Course abbreviation: BE
The BE first year, which is common to all the branches of engineering, is offered on the Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland and 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 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 2003, 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 students, must
undertake a research, design or authentic involvement (industry-based) project.
Students are expected to prepare a final-year thesis that will be assessed by
two examiners for in-house projects and three examiners, including the company
supervisor, for industry-based projects. The department offers 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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