Engineering Design 2 (Research-Intensive Capstone)

Course Description

EGN4952C – Engineering Design 2 is a 3-credit-hour senior capstone engineering course that completes a multi-semester engineering design experience. The "RI" designation indicates a Research-Intensive variant in which students engage substantively with research literature, formulate research-informed design questions, and integrate research methodology with engineering design practice. The course is the culminating engineering experience for senior students, integrating prior coursework into a comprehensive team-based design project that addresses a substantive engineering problem from concept through detailed design, prototyping, testing, and documentation.

The "C" lab indicator denotes integrated lecture and laboratory components, with the laboratory component providing structured project work time and access to engineering shops, prototyping facilities, and instrumentation. Coursework typically combines limited lecture content (project management, technical communication, ethics, intellectual property, professional practice) with extensive team-based project work, regular design reviews, advisor consultations, and final presentations to faculty, industry mentors, and (where applicable) external clients.

EGN4952C is a Florida common course offered at approximately 2 Florida institutions. The Research-Intensive designation reflects an honors or research-track variant of the standard senior capstone — typically with stronger emphasis on engagement with scholarly literature, formulation of research-informed design hypotheses, and (in many institutional implementations) preparation of work suitable for undergraduate research conferences or peer-reviewed publication. Standard senior capstone is offered under EGN4950 (typically) at most Florida engineering programs; EGN4952C provides an enhanced research-integrated experience. EGN4952C transfers as the equivalent course at all Florida public postsecondary institutions per SCNS articulation policy where the receiving institution accepts the course.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply the complete engineering design process to a substantive engineering problem, including problem definition and scoping; requirements gathering; concept generation and evaluation; detailed design; prototyping; testing and validation; iteration; and final documentation.
• Engage substantively with engineering research literature, including the location and evaluation of peer-reviewed engineering literature; the synthesis of literature into design context; the identification of research gaps relevant to the design problem; the integration of research findings into design decisions.
• Formulate research-informed design questions, including the framing of design hypotheses; the design of validation approaches that test specific hypotheses; the integration of research methodology with engineering design practice.
• Integrate prior engineering coursework into a comprehensive design project, including the application of engineering science (statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, electrical fundamentals as applicable to the project), engineering analysis methods, and discipline-specific knowledge.
• Apply engineering project management, including project planning; milestone tracking; risk identification and mitigation; team coordination; the management of dependencies and the critical path.
• Apply engineering team collaboration at intermediate level, including effective participation in long-duration teams; role allocation; conflict management; the management of interpersonal dynamics over a substantial project; the integration of diverse perspectives and skill sets.
• Apply engineering technical communication, including comprehensive design documentation (technical specifications, drawings, analysis reports, test results); design review presentations; final project presentations to technical and mixed audiences; written engineering reports at near-professional level.
• Apply engineering economics and constraints to design decisions, including cost analysis; manufacturing considerations (DFM/DFA); regulatory considerations; environmental and sustainability considerations; safety considerations; ergonomic and accessibility considerations.
• Apply engineering ethics to design decisions, including the engineer's professional responsibility (NSPE Code of Ethics); the management of competing requirements; the management of intellectual property; the documentation of ethical reasoning in design decisions.
• Apply experimental and validation methods, including the design of validation experiments or testing protocols; the analysis of validation data; the comparison of results with design specifications and research-informed hypotheses.
• Develop final design deliverables, including a working prototype or comprehensive design documentation, validation evidence, technical reports, and presentations suitable for technical, professional, and (for the RI variant) potentially scholarly audiences.
• Apply professional engineering practice readiness, including the integration of all prior engineering education in a substantial professional-quality design experience that bridges between academic preparation and professional engineering practice.

Optional Outcomes (RI Variant Specifics)

