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A Sophomore-level Engineering and Public Policy Course Required for B.A. Engineering Majors at Lafayette College Abstract

Lafayette College offers a sophomore-level Introduction to Engineering and Public Policy course (EP 251). The course is required for sophomores in Lafayette’s general B.A. Engineering program, however it is a popular elective for other engineering majors. Most of the students in the B.A. Engineering program are either interested in engineering management careers, or are using the degree as a foundation for careers other than engineering. Because of the diverse student interests, the course is designed to allow the students to understand the pervasive role of government in the technical arena, and the need to use/manage technology within that context. The emphasis of the course material is on the federal level, however international, state, and local differences are included. This paper presents the curriculum for EP251 and discusses instructor observations about how well the course works for sophomore engineering students. The instructor is interested in feedback about the need for such a curriculum.

Introduction

Lafayette College offers a sophomore-level Introduction to Engineering and Public Policy course (EP 251). The course is required for sophomores in Lafayette’s general B.A. Engineering program and is a popular elective for other engineering majors. Most of the students in the B.A. Engineering program are either interested in engineering management careers, or are using the degree as a foundation for careers other than engineering. Other majors that frequently take the course as an elective include students in geology, civil engineering, chemical engineering, and international affairs. Because of the diverse student interests, the course is designed to allow the students to understand the pervasive role of government in the technical arena, and the need to use/manage technology within that context. The emphasis of the course material is on the federal level, however international, state, and local differences are included. The desired student outcomes are as follows:

1) Students will know why public policy is needed in modern society, and in particular, why it is needed for technological issues. 2) Students will know what the main organizations are in the technical public policy arena. 3) Students will understand at a basic level what the public policy process involves, and how that relates to technological issues. 4) Students will understand at a basic level what the policy analysis process involves, and how that relates to technological issues. 5) Students will understand what it means to be a policy analyst. 6) Students will have an introductory level of knowledge of two popular policy analysis tools: cost benefit analysis, risk analysis. 7) Students will gain an appreciation for the complexities, uncertainties, and the role of the public/values/engineering ethics as they apply to decision-making for a variety of technological policy issues. 8) Students will practice verbal, written, graphical, and teamwork skills with special emphasis on the verbal communication of technical information.

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Tull, K., & Jones, S. (2006, June), A Sophomore Level Engineering And Public Policy Course Required For B.A. Engineering Majors At Lafayette College Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--435