Course Title: Engineering Practice 7 - Investigation Project

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Engineering Practice 7 - Investigation Project

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

CIVE1167

City Campus

Undergraduate

120H Civil, Environmental & Chemical Engineering

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2007,
Sem 2 2009,
Sem 2 2010,
Sem 2 2011,
Sem 2 2012

Course Coordinator: Dr. Xiaodong Huang

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3320

Course Coordinator Email: huang.xiaodong@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 10.13.05C


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

 This course requires you to demonstrate your preparedness to commence your career as a professional engineer by undertaking an investigation of a research topic relevant to the profession and by appraising your industrial (work place) experience.
The research topic will give you the opportunity to marshal the relevant knowledge and skills from your various other courses of the program and apply them to the investigation of an approved research topic and then to produce a report of a professional standard. Each student will have a different approved research topic.
You are also required to document the attributes that you have developed through engagement with industry. This can include employment (part time and/or) vacation work), other work experiences and major project work at RMIT University. Your employment may be spread over more than one period, and may be with more than one employer/industrial contact. Accumulated part-time work in an engineering environment is also acceptable. You are required by Engineers Australia to demonstrate the equivalence of 12 weeks industrial experience. Achieving this is a requirement to pass this course.
Without this level of experience you will not be eligible to graduate and be eligible for registration with Engineers Australia.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

The objectives of this course are:
• Development of research, analytical and project management skills in addressing a Civil Engineering problem.
• To give you experience in the professional practice of engineering in preparation for transition to the workforce on completion of your program.
• This course requires you to exhibit / develop a proactive approach to seeking work as it relies on you finding your own vacation job.
• To learn about future career roles and paths.
• To fulfill the requirement of Engineers Australia of having the equivalent of at least 12 weeks industry experience before graduation

On successful completion of this course you will be able:
LO 1: Identify a Civil Engineering problem area and plan a study to investigate the problem
LO 2 Carry out a literature review on a selected research topic
LO 3 Locate and select information from libraries, surveys, interviews and correspondence
LO 4 Collate necessary data for the project
LO 5 Analyse the collected data to draw meaningful conclusions
LO 6 Prepare an engineering report to a professional standard
LO 7 Give an effective oral presentation on the work carried out.


The learning outcomes of the course are to enable you to:

• Identify a Civil Engineering problem area and plan a study to investigate the problem
• Carry out a literature review on a selected research topic
• Locate and select information from libraries, surveys, interviews and correspondence
• Collate necessary data for the project
• Analyse the collected data to draw meaningful conclusions
• Prepare an engineering report to a professional standard
• Give an effective oral presentation on the work carried out.

• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of an engineer
• Demonstrate satisfactory job performance and personal behaviour in the work place.
• Analyse issues regarding communication in industry
• Be prepared for employment as an engineer
• Demonstrate enhanced skills and attributes technical business and personal) that are desirable to employers

You will develop the following capabilities in this course:
• Be able to approach industry and apply for employment.
• Behave in a professional manner and develop workplace relationships in an engineering and business environment.
• To contribute to engineering projects by effectively engaging in tasks within a team based environment.
• Be able to reflect on your workplace experiences to assist future career path decision making.


Overview of Learning Activities

Learning activities include:
• Conducting research/investigation under the supervision of an experienced researcher
• Activities as directed by the employer
• Additional reading on topics concerned with employment such as the nature of employment, ethics, team work, job satisfaction, occupational health and safety, etc.
• Reflection on your role in the workplace and how this relates to Engineers Australia competencies.


Overview of Learning Resources

CIVE1167 – Learning Guide, RMIT University
References
As required by the individual project topics.
Delbridge, A. ed. (1991), The Macquarie Dictionary, 2nd (i.e. 4th) ed., Macquarie Library, McMahons Point NSW.

Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers of Australian Government Publications, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1998.

Course Learning Guide

As required by the individual project topics.
Delbridge, A. ed. (1991), The Macquarie Dictionary, 2nd (i.e. 4th) ed., Macquarie Library, McMahons Point NSW.

Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers of Australian Government Publications, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1998.

Gowing, R., McGregor, H., Taylor, E., Making your work placement effective, RMIT Publishing, Melbourne, 1997.

http://www.informit.com.au/show.asp?id=PLACEMENT_ERIN&type=IL, accessed 2 June 2004).


RMIT University Library supports students by providing online resources:
• Access to online data bases
• Library catalogue searching
• Document delivery service
• Online question and answer service
• Guides and tutorials for information literacy including referencing
• Full text books and journals


Overview of Assessment


You will be assessed on the Project plan, Oral presentations and the final investigation Report

You need to complete the 12 weeks of work experience

You will maintain a record of your work experience - this record will include details of projects, reports (photos etc) that describe the activities which you undertake. This evidence will be used in a report which will be assessed at the end of the semester. You will be expected to create an online record of this evidence. To assist you in this process you will be given access to an electronic online repository (store) - an e-Portfolio.