Course Title: Final Year Thesis Project 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Final Year Thesis Project 1

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

AERO2361

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

115H Aerospace, Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 2 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2009

Course Coordinator: Dr. Jon Watmuff

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6234

Course Coordinator Email: jon.watmuff@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora East Campus, Building 251, Room 308


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course is intended to represent the first half (initiation phase) of a project that is roughly equivalent to a two-month full-time task that a new graduate might be expected to undertake shortly after starting work as a professional engineer; (i.e. half of a total of about 340 hours).

It is a project-based course which requires students to demonstrate technical skills and personal attributes at levels which are commensurate with professional engineering practice.

This engineering project activity either is done in conjunction with industry or simulates a real engineering work environment, thereby contributing to Work Integrated Learning.

Students receive supervision from an Internal RMIT Supervisor and they may also have an External Supervisor.

Students are expected to perform their project work independently with only limited guidance from staff and/or external industry supervisors.

The project will be completed in the course Final Year Thesis Project 2


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

It is expected that students will apply their knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals throughout the course and that they will demonstrate an in-depth technical competence in at least one engineering discipline. They should develop the ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution. They will demonstrate the ability to engage in design and to execute designs to an appropriate professional standard. Students will develop the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.

Students will develop the ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large. They will learn to function effectively as an individual and in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member.

Students will develop an understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional Engineer, and the principles of sustainable design and development. An emphasis will be placed on the understanding of and commitment to professional and ethical responsibilities.



Overview of Learning Activities

The project will be of an analytical, experimental, design or computational nature (or a combination of these), with significant elements of originality.

Learning will take place primarily through independent research, guided by the student’s supervisor(s).


Overview of Learning Resources

Individual reference material will apply to each student depending on their chosen project.

Course-related resources will be provided on the DLS. These will include information for students related to the management of their projects. More so than for other courses, the DLS will be the primary means of distributing information to students. It is absolutely vital that every student has a valid email address and that it is correctly listed on the DLS.


Overview of Assessment

The first task for this course is the creation of the Project Definition. This document states the objectives, motives and methods of the proposed work. The project schedule and any special requirements must also be identified at this stage.
Marks for the Project Definition will be awarded by the student supervisor(s).

Students will be required to create and maintain a web-based log, i.e. a Blog, of their work throughout the semester. The Blog will be created using the PebblePad ePortolio package and it should be updated on a weekly basis. Assessment of the Blog will be conducted by the supervisor(s).

Students will required to develop an ePortfolio which will consist of an on-line collection of evidence, work and other information, that shows the development of student learning, knowledge, skills and abilities during the course. The ePortfolio will be assessed at the end of the semester.

The first portion of the formal Thesis Document must be submitted at the end of the semester. It is not anticipated that any results will be included in this preliminary document. However, it is expected that the document will be approximately 30-50 pages in length and that it will contain a literature survey, a problem specification and a description of the methodology. Supervisor(s) will award marks for the formal thesis document, which will be subject to moderation by other staff members.

Students will give a 20-minute oral presentation in front of staff and students. The presentation will be assessed by all academic staff attending the presentation.

The assessment recognises and rewards good professional practice such as appropriate inter-personal communication, punctuality, demonstration of appropriate written and oral communication skills

As part of Work-Integrated-Learning in final year project courses, industry representatives will be invited to provide feedback on some item of students’ project work