Overview
Professional Practice in Engineering examines the ethical, legal, regulatory, communicative, and organizational responsibilities of engineers. Students analyze professional codes, licensure and continuing development, duty to public health and safety, accountability, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, intellectual property, authorship, whistleblowing, cultural competence, accessibility, sustainability, and environmental justice.
The course develops applied professional judgment through case studies, role-play, technical correspondence, presentations, negotiation exercises, mock interviews, and portfolio development. Topics include contracts, liability, standards of care, risk communication, workplace conduct, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data integrity, and communication with clients, regulators, communities, and multidisciplinary teams. Students complete an individual plan for lifelong professional growth.
Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate ambiguous engineering cases using professional codes of ethics, standards of care, and principles of public accountability.
- Analyze legal, regulatory, contractual, and liability responsibilities relevant to engineering practice.
- Formulate defensible responses to conflicts of interest, confidentiality concerns, intellectual property issues, authorship disputes, and whistleblowing situations.
- Communicate technical and professional information clearly through reports, specifications, design memoranda, proposals, presentations, and correspondence.
- Collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams, meetings, negotiations, and consultations with clients, regulators, communities, and other stakeholders.
- Assess the social, environmental, accessibility, cultural, and public-health consequences of engineering decisions.
- Evaluate professional risks associated with artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data integrity, and emerging technologies.
- Construct a professional portfolio demonstrating career readiness, workplace expectations, and evidence of technical and professional capability.
- Develop an individual continuing professional development plan that integrates mentorship, networking, professional standards, and lifelong learning goals.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
| Seminar | 2 hours | Fortnightly | Second term |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Ethical and regulatory case analysis | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Technical correspondence portfolio | 15.00% |
| Tutorial | Participation in case discussions and role-play | 10.00% |
| Test | Professional practice and legal responsibilities test | 15.00% |
| Deliverable | Professional portfolio | 20.00% |
| Capstone | Professional development plan and presentation | 20.00% |
Prerequisites
- ENGR304 Numerical Methods for Engineers
- Requirement Admission to a relevant engineering degree programme and senior-level standing.
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
