THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Engineering : School (School of Engineering)

Undergraduate Course: Engineering Design 1 (SCEE08011)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Engineering CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryDesign is often regarded as the central creative activity of engineering; Engineering Design 1 will develop a foundation for the skills of analysis, synthesis and communication required to develop solutions to open-ended problems. ED1 focuses on three things: (i) understanding an engineering problem, (ii) finding a solution to it, (iii) communicating that solution to others. This course will be predominantly taught through interactive team-based design studio sessions with support from lectures on topics including the philosophy, history and ethics of engineering design. A series of group activities with mini assessments will cover key skills like research, problem solving, and the graphic, verbal or written communication of engineering concepts.
Course description The course comprises the following integrated components:
- ENGINEERING DESIGN CYCLE: students will be introduced to the individual steps of the design cycle, which engineers can use to identify a problem and design a solution;
- ENGINEERING SKILLSET: concentrating on professional and personal development, students will learn effective graphic, written and verbal communication of design ideas to groups and individuals;
- ENGINEERING CHALLENGES: working in groups to design solutions to real-world engineering challenges, including consideration of the social, cultural, ethical and environmental issues;
- ENGINEERING LEGACY: understanding the contribution that has been made and is still being made by engineers and engineering design in the creation of the world we live in.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesMathematics to Higher or A-Level standard and one or more school subjects related to Engineering, Physics or Design.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  500
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 81, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 115 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Coursework 100%

If you fail a course you will be required to resit it. You are only required to resit components which have been failed.
Feedback Week 1-6
General feedback given during Studio and workshop exercises.

Week 2
The students submit an annotated sketch of a historical engineering structure or device produced during the Scottish museum visit. They will be given feedback during exhibition.

Week 4
The students will give a group presentation on their finding from research they have done on what the engineering problem likely to be encountered whilst designing, building and operating a large engineering system (Example: HS3).


Week 10 and 11
Main Group design, build and test project: The students will be assess on how well they Understood, solved a given engineering design problem and how well they communicated their solution. This will be assessed with (a) a single A3 side detailing what they believes is the best solution to a set design problem (marked individually), (B) a device performance test, (C) a group presentation.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Follow the creative engineering design process to move from the identification of a need to the implementation of a solution.
  2. Employ engineering design principles to propose robust solutions to a real-world engineering problem.
  3. Champion the role that engineers have played and will play in shaping the world we live in.
  4. Make responsible choices in the practice of design related to societal, ethical and environmental issues that could arise during the lifetime of an engineering product or project.
  5. Identify key professional development opportunities and use them to form learning objectives for their time at the University of Edinburgh.
Reading List
1. Communication for engineers: Bridge that gap - Richard Ellis
2. Communication Skills A guide for Engineering and Applied Science Students - John W. Davies
3. From Henry Petroski: The evolution of useful things; The pencil; To engineer is human
4. The design of everyday things - Don Norman
5. Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail - Matthys Levy, Mario Salvadori
6. David McKay https://www.withouthotair.com/

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsConceptual Engineering Design,Open-ended design,Design make,test,communication
Contacts
Course organiserDr Jonathan Terry
Tel: (0131 6)50 5607
Email: Jon.Terry@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Mhairi Sime
Tel: (0131 6)50 5687
Email: msime2@ed.ac.uk
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