Senior Design Capstone 2

Course Description

ETG4951 — Senior Design Capstone 2 is a 3-credit-hour, upper-division capstone course in the Engineering Technologies / General Engineering Technology taxonomy of the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). This course is the second semester of a two-semester capstone sequence. Building directly on the project proposal, design plan, and preliminary work completed in Senior Design Capstone 1 (ETG4941 or equivalent), students execute the full implementation phase of their engineering technology design project. Teams fabricate, integrate, test, and validate a working prototype or deliverable system that addresses a real-world technical problem subject to multiple realistic constraints. Professional practice, technical communication, ethical responsibility, and project management are integrated throughout. The course culminates in a formal public presentation and demonstration of the completed project to faculty, industry evaluators, and peers.

This course satisfies the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) / College-Level Communication Skills requirement at participating Florida institutions and is classified as a Research-Intensive (RI) experience at some colleges.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

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

• Implement a design solution — Build, fabricate, or code the engineering technology prototype or system developed during Capstone 1, applying principles from prior coursework.
• Test and validate the prototype — Execute a structured test plan to verify that the design meets stated specifications, performance metrics, and client or sponsor requirements.
• Analyze and document results — Collect, analyze, and interpret test data; compare outcomes to design objectives; and document findings in a formal written technical report.
• Apply realistic design constraints — Demonstrate consideration of economic, safety, environmental, social, ethical, and regulatory constraints in the final design.
• Work effectively in a team — Collaborate in a multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary team, fulfilling assigned roles and contributing to shared project milestones and deliverables.
• Communicate technical findings — Deliver a formal oral presentation and defend the completed project to a panel that includes both technical and non-technical evaluators.
• Produce professional documentation — Prepare a comprehensive final project report, design portfolio, and/or poster that meets professional engineering writing standards.
• Demonstrate professional and ethical practice — Identify and address ethical, safety, and professional responsibility issues relevant to the project and the engineering technology field.

Optional / Elective Outcomes

Institutions may include one or more of the following outcomes depending on program focus and available resources:

• Engage with an industry sponsor — Interact with a sponsoring company or government agency that has provided the project problem, mentorship, and/or funding.
• Conduct a formal design review — Participate in a mid-semester critical design review (CDR) or interim progress review with faculty and/or sponsor representatives.
• Apply project management tools — Use Gantt charts, work-breakdown structures (WBS), risk registers, or project management software to track schedule and budget.
• Compete or exhibit publicly — Present the project at a college-wide or statewide engineering technology showcase, expo, or competition.
• Prepare intellectual property documentation — Identify patentable innovations and understand basic IP, licensing, and technology-transfer concepts.
• Demonstrate reverse engineering skills — Create as-built drawings or documentation from a physical object or system as part of the project deliverables.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Project Execution and Build Phase — Fabrication, assembly, coding, or construction of the final prototype or deliverable system per the approved Capstone 1 design plan.
• Testing, Verification, and Validation — Development and execution of test plans; unit testing, integration testing, and system-level validation against design specifications.
• Design Iteration and Redesign — Analysis of test results to identify deficiencies; iterative design refinement and re-testing to meet performance targets.
• Technical Documentation and Final Report — Production of a comprehensive written report covering problem statement, design rationale, implementation details, test results, and conclusions.
• Oral Presentation and Project Defense — Formal presentation of completed project to faculty, industry judges, and peers; Q&A defense of design decisions and outcomes.
• Professional Practice and Ethics — Engineering ethics case studies; professional responsibility; safety compliance; regulatory and code considerations relevant to the project domain.
• Project Management and Team Coordination — Milestone tracking, schedule management, team roles, conflict resolution, and sponsor/client communication throughout the semester.
• Realistic Constraints Analysis — Formal evaluation of economic feasibility, environmental impact, manufacturability, sustainability, and societal implications of the design solution.

Optional / Supplemental Topics

• Engineering Economics — Cost analysis, budget tracking, return-on-investment estimation, and bill-of-materials management for the capstone project.
• Industry Standards and Codes — Application of relevant IEEE, ANSI, ASME, NEC, or other standards to the project design and documentation.
• Poster and Visual Communication — Design and production of a professional engineering poster for showcase or expo presentation.
• Press Release / Public Summary — Preparation of a non-technical written summary of the project suitable for a general audience.
• Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer — Overview of patents, trade secrets, and commercialization pathways for engineering technology innovations.
• CAD / Simulation Tools — Use of computer-aided design or simulation software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD, MATLAB, LabVIEW) to finalize or verify design performance.
• Embedded Systems and Controls Integration — Programming and integration of microcontrollers, PLCs, or embedded control systems as appropriate to the project.

Resources & Tools

• Project Management: Microsoft Project, Trello, Asana, or equivalent scheduling and task-tracking tools
• CAD / Engineering Design: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, MATLAB/Simulink, or discipline-specific software
• Fabrication / Prototyping: College makerspace, machine shop, electronics lab, or 3D printing facilities
• Documentation: Microsoft Word / Google Docs for technical reports; PowerPoint / Google Slides for presentations
• Communication: Poster design tools (e.g., Adobe InDesign, Canva) for showcase presentations
• Reference Standards: ABET accreditation criteria for Engineering Technology programs; relevant IEEE, ANSI, ASME, or NEC standards as applicable to project domain
• Florida SCNS: flscns.fldoe.org — official statewide course equivalency database

Career Pathways

ETG4951 prepares graduates for immediate entry into technical professional roles across a broad range of engineering technology sectors. The project-based, team-oriented experience directly maps to employer expectations for new hires in:

• Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering Technology — Product design, prototyping, process engineering, quality assurance
• Electrical / Electronics Engineering Technology — Circuit design, embedded systems, instrumentation, controls integration
• Civil / Construction Engineering Technology — Infrastructure design, project coordination, site management
• Computer / Software Engineering Technology — Systems integration, software development, IoT and automation
• Aerospace and Defense Technology — Systems engineering, testing and validation, technical documentation
• Biomedical Engineering Technology — Medical device development, regulatory compliance, prototype testing
• Environmental / Sustainability Engineering Technology — Green technology solutions, environmental compliance, resource management

Graduates may also pursue professional licensure pathways (e.g., Fundamentals of Engineering exam, EIT certification) and graduate studies in engineering technology or applied engineering.

Special Information

ABET Accreditation Alignment: This course is designed to satisfy ABET Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) requirements for a culminating capstone design experience. Student outcomes assessed in this course directly map to ABET ETAC Student Outcomes including the ability to apply technical knowledge, function on teams, communicate effectively, and consider ethical and professional responsibilities.

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC): At many Florida institutions, ETG4951 satisfies the Writing Across the Curriculum or College-Level Communication Skills (Gordon Rule) requirement. Students should expect significant formal writing deliverables including a comprehensive final technical report.

Industry Sponsorship: Many Florida college programs partner with local and national companies, nonprofits, or government agencies as project sponsors. Sponsored projects provide real problem statements, mentorship, and in some cases funding or materials support.

Corequisite Note: At Florida Atlantic University (FAU), students enrolled in ETG4951 are required to provide proof of registration with the NCEES for the Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam as a corequisite. Requirements may vary by institution and program concentration.

Senior Showcase / Expo: Most Florida colleges hosting ETG4951 require students to present completed projects at a formal end-of-semester public showcase or design expo, where work is evaluated by faculty, industry professionals, and peers.