Professional Issues For Engineers

Contents Page
1.0 Introduction 2
2.0 Aim of the Module 2
3.0 How You will be aught 2
!.0 "tatement of #earning $utcomes 3
%.0 Module Content 3
&.0 How You will be Assessed !
'.0 (eading #ist %
).0 "am*le +uestions &
,.0 "chedule '
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Professional Issues for /ngineers
1.0 Introduction
The report Engineering Our Future (Finniston1980) concluded that: the
British system does not give students sufficient grounding in the synthesis of
technical(and) human!considerations nor does it ade"uately encourage
the development of the #ider s$ills and outloo$ re"uired %y engineers #ithin
the engineering dimension &n conse"uence employers have often ta$en the
attitude that fe# engineers are properly e"uipped to ta$e on %roader
management responsi%ilities and have employed them instead as providers
of technical services' there%y closing the vicious circle(
&n addition to these concerns' there has %een gro#ing concern over the lac$
of a#areness sho#n not only %y engineers %ut also %y society as a #hole of
the impact of technology on society and the contri%ution of engineering to
the conte)t in #hich #e live &f engineers are to inform society of the role of
engineering then they need to have an a#areness of this conte)t and
current issues as #ell as the a%ility to communicate this understanding
effectively
2.0 Aim

Therefore the aim of this module is to increase your a#areness of the
impact of technology on society and the responsi%ilities of engineers
to#ards the community they serve &n addition' it see$s to give you a
%roader $no#ledge of the roles of engineers in the achievement of
engineering o%*ectives +astly' it #ill give you the opportunity to develop
your s$ills in #ritten and ver%al communication in the conte)t of engineering
information and operations
3.0 How 1ou will be taught

