Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
in Computer Engineering
2005 Calendar, pages 239, 241 – 246 and 527 (07)UC/05 – BE(Hons)/1
Section A
1. Purpose of proposal
The introduction of Computer Engineering as a discipline in the BE(Hons) degree, to meet the needs of industry and the interests of students (CUAP Category 2).
2. Justification
The development of this programme is part of the College of Engineering Strategic plan. At the university level, this initiative is a result of the required engagement with stakeholders, and the STEP objective of promotion of specialist skills that contribute to New Zealand development. Given the close consultation with local industry in the development of the degree, it will help us attain the goal that the “University will be acknowledged as an integral and important part of the community”. It is also expected to assist with the goal of growing the size of the student body. The proposed programme complements our existing offerings, as it sits between the current degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Computer Science, allowing students to take a blend of the two that is not currently possible, yet is in demand from industry.
The main related degrees in NZ are the “Computer Systems Engineering” degrees at Auckland University, Massey University, and Manukau Institute of Technology. These programmes tend to be more focussed on the systems and engineering aspects of the discipline, whereas the proposed programme will give students the opportunity to have a higher advanced Computer Science content in their degree. A number of Polytechnics also offer Computer Engineering programmes, but these take a more practical-based approach. The Canterbury region has a large embedded systems industry, and it is appropriate to offer the proposed degree locally.
Within Canterbury, this course overlaps with the EEE and Computer Science programmes, but since it draws on these two programmes any interactions can be handled directly by the
departments involved. It seems unlikely to compete with other courses in the university because interested students would be unlikely to enrol for programmes other than EEE or CS anyway. The programme has been designed taking into careful account input from both students and industry (see the attached appendices), and revolves around the Computer Engineering curriculum proposed jointly by IEEE and ACM, the leading international bodies in the area. Because the programme is built around existing courses, it takes advantage of our existing strengths, and will reinforce the research/teaching nexus.
4. Acceptability
A document written by Dr. Ian McLoughlin of Tait Electronics (Research Group), and reports on the results of work sponsored by an IPENZ Futureintech Visiting Industry Professional
fellowship are available upon request. Dr McLoughlin performed surveys to gauge the demand for a Computer Engineering course, covering students, industry, and the international
community, and the report shows a very positive response. Some of the design reflects the input from this survey; for example, there is a comment about a lack of “material on Human Systems” — we have included a course on Human-Computer Interaction in the programme.
In addition, we have sought and been awarded support from the national Electrotechnology Industry Training Organisation (ETITO), which has the mission of “raising the capability of people working in [Electrotechnology] industries”. Support from ETITO indicates that they see a good match between this programme and the needs of the country. The support ensures that the first two years of the programme can proceed with very little financial risk to the University. Supporting notes from other interested parties, including Prof. Allen Tucker, who has been heavily involved in the ACM/IEEE Curriculum design, and Dr. Bruce MacDonald, who organised Auckland University’s Computer Systems Engineering programme, and was its director for some time are available if required.
Dr. MacDonald’s comments raise some important issues, namely:
• BE vs BE(Hons): The Canterbury degree indeed is a BE(Hons), but can be awarded
without honours, rather than vice versa.
• Need for a theme: The theme at Canterbury is Embedded Systems. This strongly aligns us
with local industry.
• Science intermediate: Yes, Canterbury does still have Science intermediate. It is being
reviewed at present, but if anything will contain more of the design/problem solving material that Dr. MacDonald suggests.
• Lack of electronics/hardware at year one: The Science intermediate includes
electronics through the physics courses, and some of the topics mentioned are taught in the Computer Science courses as well. The topics that seemed to be missing from first pro are covered in ENEL202, 203 and 211, which lead into ENEL353.
• “Lots of computer science”: The Computer Science courses have a lower weighting than
the Electrical ones, which means that there are more of them, but when the course weightings (i.e. contact hours) are taken into account, the majority of time is spent in Electrical and not Computer Science courses.