• Prepare scholarly communication artifacts, including conference abstracts, conference posters, or manuscript drafts suitable for undergraduate research conferences (NCUR — National Conference on Undergraduate Research; institutional research showcases) or peer-reviewed venues at introductory level.
• Engage with research methodology beyond engineering practice, including the formulation of testable research questions; the design of controlled experiments; the application of statistical analysis to design validation; the consideration of research ethics (IRB processes where human subjects research is involved).
• Engage with graduate school preparation, where capstone work supports applications to graduate engineering programs, including the development of research statements and the cultivation of faculty mentor relationships.
• Apply publication-quality writing at introductory level, including the conventions of engineering research papers and the integration of literature with original work.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Engineering Design Process — Comprehensive Application: The complete design process from problem identification through final delivery; the iterative nature of design; the integration of analytical, computational, and experimental work; the role of design reviews as iteration checkpoints.
• Engineering Literature Engagement: Locating peer-reviewed engineering literature (IEEE Xplore, ASCE Library, ASME Digital Collection, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar); evaluating source quality (journal impact, peer review status, author credentials, recency); synthesizing literature; identifying research gaps relevant to the design problem.
• Research-Informed Design (RI Variant): The framing of design problems as research questions; the formulation of design hypotheses; the design of validation approaches that test specific hypotheses; the integration of research methodology with engineering design.
• Project Scoping and Requirements: The definition of project scope (often the most important early decision); the identification of stakeholders; the gathering of requirements (functional, performance, environmental, regulatory); the prioritization of requirements; the management of scope through the project.
• Concept Generation and Evaluation: Systematic concept generation (brainstorming, morphological analysis, biomimicry, TRIZ at introductory level); concept evaluation methods (Pugh matrix, weighted decision matrix); the documentation of concept selection rationale.
• Detailed Design and Analysis: The translation of selected concepts into detailed designs; the application of engineering analysis (mechanical analysis with FEA where applicable; thermal analysis; electrical analysis; control system design; software architecture as applicable); the documentation of analysis assumptions and results.
• Prototyping and Fabrication: The selection of prototyping methods (3D printing, CNC machining, traditional fabrication); the planning of prototype iterations; the use of available institutional shops and facilities; the management of prototyping cost and timeline.
• Testing and Validation: The design of validation experiments or testing protocols; the connection between testing and design specifications; the analysis of test data; the use of validation results to inform design iteration.
• Project Management: Project planning (Gantt charts, Critical Path Method at introductory level); milestone tracking; risk identification and mitigation; team coordination; the management of dependencies; the use of project management tools (Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello, GitHub Projects).
• Engineering Team Practice: Long-duration team dynamics; role allocation; the management of free riders; conflict management; the integration of diverse perspectives; the documentation of team contributions.
• Engineering Communication — Comprehensive: Design specifications; engineering drawings (detail and assembly); analysis reports; test reports; design review presentations; final project presentations; written engineering reports at near-professional level; the integration of figures, tables, and citations.
• Design Reviews: The role of design reviews in engineering practice; the conduct of design reviews (preliminary design review — PDR; critical design review — CDR; design verification review — DVR); the response to design review feedback.
• Engineering Economics for Design: Cost estimation for engineering projects; the integration of cost considerations into design decisions; manufacturing cost considerations (DFM); the cost-benefit analysis of design alternatives.
• Manufacturing and Producibility Considerations: The integration of manufacturing considerations into design; DFM principles (where coursework permits); supply chain considerations.
• Regulatory and Standards Considerations: The identification of applicable standards (ASME, ASTM, IEEE, ANSI, OSHA, FDA, FCC as relevant to the project); the integration of standards compliance into design.
• Sustainability and Environmental Considerations: The integration of sustainability considerations into design; life-cycle thinking; material selection for sustainability.
• Safety and Risk: The identification of safety considerations in the designed system; the design for safety (FMEA — Failure Mode and Effects Analysis at introductory level); risk assessment.
• Engineering Ethics in Design Practice: The NSPE Code of Ethics applied to design decisions; case studies (Challenger, Therac-25, Hyatt Regency, others); the management of competing stakeholder interests; the documentation of ethical reasoning.
• Intellectual Property in Design Work: The fundamentals of patent, copyright, trade secret as they apply to capstone projects; the management of IP between students, faculty advisors, and industry sponsors; the institutional IP policies.
• Final Project Deliverables: The substantive design project deliverable — typically a working prototype or comprehensive design documentation; validation evidence; technical reports; and presentations.

RI Variant Topics

• Research Methodology for Engineering: The formulation of testable research questions; the design of controlled experiments; the application of statistical analysis to validate hypotheses; the consideration of research ethics.
• Scholarly Communication: Conference abstract preparation; conference poster design; the conventions of engineering research papers; the integration of citations and the avoidance of plagiarism.
• Undergraduate Research Conferences: NCUR (National Conference on Undergraduate Research); institutional research showcases; the preparation of submissions.
• Graduate School Preparation: The role of capstone work in graduate applications; the development of research statements; the cultivation of faculty mentor relationships; the considerations for engineering graduate study.

