Integrated Project for Sophomore-level Engineering Course Contextualization

Integrated curricula methodology has been investigated and recommended as a method to teach engineering. A group of engineering faculty at Cal State LA has designed and assessed an integrated student project that is the overarching theme of engineering curriculum contextualization at sophomore level. The project is part of the Sophomore Unified Core Curriculum for Engineering Education (SUCCEEd) program, funded by the National Science Foundation that seeks to integrate classes in the engineering core curriculum. The paper describes a house remodeling project that is used to integrate four lower division engineering core courses, namely, statics, programming, matrix algebra and CAD, and how it can be used to meet soft skills required by ABET. The manuscript concludes by including program assessment and recommendations based on what has been learned during project implementation.