CEAB Graduate Attributes and Indicators

CEAB Accreditation

The Mechanical and Materials Engineering Program has been accredited by Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of Engineers Canada. Accredited programs provide the academic requirements for licensure as a professional engineer in Canada.

CEAB Graduate Attributes and Indicators

The following 12 Graduate Attributes (GAs) were defined by Engineers Canada with the expectation that students emerging from programs that have been accredited by the CEAB demonstrate these attributes. For each, Western Engineering has defined indicators of these graduate attributes, and we measure the aggregate performance of students in our program with respect to these GA indicators as a way of monitoring the quality of the Mechanical and Materials Engineering program, and to provide actionable data to guide any program changes, if necessary.

Graduate Attributes (GAs)

Knowledge Base: Demonstrated competence in university level mathematics, natural sciences, engineering fundamentals, and specialized engineering knowledge appropriate to the program.

KB1 – Demonstrate competence in mathematics.
KB2 – Demonstrate competence in physical sciences.
KB3 – Demonstrate competence in engineering fundamentals appropriate to engineering discipline.
KB4 – Demonstrate competence in specialized engineering knowledge appropriate to engineering discipline.
 

Problem Analysis: An ability to use appropriate knowledge and skills to identify, formulate, analyze and solve complex engineering problems in order to reach substantiated conclusions.

PA1 – Demonstrate ability to define an engineering problem.
PA2 – Demonstrate ability to formulate a strategy to solve an engineering problem.
PA3 – Demonstrate ability to reach substantiated conclusions.
 

Investigation: An ability to conduct investigations of complex problems by methods that include appropriate experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of information in order to reach valid conclusions.

IN1 – Demonstrate ability to define and plan the investigation successfully (whether experimental or analytical).
IN2 – Demonstrate ability to conduct an investigation successfully.
IN3 – Demonstrate ability to analyse and interpret data to reach valid conclusions.
 

Design: An ability to design solutions for complex, open-ended engineering problems and to design systems, components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate attention to health and safety risks, applicable standards, and economic, environmental, cultural and societal considerations.

D1 – Demonstrate ability to frame a complex, open-ended design problem in engineering terms.
D2 – Demonstrate ability to generate a diverse set of candidate engineering design solutions.
D3 – Demonstrate ability to select candidate engineering design solutions for further development.
D4 – Demonstrate ability to advance an engineering design to a defined end state – completion.
 

Use of Engineering Tools: An ability to create, select, apply, adapt, and extend appropriate techniques, resources, and modern engineering tools to a range of engineering activities, from simple to complex, with an understanding of the associated limitations.

ET1 – Demonstrates ability to identify and select appropriate engineering tool(s) and resources.
ET2 – Demonstrates ability to apply appropriate engineering tool(s) and resources.
ET3 – Demonstrates ability to create/develop/adapt appropriate engineering tools.
  
Individual and Team Work: An ability to work effectively as a member and leader in teams preferably in a multidisciplinary setting.
 
ITW1 – Demonstrates ability to perform responsibly.
ITW2 – Demonstrates ability to contribute to team goals.
ITW3 – Demonstrate ability to evaluate peer and self performance based on team effectiveness.
 

Communication Skills: An ability to communicate complex engineering concepts within the profession and with society at large. Such ability includes reading, writing, speaking and listening, and the ability to comprehend and write effective reports and design documentation, and to give and effectively respond to clear instructions.

CS1 – Demonstrate ability to follow instructions (listening and reading for comprehension).
CS2 – Demonstrate the ability to communicate orally using appropriate materials, language, non-verbal communication and effective graphical tools.
CS3 – Demonstrate ability to articulate ideas in writing using appropriate technical language, and effective graphical tools.
 

Professionalism: An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professional engineer in society, especially the primary role of protection of the public and the public interest.

PR1 – Familiarity with provincial engineering legislation and other relevant standards. (Individual)
PR2 – Recognizes role of protection of public. (Public)
PR3 – Shows an awareness of the PEO and the role of licensing.
 

Impact of Engineering on Society and the Environment: An ability to analyze social and environmental aspects of engineering activities. Such ability includes an understanding of the interactions that engineering has with the economic, social, health, safety, legal, and cultural aspects of society, the uncertainties in the prediction of such interactions; and the concepts of sustainable design and development and environmental stewardship.

IESE1 – Ability to analyse the interactions of engineering with economic, social, health, safety, legal and cultural aspects of society.
IESE2 – Demonstrate understanding of the concept of sustainable design and development.
IESE3 – Demonstrate understanding of the concept of environmental stewardship.
 

Ethics and Equity: An ability to apply professional ethics, accountability, and equity.

EE1 – Demonstrates knowledge of professional ethics.
EE2 – Application of Ethical Behaviour.
EE3 – Apply the principles of professional accountability.
 

Economics and Project Management: Appropriately incorporate economics and business practices including project, risk, and change management into the practice of engineering and to understand their limitations.

EPM1 – Demonstrate ability to incorporate economics into engineering projects.
EPM2 – Demonstrate ability to manage time, budget and human resources of a project.
EPM3 – Demonstrate ability to incorporate risk management into engineering.
EPM4 – Demonstrate ability to incorporate change management into engineering.
 

Life-Long Learning: An ability to identify and to address their own educational needs in a changing world in ways sufficient to maintain their competence and to allow them to contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

LL1 – Ability to assess limitations in knowledge and skills.
LL2 – Learn independently.