their learning from past educational and workplace experiences, including team experiences while using self-management skills and E-portfolio to plan and manage their own learning;
  2. Demonstrate an awareness of the functions and professional skills required for their profession including the demonstration of an understanding of ethics and sustainability;
  3. Research for, evaluate, summarise and cite the information for a project and write accurate, concise, unambiguous, and grammatically correct technical writing while selecting and using appropriate formats for technical memos, letters and reports;
  4. Prepare and verbally present project information in clear and precise English;
  5. Demonstrate an ability to apply basic engineering problem solving strategies and methods, applying engineering methods to plan and complete an engineering or spatial science project.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Introduction to the importance of core skills and professional attributes within the Australian engineering context. This will include discussions on the future of engineering, skill shortage, career management and career planning in Australia. 10.00
2. Development of e-portfolio as a reflection on current achievements in terms of engineering competencies, personal qualities, attributes, hard and soft skills and research effectiveness. 10.00
3. Introduction to a major problem of the world and use of engineering method in measuring its impacts to the community. This will include discussions on how to conduct background research, find alternative solutions, evaluating options, communicating the solution, running project management and perform various cost analyses. 15.00
4. Development of personal skills in reading, listening, note writing, time management, team work, effective group leadership, as well as conflict and dispute resolutions 10.00
5. Communicating information via factual and persuasive methods in the form of a technical proposal. This will include enhancement of information literacy skills, evaluation of information and sources, and using the correct methods for citing and referencing. 20.00
6. Utilising problem solving tools for generating alternative solutions, which includes evaluation of economic solutions and use of appropriate mathematical modelling. 10.00
7. Understanding project management principles by carefully planning the project stages and developing the relevant risk management and quality management plans. 10.00
8. Applying the sustainable engineering principles by considering the ecological, environmental, social and economic aspects. 10.00
9. Understanding and applying relevant ethics and codes for solving common engineering problems and recognising personal limitations in professional practice 5.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=02&subject1=ENG5001)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

There are no texts or materials required for this course.

Reference materials

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Blicq, R & Moretto, L 2012, Technically-write!, Canadian 8th edn, Pearson Prentice Hall, Toronto, Canada.
Dowling, D, Carew, A & Hadgraft, R 2016, Engineering your future: an Australasian guide, 3rd edn, Wiley, Milton, Qld.
Engineers Australia 2011, Chartered status: a handbook for applicants, Engineers Australia, Canberra, ACT.
(This publication may be downloaded from the web as a PDF document via the link below: .)
Eunson, B 1995, Writing technical documents, Wiley, Milton, Qld.

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Assessments 50.00
Lectures 25.00
Private 精东传媒app 55.00
Tutorials 25.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Objectives Assessed Notes
REFLECTION 25 25 10 Aug 2020 1,2
PROJECT PLAN 25 25 07 Sep 2020 3,4,5
PROJECT PORTFOLIO 50 50 16 Oct 2020 1,2,3,4,5

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To satisfactorily complete an assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks or a grade of at least C-. Students do not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to be awarded a passing grade in this course. Refer to Statement 4 below for the requirements to receive a passing grade in this course.

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade in a course a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks for the course.

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.

  6. Examination information:
    There is no examination in this course.

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Not applicable.

  8. 精东传媒app Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene 精东传媒app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Assessment notes

  1. The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the Examiner.

  2. Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be despatched to USQ within 24 hours if required by the Examiner.

  3. In accordance with 精东传媒app Policy, the Examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.

  4. If electronic submission of assessments is specified for the course, students will be notified of this in the course Introductory Book and on the USQ 精东传媒app Desk. All required electronic submission must be made through the Assignment Drop Box located on the USQ 精东传媒app Desk for the course, unless directed otherwise by the examiner of the course. The due date for an electronically submitted assessment is the date by which a student must electronically submit the assignment. The assignment files must be submitted by 11.55pm on the due date using USQ time (as displayed on the clock on the course home page; that is, Australian Eastern Standard Time).

  5. If the method of assessment submission is by written, typed or printed paper-based media students should (i) submit to the Faculty Office for students enrolled in the course in the on-campus mode, or (ii) mail to the USQ for students enrolled in the course in the external mode. The due date for the assessment is the date by which a student must (i) submit the assessment for students enrolled in the on-campus mode, or (ii) mail the assessment for students enrolled in the external mode.

  6. The Faculty will NOT normally accept submission of assessments by facsimile or email.

  7. Students who do not have regular access to postal services for the submission of paper-based assessments, or regular access to Internet services for electronic submission, or are otherwise disadvantaged by these regulations may be given special consideration. They should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate such special arrangements prior to the submission date.

  8. Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded one of the temporary grades: IM (Incomplete - Make up), IS (Incomplete - Supplementary Examination) or ISM (Incomplete -Supplementary Examination and Make up). A temporary grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non directed personal study.

  9. Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination; IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up

  10. Harvard (AGPS) is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use Harvard (AGPS) style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (AGPS) style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide.

Date printed 6 November 2020