ENGGEN 785 : Professional Capstone

Engineering

2025 Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An advanced course comprising an integrating project with students working independently and inter-dependently in teams to research, investigate and apply engineering knowledge to develop solutions. A comprehensive investigation of an open-ended, complex, real or synthetic engineering problem within a simulated professional office. Completion of a comprehensive report and presentation covering technical, economic, environmental, health and safety and management components.

Course Overview

This course involves conducting a Preliminary Design (and/or Scheme Assessment) Report for an engineering project. This will include the project coordination and technical considerations of a major design and students will need to consider social, economic and environmental impact with associated construction, and safety and occupational health issues throughout the entire project lifecycle of the proposed project.

The course will focus on key elements of design and systems thinking. The prime teaching interface between staff and students will be the design workshops, which will run under a simulated design office environment.
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
• Apply engineering knowledge and problem solving capabilities to deal with the investigation of an open ended, complex, real or synthetic civil engineering problem within professional design office.
• To understand and apply the process of engineering design to the preliminary design phase including cost estimates, consulting fees and project implementation plans.
• Undertake a research component relevant to the project brief and subsequently apply the findings of the research to help solve the engineering brief.
• Prepare and deliver professional practice standard of reports and presentations.
• Develop and apply a range of interpersonal and personal competencies relevant for engineers working in multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Apply key aspects of safety in design to mitigate project delivery risks and ongoing operation and maintenance consideration, taking a whole of life perspective.
• Assess and integrate stakeholder requirements including Treaty of Waitangi and Resource Management Act requirements.
• Critically reflect on own performance and develop/execute personal improvement plans.

The philosophy adopted is based on the premise that engineers’ contributions in society often stem from an ability to apply knowledge in innovative ways to solve difficult (sometimes called wicked) problems. Engineers are a profession of people with problem solving skills, who develop solutions and designs that can be implemented, and thus need to be pragmatic to meet stakeholders’ objectives and address multiple technical, commercial, health and safety, ethical and health and safety considerations. This is rarely done in a linear fashion and requires numerous iterations, with the application of advanced levels of knowledge from a range of specialisations, with engineers working in collaboration in multi-disciplinary teams. This course brings these elements together in order to develop the competencies needed to be effective engineers.

There are both group and individual components and deliverables for this course.

Students will be operating in teams who undertake a level of preliminary investigation that would be done before a fully detailed design. At the end of the course each team will deliver a professional quality preliminary design report with drawings, cost estimates, environmental impacts and support this with an oral presentation and interview. Individuals in each team of 7-10 students will be undertaking complementary distinct roles such as geotechnical, traffic, environmental, water, construction and structural specialists. Each team will act as a group of consulting engineers undertaking an open ended preliminary investigation and design with the assistance of technical specialist advisors and a staff member as your nominal client. 

Students will also need to individually complete research on areas related to the project as well as provide formal reflection on learnings obtained throughout the course.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points from 700 level courses in the BE(Hons) and MProfEng Schedules To complete this course students must enrol in ENGGEN 785 A and B, or ENGGEN 785

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop the technical and problem solving capabilities to deal with the investigation of an open ended, complex, real or synthetic civil engineering problem with simulated professional design office constraints (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of, and apply, the process of civil and environmental design to the preliminary design phase including cost and duration estimates, consulting fees, and professional level reporting (Capability 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1)
  3. Experience learning in the context of a real-life case study that develops the interpersonal and personal skills relevant for a Civil or Environmental engineering design office team (Capability 1.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  4. Apply key aspects of safety in design to mitigate construction risk and ongoing operation and maintenance (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1)
  5. Assess and integrate stakeholder requirements including Treaty of Waitangi and Resource Management Act requirements, and incorporating social, environmental, sustainability and ethical considerations. (Capability 1.1, 2.1, 6.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  6. Conduct research on a topic related to the implementation of a civil engineering project. (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Preliminary Report(s) 5% Group Coursework
Presentations, Interviews and In-class Discussion 20% Group & Individual Coursework
Final Report 5% Group & Individual Coursework
Individual Research Report 25% Individual Coursework
Individual Research Presentation 5% Individual Coursework
Individual Porfolio of Learnings 20% Individual Coursework
Individual Problem Analysis and Solution Report 20% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Preliminary Report(s)
Presentations, Interviews and In-class Discussion
Final Report
Individual Research Report
Individual Research Presentation
Individual Porfolio of Learnings
Individual Problem Analysis and Solution Report
The Final Report and Final Presentation & Interview marks will be adjusted to account for individual student contributions and will incorporate peer evaluations.
A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy. 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 20 hours per week  on coursework.

For this 30 point course, you can expect approximately 300 hours which is categorised as follows:

Team work focused part of this course:

  • 6 hours of briefing lectures,
  • 20 hours of work in the assigned design office (2 hours each week for 10 weeks),
  • 6 hours of supplementary Question and Answer sessions,
  • 4 hours for site visit,
  • 80 hours of work on project deliverables, report and presentation preparation,
  • 32 hours of independent study, and
  • 2 hours of team presentations and interviews.
Individual focused part of this course:
  • 10 hours tutorials
  • 14 hours of workshops
  • 62 hours on project deliverables, report and presentation preparation
  • 62 hours on independent study
  • 2 hours of project presentation and interview

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including weekly design office and the site visit components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including Q&A sessions will mostly be available as recordings.
The course will occasionally include live online events including design office group discussions.
Attendance on campus is required for the presentations and final team interview.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable apart from the site visit and final presentation /interview which will be notified as soon as known.

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.

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.
Information that specifically relates to the project will generally be provided via Canvas.

Health & Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy. Health and safety will be a significant consideration for site visits. This will be notified specific to the project.

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.

Student feedback is not applicable as 2025 is the inaugural delivery of this course. However based on feedback from the sister course Civil 756, there will be an earlier introduction to the basics of client-focussed report writing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Published on 12/02/2025 11:17 a.m.