Introduction to Engineering Syllabus for 2023-2024
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

ENGR-1201-001 Introduction to Engineering

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: MATH 1414 with a minimum grade of C.

Course Description

An introduction to the engineering profession with emphasis on technical communication and team-based engineering design.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(2 sem hrs; 1 lec, 3 lab)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

eTextbook  or hard copy textbook is required

The eTextbook is available in the Amarillo College Bookstore:

Engineering Fundamentals - An Introduction To Engineering, 6th Edition by Saeed Moaveni, Instructor V. Miles

eTextbook - ISBN: 9780357687413

Hard copy Textbook - ISBN: 9781337705011

Supplies

Required:  3 ring binder if sold textbook is sold as loose leaf

Student Performance

After completing this course, the student will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the following topics with 70% accuracy as evaluated by the engineering faculty:

1. Describe the engineering profession and engineering ethics, including professional practice and licensure.
2. Use technical communication skills to explain the analysis and results of introductory laboratory exercises in engineering and computer science.
3. Explain the engineering analysis and design process.
4. Analyze data collected during laboratory exercises designed to expose students to the different engineeering disciplines.
5. Describe the inpact engineering has had on the modern world.
6. As part of a team, design a simple engineering device, write a design report ande present the design.
7. Demonstrate computer literacy.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Students are expected to behave in the classroom in a manner that is supportive of the learning environment. Behaviors that are not supportive include, but are not limited to: tardiness/leaving early; electronic device noises; texting or using electronic devices for non-course related activities during the lecture; talking during the lecture; abusive, offensive, and/or disrespectful language or demeanor toward AC faculty, staff, students, and/or Amarillo College property.

In order to receive credit for a course, all material listed on the syllabus must be covered.  The instructor sets the pace to ensure that these requirements are met.  Complaining about the pace will not result in less material being covered.

Students who fail to comply with the standards outlined in the syllabus and/or AC's Student Rights & Responsibilities document will be subject to disciplinary action which may include, but is not limited to: removal from the classroom; consultation with the Math, Engineering & Physical Sciences Department Chair and/or other AC authority; withdrawal from the course and/or Amarillo College.

For a full discussion of appropriate behavior and student responsibilities, please refer to the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook. http://www.actx.edu/admission/files/filecabinet/folder2/Student_R_R_07_Hyper.pdf

Grading Criteria

The final grades of A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (below 60) will be computed as the average of the earned grades as follows:

Assignments/Quiz: 15%

Attendance:  10%

Life Long Learning Activities: 10%

Major Exams: (3 @ 15% each) 45%

Design Project: 20%

Assignments/Quiz

Expect to have weekly assignments, which may result in completion at home. Video assignments, lab activites and alternative lessons beyond traditional lectures will be given throughout the semester to aid you with learning the content and peer to peer exchange of information. Students will be grouped in teams and must participate as they are being observed during lab and other class activities.  Any written assignment, unless it is provided as a handout, must meet the format requirements at the end of this document; this format will aid you when you take advanced engineering courses.  If there is a quiz, it will be given during the first five (5) minutes of class and cannot be made up so please be on time.  I will drop the lowest two assignment/quiz grades. 

All assignments must be done neatly; if it cannot be read, I will not grade it, and a grade of zero (0) will be given for the assignment. Collaboration between students is allowed and there will be times, preannounced, when EACH STUDENT must turn in an ORIGINAL, COMPLETE assignment.  The instructor reserves the right to grade any number of problems.

No credit will be given for late assignments.

You must attend class to learn about course content, complete assignments and collaborate with classmates on lab assignments and the design project. The textbook must be brought to class since some class work is identified in the textbook. Since this is an introductory engineering course, a notebook must be maintained with your dated notes and work; your notebook will be checked and graded twice during the semester. 

Homework Format:

Homework presentations shall be as follows:

• Heading on each page. 

• Place your name in the top right portion of each page and to the right of your name number the pages, such as 1/3, 2/3, 3/3. 
• Place ENGR- 1201-001 in the top left portion of each page.
• Homework sets should be stapled upper left and then vertically folded in half. The student’s name, course and section number, date and the problems included shall be placed on the outside sheet with the fold to the left.

