FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

Departmental Website Address: cs.dut.ac.za

QUALIFICATION:
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY: Electronic Engineering

QUALIFICATION CODE: BNELC1

MODULE: Engineering Ethics and Professional skills

Module Code:PRIM101

SAQA CREDITS: 8

Date of Last Revision: 19 July 2023

Copyright Reserved
Name of Lecturer : Dr NR Singh
Office : BS8403
Campus location : Steve Biko, S8 level 2
Telephone : X2881
Fax No : 031-3732744
E-Mail : navins@dut.ac.za
Consultation times with Lecturer: Mon-Thurs, 11am-2pm

Head of Department : Prof M S Tsoeu

Programme coordinator :
Campus location : Steve Biko, S8 level 3
Room number :
Telephone : X2067
Fax No : 031-3732744

Departmental Secretary / Programme secretary : Mrs P Chetty

Contact details : premi@dut.ac.za

Lectures : BC0209

Practicals : BC0209

Tutorials : BS0209

Duration : 1 hour

Relevant Policies and rules:

Engineering Ethics & Professional Skills 2 Semester 2, 2023

Table of Contents

1. Welcome................................................................................................................................................3

2. Online classroom....................................................................................................................................3

3. General Premise and Educational Approach..........................................................................................3

4. Lecturer, Venues and Consulting Hours.................................................................................................4

5. Study Material........................................................................................................................................4

6. Teaching and Learning............................................................................................................................5

7. Rules of Assessment...............................................................................................................................6

8. Assessment or Development Matrix for ECSA Graduate Attributes (GA’s).............................................7

9. ECSA GA’s...............................................................................................................................................8

10. International Comparability..................................................................................................................14

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1. Welcome

The aim of this module is to provide students with an overview of engineering ethics and professional skills.
This module will explore many of the ethical issues that a practicing engineer might encounter in the course
of his or her professional engineering practice. Various ethical theories will be discussed and several ethical
problem-solving methods will be developed. Several case studies based on real events will be used to
highlight the problems faced by engineers as well as to highlight the effects of engineering decisions on
society at large.

2. Using your onlineThinkLearnZone (Moodle) classroom

All taught subjects/modules have their own online classroom on the ThinkLearnZone. You can access your
classroom at https://thinklearnzone.dut.ac.za

To log in, ask your lecturer for guidance or check out “how to log in” on the DUT e-learning website
http://elearning.dut.ac.za/faq/faq_students/

The e-learning website also has contact information for help and technical assistance
http://elearning.dut.ac.za/contacts/

You can call the e-learning helpdesk on 031 373 6758 or email them on edtechadmin@dut.ac.za

3. General Premise and Educational Approach

In this course, learners are both expected and encouraged to find any additional information that they may
need and which may serve to broaden their knowledge. All learners are expected to possess the following:
 A good understanding of project management
 A basic understanding of business management

4. Lecturer, Venues and Consulting Hours

 The lecturer for the module will be Mr N R Singh. His office location is BS8403 and his telephone
extension is 2881. Email is navins@dut.ac.za
 All lectures and practical discussions will take place in BC0209.
 The lecturer will provide a roster of his available times for consultation Monday to Thursday.

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5. Study Material

 The recommended textbook for this course is:

Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams, Latest Edition,
Terry Schmidt
 The online classroom will contain valuable information regarding this course.
 This course is broken down into the following areas:

1. Ethics for multicultural societies and workplaces

- The need to study engineering ethics
- Ethics and the law
2. Why be ethical
- Personal versus professional ethics
- The origins of ethical thought
3. Workplace ethics
- Similarities between ethical and design problems
- Ethical theories
- Non-western ethical thinking
4. Professional ethics for engineers and others who work with them
- Professionalism
- Codes of ethics
5. Ethics in engineering
- Professional responsibilities of engineers
- Professional rights of engineers
- Whistle-blowing
6. Skills for handling dilemmas
- Risk, safety and accidents
- Analysis of issues in ethical problems
7. Sustainability concerns and the move toward Sustainable development
- Ethics and research
8. EIA as the only mandatory tool under environmental legislation
- Environmental ethics
9. Corporation and sector technology strategies to address current and future sustainability
challenges.

