Page 1 - SE_Approach_for MSEE_MSCE_Capstone_15_Page_review2
P. 1
2016 ASEE Rocky Mountain Section Conference
A System Engineering Approach for Implementing An
Electrical or Computer Engineering Master’s Capstone Course
John M. Santiago, Jr., Ph.D. and Jing Guo, D.Eng.
Colorado Technical University (CTU), College of Engineering
Colorado Springs, CO
Abstract
The paper presents how an electrical or computer engineering Master’s capstone course
incorporates system engineering concepts. The project in the capstone course attempts to
provide a balance among technical merit, system-level thinking, and improved communication
skills. The student has an opportunity to integrate specialized technical skills but also appreciate
a system-level thinking and mindset. The engineering faculty would like students to focus first
on ‘what’ functions must the system perform to meet customer requirements or market needs
that is a solution to a particular problem. Usually, students are fixated on the ‘how’, applying
their particular and interesting technology without consideration to a particular market or
customer needs. To continue and stress the importance of technical depth, several factors about
technical merit are provided for further assessment of student outcomes. Examples of selected
deliverables by students from several projects and assessment tools are given to illustrate the
system-level thinking.
Keywords
capstone course, system engineering, system thinking, system mindset, master’s programs
Introduction
The paper describes the implementation of system engineering concepts for an electrical or
computer engineering capstone course for CTU’s Master’s programs. Course deliverables help
track student progress during the 11-week course and assess the degree of meeting course
objectives. A student must frame a vague engineering problem and define requirements for their
proposed solution to an identified need. Following a systematic engineering process, students
must design and model a system, and then develop a test plan and protocol to verify their design
that meets their system requirements. The student must communicate regularly with the faculty
mentor and present their project through the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design
Review (CDR), and a final technical report. Since the system engineering approach requires
written documents that a professional engineer will likely encounter in a large government
project, student deliverables are described and used to encourage system thinking as depicted by
the system engineering process based on the Vee Model offering two perspectives. To help
assess system-level thinking and technical merit, a detailed rubric is developed for the CDR.
Student deliverables from selected projects are provided to illustrate the system-level thinking
© American Society for Engineering Education, 2016
A System Engineering Approach for Implementing An
Electrical or Computer Engineering Master’s Capstone Course
John M. Santiago, Jr., Ph.D. and Jing Guo, D.Eng.
Colorado Technical University (CTU), College of Engineering
Colorado Springs, CO
Abstract
The paper presents how an electrical or computer engineering Master’s capstone course
incorporates system engineering concepts. The project in the capstone course attempts to
provide a balance among technical merit, system-level thinking, and improved communication
skills. The student has an opportunity to integrate specialized technical skills but also appreciate
a system-level thinking and mindset. The engineering faculty would like students to focus first
on ‘what’ functions must the system perform to meet customer requirements or market needs
that is a solution to a particular problem. Usually, students are fixated on the ‘how’, applying
their particular and interesting technology without consideration to a particular market or
customer needs. To continue and stress the importance of technical depth, several factors about
technical merit are provided for further assessment of student outcomes. Examples of selected
deliverables by students from several projects and assessment tools are given to illustrate the
system-level thinking.
Keywords
capstone course, system engineering, system thinking, system mindset, master’s programs
Introduction
The paper describes the implementation of system engineering concepts for an electrical or
computer engineering capstone course for CTU’s Master’s programs. Course deliverables help
track student progress during the 11-week course and assess the degree of meeting course
objectives. A student must frame a vague engineering problem and define requirements for their
proposed solution to an identified need. Following a systematic engineering process, students
must design and model a system, and then develop a test plan and protocol to verify their design
that meets their system requirements. The student must communicate regularly with the faculty
mentor and present their project through the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design
Review (CDR), and a final technical report. Since the system engineering approach requires
written documents that a professional engineer will likely encounter in a large government
project, student deliverables are described and used to encourage system thinking as depicted by
the system engineering process based on the Vee Model offering two perspectives. To help
assess system-level thinking and technical merit, a detailed rubric is developed for the CDR.
Student deliverables from selected projects are provided to illustrate the system-level thinking
© American Society for Engineering Education, 2016