The proposed programme has been benchmarked against the international IEEE/ACM
Computing Curriculum. Further details on the curriculum and the relationship to the proposed programme are available upon request.
Feedback has also been sought from the University of Canterbury Students’ Association, and, again, their response is available if required.
5. Goals of the programme
The main goal of the programme is to produce graduates who will meet a national and
international demand for graduates in the area of Computer Engineering. Although nearly all the components of such a programme are offered at Canterbury, currently students are not able to take the combination that matches the IEEE/ACM curriculum for Computer Engineering. The proposed degree will provide a coherent programme for students to follow.
Computer Engineering is a well-established discipline, and has been taught in departments around the world for a number of years, although the formal IEEE/ACM curriculum was only finalised in December 2004. The proposed programme is based on the IEEE/ACM curriculum. Copies of this curriculum and the relationship of the proposed programme to the curriculum are available on request.
Programme coherence will be achieved in several ways. The capstone project paper (ENCE427) is designed to draw together the range of topics that students will have covered, and because each project will have a supervisor from each of the ECE and CSSE departments, students will be able to achieve the breadth that is intended. In addition to this capstone paper, there will be a Computer Engineering Director who will help students plan their courses and will keep in touch with them as they progress. As well as personal meetings, there is likely to be communication through a mechanism such as an on-line forum, where information such as career opportunities are posted. The Director will chair a programme management committee comprising at least two members of each department (including the Director).
6. Graduate profile
Computer Engineering graduates will have core engineering skills, including design, project management and communication, but through their specialisation will also have a strong mixture of computing and electronics skills that will make them particularly suitable for work in the design of embedded systems (i.e. devices that contain microprocessors such as cell phones, appliances and vehicles).
In addition, graduates will have practical work experience and first aid skills to help them apply their knowledge effectively in the context of being a professional engineer. They will also have developed skills that enable them to be life-long learners.
7. Proposed regulations and prescriptions
These are given on the attached calendar change template. Regulations are based on the BE(Hons) regulations, with the prescribed courses as given in Appendix A.
8. Proposed teaching/delivery methods
The programme is based around an intermediate year and three professional years, using the same structure (4 EFTS) as the existing BE(Hons) degree. All lectures and labs are delivered on campus, although it is intended that some of the embedded systems equipment will be
constructed cheaply enough that students can own their own development kit, and develop it off-campus if desired. First aid and practical work requirements will be administered in the same way as in the other BE(Hons) disciplines.
The capstone course, ENCE427, is distinctive because it will involve supervisors from both the ECE and CSSE department for each project, providing a breadth of expertise for the students who will be required to produce something that has depth in both hardware and software design. Industry involvement and sponsorship of projects will be sought.
9. Assessment
All of the papers except ENCE427 are already offered, and hence their assessment regime is well-established. ENCE427 is a project-based paper which will be assessed in the same way as the existing ENEL427, with progress and final reports, and an oral presentation.
Assessment will be coordinated between the two departments by the programme management committee to ensure that peaks in student workload are avoided.
10. Resources
The resources required to offer this programme have been assessed carefully, including consultation with the departments of Facilities Management, Human Resources, IT and the library.
Because the programme is built primarily on existing courses, most resources are readily available and increased EFTS funding will cover the marginal increase in costs. There are some start-up costs (mainly coordinating courses and extending lab hours), which will be covered by the ETITO funding.
Expertise is already available in the relevant areas, although a modest increase in specialist staff will be sought once additional EFTS funding is established. Help from industry will also be sought by way of contributions to teaching by specialists and in sponsoring and supervising student projects.
If the programme is as successful as is expected, eventually new labs will be needed, but again the extra EFTS funding will be able to support this.
11. Plans for monitoring programme quality
The quality of the programme will be monitored in a number of ways:
• The papers are already monitored using the regular UCTL STU surveys, as well as by
feedback from class reps.
