INCORPORATING THE RELEVANCE OF ENGINEERING PRACTICE INTO ACADEMIC PROGRAM CURRICULA

摘要

In today's competitive environment, employers consistently place high value on graduates that have demonstrated, relevant skills and knowledge. Perhaps the most effective way for acquiring such relevant capabilities is through co-op assignments and internships, yet these generally occur outside of the basic curricula even though they may have some educational credits attached. When incorporating the relevance of engineering practice directly into curricula, the use of input from external advisory boards is valuable and somewhat common. Industry visits, industrial seminar series, and incorporating external lecturers can also be effective in adding relevance to classes. However, while all of these are valuable, the most recognizable measure of having acquired relevant capabilities is achieving industry-specified professional validations and certifications. This requires carefully pre-designed curricula that account for multiple aspects. Merely providing instruction for professional certification tests and exams can border on training rather than educating, and is therefore more appropriate at a trade or commercial school rather than at a traditional academic institution. Using the advice and direction of external advisory boards, pertinent professional certifications have been identified and the content covered therein evaluated relative to its fit with various engineering and engineering technology curricula. By aligning aspects of professional certifications with established curricula, it is possible to integrate and intersperse the fundamentals and scope of the certifications into the curricula. As students move through their engineering or engineering technology programs they acquire the understanding and capabilities required to obtain appropriate professional certifications if they desire. This has been demonstrated for a variety of programs, including: information technology; engineering management; computer science; environmental, health and safety engineering technology; and homeland security and safety engineering. Graduates of these programs will have acquired the knowledge and capabilities to acquire one or more of the following industry/professional certifications: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Computer Wireless Network Administration (CWNA), Computer Wireless Network Security (CWNS), Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and FEMA Certifications (ICS 100, 200, 700, 800). Details of how to incorporate specific certification capabilities into curricula, along with the role of external advisory boards are described. Including this integration along with the other methods noted above - industry visits, external expert lecturers and seminars, and so forth - results in curricula that help develop graduates with capabilities of demonstrable relevance in engineering practice.