ENGGEN 140 : Fundamentals of Engineering in Society
Engineering
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
A key part of this practice is understanding and working with knowledge: What forms of knowledge do we have access to? What sources give us that access? How much do we trust those sources? How do we use knowledge when we aren't certain about it? This knowledge comes from both technical sources and our wider society, includes indigenous knowledge, and must be used to solve problems in the context of that wider society.
The course is structured in three main parts. In the first part, we cover fundamental concepts used to represent and communicate scientific knowledge, and how these concepts are used in engineering practice. In the second, and largest, part, we use this conceptual base to introduce key topics in chemistry, and their engineering applications. In the third part of the course, we build upon both the conceptual base and the chemistry skills to introduce key topics in biology, and the way engineering can be applied to these biology topics to solve practical problems.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
Learning Outcomes
- Critically evaluate information from multiple different sources, both technical and non-technical, regarding a single engineering topic. (Capability 3.2 and 6.1)
- Effectively use standard scientific conventions to describe physical quantities and their uncertainties. (Capability 3.1)
- Formulate and solve engineering problems using the principles of conservation of mass and energy. (Capability 3.1)
- Formulate and solve engineering problems related to chemical reactions, using the fundamental principles of chemistry as well as conservation of mass and energy. (Capability 3.1)
- Formulate and solve engineering problems involving ideal gases. (Capability 3.1)
- Discuss and describe the social and historical context of chemistry and biology in engineering. (Capability 1.1)
- Explain and critically evaluate the structure and function of the human body in engineering terms. (Capability 3.1)
- Solve engineering problems involving medical devices. (Capability 1.1 and 3.1)
- Learn effectively as part of a peer group, both sharing their own insights and seeking clarification where needed. (Capability 7.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorials | 5% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 35% | Individual Examination |
| Tests | 35% | Individual Test |
| Assignments | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Reports | 15% | Individual Coursework |
| 5 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Tutorials | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
| Tests | ||||||||||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| Reports | ||||||||||
Students must sit the exam to pass the course. Otherwise, a DNS (did not sit) result will be returned.
A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy.
The tests and final exam will be completed in-person on paper.
Assignments submitted after the deadline will be penalised at a rate of 4% for each hour (or part thereof) they are late, unless prior arrangements have been made with the course coordinator.
Workload Expectations
For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures, 11 hours of tutorials, 78 hours of understanding and practicing the content (including preparation for tests and exams), and 25 hours of work on assignments. You should try to spend this time spread out through the semester, aiming for about 10 hours each week; note that an assignment will be due each week.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course. Tutorial participation is compulsory and assessed.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Tutorials will not be recorded.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Health & Safety
Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy.
Tutorials will take place in multi-disciplinary learning spaces (MDLS); students will be required to complete an online health and safety induction prior to coming to the first tutorial session.
Some lectures will include demonstrations that may involve loud noises, bright flashes of light, and/or unusual odours. Some lectures and lecture materials may also contain photographs depicting surgical procedures and blood. Your lecturer will advise you prior to the start of the lecture if any of these hazards will be present, and attendance during such demonstrations and viewing of such photographs will not be compulsory.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Other Information
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Students must have completed ACADINT A01 by the end of Week 1 to engage fully in the ENGGEN 140 writing assignment.
In this course, students are prohibited from using generative artificial intelligence text and art generation software, such as ChatGPT and DALL.E 2, on their assessments. You are expected to complete your assessments without substantial assistance from others, including automated tools.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Stage 1 engineering students elect their class reps within the first two weeks of the semester, following an invitation via a Canvas announcement. The outcome of the election and the contact details of the class reps will also be communicated via Canvas.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Please use the contact form linked on the ENGGEN 140 Canvas homepage to submit your application for an extension on coursework.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Marking assignments for a very large number of students is a significant challenge for staff. Students are therefore asked help by submitting any questions about their grades NO MORE THAN 10 days after grades were published.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.