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6. Teaching and Learning

 The weekly course contact time will be 2 hours. The module will extend over fourteen weeks.

 If any practical/assignment work needed to have been submitted is done so after the submission
deadline, it will not be accepted and the student will score a zero for that work.

 The University has taken a strong stance against any form of plagiarism. Students are expected to
be familiar with the general university rules governing examinations. These rules apply to all
assessments completed for this course: If any work submitted (either assignments or practical
work) is found to be similar to other submitted work in this semester or a previous semester, or
work posted on the internet, it will be assumed that the work submitted has been copied and all
students involved will get zero for that assessment. Any appeal process will follow the standard
University rules, that is, a disciplinary hearing will take place.

 General rules:
o No eating or drinking in the classroom and laboratory.
o No cell phones may be used while in the classroom or laboratory.
o No unsupervised access is allowed in any of the laboratories. Permission must be given
before entering a laboratory.

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7. Rules of assessment

ECSA Graduate Attribute (GA) 10 will be developed and assessed in this module. A full description of the
GA’s can be found in section 9.

This course will be assessed on a 100% course mark basis. This means that the work completed throughout
the semester determines whether a passing grade is obtained or not. The mark will be made up as follows:

Assessment Weighting Type

Assessment 1 15 % Online assessment
Assessment 2 30 % Case study analysis (50% sub-
minimum)
Assessment 3 15% Online assessment
Assessment 4 38% Written/practical case study analysis
( 50% sub-minimum)
Graduate 2% Written/practical case study analysis
attribute (based on Assessment 4)
assessment (graduate attribute - 50% sub-
minimum)
Total 100 %

The rubric that will be used for the assessment of the Case study analysis is the following:

Total mark Achieved

Category Requirement for maxim score to for Category Score
be awarded (0-100%)

Layout, presentation, Analysis is well laid out, free of 10

spelling & grammar spelling and grammatical errors,
while adhering to the specified
format.
Logic of information There is a logical flow of 15
layout and quality of information. Analysis is clear and
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 thinking focussed.
Adequacy/relevancy The content sufficiently addresses 25
of content the topic in question and
provides the reader with clear
and concise information thereon.
Referencing A reference list is given and it 20
indicates that the student has
done adequate research on the
topic. The IEEE standard is used
for the referencing. All
references appear in the text in a
consistent manner and in-cite
referencing is correctly applied.
At least one text book has been
used in the research.
Originality The work has been submitted to 30
Turn-it-in for plagiarism checking
and the printed results thereof
are attached. The information
obtained from any single source
does not exceed 3% of the overall
content of the portfolio.
TOTAL 100

To obtain a pass grade for this subject, the student needs to obtain an overall combined FINAL Mark of at
least 50% AND must have passed Assessments 2 and 4 as well as the Graduate attribute Assessment with at
least 50%. Students who have met the above requirement but have obtained an overall FINAL mark of
45%-49%, will at the discretion of the lecturer, be allowed to write a make-up test. The final mark of this
make-up test will be capped at 50%.

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8. Development Matrix for ECSA Graduate Attributes (GA’s)

Student Number Student Name

The GA 10 assessment will be undertaken on a case study/research project. Performance on GA outcomes

is deemed to be satisfactory where a student obtains a minimum of 50% on the assessment matrix.

Mark breakdown
GA10 - Engineering weightin
Professionalism level 5 level 4 level 3 level 2 level 1 g Mark
greatly slightly fully partly not
excelled excelled achieved achieved achieved
100 80 60 40 0 50%

1. Able to interpret and

apply engineering code of
ethics correctly as well as
understand the rights and
responsibilities of engineers
(written/practical
assessment) 100 50% 50

2. Able to correctly apply

ethical theories in solving
engineering ethical problems
as highlighted in case studies
of real life events and
compiling a report in that
regard regard (report
compilation) 100 50% 50

