Senior Design As A Transition From Academia To Industry

In its eighteenth year, the Electrical Engineering Senior Design course sequence at the Milwaukee School of Engineering has evolved from an engineering-focused course set, to one with design at the center of a process focused on fostering professional growth. Successful design is treated as the natural outcome of a combination of technical preparation and a set of professional skills. As a result, the student grows from an academic individual to a professional one, accomplished in working with business and industry methods. The changes have been made in response to changes in the students and their needs as graduates. In the nine-month experience, the first portion focuses on team building, leadership development, problem identification and certification, and design feasibility determination, through differing communications requirements. In the latter parts of the course sequence, in parallel with the technical aspects of the design project, the setting of milestones, managing the project, and performing and documenting engineering work are augmented by key professionalism topics. These span the range from “selling oneself” and selling the project concept, to considering global competition concerns. Our “course within a course” style also includes guest specialists working with the students on topics such as safety, ethics, standards, resume and interviewing techniques, and even professional behavior. A “trade show” with a prototype and poster competition completes the course’s professional experiences. Employer response to the efforts has been very positive and encouraging.