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Capstone Project (MCEN90022)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 25On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Year Long
Overview
Availability | Year Long |
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Fees | Look up fees |
AIMS
The subject involves undertaking a substantial project requiring an independent investigation on an approved topic in advanced engineering design or research. Students will present their findings in both professional exhibition and conference podium presentation formats.
The emphasis of the project can be associated with either:
- A well-defined project description, often based on a task required by an external, industrial client. Students will be tutored in the synthesis of practical solutions to complex technical problems within a structured working environment, as if they were professional engineering practitioners; or
- A project description that will require an explorative approach, where students will pursue outcomes associated with new knowledge or understanding, within the mechanical science disciplines, often as an adjunct to existing academic research initiatives.
It is expected that the Capstone Project will incorporate findings associated with both well-defined professional practice and research principles.
This subject has been integrated with the Skills Towards Employment Program (STEP) and contains activities that can assist in the completion of the Engineering Practice Hurdle (EPH). EPH is a mandatory requirement for completing the Master of Engineering.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Topics include: laboratory safety induction, occupational/environmental health & safety, literature searching – for both researcher and engineering practitioner, technical report writing, essay writing, project presentation skills:
- Public speaking – both non-technical, casual (exhibition) and technical (conference)
- Poster presentation (exhibition)
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should be able to apply the knowledge gained in other subjects to successfully investigate a substantially complex engineering design or research problem and have gained experience in collaborative project work, sourcing and collating information that may be associated with disciplines beyond the scope of prior coursework, in developing hypotheses from which engineering decisions will be made, and in reporting contributions arising from project and professional practice activities.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs)
Having completed this subject the student is expected to have the ability to -
1 - successfully complete a distinct engineering project within the mechanical engineering discipline;
2 - effectively communicate the outcomes of various stages of an engineering project;
3 - apply standard engineering project management tools;
4 - identify standard organisational structures, analyse the relative merits of different approaches, and implement and report on the approach that best suits the strengths of the project team;
5 - describe the role of published research, precedent, prior art, patents, registered designs and standards in the engineering project;
6 - explore and articulate the impact of activities associated with the engineering profession in the wider community.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should have the following skills:
- critical thinking and critical judgement of assumptions adopted;
- interpretation and analysis of data;
- application of theory to practice;
- the ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large;
- the ability to utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance;
- the ability 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;
- an understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development;
- an understanding of the principles of sustainable design and development;
- an understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them;
- capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning;
- openness to new ideas and unconventional critiques of received wisdom;
- the ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals;
- the ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MCEN90012 | Design for Manufacture | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MCEN90040 | Mechatronics Capstone Project | Year Long (On Campus - Parkville) |
25 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
Semester 1 Students
1. Continuous assessment (10%)
Continuous assessment will be assessed by the completion of a Progress Report, consisting of a verbal presentation and a short report, requiring approximately 30 to 35 hours of work per student.
2. Final Report (45%)
- The Final Report will be a professional document reporting the findings and contributions of the project team, of no more than 10,000 words (45 pages), excluding appendices of supporting material that can include diagrams, tables, computations and computer output; it will include an extended Executive Summary of the important findings contained in the report; and will require 170-200 hours of work.
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- Due at the end of the last week of semester 1.
3. Exhibition (Lay Person Oral Examination) (10%)
Normally team-based assessment, however, individual assessment may be completed. Requires approximately 35 to 40 hours of work.
- Static display materials (i.e. poster, computer demonstration, prototype) (5%)
- Non-technical (lay-person) oral examination of no more than 20 minutes (5%)
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- Presented within Conference schedule and static display materials made available for Exhibition, both the Conference and the Exhibition are held at end of semester 1.
4. Conference (Technical Oral Examination) (15%)
- Normally team-based assessment however individual assessment may be completed. All team members must address the audience. Consider the proceedings as if a professional conference. Each team will be allocated 15 minutes and each project will have 5 minutes allocated for questions. Requires 35 to 40 hours work per student.
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- Conference held at end of semester 1.
5. Assessment based on lecture material (20%)
- Report (based on lectures) not exceeding 1500 words per student; individual assessment; requiring approximately 30 to 35 hours work per student.
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- Due end of Week 10 of semester 1.
Year Long Students
1. Continuous assessment (10%)
Continuous assessment will be assessed by the completion of a Progress Report, consisting of a verbal presentation and a short report, requiring approximately 30 to 35 hours of work per student.
To be completed before the end of week 2 of semester 2.
2. Final Report (45%)
- The Final Report will be a professional document reporting the findings and contributions of the project team, of no more than 10,000 words (45 pages), excluding appendices of supporting material that can include diagrams, tables, computations and computer output; it will include an extended Executive Summary of the important findings contained in the report; and will require 170-200 hours of work.
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- Due mid-semester 2.
3. Exhibition (Lay Person Oral Examination) (10%)
Normally team-based assessment, however, individual assessment may be completed. Requires approximately 35 to 40 hours of work.
- Static display materials (i.e. poster, computer demonstration, prototype) (5%)
- Non-technical (lay-person) oral examination of no more than 20 minutes (5%)
-
- Presented within Conference schedule and static display materials made available for Exhibition, both the Conference and the Exhibition are held at end of semester 2.
4. Conference (Technical Oral Examination) (15%)
- Normally team-based assessment however individual assessment may be completed. All team members must address the audience. Consider the proceedings as if a professional conference. Each team will be allocated 15 minutes and each project will have 5 minutes allocated for questions. Requires 35 to 40 hours work per student.
-
- Conference held at end of semester 2.
5. Assessment based on lecture material (20%)
- Report (based on lectures) not exceeding 1500 words per student; individual assessment; requiring approximately 30 to 35 hours work per student.
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- Due end of Week 10 of semester 1.
Hurdle Requirement
All components of the assessment must be satisfactorily completed to pass the subject.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) associated with assessments
ILO 1 will be principally assessed in the final reporting tasks, i.e. Final Report, Exhibition (lay person oral examination) and Conference (technical oral examination) tasks.
ILOs 2, 3, 4 and 5 are assessed in all project assessment tasks.
ILO 6 is assessed in the professional practice task (essay).
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Year Long
Principal coordinator Colin Burvill Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Twelve hours of lectures in semester 1 for both semester 1 only and year long enrolled students. Introductory lecture, weekly team meetings with academic supervisor, attendance and participation in Mechanical Project Conference. Expected minimum time commitment per student: eight hours per week. Total time commitment 400 hours Teaching period 4 March 2019 to 27 October 2019 Last self-enrol date 15 March 2019 Census date 31 May 2019 Last date to withdraw without fail 27 September 2019 Assessment period ends 22 November 2019 Year Long contact information
Time commitment details
400 hours
Additional delivery details
Students can also enrol to begin in sem 2 and complete in sem1 the following year.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Subject notes
INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
Students are provided with access to laboratories as appropriate to experimental-based projects, and access to textbooks and journal papers through the library system.
CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS
Collaborative Industry projects with external mentors can offer exposure to mechanical, mechatronic and biomechanical engineering in industry, and can offer access to collaborating research and development laboratories. Students are encouraged to select Industry based projects.
All students enrolling in the Year Long subject will present project outcomes to an audience of engineering professionals at the public Exhibition scheduled at the end of semester two.
Students enrolled in the Semester 1 only subject will present outcomes to an audience of academic staff in a similar informal manner.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Specialisation (formal) Mechanical Specialisation (formal) Mechanical with Business - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022