Master Syllabi


PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE MASTER SYLLABUS
CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR CET 1000
Class Hours: 0.0								Credit Hours: 1.0
Laboratory Hours: 3.0								Revised: Spring 05

Catalog Course Description:
		This course provides the Civil Engineering Technology student an opportunity to observe the organization and function of local industries engaged in the practice of civil engineering and related activities. The student will visit offices, plant sites and construction projects to observe practical work situations. Speakers will be invited to the classroom to discuss topics in the civil engineering technology field.
Entry Level Standards:
		This course is open to all students interested in a career in the Civil Engineering Technology field. No technical knowledge is required. The student should be able to read and listen comprehensively, take notes and prepare short site-visit reports and to make oral presentations on these visits to other class members and the instructor.
Prerequisites:
		None
Textbook(s) and Other Course Materials:
		Assigned Readings
I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:
Typical weekly topics. Topics vary each semester. There will be a mix of field trips and invited speakers. A schedule will be distributed at the beginning of the semester.
		Week					Topic
		1					Course introduction, review planned activities and course requirements
		2					Word processing and spreadsheets
		3					Observing, interviewing and note taking skills
		4					Speaker--safety guidelines (OSHA) for office, manufacturing and construction sites
		5					Myers Briggs: Identifying personality types
		6					Speakers: Placement Services and Library Services
		7					Prestressed concrete manufacture
		8					Speaker--Recent graduate from CET Program
		9					Innovative construction techniques
		10					City and County Planning, Codes, and Inspection
		11					Speaker: Topic to be announced
		12					Speaker: Environmental issues in civil works
		13					Speaker: Ethics
		14					Speaker: Continuing Education
		15					Final Exam
*II. Course Objectives:**
		A.			Understand the organization of business and industry. A, K, M, N
		B.			Understand the roles of engineers and technician and how they work together in the typical Civil Engineering environment. A, K, L, M, N
		C.			Recognize the attributes of a good technician. E, K, M, N
		D.			Appreciate the role of health and safety in the work environment. K, L, N
		E.			Develop good interviewing, observational and note taking skills. A, G
		F.			Maintain a personal journal and write short reports from these notes. A, G
		G.			Understand the importance of developing good work habits and personal ethics. A, E, K
		H.			Develop a respect for diversity and a knowledge of contemporary professional, societal and global issues. E
*Letters after course objectives reference CET Program Outcomes (as required by ABET)
*III. Instructional Processes:**
Students will:
		1.				Participate in classroom discussions which challenge the students' ability to think creatively. Communication Outcome, Technology Literacy Outcame, Active Learning Strategies
		2.				Participate in site visits and invited guest lecturers from the engineering community to help in the transition from the classroom and laboratory to work. Transitional Strategy, Communication Outcome, Active Learning Strategies
		3.				Prepare reports in a professional manner describing the site visited using notes from the students' journals. Communication Outcome, Active Learning Strategies, Technological Literacy Outcome
		4.				Understand the importance of such personal qualities as ethics and personal responsibility in school and in the workplace. Communication Outcome, Transitional Strategies , Active Learning Strategies
		5.				Understand the importance of a commitment to quality, timeliness and continuous improvement. Transitional Strategies
*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference TBR’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.
*IV. Expectations for Student Performance:**
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
		1.			Describe the organization of Civil Engineering related businesses and industries. A
		2.			Compare the organizations of different Civil Engineering related businesses and industries. A
		3.			Identify the chain of command and communication. A
		4.			Identify the function of technicians. B
		5.			Define the relationship between technicians and engineers. B
		6.			List the variety of job tasks required of technicians within Civil Engineering related businesses and industries. B
		7.			List the attributes of a good technician. C
		8.			Understand ethical conduct of technicians. G
		9.			Identify good safety practices on job sites visited. D
		10.			Determine the existence of a safety training program on job sites visited. D
		11.			Identify safety violations on job sites visited. D
		12.			List communication skills used most frequently by technicians within Civil Engineering related businesses and industries. E
		13.			Demonstrate good interviewing skills. E
		14.			Demonstrate good observational and note taking skills. E
		15.			Prepare written reports on site visits. F
		16.			Prepare and maintain a personal journal of class activities similar to a job log. F
		17.			Understand the importance of life-long learning. H
		18.			Understand the importance of good citizenship and professionalism. H
*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.
V. Evaluation:
		A. Testing Procedures:
				There will be a total of about 13 reports or classroom exercises assigned during the year. You will earn five points for attending the class activity plus a maximum of 10 points for turning in the site visit report at the beginning of the following class meeting. If the report is turned in after class, there will be a 5 point deduction. If a class activity is missed, a maximum of ten points can be earned by turning in a report on a topic approved by the instructor. You will not receive the five points for attending class. A maximum of three absences can be made up.
		B. Laboratory Expectations:
			Written Assignments: Students will be required to maintain a personal journal in which notes from the seminar speakers and notes from the site visits are recorded. The journals are the students' personal records. They will be checked periodically but will not be turned in to the instructor. Students will prepare a report, using the form provided, describing each site visit/topic presented by the speaker. The report is due at the beginning of the class following the visit. The papers must be typed and they will be graded for technical content and grammar. Ninety percent of the course grade will be based upon the written assignments.
		C. Field Work:
			Seminars and Site Visits Students are expected to attend all class and site visits. Students are encouraged and rewarded for engaging in discussions both in class and at the site visits. One missed site visit or class can be made up by preparing a paper on a special topic selected by the instructor. Ten percent of the course grade is based upon the instructor's subjective opinion of the student's participation in activities.
		D. Other Evaluation Methods
			N/A
		E. Grading Scale:
			Your final grade will be determined by the following: A >90 B+ 86-89 B 80-84 C+ 76-79 C 70-74 D 60-69 F <60
VI. Policies:
		A. Attendance Policy:
			Pellissippi State Technical Community College expects students to attend all scheduled instructional activities. As a minimum, students in all courses must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course (Pellissippi State Catalog). Individual departments/programs/disciplines, with the approval of the vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, may have requirements that are more stringent. Attendance at all lectures and trips is required. It is crucial that students participate. Considerable effort is expended by the instructor in planning these activities and by the guest speaker or tour guide at a plant visit. It is common courtesy to attend and be attentive. It is the student's responsibility to notify the instructor if the student is going to miss a class. Students may make up only one missed lecture or site visit by completing a special assignment.
	B. Academic and Classroom Misconduct:
			Academic misconduct committed either directly or indirectly by an individual or group is subject to disciplinary action. Prohibited activities include but are not limited to the following practices:Cheating, including but not limited to unauthorized assistance from material, people, or devices when taking a test, quiz, or examination; writing papers or reports; solving problems; or completing academic assignments. In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign either (1) an F or zero for the assignment or (2) an F for the course.
	C. Accommodations for disabilities:
			If you need accommodation because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform the instructor immediately.Privately after class or in the instructor's office. To request accommodations students must register with Services for Students with Disabilities: Goins 127 or 131, Phone: (865) 539-7153 or (865) 694-6751 Voice/TDD.