Documentation of Changes Implemented to Develop and Improve Program

The CEP has been continuously under development and improvement based on our own assessment and/or based on input from our many constituencies. Specific steps taken have been identified and discussed throughout this report. In this section, they are grouped into several categories and elaborated for the purpose of documentation.

B.3.7.1 The Overall Process

In 2000, the faculty overhauled the CEP with the suggestions from the industry, alumni, our AIC and FOD, the COE administration, and CEP students. This is discussed in great detail in Section B.2.5. The CEP will continue to be developed and improved by collecting information from all of its constituencies, by improving or developing other appropriate assessment techniques, and by monitoring the current and future health of the department. Specific steps in this process are discussed in Section B.3.6 and are shown in Tables 7 and 8 of this report.

B.3.7.2 Student- Related Outcomes

1. The CEP introduced a new four-unit, junior-level introductory course having 1-unit of design in each of the five civil engineering sub-disciplines. These courses generally serve as pre-requisites to technical electives in the corresponding areas. Of the five required technical electives at the 300/400 levels, at least two of them must be design-oriented. These curriculum changes are discussed in more detail in Section B.2.5.

2. Engineering Communication (CE 301) was introduced to improve the writing and communication skills of our students. A professional writer/marketing person generally teaches the course and its contents have been modified frequently to address the needs of the students (refer to most recent course syllabus in Appendix I-B). This is a unique course in the College of Engineering.

3. To maintain uniformity in General Education courses requirements, they are now coordinated at the college level, improving the overall satisfaction of the students (refer to Appendix II - Institutional Profile).

4. Laboratory courses were separated from their parent courses. They are now offered as three stand-alone one-unit laboratory courses that may be taken with the corresponding “parent” course. The “parent” course is generally one of the newly introduced four-unit introductory course. The availability of this combination of analytics-design-and laboratory provides our students with a unique opportunity to improving their understanding and appreciation of civil engineering design processes used in the real world (refer to Sections B.2.5 and B.6).

5. A linkage between Issues in Engineering Practice (CE 408) and Senior Design (CE 498) is now established to give students more realistic practical experience. More material is now taught, group size is limited, and students are exposed to more practicing engineers. Major input on the reform of this course was provided by the AIC and other concerned alumni/friends (refer to Appendix I-Q) and by graduating seniors during exit interviews.

6. Students are now advised to take three one-unit components of ENGR 211 to satisfy their non-CEP engineering science elective. ENGR 211 is a web-based course consisting of eight one-unit modules including Statics (ENGR 211C), Mechanics of Solids (ENGR 211E), Fluid Mechanics (ENGR 211F), Dynamics (ENGR 211I), Thermodynamics (ENGR 211K), Circuits (ENGR 211M), Engineering Economics (ENGR 211P), and Material Science for Engineers (ENGR 211R). By requiring our students take ENGR 211P and two other one-unit modules of ENGR 211 in different areas of engineering science, other than ENGR 211C, 211E, and 211F, it is hoped that they will be better prepared to do well in the FE Exam.

7. As discussed in more detail in Section B.1.3, the CEP has implemented an improved advising program An advisor manual was been developed and it is updated periodically as changes in curricula or other requirements take place. Review sessions are given to the faculty periodically or on an as-needed basis (e.g. when there are newly hired faculty or when the CEP receives negative feedback from the students). All problem students are advised and monitored by a senior faculty. This model is unique in the COE.

8. The CEP also developed and implemented an Internship Program as described in Section B.2.2. Details are available through a link on the CEP’s web page at: http://w3.arizona.edu/~civil/