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Overview

Course Prescription

An introduction to chemistry and biology as applied to solving fundamental engineering problems from first principles using conservation laws and with appropriate consideration for uncertainty. Problems will also be addressed from a social perspective, considering the environment, the Treaty of Waitangi, social license to operate, and the role of professional engineering skills in the community and society.

Course Overview

ENGGEN 140 (Fundamentals of Engineering in Society) addresses the links between science and engineering by reviewing key concepts from the sciences (chemistry and biology) and demonstrating how they can be used to solve engineering problems. While the engineering entry requirements require that all engineering students have had exposure to physics prior to starting the programme, chemistry and biology are also key disciplines that lend engineers knowledge and skills vital to solving a wide variety of problems. Beyond this, it is also important for professional engineers to be adaptable in learning new knowledge from a variety of sources and disciplines and applying it to their work. ENGGEN 140 is intended to introduce this practice.
A key part of this practice is understanding and working with knowledge: What forms of knowledge do we have access to? What sources give us that access? How much do we trust those sources? How do we use knowledge when we aren't certain about it? This knowledge comes from both technical sources and our wider society, includes indigenous knowledge, and must be used to solve problems in the context of that wider society.
The course is structured in three main parts. In the first part, we cover fundamental concepts used to represent and communicate scientific knowledge, and how these concepts are used in engineering practice. In the second, and largest, part, we use this conceptual base to introduce key topics in chemistry, and their engineering applications. In the third part of the course, we build upon both the conceptual base and the chemistry skills to introduce key topics in biology, and the way engineering can be applied to these biology topics to solve practical problems.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 36 hours of lectures, 11 hours of tutorials, 78 hours of understanding and practicing the content (including preparation for tests and exams), and 25 hours of work on assignments. You should try to spend this time spread out through the semester, aiming for about 10 hours each week; note that an assignment will be due each week.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and tutorials to complete components of the course. Tutorial participation is compulsory and assessed.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Tutorials will not be recorded.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

This course uses an electronic coursebook, and will involve some additional required readings. The coursebook will be made available to all students via Canvas at the start of the course. All required readings will be available electronically via the university library and/or Canvas.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Health and Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy.
Tutorials will take place in multi-disciplinary learning spaces (MDLS); students will be required to complete an online health and safety induction prior to coming to the first tutorial session.
Some lectures will include demonstrations that may involve loud noises, bright flashes of light, and/or unusual odours. Some lectures and lecture materials may also contain photographs depicting surgical procedures and blood. Your lecturer will advise you prior to the start of the lecture if any of these hazards will be present, and attendance during such demonstrations and viewing of such photographs will not be compulsory.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

Constructive student feedback is important for the optimisation of this course. All ENGGEN 140 teachers and course co-ordinators strive to tackle the challenges of large classes of 1,000+ students and create an effective and engaging learning environment every time. Feel free to talk with your teachers after class about what elements of their teaching you appreciate most to make sure teachers know what works best for most.

ENGGEN 140 offers three lectures and one small-class tutorial per week. Instructors look forward to working with students in these settings and expect students to participate actively and responsibly.

Marking assignments for a very large number of students is a significant challenge for staff. Students are therefore asked help by submitting any questions about their grades NO MORE THAN 10 days after grades were published.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Additional Information on Academic integrity

Students must have completed ACADINT A01 by the end of Week 1 to engage fully in the ENGGEN 140 writing assignment.

In this course, students are prohibited from using generative artificial intelligence text and art generation software, such as ChatGPT and DALL.E 2, on their assessments. You are expected to complete your assessments without substantial assistance from others, including automated tools.

Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Additional Information on Assessment

Students must sit the exam to pass the course. Otherwise, a DNS (did not sit) result will be returned. 

A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy.

The tests and final exam will be completed in-person on paper.

Assignments submitted after the deadline will be penalised at a rate of 4% for each hour (or part thereof) they are late, unless prior arrangements have been made with the course coordinator.

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123456789

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Based on 2024 student feedback, additional practice problems and study material will be made available in 2025.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Additional Information on Class Representatives

Stage 1 engineering students elect their class reps within the first two weeks of the semester, following an invitation via a Canvas announcement. The outcome of the election and the contact details of the class reps will also be communicated via Canvas.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Additional Information on Inclusive Learning

To help ensure an inclusive learning environment for all, the classroom environment must be respectful, friendly, calm and quiet. This environment allows everyone to get the most of each lecture. For example, hard-of-hearing students can focus on the lecture without being distracted by background noise from chatty student groups in the back.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Additonal Information on Special Circumstances

Please use the contact form linked on the ENGGEN 140 Canvas homepage to submit your application for an extension on coursework.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.