• The programme will be regularly reviewed by an Industry Advisory Board.
• The programme will be reviewed in regular departmental reviews and at 5-yearly intervals
by an accreditation panel from IPENZ (Institute of Professional Engineers NZ).
• The required graduating year review will be performed after the first students complete
the degree in 2008.
• The new course, ENCE427, will be reviewed by a joint committee of the two departments
(ECE and CSSE) after the first year (2008) it is offered. 11. Statement regarding Section B
Progression of Proposal Date
Faculty 11 May 2005
Academic Programmes Committee 11 July 2005
Academic Board 17 August 2005
Council 31 August 2005
Appendix A: Regulations & prescriptions
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Computer EngineeringPurpose of Proposal The introduction of Computer Engineering as a discipline in the BE(Hons) degree, to meet the needs of industry and the interests of students.
Degree Regulations 2005 Calendar page 239, 241, 242, 246
The degree regulations will be the same for Computer Engineering as other BE(Hons) degrees (pg 239), with the following insertions [note that the new 260 degree points system is used for points values]:
Page 239, 2. Engineering disciplines:
Between ‘Civil’ and ‘Electrical and Electronic’ ADD ‘Computer*’ * Subject to NZVCC approval November 2005.
Page 241, 15 Intermediate Examination (3):
(i) Chemical and Process Engineering must offer CHEM 113 Engineering and Chemistry;
(ii) Civil Engineering must offer ENGR 102 Engineering Mechanics and EMTH 171 Mathematical Modelling and Computation. Candidates must also offer CHEM 111 General Chemistry A (preferred), or CHEM 113 Engineering Chemistry, or CHEM 114 Introductory Chemistry, or have demonstrated satisfactory performance in secondary school qualifications in Chemistry (NCEA or other approved qualifications);
ADD:
(iii) Computer Engineering* must offer PHYS114 (or
PHYS115/116) Electrical and Quantum Physics, COSC121/123 Computer Science 1A, and COSC122 Computer Science 1B. * Subject to NZVCC approval November 2005.
CONTINUE WITH:
(iv) Electrical and electronic Engineering must offer PHYS 114 (or 115/116) Electrical and Quantum Physics. Candidates must also offer either COSC 121/123 Computer Science 1A or EMTH 171 Mathematical Modelling and Computation.
(v) Forest Engineering just offer ENGR 102 Engineering Mechanics. Candidates must also offer CHEM 111 General Chemistry A or CHEM 113 Engineering Chemistry, or CHEM 114 Introductory Chemistry, or have demonstrated satisfactory performance in secondary school qualifications in Chemistry (NCEA or other approved qualifications).
(vi) Mechanical Engineering must offer CHEM 113 Engineering Chemistry, ENGR 102 Engineering Mechanics and EMTH 171
Mathematical Modelling and Computation.
(vii) Mechatronics Engineering must offer CHEM 113 Engineering Chemistry, ENGR 102 Engineering Mechanics, EMTH 171 Mathematical Modelling and Computation and PHYS 114 (or 115 or 116) Electrical and Quantum Physics.
(viii) Natural Resources engineering must offer ENGR 102 Engineering Mechanics and EMTH 171 Mathematical Modelling and Computation. Candidates must also offer CHEM 111 General Chemistry A (preferred), or CHEM 113 Engineering Chemistry, or CHEM 114 Introductory Chemistry, or have demonstrated satisfactory performance in secondary school qualifications in Chemistry (NCEA or other approved qualifications).
Page 242, 4) REPLACE with:
4) In order to retain eligibility for all BE(Hons) degree
programmes except Computer Engineering , candidates must include CHME113 Engineering Chemistry … (then continue with current regulations)
Notes: EDIT the following:
1.(a) candidates will be enrolled in MATH105 or MATH106 according to …
2. Chemical and Process Engineering candidates should include at least three of BIOL111 …
3. Civil Engineering candidates should include ENGR 110… 4. Computer Engineering* candidates should include a selection from the following recommended courses: MATH115 Discrete Mathematics, COSC110 Computer Studies, STAT111 Statistics 1 and EMTH171 Mathematical Modelling and Computation. * Subject to NZVCC approval November 2005.
