MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM ASSESSMENT PLAN

Program Educational Objectives

1. To produce competent engineers employed in a wide variety of technical areas in the local,
national or international engineering job markets.

2. To prepare some of our graduates for immediate further education with a view toward
careers in research, education or business.

3. To prepare some of our graduates for careers in government service, either civilian or
military.

4. To educate engineers who can set their engineering work in a larger social-political context,
and who realize the value of continuing education.

Student Outcomes
The Mechanical Engineering Program assesses 11 Student Outcomes

(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within
realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and
safety, manufacturability, and sustainability

(d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams

(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

(g) an ability to communicate effectively

(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a
global, economic, environmental, and societal context

(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues

(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice.
Relationship of Student Outcomes to Program Educational Objectives

Program Educational Objectives

4. To 4. educate engineers who can

1. To produce competent engineers

government service, either civilian

larger social-political context, and

careers in research, education or
graduates for immediate further

set their engineering work in a

employed in a wide variety of

education with a view toward

technical areas in the local,

2. To prepare some of our

3. To prepare some of our

engineering job markets.

who realize the value of

national or international

graduates for careers in

continuing education.
or military.
business.
Student Outcomes
(a) an ability to apply knowledge of
X X X X
mathematics, science, and engineering
(b) an ability to design and conduct
experiments, as well as to analyze and X
interpret data
(c) an ability to design a system,
component, or process to meet desired
needs within realistic constraints such as
X X X
economic, environmental, social, political,
ethical, health and safety,
manufacturability, and sustainability
(d) an ability to function on
X
multidisciplinary teams
(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and
X
solve engineering problems
(f) an understanding of professional and
X X X
ethical responsibility
(g) an ability to communicate effectively X X X
(h) the broad education necessary to
understand the impact of engineering
X X X X
solutions in a global, economic,
environmental, and societal context
(i) a recognition of the need for, and an
X X
ability to engage in life-long learning
(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues X X X X
(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills,
and modern engineering tools necessary for X
engineering practice.
Process
The mechanical engineering faculty holds primary responsibility for assessment and evaluation,
with the Chair responsible for ensuring implementation and documentation. Assessment,
evaluation, and implementation are documented primarily in the form of the minutes of faculty
meetings, including minutes of the annual meeting with the Industrial Advisory Board.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering currently uses four primary assessment methods to
evaluate its success in achieving student objectives and to help identify opportunities for
improvement.

1) Student and staff feedback.

2) Feedback from the department’s Industrial Advisory Board (IAB).

3) Survey results (graduating seniors and alumni).

4) Faculty Course Activity Reports (FCAR), described below.

Faculty Course Assessment Reports
Achievement of each student outcome is assessed on an annual basis in three or more
courses. The table below shows which outcomes are assessed in each course. The specific
metrics used vary from course to course and outcome to outcome, but include scores on specific
problems/homework/assignments (direct), faculty assessment of capstone and other project
reports (direct), and survey results (indirect).

Distribution of outcome assessments over required ME courses.

Course Student Outcome
a b c d e f g h i j k
ME 110 X X
ME 120 X X X
ME 121 X X X
ME 123 X X X
ME 204 X X X X X
ME 205 X X X X X
ME 213 X X X X
ME 223 X X X
ME 225 X X X
ME 226 X X X
ME 241 X X X X X
ME 242 X X X X X
ME 251 X X X
ME 280 X X X X

Beginning with the 2013/2014 academic year, the department adopted a new, systematic
process for faculty to report their assessments and for the individual course assessments to be
collected and evaluated at a program level. The process is based on the preparation of Faculty
Course Assessment Reports (FCAR). The original inspiration was provided by a paper by John
Estell (Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 25, No. 5, pp. 941-951, 2009), although we have freely modified
and adapted the concept to fit our program’s needs. As part of the course file for each required
course, the faculty member in charge is responsible for producing an FCAR, which summarizes
important changes made to the course, the assessment process and results, and suggestions in a
standard format.