                           Janie Smith

                           ENGR 1201-001

                           8/30/2021

                 2-4, 6, 9

• Restate the problem at the top of the page. Write it all out – every word.  This will help you when you study for the exams.
• Show all significant steps in a single column on the left side of the page.  It should be clear why each step is taken.
• There should be one = sign per line as you move down the page and simplify.  You do not simplify by working across the page with multiple = signs.  That is not a professional format. 
• Any steps shown in a second column or following a second =  sign will not be graded and will result in a reduction in your grade. 
• Draw figures to the right of the analysis steps and clearly label as needed with dimensions, labels, and units.
• Underline important intermediate results, as needed.
• Box (not circle) final results.

Life Long Learning Activities

As an engineer, you will need to continue learning throughout your career.  You will attend workshops, tour work sites, interview clients, among other duties.  To support the goal of lifelong learning outside of the classroom, the Engineering Department will provide opportunities for activities including, but not limited to: club meetings, community service, meetings with advisors/mentors, independent projects such as preparation of a possible schedule to complete your degree, and tours to broaden your education.  Currently there are plans to provide at least 16 opportunities and you must complete four (4) activities; make plans to do one (1) activity each month during the semester to avoid the stress of doing them all in the last week of class.  Providing the evidence of your participation in all four activities will count as 10%  credit toward your final grade. You only need to complete 4 activities per semester since the same activities can be used for all your engineering classes. However be sure to submit a copy of  your evidence of completion to each of your engineering professors. A list of suggested LLL activities can be found in Blackboard for this course. 

Exams

Advance notice of each exam, including the scope and location will be provided and are tentatively listed in the course calendar.  Each exam will count as 15% of your overall grade for a total of 45%. 

Absence from an exam will incur a zero (0) unless the student has received prior approval from the instructor or there is an emergency that could not be circumvented. Students who miss an exam because of College or business-related activities should notify the instructor before the absence occurs.

NOTE:  Exams may be given in class or during class time in the Math Testing Center.  If you have been found to have cheated on a test including helping another student cheat a grade of zero (0) may be given for the entire course

Grading of Exams:  Partial credit will only be given if the student work is logically developed, with clear and well-marked diagrams, with the appropriate fundamental and auxiliary equations prominently displayed, where the substitutions into the equations are quite clear, and the assumptions used are quite obvious to the grader. It is the student’s responsibility to present his/her work so clearly that the grader can quickly ascertain the location and nature of the error(s) and can easily follow the subsequent work through to the now incorrect solution of the problem.  Thus, the student’s contribution, needed to obtain partial credit, is to be able to clearly lead the grader through the student’s thought process on the exam page alone.

Design Project

The design project will be completed in groups assigned by the instructor. Concepts taught in class will be incorporated into the design project throughout the semester. A written report and oral presentation including a PowerPoint slideshow are primary components of the project. Each group will select from a reduced list of challenges centered around reuse and sustainability. The final presentation must contain at least one slide for the  8 steps of the engineering design process identified in the text (see Chapter 3). A functional model and a detailed sketch are required deliverables.  

Attendance

Attendance is essential for successful completion of the course. In order to promote consistent attendance, classwork is regularly assigned and in-class quizzes may be periodically given. Late work will not be accepted and in-class quizzes may be not be made up.

There will be a Syllabus Quiz in class on 9/6/23. If you do not come to class prior to the Census Date, 9/62/23, you will be administratively dropped from the class.  Please remember the deadline for withdrawing from this 16-week course during the Fall 2023 semester is 11/21/23. If you stop attending class and do not officially drop the course by this deadline, and your final average is below a 60, you will receive an F for the course.

Below is the projected course calendar; any updates to the detailed calendar can be found on Black Board. 

Calendar

Additional Information

The best way to contact me is during office hours or via email. Hard work, positive attitude and team work are expected. Remember, as an engineer, you are a problem solver!

If you need help outside of class, please visit me during office hours or go to the Math Academic Success Center. See the hours shown below:

Math Academic Success Center, Durrett 104
In Person:  Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 8 PM,   Saturday: 9 AM – 8 PM

Virtual:   Use Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/54113851

Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 8 PM,   Saturday: 9 AM – 8 PM

Math Testing Center, Durrett 103

Mon. - Thurs: 9 AM - 10 PM, Friday & Sat.: 9 AM - 8PM