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Session 2282

An ECE Capstone Design Experience

John Gesink, S. Hossein Mousavinezhad Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering / Professor and Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Michigan, 49008

The capstone design experience in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Western Michigan University is a two-semester sequence of two courses, the first of the two (ECE Design I) being a 2 credit course while the second (ECE Design II) is 3 credits. Students must have senior status and permission of the department chair to enroll in the sequence. In the first course, students form design teams, identify a project topic, produce a design project proposal and are instructed in topics relating to engineering professionalism. During the second course, the design teams, following their proposals prepared in Design I, implement their design project, evaluate it for compliance with their original specifications, create a project report and orally present their results at a public, formal, day-long, college wide "Conference on Senior Engineering Design Projects".

ECE Design I

ECE Design I is a two credit course and formally meets twice a week in a class room format. To be admitted to the course, each student completes a written application for admission. Using the application as a basis, the student is interviewed by a departmental academic advisor. Based on the interview, the advisor recommends admission or denial to the course. The advisor's recommendation is sent to the department chairperson who makes the final decision.

The course has two major goals. The first is to provide experience in engineering design through the process of establishing specifications for a design project, developing a design concept, testing the validity of the concept with mathematical and physical models and composing a design proposal for subsequent implementation of the proposed project. The second goal is to introduce students to various aspects of engineering professionalism.

First course, Design I, of the two course sequence

This first of the two design courses is divided into two broad segments. One of these addresses activities and topics associated with engineering design, the design process and creation of a project proposal. The other addresses engineering professionalism issues.

Engineering design segment of the Design I course

There are a number of milestones in the engineering design segment. Design teams must be formed. A project topic must be selected and, optionally, a project sponsor found. The project topic must be evaluated and approved and the design must be initiated. Faculty advisors "Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education"

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Gesink, J., & Mousavinezhad, S. H. (2003, June), An Electrical/Computer Engineering Capstone Design Experience Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--12097