Course abbreviation: BE
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 units 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 units 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 2002, the entire course of industrial engineering and
engineering management (IE&EM) will be offered on the Caulfield campus.
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 units (48 credit points), students undertake both
industrial engineering and engineering management units and two mathematics
units. Further specialist industrial engineering units will be offered in
levels three and four, where each unit 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 engineering 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 units 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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