A senior design experience

For some time electrical engineering students at Loyola Marymount University have been required to complete, what has become, an undergraduate thesis. Emphasis was on individual research. In an attempt to place increased emphasis on creativity, the course was modified to provide student with a group design experience. A project is selected which would require students to incorporate material from most of their upper division engineering courses, provide a service component, and familiarize the student with the various facets of the design process. Teams completed the same, assigned project. As expected, since a variety of solutions are possible, different solutions result. At the end of the semester, a student survey of the class is taken. In addition, the Dean, at his interviews with each of the graduating students obtained comments concerning the class. The response of the students has been very positive. Additionally, faculty teaching related engineering courses reported that students are more interested and involved in their courses than in previous years. The project provides them with ready-made real world examples.