,ou #ill need to read in-depth a #ide range of material' particularly from
*ournals and ne#spapers This #ill help you prepare for the discussion
sessions that #ill ta$e place in the seminars For each topic there #ill %e an
initial lecture that #ill provide the %ac$ground $no#ledge from #hich you #ill
%e a%le to develop your reading and learning The "uestions discussed in
the seminars #ill closely match "uestions in the e)amination at the end of
the academic year
The course#or$ in the second semester #ill %e an essay on a $ey aspect of
sylla%us
2
Professional Issues For Engineers
!.0 #earning $utcome
By the end of the module you should %e a%le to:
&dentify and e)plain the $ey current environmental issues and their impact on society and
the construction process.
/valuate the impact of technology and technological change on society.
0istinguish the issues relating to engineering safety and interpret the engineer1s
responsi%ilities to society.
2ppraise aspects of the development of management theory and evaluate their
appropriateness in relation to engineering organisations.
3repare a ver%al presentation for a given audience.
4rite a technical' safety or accident report' follo#ing a specified %rief.
3roduce an essay that em%odies a good use of /nglish' appropriate style and a logical
structure
%.0 Module Content
he (ole of the /ngineer in "ociet12
/ngineering as a profession.
The roles of the 3rofessional.
The status of the engineer in society
The &mpact of Technology on 5ociety:
The impact of technology and technological change on society.
Technological developments and their impact on engineering.
&ssues of /ngineering 5afety:
+egal and other responsi%ilities to society.
/thics
3rofessional codes of conduct
5ustaina%ility.
5ustaina%le development
6anagement of resources
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Professional Issues for /ngineers
The development of management theory and practice in engineering
organisations.
7rganisation cultures and styles.
Team leadership and team %uilding in engineering
6otivation
8ommunication:
/ssay #riting.
6eetings.
&ntervie#s.
7ral presentations.
9eport #riting.
Writing for an audience.
&.0 How 1ou will be assessed
There are t#o components to your assessment:
Coursewor3
&n the first semester you #ill %e given an essay title and you #ill %e
re"uired and #rite a 34000 word essa1 on the topic This should %e
su%mitted on the 1!
th
5ebruar1 2013.
/6amination2
&n the summer assessment period you #ill have a three7 hour e6amination
in #hich you #ill %e e)pected to ans#er four "uestions. these #ill reflect the
content of the module covered during the course of the year in the classes
(e7assessment
8ourse#or$: :'000 #ord essay on a given topic
/)amination: three-hour e)amination
!
Professional Issues For Engineers
'.0 (eading "trateg1
The titles listed %elo# provide $ey ideas to underpin the teaching and discussion' %ut
in addition' you should see$ to read articles on current topics from a range
of *ournals and periodicals %ut particularly those associated #ith your
professional institution
Ble#itt' ;' <008 .nderstanding Professional -e8elo*ment' +ondon'
/arthscan
8ollins' 5' =he'; and 6ills' = 1989 The Professional Engineer in
Society' +ondon' ;essica >ingsley 3u%lications
Fe#ings' 3' <009 /thics for the 9uilt /n8ironment4 +ondon' Taylor and
Francis
?andy' 8'199: Understanding Organisations@
th
ed' 6iddlese) 3enguin'
+angston'82 and 0ing' = <001' Sustainable Practices in the Built
Environment, <
nd
ed' 7)ford' Butter#orth- ?einemann
3etros$i' ? 199<. To Engineer is Human: The Role of Failure in
Successful esign. Ae# ,or$: Bintage Boo$s
5chumacher' /F Small is Beautiful' 198@' +ondon: Blond and Briggs
Cff' ; <00< DEngineering Ethics: Do Engineers Owe Duties to the Public?
(o1al Academ1 of /ngineering4 #lo1ds (egister #ecture.
4ulf' 2 <00@ D/ngineering /thics and 5ociety1 , echnolog1 in "ociet1
&ssue <E :8F-:90
### practicalactionorg
www.raeng.org.uk
).0 "am*le /6amination +uestions
&s engineering a true( professionG Cse a %alanced and reasoned argument
to support your vie#s in ans#er to this "uestion
3eople are motivated primarily %y money(
To #hat e)tent do you agree #ith this statementG Cse evidence from
relevant motivation theories to support your arguments
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Professional Issues for /ngineers
&t has %een estimated that more information has %een produced in the last
<0 years than in the previous @000 &n the light of this statement' e)plain
ho# the current information e)plosion and #orld-#ide computer access may
help professional engineers in their #or$
2n article descri%ing the "ualifications' #or$ and responsi%ilities of a
3rofessional /ngineer #ill appear in a magaHine aimed at 1F year-old
school children' #ho are considering options for their future careers
4rite this article in a%out @00 #ords
9ecently there have %een a num%er of ma*or accidents concerned #ith
technological operations This has given rise to the vie# that insufficient
attention has %een given to developing relia%le and safe systems of
operations
5elect one of these accidents and argue a case either for or against this
vie#
&
Professional Issues For Engineers
90 5chedule of Topics
:ee3
;o.
0ate- #ee$
%eginning:
o*ic
9 <@-5ept
&ntroduction to the module
10 01-7ct
/ngineering and 5afety
11 08-7ct
/ngineering 5afety
1< 1F-7ct
/ngineering Failures I DTo /ngineer is ?uman1
1: <<-7ct
6eetings - video
1@ <9-7ct
Field Trip 4ee$
1F 0F-Aov
5ustaina%le 0evelopment
1E 1<-Aov
5ustaina%ility and the 3roduction 3rocess
1J 19-Aov
5ustaina%ility
18 <E-Aov
/thics
19 0:-0ec
/ngineering /thics
<0 10-0ec
8ourse#or$ surgery
<@ 0J-;an
2ssessment 3eriod
<E <1-;an
2ssessment of the &mpact of Technology
<J <8-;an
&mpact of Technology on 5ociety
<8 0@-Fe%
The &nformation 9evolution
<9 11-Fe%
&ntervie#s
:0 18-Fe%
6odels of 6anagement Theory
:1 <F-Fe%
6odels of 6anagement Theory
:< 0@-6ar
6otivation
:: 11-6ar
+eadership
:@ 18-6ar
Field trip #ee$
:F <F-6ar
Team%uilding
:E 01-2pr
9evisionK e)am preparation
:J 08- 2pr
9evision
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