Resources & Tools

• Common Texts: Product Design and Development (Ulrich/Eppinger — comprehensive design process treatment); Engineering Design (Pahl/Beitz/Feldhusen/Grote); Engineering Design: A Project-Based Introduction (Dym/Little/Orwin); institutional design textbooks paired with the specific capstone framework
• Research Resources: IEEE Xplore; ASCE Library; ASME Digital Collection; ScienceDirect (Elsevier); Web of Science; Google Scholar; institutional library research support services and engineering librarians
• Software: CAD software (SolidWorks, Inventor, NX, Creo, CATIA — institutional choice); FEA software (ANSYS, SolidWorks Simulation, ABAQUS as available); project management (Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello, GitHub Projects); citation management (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote); reference management for the RI variant (essential for managing extensive literature)
• Lab Equipment: Engineering shops with machining, fabrication, and prototyping equipment; 3D printing facilities; testing laboratories with instrumentation appropriate to the project domain
• Reference Standards: ASME, ASTM, IEEE, ANSI standards relevant to the project; OSHA standards for safety; FDA/FCC/other regulatory standards as applicable; NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
• Reference Resources: Engineering professional society design resources (ASME, ASCE, IEEE, AIChE, AIAA, IISE, BMES); ABET accreditation criteria (which capstone courses must address); NSF Innovation Corps and similar entrepreneurship-design integration resources

Career Pathways

EGN4952C is the bridge between academic engineering preparation and professional engineering practice. Specific career relevance:

• All Engineering Disciplines — Capstone work demonstrates engineering competency to prospective employers and provides substantive portfolio material for engineering interviews.
• Industry Engineering Positions — The demonstrated ability to complete a substantial engineering design project is direct evidence of industry-readiness; capstone work appears prominently in graduate engineering job interviews.
• Engineering R&D Roles — The RI variant particularly supports R&D career pathways through demonstrated research capability.
• Graduate Engineering Study — The RI variant provides substantial preparation for graduate engineering applications, including research experience, faculty mentor relationships, and (often) publishable or presentable work.
• Engineering Management — Capstone team leadership experience supports career trajectories toward engineering management.
• Engineering Entrepreneurship — Capstone projects often become the foundation for startup ventures, supporting career pathways through engineering entrepreneurship.
• Florida Engineering Industry — Florida engineering employers (aerospace at the Space Coast, defense at Lockheed/Northrop/L3Harris, hospitality engineering at Disney/Universal, healthcare technology, marine engineering) routinely engage with senior capstone projects through industry sponsorship, design competitions, and career recruitment.

Special Information

The Research-Intensive (RI) Designation

The "RI" prefix in the course title indicates a Research-Intensive variant of the senior capstone. This designation typically reflects:

• Substantive engagement with research literature — beyond the typical capstone literature review
• Research-informed design hypotheses — design decisions grounded in research findings
• Research methodology integration — controlled experimentation, statistical analysis, research ethics
• Scholarly communication preparation — work suitable for undergraduate research conferences or publication
• Honors track or research-track positioning — often serves honors college students or research-bound graduate-school applicants

Standard senior capstone is offered under EGN4950 (typically — varies by institution) at most Florida engineering programs. EGN4952C provides an enhanced research-integrated experience and may not be a direct equivalent to standard capstone for transfer purposes.

The Capstone Sequence

EGN4952C is "Engineering Design 2," indicating it is the second course in a multi-semester capstone sequence. The first course (EGN4951C — Engineering Design 1, typically) covers project scoping, team formation, requirements development, and concept generation; EGN4952C covers detailed design, prototyping, testing, validation, and final delivery. Students typically register for the sequence in their final two semesters of engineering study.

ABET Accreditation Connection

Capstone design courses fulfill specific ABET accreditation requirements (Student Outcomes addressing engineering design, teamwork, communication, ethics, lifelong learning). EGN4952C is structured to address these outcomes, and student work in the course is typically included in ABET assessment evidence.

General Education and Transfer

EGN4952C is a Florida common course number that transfers as the equivalent course at all Florida public postsecondary institutions per SCNS articulation policy where the receiving institution accepts the course. Senior capstone courses are typically taken at the institution awarding the degree; transfer of capstone credit between institutions is unusual.

Course Format

EGN4952C is offered primarily in face-to-face or hybrid format. The team-based project work, design reviews, prototyping, and faculty mentorship benefit from in-person engagement. Fully online capstone courses are uncommon, though some online engineering programs implement capstone with virtual prototyping and presentation.

Position in the Engineering Curriculum

EGN4952C is taken in the final semester of engineering study, after EGN4951C (Engineering Design 1) and after substantially all required engineering coursework. The course assumes integration capability across all prior engineering education.

Time Commitment

Senior capstone courses are typically among the most time-intensive in the engineering curriculum. EGN4952C with its RI variant adds research engagement to standard capstone demands. Students should expect substantial out-of-class time (often 15-20+ hours per week beyond class time during peak project phases).

Prerequisites

EGN4952C typically requires:

• EGN4951C (Engineering Design 1) with grade of C or better
• Senior standing in engineering
• Substantial completion of major-required engineering coursework
• For the RI variant: typically honors college admission, research-track designation, or instructor permission based on academic record and research interest