HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOUTHWEST
COURSE OUTLINE FOR
INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING (ENGR1201)
Spring SS /2011
Class Number 68308
Time and location
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM, Friday , ROOM 164, West Loop Campus
Instructor
KAZI RASHED
E-mail: kazi.rashed@hccs.edu
Textbook
Studying Engineering 3rd edition by Raymond B. Landis,
Discovery Press
(ISBN: 978-0964696921)
Other resources
1. Lecture notes will be delivered.
2. Handouts will be delivered
Course Catalog Description
Introduction to Engineering: This course is intended for those who are planning to major in any branch of engineering
and for those planning a carrier in engineering. It may also be taken by any student entering college for the first time as
the materials covered in the course may help lead any student to success in college irrespective of the student’s major.
The materials covered in the course will include Keys to Success in Engineering Study or any major for that matter,
Engineering Profession, Academic Success Strategies, Personal Growth and Development, Broadening your Education
and Orientation to Engineering Education. The delivery format will include lectures, videos presentations, movies, guest
speakers, students’ projects, student’s presentations, homework assignments and examinations.
Expected Objectives
After the successful completion of the course, the following objectives should be attained:
1. Students will begin to develop their basic skills, basic problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, evaluation
skills, all which are essential for success in engineering discipline for any academic discipline for that matter.
2. Students will begin to develop team work skills for solving problems and completing projects by completing
short paper and small projects as a team where all the team members are required to participate.
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3. Students will be able to realize the ethical codes and possibly refine them. They will learn that professional
engineers have ethical and professional responsibilities which are related to the results of their actions.
4. Students will learn a little more about some contemporary issues related to engineering, and engage in the
discussions of these issues.
5. Students will make a supportive learning community by getting to know each other in the class, learning
collaborative study techniques, and becoming familiar with numerous students organizations.
6. Students will learn about positive attitudes, good study habits, goal setting, goal attainments, hard work,
dedication, commitment and productive behaviors that will result in their academic and carrier success.
7. Students will learn how to avail themselves with the numerous resources including counseling, students
organizations, faculty advising, web-based information, etc.
Attendance Policy
The HCCS attendance policy is stated in the Schedule of Classes: “Students are expected to attend classes regularly.
Students are responsible for materials covered during their absences, and it is the student's responsibility to consult with
instructors for make-up assignments. Class attendance is checked daily by instructors. Although it is the responsibility of the
student to drop a course for non-attendance, the instructor has full authority to drop a student for excessive absences. A
student may be dropped from a course for excessive absences after the student has accumulated absences in excess of 12.5%
of the hours of instruction (including lecture and laboratory time).”
If circumstances significantly prevent you from attending classes, please inform me. I realize that sometimes outside
circumstances can interfere with school, and I will try to be as accommodating as possible, but please be aware of the
attendance policy.
Last Day for Administrative and Student Withdrawals
This date is stated in the Schedule of Classes. After the withdrawal date no W can be given, you must receive a regular
grade (A-F) in the course. I urge any student who is contemplating withdrawing from the class to see me first! You may be
doing better than you think. Either way, I want to be accessible and supportive. I do not believe in "weed out" classes, and I
consider you to be much more than just a name or number!
If you need assistance, do not hesitate to contact me (my phone number and e-mail address are listed above). I'm here to help.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Students who repeat a course three or more times may soon face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other
Texas public colleges and universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing
grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing
homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that
might be available.
Disability Support Services (DSS)
HCCS is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (section
504)
"Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to
arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the
beginning of each semester. Faculty are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office”
If you have any special needs or disabilities which may affect your ability to succeed in college classes or participate in
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college programs/activities, please contact the office of disability support services at the college. Upon consultation and
documentation, you will be provided with reasonable accommodations and/or modifications. Please contact the DSS
office as soon as you begin the term. For questions, contact Donna Price at 713 718 5165 or the Disability Counselor at
HCC-Southwest: Dr. Becky A. Hauri at 713 718 7909; also see the Schedule of Classes for additional DSS numbers.
Also visit the ADA web site at: http://www.hccs.edu/students/disability/index.htm. Faculty Handbook/ Faculty
Orientation is also available at http://www.hccs.edu/students/disability/faculty.htm
Academic Honesty
Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course requirements.
Disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by the college system against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.
Penalties can include a grade of "0" or "F" on the particular assignment, failure in the course, academic probation, or
even dismissal from the college. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and
collusion.
Exams and Make-up Policy
Examinations will consist of three non-cumulative regular exams plus a comprehensive final. Make-up exams will not
normally be given, so make every effort to take the exams on their scheduled dates. In the event that you must miss one and
only one regular exam, the final exam grade may be substituted for the missed exam. Remember that the final exam will be
comprehensive and is usually more difficult than the regular exam (meaning that it will cover all of the material from the
whole semester, not just the last part). If you do not miss any of the regular exams, I will replace your lowest exam score
with your final exam score if the final exam grade is higher.
Please note:
1) All students are required to take the final (no student can be exempted),
2) After the withdrawal date no W can be given. You must receive a regular grade (A-F) in the course.
Assignments
Special assignments are normally not required. I will periodically give out practice problems but these are not graded.
These practice problems, and especially the end of chapter problems, are highly beneficial, indeed essential. I recommend
that you work as many of the odd numbered end of chapter problems (which have the answers in the back of your textbook)
as you can, up to the "Additional Exercises" section.
Grading
The overall score is based on the following:
Three regular exams
60%
Research papers/Project
20%
Final exam
20%
Overall Score = 0.60(Average of two regular exams) + 0.20(Research grade) + 0.20(Final Exam)
The course grade is then obtained from the overall score:
Final Average
Letter Grade
90 - 100
A
80 – 89
B
70 – 79
C
60 – 69
D
< 60
F
Other Information
Free tutoring is available. A tutoring schedule will be posted in the classroom and lab and will also be placed on my web
site. There are many interesting resources on the Internet. These are interesting and informative, but spending long hours
searching for sites or waiting for graphics intensive sites to load, is not beneficial! Your best immediate source of
information is your textbook - make thorough use of it.
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Important Dates:
General Suggestions
Attend class regularly (!) and take generous notes during class. Ask questions.
When beginning a new chapter, I recommend that you read through it quickly the first time, just to give yourself a
good feel for what it is about. You will understand what's going on in class much better if you do this.
Next, start tackling the end of chapter problems! Often, working problems facilitates understanding much better
than just reading and rereading the chapter itself. Working problems is essential. However, do not spend an
inordinate amount of time on a single problem - skip it for the time being and go on to another. Try working some
of the sample exercises. They are worked out in the chapter and are very helpful.
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Study groups can be very helpful. Keep the group small though, no more than three or four people.
Finally, keep a positive attitude! Class can be hard, but with the right attitude and approach, you will succeed in
mastering it!
I hope you find engineering to be an interesting and rewarding subject which will not only be useful in your
academic major, but will give you a better insight into the many scientific challenges we are facing today. I look
forward to working with you this semester!
EXAMS SCHEDULE
March 4, 2011 *
March 25, 2011*
EXAM 1
EXAM 2
April 15, 2011* EXAM 3
May 13 , 2011 FINAL
Chapter 1 &2
Chapter 3 -4
Chapter 5 -6
Chapter 1-8
(*) Date may change
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