Skip to Main Content

Content

Course Tabs

Overview

Course Prescription

An advanced course comprising an integrating project with students working independently and inter-dependently in teams to research, investigate and apply engineering knowledge to develop solutions. A comprehensive investigation of an open-ended, complex, real or synthetic engineering problem within a simulated professional office. Completion of a comprehensive report and presentation covering technical, economic, environmental, health and safety and management components.

Course Overview

This course involves conducting a Preliminary Design (and/or Scheme Assessment) Report for an engineering project. This will include the project coordination and technical considerations of a major design and students will need to consider social, economic and environmental impact with associated construction, and safety and occupational health issues throughout the entire project lifecycle of the proposed project.
The course will focus on key elements of design and systems thinking. The prime teaching interface between staff and students will be the design workshops, which will run under a simulated design office environment.Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:• Apply engineering knowledge and problem solving capabilities to deal with the investigation of an open ended, complex, real or synthetic civil engineering problem within professional design office.• To understand and apply the process of engineering design to the preliminary design phase including cost estimates, consulting fees and project implementation plans.• Undertake a research component relevant to the project brief and subsequently apply the findings of the research to help solve the engineering brief.• Prepare and deliver professional practice standard of reports and presentations.• Develop and apply a range of interpersonal and personal competencies relevant for engineers working in multi-disciplinary project teams.• Apply key aspects of safety in design to mitigate project delivery risks and ongoing operation and maintenance consideration, taking a whole of life perspective.• Assess and integrate stakeholder requirements including Treaty of Waitangi and Resource Management Act requirements.• Critically reflect on own performance and develop/execute personal improvement plans.
The philosophy adopted is based on the premise that engineers’ contributions in society often stem from an ability to apply knowledge in innovative ways to solve difficult (sometimes called wicked) problems. Engineers are a profession of people with problem solving skills, who develop solutions and designs that can be implemented, and thus need to be pragmatic to meet stakeholders’ objectives and address multiple technical, commercial, health and safety, ethical and health and safety considerations. This is rarely done in a linear fashion and requires numerous iterations, with the application of advanced levels of knowledge from a range of specialisations, with engineers working in collaboration in multi-disciplinary teams. This course brings these elements together in order to develop the competencies needed to be effective engineers.

There are both group and individual components and deliverables for this course.
Students will be operating in teams who undertake a level of preliminary investigation that would be done before a fully detailed design. At the end of the course each team will deliver a professional quality preliminary design report with drawings, cost estimates, environmental impacts and support this with an oral presentation and interview. Individuals in each team of 7-10 students will be undertaking complementary distinct roles such as geotechnical, traffic, environmental, water, construction and structural specialists. Each team will act as a group of consulting engineers undertaking an open ended preliminary investigation and design with the assistance of technical specialist advisors and a staff member as your nominal client. 
Students will also need to individually complete research on areas related to the project as well as provide formal reflection on learnings obtained throughout the course.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 20 hours per week  on coursework.

For this 30 point course, you can expect approximately 300 hours which is categorised as follows:

Team work focused part of this course:

  • 6 hours of briefing lectures,
  • 20 hours of work in the assigned design office (2 hours each week for 10 weeks),
  • 6 hours of supplementary Question and Answer sessions,
  • 4 hours for site visit,
  • 80 hours of work on project deliverables, report and presentation preparation,
  • 32 hours of independent study, and
  • 2 hours of team presentations and interviews.
Individual focused part of this course:
  • 10 hours tutorials
  • 14 hours of workshops
  • 62 hours on project deliverables, report and presentation preparation
  • 62 hours on independent study
  • 2 hours of project presentation and interview

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Restriction

Additional Advice on Prerequisites

Prerequisite: 60 points from 700 level courses in the BE(Hons) and MProfEng Schedules

To complete this course students must enrol in ENGGEN 785 A and B, or ENGGEN 785

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including weekly design office and the site visit components of the course.Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including Q&A sessions will mostly be available as recordings.The course will occasionally include live online events including design office group discussions.Attendance on campus is required for the presentations and final team interview.The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable apart from the site visit and final presentation /interview which will be notified as soon as known.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor. Information that specifically relates to the project will generally be provided via Canvas.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Health and Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy. Health and safety will be a significant consideration for site visits. This will be notified specific to the project.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Additional Information on Assessment

The Final Report and Final Presentation Interview marks will be adjusted to account for individual student contributions and will incorporate peer evaluations.

A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy.

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123456

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Student feedback is not applicable as 2025 is the inaugural delivery of this course. However based on feedback from the sister course Civil 756, there will be an earlier introduction to the basics of client-focussed report writing.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.