Final Mark 100

9. Graduate Attributes (GA’s)

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The GA’s defined below are aligned to the ECSA document E-02-PT. The key range statement that defines
the scope and depth of typical applications in this qualification is defined here.
The Level Descriptor: Broadly-Defined engineering problems applicable to this Qualification as specified in
the ECSA Qualification Standard E-02-PT is characterised by:

 require coherent and detailed engineering knowledge underpinning the technology area;

and one or more of:

 are ill-posed, or under or over specified, requiring identification and interpretation into the
technology area;
 encompass systems within complex engineering systems;
 belong to families of problems which are solved in well-accepted but innovative ways;

and one or more of:

 can be solved by structured analysis techniques;

 may be partially outside standards and codes; must provide justification to operate outside;
 require information from practice area and source interfacing with the practice area that is
incomplete;
 involves a variety of issues which may impose conflicting needs and constraints; technical,
engineering and interested or affected parties.

9.1 GA 1: Problem solving

Apply engineering principles to systematically diagnose and solve broadly-defined electronic

engineering problems.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The problem is analysed and defined and criteria are identified for an acceptable solution.
 Relevant information and engineering knowledge and skills are identified for solving the problem.
 Possible approaches are generated and formulated that would lead to a workable solution for the
problem.
 Possible solutions are modelled and analysed.

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  Possible solutions are evaluated and the best solution is selected.
 The solution is formulated and presented in an appropriate form.

9.2 GA 2: Application of scientific and engineering knowledge

Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural science and engineering sciences to defined and applied
engineering procedures, processes, systems and methodologies to solve broadly-defined electronic
engineering problems.

Associated assessment criteria:

 An appropriate mix of knowledge of mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, natural science and
engineering science at a fundamental level and in a specialist area is brought to bear on the solution
of broadly-defined engineering problems.
 Theories, principles and laws are used.
 Formal analysis and modelling is performed on engineering materials, components, systems or
processes.
 Concepts, ideas and theories are communicated.
 Reasoning about and conceptualising engineering materials, components, systems or processes is
performed.
 Uncertainty and risk is handled.
 Work is performed within the boundaries of the practice area.

9.3 GA 3: Engineering Design

Perform procedural and non-procedural design of broadly defined components, systems, works,
products or processes to meet desired needs normally within applicable standards, codes of practice
and legislation.

Range Statement: Design problems used in assessment must conform to the definition of broadly-
defined engineering problems.

 A major design project must be used to provide a body of evidence that demonstrates this outcome.
 The project would be typical of that which the graduate would participate in a typical employment
situation shortly after graduation.

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  A major design project should include one or more of the following impacts: social, economic, legal,
health, safety, and environmental.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The design problem is formulated to satisfy user needs, applicable standards, codes of practice and
legislation.
 The design process is planned and managed to focus on important issues and recognises and deals
with constraints.
 Knowledge, information and resources are acquired and evaluated in order to apply appropriate
principles and design tools to provide a workable solution.
 Design tasks are performed including analysis, quantitative modelling and optimisation of the
product, system or process subject to the relevant premises, assumptions, constraints and
restrictions.
 Alternatives are evaluated for implementation and a preferred solution is selected based on techno-
economic analysis and judgement.
 The selected design is assessed in terms of the social, economic, legal, health, safety, and
environmental impact and benefits.
 The design logic and relevant information is communicated in a technical report.

9.4 GA 4: Investigation

Conduct investigations of broadly-defined problems through locating, searching and selecting

relevant data from codes, data bases and literature, designing and conducting experiments, analysing
and interpreting results to provide valid conclusions.

Note: An investigation differs from a design in that the objective is to produce knowledge and
understanding of a phenomenon.

Associated assessment criteria:

 Investigations and experiments relevant to electronic engineering are planned

 Available literature is searched and material is critically evaluated for suitability to the investigation.
 Analysis is performed as necessary to the investigation.
 Equipment or software is selected and used as appropriate in the investigations.

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  Information is analysed, interpreted and derived from available data.
 Conclusions are drawn from an analysis of all available evidence.
 The purpose, process and outcomes of the investigation are recorded in a technical report.

