REQUEST FOR ACTION BY THE ENGINEERING CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Academic Year 2008-2009
___________________________________________________________________________________________
This form should be sent to the Chair of the Engineering Curriculum Committee (Alva Couch, Halligan 246, email:
Alva.Couch@tufts.edu), at least two weeks before a regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee. To expedite the
review process, please provide both a signed paper copy of the form and an electronic version of the document,
preferably via electronic mail to Alva.Couch@tufts.edu.
If credit is desired in either Natural Science or Mathematical Science distribution area in Liberal Arts, one must obtain
separate approval from the Academic Review Board(ARB). Please forward the course description to the chair of the
ARB, currently Stephen Bailey (Anthropology).
A copy should also be sent to the Collection Management Librarian of Tisch Library
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Name
__Caroline Cao___
Department __Mechanical Engineering__
Extension
_____72484________
Date
____March 6, 2008_____
Please circle or underline appropriate line(s)
(1)
Offer a new course or program that will be considered by the faculty.
(2)
Change the number of a course.
(3)
Change the title of a course.
(4)
Change the wording of a course or program description.
(5)
Other. ___________________________________________________
This request has been approved by the faculty of:
______Mechanical Engineering_____
Department
_________________________________________
Signature of Department Chair
1
On this page or on attached pages, please describe changes, rationale, and resources required to
implement the proposed changes.
1.
New course or other requested changes. Please give department designation, course
number, course title, and new Bulletin description. Note that the description should be
about four printed lines and written in Bulletin language. For other requested changes,
please give old designation, course number, course title, and old course description;
follow this with a description of the requested changes. Attach additional pages if needed.
(OLD) ENP 149 Human Factors of Medical Instrumentation and Devices
This is a graduate level course designed for students who are interested in acquiring a broadbased knowledge in the human factors of medical instrumentation and devices. This course will
approach the design and implementation of medical instrumentation and devices from the
perspective of usability and accessibility. Topics to be covered will range from design guideline
considerations, tools for usability and accessibility analysis, and emerging trends and
technologies. Grading is based on research projects, in-class seminar discussions, and weekly inclass presentations of selected topics.
(NEW) ENP 210 Human Factors in Medical Systems
Advanced topics in medical error analysis, user-centred medical technology design, product
development and testing, FDA requirements, patenting, simulation, displays and controls,
computerisation, system implementation and maintenance, and product usability and
accessibility. Classroom presentations and research projects. Pre-requisite: ENP 163 (course
number pending).
2.
Please describe the rationale and impact of the proposed changes and/or for offering
the new course or courses. Indicate ways in which proposed changes affect existing or
proposed programs of study both within and outside your department. When appropriate,
indicate relationships between changes and practices at peer institutions, as well as
relevance to School of Engineering strategic plans.
There has been a dearth of graduate level courses, especially in the 200 level, in the mechanical
engineering department for our graduate students. In the past, students have been forced to take
courses from other departments at Tufts, and some times outside of Tufts. This course was first
offered last year in response to persistent demand from our graduate students. Given the growth
of the human factors graduate program and research program of the faculty, the need for an upper
level graduate course in medical systems is clear. This advanced graduate course will build on
the core required courses in the human factors program (ENP 162, ENP 163 (number pending)),
with focus in the area of medical systems. Students whose thesis research is in this area will
benefit from this course. A new course number is requested to reflect the advanced course
content.
3.
Please describe the resources required to implement the proposed changes, including
plans for how these resources will be obtained. Include expected enrollments, class sizes,
expected numbers of sections, and frequency of offering for each class. Describe
modifications required in your department’s curriculum or instructor’s regular course
2
offerings to make the proposed changes possible. Identify whether required funding for
resources is pending and/or dependent upon external grants. Where possible, compare
resource requirements to existing requirements before the proposed changes.
The change in course number will not require additional departmental resources. It will not alter
the department’s curriculum or instructor’s regular course offerings in any way.
The course will be taught in the fall semester each year. Enrollment in this course is expected to
be primarily full-time and part-time graduate students in the human factors program and
mechanical engineering department, with others from the computer science department (HCI
program), and psychology department. Class size depends on the size of incoming graduate
students each year, but is expected to be at least 6. Class will meet once a week for 3hours each
week.
4.
If additional resources are required, please attach a statement from the Dean of
Engineering (or a designee) concerning the resources and how they will be provided.
N/A.
________________________________________________________________________
Please fill out the attached Library Impact Study form if: (a) you are requesting that a
new course be included in the curriculum or (b) you anticipate the need for substantial
new library resources as a result of changes in the description of your course.
________________________________________________________________________
N/A.
TUFTS UNIVERSITY ARTS AND SCIENCES LIBRARY
LIBRARY IMPACT STATEMENTFOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
Please furnish the information requested below and return this form to: Collection Management
Librarian, Arts and Sciences Library, Tisch. (The Arts and Sciences Librarian is an ex officio
member of the Committee on Curricula.)
1.
Department or Program____________________________________________________
2.
Title of course
3.
Suggested department course number ____________________________________
4.
Course will first be offered
____________________________________
3
5.
Instructor(s)
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6.
Campus telephone number
______________________________
7.
Anticipated enrollment
______________________________
8.
Open to undergraduates
______________________________
graduates
______________________________
9.
This course is primarily dependent on:
Text
Library resources
_______
_______
10.
Brief description of topics to be covered
11.
Description of any additional library resources needed to support this course.
4