ALUMNI QUESTIONNAIRE
Please provide the following information:
NAME:__________________________________________ YEAR OF GRADUATION:_________
Please Tick
BEng/BSc graduate in Mechanical Engineering,
BEng/BSc graduate in Manufacturing Engineering,
or MEng graduate in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
In the following sections, we would like you to provide your opinions on the knowledge and
skills needed by a new graduate in Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering.
Please answer the questions posed on the basis of your own personal experience
i.e. judge each subject, topic or skill listed on its relevance to:
(i)
your career since you graduated from Queen’s,
(ii)
the careers of other Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering graduates
whose work you are familiar with.
Note that there is an opportunity to add comments at the end of the questionnaire.
1. MATHEMATICS
The following table concerns the Mathematics we should teach in our degree courses.
Please circle the appropriate number, where:
1 = of no importance
2 = unimportant
3 = important
4 = very important
5 = essential
How important do you believe it is that graduating students are competent in the following:
1.1 Algebra (Solving equations for unknowns)
1
2
3
4
5
1.2 Geometry (including Co-ordinate Geometry)
1
2
3
4
5
1.3 Trigonometry (Sin, Cos, Tan etc. and their interrelationships)
1
2
3
4
5
1.4 Calculus 1 (Differentiation, Integration, Differential Equations)
1
2
3
4
5
1.5 Calculus 2 (Partial Differentiation, Partial Differential Equations)
1
2
3
4
5
1.6 Matrices (Addition, Subtraction & Multiplication, Determinants)
1
2
3
4
5
1.7 Vectors (Addition & Subtraction, Scalar & Vector Products)
1
2
3
4
5
2
1.8 Vector Calculus (Grad, Div, Curl etc.)
1
2
3
4
5
1.9 Complex Numbers
1
2
3
4
5
1.10 Transforms (Laplace, Fourier and z Transforms)
1
2
3
4
5
1.11 Probability & Statistics
1
2
3
4
5
2. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
The following table concerns the required depth of knowledge in the three main areas of
Mechanical Engineering Science.
Please circle the appropriate number, where:
1 = of no importance
2 = unimportant
3 = important
4 = very important
5 = essential
2.1 Thermodynamics & Fluid Mechanics
In the case of this subject area, how important is it that graduating students should:
(a)
Be familiar with the basic principles
1
2
3
4
5
(b)
Have a general understanding of the relationships between the
relevant variables and parameters
1
2
3
4
5
(c)
Be able to write down and apply mathematical equations relating
the relevant variables and parameters
1
2
3
4
5
2.2 Statics & Strength of Materials (Solid Mechanics)
In the case of this subject area, how important is it that graduating students should:
(a)
Be familiar with the basic principles
1
2
3
4
5
(b)
Have a general understanding of the relationships between the
relevant variables and parameters
1
2
3
4
5
(c)
Be able to write down and apply mathematical equations relating
the relevant variables and parameters
1
2
3
4
5
2.3 Engineering Dynamics
In the case of this subject area, how important is it that graduating students should:
(a)
Be familiar with the basic principles
1
2
3
4
5
(b)
Have a general understanding of the relationships between the
relevant variables and parameters
1
2
3
4
5
(c)
Be able to write down and apply mathematical equations relating
the relevant variables and parameters
1
2
3
4
5
3
3. ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS
The following table concerns the Additional Subjects, apart from Mathematics and Mechanical
Engineering Science, that we should teach in our degree courses.
Please circle the appropriate number, where:
1 = of no importance
2 = unimportant
3 = important
4 = very important
5 = essential
How important is it that graduating students have a working knowledge of the following:
3.1 Engineering Design
1
2
3
4
5
3.2 Materials Science
1
2
3
4
5
3.3 Manufacturing Processes & Technologies
1
2
3
4
5
3.4 Production Management & Control
1
2
3
4
5
3.5 Quality Systems (incl.TQM & FMEA)
1
2
3
4
5
3.6 Business & Enterprise Systems (incl. Computer-based Systems)
1
2
3
4
5
3.7 Control (Theory & Applications)
1
2
3
4
5
3.8 Instrumentation
1
2
3
4
5
3.9 Fluid Power (Hydraulics & Pneumatics)
1
2
3
4
5
3.10 Mechatronics
1
2
3
4
5
3.11 Electronics
1
2
3
4
5
3.12 Electrical Engineering (Electrical Power & Machines)
1
2
3
4
5
3.13 Computer Programming (eg MATLAB, JAVA)
1
2
3
4
5
3.14 Management Theory & Practices
1
2
3
4
5
3.15 Law (Industrial & Employment Law)
1
2
3
4
5
3.16 Economics
1
2
3
4
5
3.17 Accounting Methods & Practices
1
2
3
4
5
3.18 Marketing Methods & Practices
1
2
3
4
5
3.19 Product Innovation & Development
1
2
3
4
5
3.20 Entrepreneurship (Strategies and Support for Business Start-ups)
1
2
3
4
5
If you feel there are relevant subjects missing from the above list, please add them below.
