Engineering Design Curricula Review

Engineering curricula are being called upon to respond to changing global economics and increasingly complex societal problems. The design component of engineering curricula is a natural place to address these new realities. As a prelude to examining and revising the design component of the mechanical engineering curriculum at Michigan Tech (and before considering what is needed in the future), we investigated current state-of-the-art in design curricula. Senior design projects are nearly universal on campuses across the country and abroad. To varying extents engineering design is incorporated in the freshman through junior years as well. Current design curricula are expected to achieve many objectives, from teaching a process for solving open-ended problems, to improving communication skills, to serving as a platform for assessing the entire curriculum. Design curricula around the country have many commonalities. This paper summarizes both the commonalities and unique features of engineering design curricula. Many of the objectives for design curricula will remain unchanged as design curricula reform; yet some will shift in priority, and methods for achieving particular objectives will likely change. The paper ends with discussion of what the future may hold