Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Engineering Design (Face-to-Face)

ME 3055-01

Course: ME 3055-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Engineering and Technology
CRN: 30781

Course Description

Introduction to the principles of engineering design and product development, including planning, concept generation, concept selection, system-level design, detail design, prototyping, and product testing. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): (ENGR 1030 and ME 2030 and ME 2130) or (ENGR 1050 and EE 2250 and EE 2290) - Prerequisite Min. Grade: D-

Required Texts

None

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Apply the engineering design process to develop solutions that meet identified needs.
  • Translate stakeholder needs into clear, measurable engineering requirements and design specifications.
  • Identify appropriate design constraints, including cost, safety, manufacturability, sustainability, ethics, and applicable standards.
  • Generate and evaluate multiple design concepts using systematic decision-making tools, such as morphological charts, Pugh matrices, and weighted decision matrices.
  • Apply engineering analysis and computational tools to support and justify design decisions.
  • Develop detailed designs using engineering drawings, models, material selections, calculations, and bills of materials.
  • Create prototype and testing plans that verify whether a design meets its requirements.
  • Work effectively as a member of an engineering team by establishing roles, managing tasks, resolving problems, and meeting deadlines.
  • Consider the ethical, societal, environmental, and economic impacts of engineering design decisions.
  • Communicate design work effectively through written reports, engineering documentation, oral presentations, and design reviews.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to:

  •  Attend class regularly and participate in lectures, discussions, and problem-solving activities. 
  •  Complete assigned readings before the corresponding class meeting. 
  •  Submit homework and other assignments by the stated deadlines, showing all relevant equations, assumptions, units, and calculations. 
  •  Complete quizzes and examinations that demonstrate both conceptual understanding and engineering problem-solving ability. 
  •  Use thermodynamic property tables, diagrams, and appropriate computational tools to analyze systems and cycles. 
  •  Bring a scientific or engineering calculator to class and examinations. 
  •  Follow the university’s standards for academic integrity and submit work that reflects their own understanding. 
  •  Seek assistance promptly when course concepts or assignments are unclear.

Course Outline

Week Topics and Activities Major Deliverables
1 Introduction to the engineering design process; project overview; forming effective teams Team formation and project selection
2 Identifying customer and stakeholder needs; problem definition; project planning Problem statement and team charter
3 Translating needs into measurable engineering requirements; defining constraints and success criteria Draft system requirements document
4 Background research; benchmarking; patents, codes, and engineering standards Background research and benchmarking summary
5 Concept generation methods; brainstorming; functional decomposition; morphological charts Multiple design concepts
6 Concept evaluation; feasibility analysis; Pugh matrices and weighted decision matrices Concept-selection matrix
7 Preliminary engineering analysis; modeling; material and component selection Preliminary design calculations
8 Preliminary Design Review (PDR) PDR presentation and preliminary design report
9 Detailed design; CAD modeling; engineering drawings; design calculations Detailed CAD model and analysis
10 Design for manufacturing and assembly; cost estimation; bill of materials Preliminary bill of materials and cost analysis
11 Engineering ethics, safety, sustainability, risk, and societal considerations Risk assessment and design-impact analysis
12 Prototyping methods; experimental planning; verification and validation Prototype and test plan
13 Critical Design Review (CDR); design refinement based on feedback CDR presentation and revised design package
14 Final design communication and project reflection Final report, drawings, presentation, and team evaluation

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

Assignments are expected to be submitted by the posted deadline. Late assignments may be accepted for up to one week with a 10% deduction per day unless prior arrangements have been made. Makeup quizzes or exams will be permitted only for university-approved activities, illness, emergencies, or other extenuating circumstances. Whenever possible, students should contact the instructor before the deadline or scheduled exam. Students are responsible for arranging and completing approved makeup work promptly. Extensions may be granted at the instructor’s discretion.

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and active participation are important for success in this course. Students are responsible for all material, announcements, assignments, and schedule changes presented during class, whether or not they are present. If an absence is unavoidable, students should obtain missed notes and information from a classmate and contact the instructor with any remaining questions. Absences related to university-approved activities, illness, emergencies, or other extenuating circumstances will be accommodated when appropriate. Students should notify the instructor as early as possible.

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.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

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.