Teaching Civil Engineering Design: Observations and Experiences

Abstract

Civil engineering design is an inspired activity. It offers the engineer a high degree of autonomy to conceive or create a unique, state-of-the-art, functional, cost-effective facility. Civil engineering design calls on the talent of the engineer to balance the client's end-use requirements and financial resources, with the safety of the occupants. Because the process of engineering design has such a vast degree of freedom, teaching the concepts inherent in design is a very challenging, and at times frustrating, endeavor. The present paper discusses the many facets of the senior design course developed at the University of Missouri–Rolla to include a course that employs an effective team teaching approach with two faculty members who have both extensive teaching and industry/consulting experience. Their real-world experiences are assets when teaching design.