Program Educational Objectives and Program Outcomes
ABET, the national accreditation organization for engineering programs requires that accredited programs establish and regularly update Program Educational Objectives and related Program Outcomes. Program Educational Objectives address the defining characteristics, attributes and abilities that SCU civil engineering graduates demonstrate within the first three to five years of their professional careers. Program Outcomes describe the measurable characteristics (i.e. knowledge, skills and sensitivities) that the Civil Engineering Department expects to find in its students at the completion of their undergraduate program.
The current set of Program Educational Objectives for the Civil Engineering Program at Santa Clara University was developed using an iterative process that integrated the ideas of the departmental faculty, students and the departmental Advisory Board. The Advisory Board provides representation from alumni, local employers and the professional civil engineering community. The Program Educational Objectives so developed reflect not only the professional needs of Civil Engineering Program graduate but also the parent institution’s mission statement and related aspirations for all Santa Clara University graduates. Initial versions of the departmental Educational Objectives were drafted in 2001 and revised into their current form during the summer of 2003. Specifically, the Department has committed itself to providing a program that will result in:
- graduates who contribute to the planning, design, construction, maintenance and advancement of civil engineered systems critical to the quality of life in a changing world
- graduates who will uphold and practice the concepts embodied in the University’s mission and its corresponding goals,
- graduates who will pursue life-long learning as a means of enhancing the knowledge base and skills necessary to contribute to the betterment of their profession and community, and
- graduates that recognize their professional and personal responsibility to their community. This will be reflected in a personal commitment to improving their communities while maintaining high ethical standards.
The companion Program Outcomes listed below were developed specifically for the undergraduate civil engineering program to help ensure that the aforementioned Program Educational Objectives are met. The focus of these outcomes is consistent with the set of required educational outcomes identified in the ABET EC2000 accreditation guidelines. Minimum ABET requirements have been supplemented with Program/University-specific outcomes that address the uniqueness of a Santa Clara University civil engineering education.
The Civil Engineering Program Outcomes require that graduates receiving a BSCE degree from Santa Clara University demonstrate the following.
- Students have acquired fundamental knowledge of math, science and engineering and have developed the ability to apply this knowledge to engineering problems.
- Students have acquired knowledge of five specialty areas within civil engineering (are structural, water resources, geotechnical, environmental and transportation engineering) and sufficient understanding so as to identify and analyze problems and design basic elements of related systems.
- Students have acquired experience using common civil engineering tools to conduct experiments, analyze systems and design elements of civil engineering projects.
- Students have used the knowledge and skills developed under Items 1, 2 and 3 noted above to complete a capstone design experience that integrates common elements of professional practice in a single, focused project.
- Students have developed an understanding of the non-technical issues related to their post-graduation professional and personal obligations including :
a) contemporary issues at the local and global level,
b) the impact of civil engineering in a global and societal context,
c) professional/ethical responsibilities,
d) the value of life-long learning, and
e) the Vision/Mission of the University to produce graduates with competence, conscience and compassion.
6. Students have acquired the skills to communicate effectively in written and oral forms either as part of personal assignments or team-
based activities.
These Program Educational Objectives and Program Outcomes represent a formal manifestation of an educational philosophy and spirit that the Civil Engineering Department has operated under for many years.
