Introduction to Professional Engineering ELEX 3685

Upon successful completion, the student will be able to:

• Describe the main disciplines of engineering [8].
• Describe the main types of activities in which engineers commonly participate, including but not limited to consultation, projects, management, maintenance, customer support, applied research, product development, entrepreneurship, marketing, and sales [8,11].
• Describe the appropriate roles and responsibilities of engineers within technology-oriented organizations of various sizes [8].
• Describe recommended technical and non-technical activities for success as an engineer [7,8,11].
• Describe the challenges of entrepreneurship, and approaches that an entrepreneurial engineer should take to address the challenges [8,11].
• State the roles and obligations of a Professional Engineer regarding environmental stewardship, workplace safety, public safety, handling of hazardous materials and protection of the public interest [8,9].
• Explain why diligent documentation, accurate communication and a methodical approach to problem solving are essential to the professional practice of engineering [2,7].
• Explain the role of standards in the safe and orderly advancement of the use of technology in engineering endeavours [4].
• Identify the ethical responsibilities of members of professional engineering associations in Canada, and the responsibilities of such associations in protection of the public interest [10].
• Discuss major engineering challenges for the 21st century [9].
• Discuss the underlying assumptions of scientific methods [2,3].
• Describe methodical processes for engineering design and their utility [2,3,4].

Engineering Accreditation

The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) oversees the accreditation of engineering programs across Canada. To measure the effectiveness of an engineering program the CEAB has identified twelve specific attributes that the graduate is expected to possess and use as the foundation to developing and advancing an engineering career. To ensure that the overall curriculum of the Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical program covers these attributes sufficiently, the learning outcomes for each course have been mapped to applicable CEAB graduate attributes.

CEAB Graduate Attributes

1. A knowledge base for engineering: Demonstrated competence in university level mathematics, natural sciences, engineering fundamentals, and specialized engineering knowledge appropriate to the program.

2. Problem analysis: An ability to use appropriate knowledge and skills to identify, formulate, analyze, and solve complex engineering problems in order to reach substantiated conclusions.

3. Investigation: An ability to conduct investigations of complex problems by methods that include appropriate experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of information in order to reach valid conclusions.

4. Design: An ability to design solutions for complex, open-ended engineering problems and to design systems, components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate attention to health and safety risks, applicable standards, and economic, environmental, cultural and societal considerations.

5. Use of engineering tools: An ability to create, select, apply, adapt, and extend appropriate techniques, resources, and modern engineering tools to a range of engineering activities, from simple to complex, with an understanding of the associated limitations.

6. Individual and team work: An ability to work effectively as a member and leader in teams, preferably in a multi-disciplinary setting.

7. Communication skills: An ability to communicate complex engineering concepts within the profession and with society at large. Such ability includes reading, writing, speaking and listening, and the ability to comprehend and write effective reports and design documentation, and to give and effectively respond to clear instructions.

8. Professionalism: An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professional engineer in society, especially the primary role of protection of the public and the public interest.

9. Impact of engineering on society and the environment: An ability to analyze social and environmental aspects of engineering activities. Such ability includes an understanding of the interactions that engineering has with the economic, social, health, safety, legal, and cultural aspects of society, the uncertainties in the prediction of such interactions; and the concepts of sustainable design and development and environmental stewardship.

10. Ethics and equity: An ability to apply professional ethics, accountability, and equity.

11. Economics and project management: An ability to appropriately incorporate economics and business practices including project, risk, and change management into the practice of engineering and to understand their limitations.

12. Life-long learning: An ability to identify and to address their own educational needs in a changing world in ways sufficient to maintain their competence and to allow them to contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

Effective as of Winter 2016