3.21
1
2
3
4
5
3.22
1
2
3
4
5
4
4. SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
The following table concerns the Skills and Attributes we should develop in our students in order to
prepare them for careers as professional engineers.
In this case, we would like to know which Skills and Attributes you believe are most important and
which are least important.
Hence the number you circle should represent the relative importance of each entry in the list.
Please circle the appropriate number, where:
1 = considerably less important (than the others)
2 = less important (than the others)
3 = of average importance
4 = more important (than the others)
5 = considerably more important (than the others)
How important is it that graduating students have the following Skills and Attributes (compared to the
others in the list):
4.1 Engineering Reasoning and Problem Solving
(Able to identify, analyse logically and solve engineering problems.)
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
4.2 Experimentation and Knowledge Discovery
(Able to form a hypothesis, assemble information, plan and carry out
appropriate experiments, generate results and draw valid conclusions.)
4.3 System Thinking
(Able to think holistically, take all relevant factors into account, prioritise
issues, make trade-offs and form balanced judgements.)
4.4 Personal Skills & Attributes
(Creative and critical thinker, curious, enthusiastic, shows initiative, willing
to take risks, aware of personal limitations, able to manage time etc.)
4.5 Professional Skills & Attitudes
(Willing to take responsibility, has a professional bearing, aware of ethical
issues, keeps up-to-date with engineering developments etc.)
4.6 Teamwork and Leadership
(Able to operate effectively within a team, deal with conflicts, accept the
opinions of others, assume leadership when appropriate etc.)
4.7 Communications
(Able to communicate in writing, orally, graphically and electronically.)
4.8 External & Societal Context
(Aware of external influences, contemporary social, political, legal and
environmental issues, and the responsibilities of the engineer.)
4.9 Enterprise and Business Context
(Aware of the goals of the enterprise, the business environment, financial
and managerial factors, and the various functions in an organization)
4.10 Conceiving Products and Systems
(Able to identify customer needs and market opportunities, define
requirements and develop innovative conceptual designs.)
4.11 Designing
(Able to produce detailed designs using appropriate scientific knowledge,
competent in design methods, tools and computer-based technologies.)
4.12 Implementing
(Able to plan and organize the manufacture and assembly of products
and systems, including sourcing, costing, testing and validation.)
4.13 Operating
(Able to plan the operation of a system, including quality assurance,
safety, logistics, maintenance, documentation and training of personnel.)
5
5. ALLOCATION OF TEACHING TIME
The following table concerns the time we should devote to different areas of the curriculum.
Apart from the areas of the curriculum referred to in Sections 1 to 4 above, time needs to be
allocated to practical work. This can be analysis-based (Laboratory Classes and Investigative
Projects), or design-based (Design, Build and Test Assignments & Projects).
We would like to know how much time you think we should allocate, compared to your
experience as an undergraduate.
Please circle the appropriate number, where:
1 = considerably less time
2 = less time
3 = the same amount of time
4 = more time
5 = considerably more time
How much time should we allocate to the following compared to your course at Queen’s (bearing in
mind that more time allocated to one area means less time available for the others):
5.1 Mathematics (Section 1)
1
2
3
4
5
5.2 Mechanical Engineering Science (Section 2)
1
2
3
4
5
5.3 Additional Subjects (Section 3)
1
2
3
4
5
5.4 Developing Skills and Attributes (Section 4)
1
2
3
4
5
5.5 Practical Work: Laboratory Classes and Investigative Projects
1
2
3
4
5
5.6 Practical Work: Design, Build and Test Assignments & Projects
1
2
3
4
5
6. OTHER INFORMATION
This section is optional, but it would help us to plan our curriculum if we knew more about the
subsequent careers of our graduates. A few keep in touch, but the majority don’t.
We would appreciate it if you would provide the following information:
TITLE OF YOUR
CURRENT POST
Brief Details of
Responsibilities
NAME OF YOUR
COMPANY or
ORGANISATION
Brief Details of
Company or
Organisation
6
7. COMMENTS
Please enter any further information or comments you would like to provide in the box below.
For example, let us know if you feel we have overlooked something important that should be
included in our degree courses. Alternatively, was there any part of your degree course that you
found particularly useful in your subsequent career?
COMMENTS