Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Capstone Design (Face-to-Face)

CE 4055-01

Course: CE 4055-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Engineering and Technology
CRN: 34072

Course Description

Application of engineering design principles to a team-based capstone project in the student’s specialty area. Emphasis on creative and critical thinking, planning, design, execution and statistical evaluation of experiments, as well as teamwork, project management, and communication. Students will use engineering, systems engineering and project-management principles and concepts learned to-date to execute the project, complete a design report, and present results. Should be taken in the last semester before graduation. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): CM 4300 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: D- Prerequisite Can Be Concurrent? Yes Registration Restriction(s): Senior standing required Equivalent Course(s): EE 4055, ME 4055

Required Texts

There is no required commercial textbook. Students will use:
  • The CE 4055 Capstone Design Coursepack
  •  Assignment instructions, rubrics, announcements, and supporting materials in Canvas. 
  •  Project-specific codes, standards, regulations, technical manuals, and professional references. 
  •  Technical software. 
  •  Google Sheets for the individual project logbook. 
  •  Google Calendar for progress meetings. 
  •  A shared electronic drive for team files and the final company file. 
  •  Engineering analysis, modeling, drawing, simulation, and visualization software appropriate to the project. 
Canvas is the official source for assignment instructions, due dates, rubrics, grades, and course announcements. Students are responsible for configuring Canvas notifications and checking the course regularly.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of CE 4055, students will be able to:
  1. Engineering problem-solving: Identify, formulate, and solve complex civil engineering problems by applying engineering, science, mathematics, and technical judgment. 
  2. Engineering design: Develop civil engineering designs that meet client needs and project requirements while considering public health, safety, welfare, resilience, risk, sustainability, accessibility, constructability, and economic, environmental, social, cultural, and global factors. 
  3. Professional communication: Communicate effectively with clients, advisors, technical professionals, public stakeholders, and other audiences through meetings, correspondence, drawings, calculations, reports, posters, and presentations. 
  4. Professional and ethical responsibility: Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities, use appropriate codes and standards, protect confidential information, and make informed engineering judgments. 
  5. Teamwork and leadership: Function effectively on a team whose members provide leadership, create a collaborative environment, establish goals, plan tasks, resolve conflict, and complete assigned responsibilities. 
  6. Verification and evaluation: Develop and conduct appropriate calculations, simulations, experiments, inspections, tests, or other verification activities; analyze the resulting information; and use engineering judgment to reach defensible conclusions. 
  7. Independent learning: Acquire and apply new technical knowledge using appropriate research, professional-development, and learning strategies.

Course Requirements

Canvas uses weighted assignment groups. A student’s final percentage is calculated by multiplying the percentage earned in each group by that group’s assigned weight.

Assignments | 20%
Term Projects | 35%
Presentations | 10%
Final Report | 15%
Project Effort | 10%
Attendance | 10%
Total | 100%

Course Outline

Weeks 1–2: Project Initiation
  • Course orientation and professional expectations. 
  •  Review of Coursepack, Canvas, safety, purchasing, and communication requirements. 
  •  Team formation and organization. 
  •  Client and advisor contact. 
  •  Kickoff meeting. 
  •  Individual logbook setup. 

Weeks 3–4: Problem Definition and Planning
  • Project proposal and problem statement. 
  •  Measurable objectives, constraints, assumptions, risks, and deliverables. 
  •  Project-management plan. 
  •  Team responsibilities, schedule, planned hours, and critical path. 
  •  Recurring progress-meeting process. 
  •  Applicable codes and standards. 

Weeks 5–6: Alternatives and Conceptual Design
 Development of multiple design alternatives. 
  •  Conceptual calculations and drawings. 
  •  Design criteria and weighted decision matrix. 
  •  Engineering-economy analysis. 
  •  Initial CATME team assessment. 

Weeks 7–8: Broader Impacts and Project Strategy
 Environmental and social impacts. 
  •  Accessibility and Universal Design. 
  •  Constructability and sustainability. 
  •  Siting and community connections. 
  •  Initial testing, simulation, or prototype strategy. 
  •  Advisor and client progress review. 

Weeks 9–10: Preliminary Design Development
 Technical analysis and interdisciplinary coordination. 
  •  Preliminary calculations, drawings, models, and cost information. 
  •  Approximately 30% design package. 
  •  Prototype, model, or preliminary testing activities. 

Weeks 11–12: Risk, Verification, and Communication
 Failure Modes and Effects Analysis. 
  •  Risk identification, evaluation, mitigation, and ownership. 
  •  Verification and testing planning. 
  •  Simulation, validation, and animation where appropriate. 
  •  Design and siting poster. 

Weeks 13–14: Final Design Integration
 Final technical calculations and drawings. 
  •  Report organization and detailed outline. 
  •  Integration of standards, economics, risk, sustainability, constructability, and verification evidence. 
  •  Client-presentation planning. 
  •  Review of advisor feedback. 

Weeks 15–Finals: Project Delivery and Closeout
  • Final Design Report. 
  •  Presentation rehearsal and project defense. 
  •  Final client presentation. 
  •  Response to client and advisor feedback. 
  •  Final report for the client. 
  •  Company-file organization and submission. 
  •  Final CATME evaluation and course assessment.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Work Policy
  • Late assignments are only allowed if:
    • The student has communicated with the instructor in advance, and
    • The assignment is taken before the graded version is returned to the class.
  • Late assignments are worth half credit.

Makeup Work / Extra Credit
  • Makeup work is possible with instructor approval.
  • Extra credit opportunities may be available.
    • Students must contact the instructor directly to discuss eligibility and options.

Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy
  • Attendance is required for all class sessions, including Face-to-Face, Synchronous Remote, or Hybrid formats.
  • Students earn 5 points of attendance credit per class period, only if they are on time.
  • Arriving late may result in no attendance credit for that day.
  • Attendance points will be added to the final course grade.

Illness or Emergency Absences
  • If you are ill or unable to attend due to a valid reason:
    • You may request the instructor to record the class or provide other accommodations.
    • You are encouraged to fill out the self-report form to request formal accommodations.

Course Fees

N/A

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.