What competencies do computer engineering students gain?
Computer Engineering
Program-specific competencies
Competencies are the skills, knowledge and attributes gained through every work, educational, volunteer
and life experience. UVic students in the Computer Engineering program develop the following program-
specific competencies.
Develops the following competencies specific to the Faculty of Engineering:
Professional practice
Behaves in accordance with the standards and code of ethics of the Association of Professional Engineers and
Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC)
• Prioritizes the safety, health and welfare of public and environmental protection
• Promotes health and safety within the workplace
• Undertakes and is responsible for professional assignments only when qualified
• Maintains confidentiality and avoids a conflict of interest
• Keeps informed to maintain competence
• Acts with fairness, courtesy and good faith towards clients, colleagues and others
• Extends public knowledge and appreciation of engineering
Reliability, safety and failure analysis
Develops systems that are reliable and effective by mitigating risk and reducing failure
• Maintains an awareness of the quality assurance standards and testing procedures
• Ensures that systems or components perform their required function for the required duration under
the stated conditions
• Maintains a current knowledge and awareness of requisite safety standards
• Understands the consequences of failure and reduces their impact
• Establishes the mean time between failures when assessing reliability
Design
Gathers requirements, develops models and creates prototypes in a timely and effective manner to
increase a project’s safety and success
• Gathers full requirements for a project
• Understands the client’s needs
• Models a solution using the appropriate tools
• Relates and justifies the design process to the client
• Implements designs that are safe and effective
• Demonstrates awareness of how the design integrates into its environment
Engineering tools
Uses a broad range of Engineering tools, applications and software.
• Designs equipment and systems using a variety of software packages
• Simulates mechanical and electronic systems using the appropriate tools
• Analyses systems, equipment and data using the correct tools
• Operates mechanical equipment in a lab or workshop safely and effectively
• Uses electronics and electrical equipment in a careful and accurate manner
• Develops software and scripts in a variety of environments and languages
• Uses computer software and systems in an appropriate manner
• Understands database concepts and usage and uses them effectively
• Researches and recommends new tools where existing tools are inadequate
• Chooses tools based on their comparative strengths and weaknesses
Engineering knowledge
Understands the broad scope of disciplines that support engineering theory and practice
• Demonstrates knowledge of the mathematical fundamentals of engineering
• Applies the correct statistical methods to analyze and investigate data
• Understands the supporting natural sciences for their discipline of engineering
• Maintains a comprehensive knowledge of the engineering fundamentals
• Demonstrates an understanding of engineering economics
• Comprehends how engineering specifics integrate into a larger project
• Studies companion subjects to aid a projects success
Develops the following competencies specific to the Computer Engineering program:
Control theory and systems
Understands how control systems function and their use
• Applies the fundamentals of control theory in the design of dynamic systems
• Demonstrates an understanding of feedback control systems
• Identifies design specifications
• Evaluates system performance
• Identifies components of a dc servo system and its use in motion control
• Implements a control system using feedback circuits
• Demonstrates an understanding of processors and microcontrollers
Circuits and electronics
Demonstrates knowledge of the architecture of computer systems and the interrelationship between the OS and the
architecture
• Utilizes the necessary tools to improve system performance
• Understands the transfer of information from one system component to another
• Compares performance of similar systems using common metrics
• Identifies the optimal system for given problem
• Works with different CPU architectures
• Uses different operating systems
• Utilizes different memory management methods
Networks, hardware and communications
Participates in the design and testing of electronic circuits
• Utilizes the fundamental components of electronic circuits
• Assesses the electrical properties of materials
• Creates test benches to verify design
• Explains the property and characteristics of semiconductor structures
• Uses differential equations to analyze and design circuits
• Reads and interprets electrical schematics
• Undertakes research and development of electronic devices
• Uses electronic test equipment in a safe and reliable manner
Software development, practice and theory
Employs knowledge of software life cycles and developmental phases
• Works within the different software development lifecycle stages
• Takes business, product and process requirements into consideration
• Applies different software development methodologies
• Implements process improvement models, such as ISO 9000
• Solves software development problems using formal methods
• Considers software evolution issues during development
Computer hardware and systems
Demonstrates knowledge of the architecture of computer systems and the interrelationship between the OS and the
architecture
• Utilizes the necessary tools to improve system performance
• Understands the transfer of information from one system component to another
• Compares performance of similar systems using common metrics
• Identifies the optimal system for given problem
• Works with different CPU architectures
• Uses different operating systems
• Utilizes different memory management methods
UVic Co-op and Career worked with the UVic Faculty of Engineering of to develop this competency document.
Discover career resources and support at www.uvic.ca/coopandcareer
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