Engineering Design Practice module (GA11011)
Learn key communication skills, legal and ethical responsibilities, and time management tools required for engineering study and professional practice
Engineering Design Practice at SCQF Level 7 provides a multifaceted introduction to engineering study and professional practice for students on the Engineering Design and Manufacture Graduate Apprenticeship course.
The module is structured around two interconnected themes that together develop the professional skills, ethical awareness and broader engineering knowledge expected of a practising design engineer.
The communication theme introduces academic and professional communication skills, covering approaches to written and oral communication appropriate to both university study and the engineering workplace.
The professional skills theme explores the principles of engineering ethics, examining how ethical frameworks apply to real engineering scenarios, the importance of standards and regulation in engineering design and manufacturing, the protection of intellectual property and your responsibilities to both the engineering profession and society as a whole.
The module is assessed entirely through coursework, with two equal components reflecting each theme. Teaching combines lectures, facilitated discussions and in-class research activities, designed to suit the Graduate Apprenticeship model of one day per week on campus.
What you will learn
In this module, you will:
- Study different communication tools and techniques employed within engineering education and practice.
- Understand and apply basic tools for personal and project time management.
- Study the ethical responsibilities which apply to engineering design and manufacturing.
- Review the different types of intellectual property that engineers generate, and the legal mechanisms for protecting it against plagiarism and theft.
- Recognise the need for engineering standards and regulation and understand how design and manufacturing organisations are structured.
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Communicate appropriately in both a professional and academic context
- Understand and apply basic tools for both personal and project time management.
- Be aware of your ethical responsibilities as an engineer in society
- Identify the different types of intellectual property and how to suitably protect it.
- Apply engineering standards and adhere to statutory regulations where appropriate
Assignments / assessments
Communication (50%)
- Demonstrate appropriate written and oral communication skills for academic and professional engineering contexts
Professional Practice Reflection (50%)
- Perform a self-reflection on professional skills utilised within the workplace and how these relate to the material presented in class.
This module does not have a final exam.
Teaching methods / timetable
- Short lectures
- Facilitated class discussions and activities
| Week | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction, audiences and ways of thinking about communication |
| 2 | Sketch skills: communicating ideas through drawing |
| 3 | Discussing assessments and group work on your assessment |
| 4 | Reflective writing |
| 5 | Giving, receiving and working with feedback |
| 6 | University writing skills |
| 7 | Product Liability and Engineering Standards |
| 8 | Engineering Ethics |
| 9 | Intellectual Property – Patents, Trademarks and Design Registration |
| 10 | Time and Resource Management |
| 11 | Organisation of Design and Manufacture within Industry |
| 12 | Cybersecurity and Resilience |