CERTIFICATE in ENGINEERING DESIGN

Portfolio Requirements

Students can get the Certificate in Engineering Design in a wide variety of ways. Taking particular courses and participating in specific design projects or internships and coops in design will define who they are in terms of design experience.  Also, design represents an important set of productivity skills used in professional work.  A portfolio is a professional document that can demonstrate this well and assist the students both in getting jobs in engineering design and in defining the students as design professionals with certain training, accomplishments and experiences by the time they graduate.  Students may claim one credit of 496 in any engineering department for completion of the portfolio requirement. 

Each student must prepare and submit a portfolio to the Coordinator for the Certificate in Engineering Design.  The portfolio will consist of two parts.  The first is an electronic portfolio created using the university’s e-Portfolio (http://eportfolio.psu.edu/).  This is representative of the student’s best work and can include materials in formats that are not amenable to hard copies (i.e., animations, movies, some CAD work, etc.).  Second, the student will prepare a summary paper-based portfolio that would be appropriate for job or internship interviews and other forums.  A folio layout of 11˝×17˝ paper printed on both sides and folded in half is acceptable, but other formats will be considered.

In both the summary brochure format and the complete e-form, the portfolio must contain the student’s best work and convey the following,

• Clear identification and contact information for the student with links (or URLs) to their e-portfolio, their on-line resume, the department of their major, and the College of Engineering or college in which they are pursuing their engineering degree.
• The training received and experiences obtained in engineering design
• The major accomplishments of the projects on which the student worked

• The design competencies of the student – see the “Learning Outcomes” of the Certificate.
• The brochure format and the e-portfolio must look professional, since both are designed for professional use.