5. Electrical and Electronic Engineering candidates should include a selection from the following recommended courses: CHEM113 Engineering Chemistry, ENGR110 Introduction to Engineering, ENGR102 Engineering Mechanics, MSCI102 Systems and Decision Making and MSCI112 Introduction to MS/OR Tools.
6. Forest Engineering candidates should include ENGR110… 7. Mechanical Engineering candidates should include at least one of ENGR110…
8. Mechatronics Engineering candidates require no further courses beyond those listed in 15(1) and 15(3)(vi) which, together, represent…
9. Natural Resources Engineering candidates should select their optional courses…
10. Each… 11. A student… Page 246, ADD:
Computer Engineering*
24. First Professional Examination (1) ENEL211 Design and Management 1 (2) ENEL202 Circuits and Systems (3) ENEL203 Principles of Electronics
(4) ENEL208 C Programming and UNIX Tools (5) ENEL221 Introduction to Computer Systems (6) EMTH204 Calculus and Linear Algebra
or both EMTH203 Linear Algebra and EMTH202 Calculus. (7) Two of the courses listed below:
(a) COSC224 Software Engineering
(b) COSC225 Human Computer Interaction and Computer Graphics
(c) COSC226 Introduction to Databases
(d) COSC227 Probabilistic Methods and Information Theory (e) COSC231 Introduction to Data Communication and Networks
Note: Subject to the approval of the Head of Department, a candidate may offer only EMTH 202 as part of the First
Professional Examination and defer EMTH 203 until the Second Professional Examination. In special cases the HOD may also approve the substitution of EMTH 210 and EMTH 271 for EMTH 202 and EMTH 203, respectively.
25. Second Professional Examination (1) ENEL350 Design and Management 2 (2) ENEL351 Signals, System and Control (3) ENEL353 Computer Hardware Engineering 1
(4) One of the course listed (a) to (e) in Regulation 24(7) for the First Professional Examination.
(5) Three of the courses listed (a) to (g) below: (a) COSC321 Computer Systems
(b) COSC326 Database Management
(c) COSC327 Performance Modelling and Simulation (d) COSC331 Data Communications and Networks (e) COSC332 Data and Network Security
(f) COSC363 Computer Graphics
(g) ENEL334 Integrated Circuit Engineering 1 or ENEL333 Electronics 1
Note 1: Candidates granted approval to offer only EMTH202 or EMTH210 as part of the First Professional Year must offer either EMTH 203 or EMTH 271 respectively as one of the courses 5 (g) above.
26. Third Professional Examination (1) ENCE427 Computer Engineering Project
(2) ENEL429 Computer Hardware Engineering 2
(3) Either one ENEL400 level plus four COSC400 level courses or two ENEL400 level plus three COSC400 level courses or three ENEL400 level plus two COSC400 level courses * Subject to NZVCC approval November 2005
Then continue with current regulations 27. Electrical and Electronic Engineering…. Prescriptions
2005 Calendar page 527
ADD:
Computer Engineering*
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Computer and Software Engineering ENCE427 Computer Engineering Project Whole year .200 EFTS (24 points)
All candidates are required to undertake project work, submit progress and final reports and present their work orally. The project work and the report collectively carry the weight of one course.
P: ENEL350 R: ENEL427
* Subject to NZVCC approval November 2005.
Rationale for changes These changes are to make Computer Engineering available to students. There is strong demand from industry and students for such a programme, but at present students are not able to take the selection of papers recommended by the IEEE/ACM
(international professional body) even though most of the papers required are already offered at Canterbury. The proposal
provides a combination of papers that will address this need. The programme will include a new capstone paper, ENCE427.
