Monash University: University Handbooks: Undergraduate Handbook 2001: Subjects indexed by faculty
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Bachelor of Engineering


General information

Course abbreviation: BE

Course structure

First level

The BE first year, which is common to all the branches of engineering, is offered on the Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland or Monash Malaysia campuses. This means that students may delay the decision about the choice of an engineering branch until the end of the first year. Students are assisted in making their choice of branch by their experience of first-level engineering subjects and by a series of career lectures in second semester which review the branches of engineering available.
At the end of first-level BE, students at any of the three campuses may proceed to any one of the later-year engineering branches, irrespective of the campus on which it is taught, provided that they have done well enough in their first-year subjects to secure a place in any quota which may exist for the branch of engineering. Quotas are imposed in some engineering branches because there are limited places available in second-level classes. Where demand exceeds the number of places, the only fair way to select is on academic merit, determined by first-year results. In 2001, the entire course of industrial engineering and engineering management (IE&EM) will be offered on the Caulfield campus.

Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management)

Students are required to complete level 1 (the common engineering first year) before they may select the industrial engineering and engineering management branch. In level 2 of the core subjects (48 credit points), students undertake both industrial engineering and engineering management subjects and two mathematics subjects. Further specialist industrial engineering subjects will be offered in levels three and four, where each subject will contribute six credit points.
Industrial engineers design productive systems comprising people, machines, materials and money. They are people with creative and innovative skills and a knowledge of engineering, computing and business principles. Their main aims are to create an efficient and effective workplace to achieve a high productivity and high performance -- the maximum output from an organisation for the same input of effort and resources and the meeting of important objectives. These aims involve industrial engineers paying due regard to all production aspects, as well as product quality and human factors. Only in this way can a company compete in today's world and fulfil the needs of its customers, employees and owners.
Monash industrial engineering training covers the basic applied sciences and engineering to provide skills in dealing with complex engineering equipment. This includes computer-based equipment, so skills in both electronics and computing are developed. But every company depends on its finance and on the skill of its employees, hence studies in both business and social subjects are also undertaken. Safety in the work place and a knowledge of new materials are also included. Industrial engineering draws on a broader range of skills than perhaps any other engineering course at Monash. The degree course at Caulfield is both vocation-oriented and research-orientated in order to train industrial engineers who can quickly assimilate into all walks of professional employment.
The course is structured to provide a thorough understanding of the principles and applications of the various disciplines. In addition, it is designed to develop personal qualities that are essential for a professional engineer, such as personal communication skills, ethics, creativity and sound judgement to design and establish systems for the benefit of society.
Students will be expected to complete a 12-credit-point project thesis unit in level 4 in which each student, or a small group of two or three, must undertake a research, design or authentic involvement (industry-based) project. Students are expected to prepare a final-year thesis which will be assessed by two examiners for in-house projects and three examiners, including the company supervisor, for industry-based projects. The department plans to mount electives in level 4, of which normally only six need to be selected. Appropriate mechanical engineering electives from the Clayton campus will also be available to students in the industrial engineering and engineering management stream (subject to timetable restrictions).

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