9.5 GA 5: Engineering methods, skills, tools, including Information technology

Use appropriate techniques, resources, and modern engineering tools, including information technology,
prediction and modelling, for the solution of broadly-defined engineering problems, with an
understanding of the limitations, restrictions, premises, assumptions and constraints.

Range Statement: A range of methods, skills and tools appropriate to the program including:

 Sub-discipline-specific tools, processes or procedures.

 Computer packages for computation, modelling, simulation, and information handling;
 Computers and networks and information infra-structures for accessing, processing, managing, and
storing information to enhance personal productivity and teamwork;
 Techniques from economics, management, and health, safety and environmental protection.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The method, skill or tool is assessed for applicability and limitations against the required result.
 The method, skill or tool is applied correctly to achieve the required result.
 Results produced by the method, skill or tool are tested and assessed against required results.
 Computer applications are created, selected and used as required by the discipline

9.6 GA 6: Professional and technical communication

Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with engineering audiences and the affected
parties.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The structure, style and language of written and oral communication are appropriate for the purpose
of the communication and the target audience.
 Graphics used are appropriate and effective in enhancing the meaning of text.

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  Visual materials used enhance oral communications.
 Accepted methods are used for providing information to others involved in the engineering activity
example engineering drawings, as well as subject-specific methods.
 Oral communication is delivered fluently with the intended meaning being apparent.

9.7 GA 7: Impact of Engineering Activity

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of engineering activity on the society,
economy, industrial and physical environment, and address issues by analysis and evaluation.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The impact of technology is explained in terms of the benefits and limitations to society.
 The engineering activity is analysed in terms of the impact on occupational and public health and
safety.
 The engineering activity is analysed in terms of the impact on the physical environment.
 Personal, social, economic, cultural values and requirements are taken into consideration for those
who are affected by the engineering activity.

9.8 GA 8: Individual and teamwork

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering management principles and apply these
to one’s own work, as a member and leader in a team and to manage projects.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The principles of planning, organising, leading and controlling are explained.

 Individual work is carried out effectively, strategically and on time.
 Contributions to team activities, including at disciplinary boundaries, support the output of the team
as a whole.
 Functioning as a team leader is demonstrated.
 A design or research project is organised and managed.
 Effective communication is carried out in the context of individual and team work.

9.9 GA 9: Independent learning

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 Engage in independent and life-long learning through well-developed learning skills.

Associated assessment criteria:

 Learning tasks are managed autonomously and ethically, individually and in learning groups.
 Learning undertaken is reflected on and own learning requirements and strategies are determined to
suit personal learning style and preferences.
 Relevant information is sourced, organised and evaluated.
 Knowledge acquired outside of formal instruction is comprehended and applied.
 Assumptions are challenged critically and new thinking is embraced.

9.10 GA 10: Engineering professionalism

Comprehend and apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics, responsibilities and
norms of engineering technology practice.

Associated assessment criteria:

 The nature and complexity of ethical dilemmas is described.

 The ethical implications of decisions made are described.
 Ethical reasoning is applied to evaluate engineering solutions.
 Continued competence is maintained through keeping abreast of up-to-date tools and techniques
available in the workplace.
 The system of continuing professional development is understood and embraced as an on-going
process.
 Responsibility is accepted for consequences arising from own actions.
 Judgements are made in decision making during problem solving and design.
 Decision making is limited to area of current competence.

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10 International comparability

International comparability of this engineering technologist education qualification is ensured

through the Sydney Accord.

The exit level outcomes and level descriptors defined in this qualification are aligned with the
attributes of a Sydney Accord technologist graduate in the International Engineering Alliance’s
Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies (See www.ieagreements.org). Current
signatories to the Sydney Accord are: Engineering Council UK, Engineers Ireland, Engineering Council
of South Africa, Engineers Australia, The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, Institution of Professional
Engineers New Zealand, Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the Canadian
Council of Technicians and Technologists.

This qualification is also aligned to European Federation of Electronic Engineering (EFCE)

Recommendations for Electronic Engineering Education for the first degree in a Bologna Two Cycle
Degree System.

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