A coursework plan for improving skills necessary for successful capstone projects

One of the main courses that students do in an undergraduate engineering program is the capstone design project. Capstone projects are intensive learning projects which require a lot of research, project management, and technical communication skills to succeed in the course. There are a lot of skills that need to be developed for a successful capstone project. Capstone projects and the accompanying final report show the quality of student work thereby reflecting a quality program. Capstone projects are also valued highly in the accreditation process. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), which provides accreditation to engineering programs in US have different criteria to evaluate a program. There are many general criteria and some specific criteria applied to the program. The general criteria are related to programs, educational objectives, continuous improvement process, program outcomes, curriculum, faculty, facilities, and support. Program outcomes are more specific, since the ABET report would show the curricula, course work, and other documentation to show the effectiveness of the program. Program outcomes are criteria 3 of the ABET criteria. One of the main ABET outcomes is to have engineering students communicate effectively. Being a brilliant and creative engineer is just not enough, in today's global world engineers need be able to work and communicate in diverse teams and should be able to influence and engage coworkers in discussions and negotiations. Writing technical information appropriately to communicate with others is essential and needs to be developed in technical subjects with students who study engineering. In this paper authors will describe and consider the course work plan for a successful capstone project taught at the Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi.