Engineering & Technology
Related Contents
- Undergraduate Engineering & Technology brochure
http://www.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/14376/ECU-UG-Engineering.pdf 
Undergraduate Engineering & Technology brochure
Engineering & Technology
Get practical, hands-on engineering experience as you study either a 3 + 2 year Bachelor/Masters program, or a traditional 4-year degree at ECU.
You'll get to experience our world-class facilities in a supportive and student-centred learning environment. What's more, our collaboration with industry ensures that you're prepared for the engineering challenges of the real world and often have a foot in the door before you graduate.
Engineering covers a large range of disciplines leading to an enormous variety of rewarding careers. Our Engineering qualifications can provide entry into a broad spectrum of careers across a range of areas such as:
- Chemical Engineering: chemical, petroleum and pharmaceutical production, mineral processing, biochemical research and development, food production, environmental protection
- Civil Engineering: road design and construction, building design and construction, water supply, harbours and railways
- Mechanical Engineering: mining and mineral processing, oil and gas, manufacturing systems, automotive design, air handling and conditioning, building services
- Electrical Power Engineering: power generation and distribution, renewable energy systems, design and commissioning of electrical plant for mining or industry
- Instrumentation, Control and Automation Engineering: mining and mineral processing, oil and gas, automated manufacturing systems, process control
- Computer Systems Engineering: computer and digital system design, embedded systems, robotics, intelligent systems
- Mechatronics Engineering: manufacturing, robotics, production automation
- Electronics and Communications Engineering: wired and wireless communications, data transmission, electronic systems, consumer electronics
- Maritime Engineering (Marine and Offshore Systems, Ocean Engineering, Naval Architecture): oil and gas, ports and harbours, marine system design and operation, marine surveying
- Motorsports: design and development of high performance vehicles, automotive engineering, engine management systems, motor sports management, mechanical design.
It is our aim to provide students with pathways into the best of those careers. What's more, our collaboration with industry means that not only are our graduates ready for the real world of engineering, they often have a foot in the door, too. And the practical experience they gain at our advanced labs and workshops means that they can hit the ground running. Choose from our range of courses in Engineering, Motorsports, Aviation and more.
ECU's New Engineering and Technology Facility Now Open
Students commencing in 2013 will be among the first to experience our new, state‑of‑the-art engineering facility.
Valued at over $50 million, it features purpose‑built labs and project spaces, all designed with a focus on students. It also features sustainable systems and infrastructure that both decrease its carbon footprint, and provides students access to real systems for sustainable energy education.
ECU Students Make Top Four at Innovator Awards
Demonstrating extraordinary research and development strength, our Engineering students secured two of the top four placements in the 2011 WA Innovator of the Year Awards.
The "Wireless Token Network" and "Tunable Laser" projects were the only university entries to appear amongst the top four finalists in the iiNet Encouragement Award category for innovation in superfast broadband applications.
Chemical Engineering Available in 2013
After years of planning and development, Chemical Engineering will be added to our extensive range of Engineering courses in 2013, joining other recent additions such as Aeronautics and Maritime Engineering (Naval Architecture, Ocean Engineering and Marine & Offshore Engineering).
The course will help to supply the huge numbers of qualified engineers needed for the rapidly expanding WA oil and gas industry, and satisfy years of immense demand for Chemical Engineering at ECU.
Bachelor of Engineering Science course offers a '3+2' model
Our Bachelor of Engineering Science course is the first in WA to feature the European '3 + 2' model. Three years of engineering foundation, followed by specialisation in a two-year coursework Masters degree.
This option is offered in addition to the many four-year engineering courses we offer.
"Technically and practically this course gave me what I needed to enter the world of engineering."
"The lecture content of my course was highly relevant and there were plenty of opportunities to apply learning in engineering labs. The technical and practical knowledge that I gained helped me enter the real world of engineering. But what made the uni experience for me was the interaction with lecturers - they were always available to help. As far as uni life goes, Joondalup's a fantastic campus - it allows a great study/life balance."
Sami Yildrim
Engineering Honours graduate
WiFi sensors to tackle bushfires
A network of inexpensive fire monitoring sensors positioned throughout bushland could be the latest early‑warning system in the fight against fires.
Researchers from ECU's Centre for Communications Engineering Research (CCER) have taken sensors and equipped them with wireless communication technology.
Placed throughout an area of bush, the sensors take readings of temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, as well as air contaminants. When smoke from a fire is detected, the sensors can instantly alert fire authorities via wireless internet connection or a text message to a mobile phone, providing accurate GPS information.
Professor Daryoush Habibi, Dr Iftekhar Ahmad and Doctor of Philosophy student and Master of Engineering Science graduate Mr Amro Qandour developed the sensor network as part of the research they have been conducting into engineering applications that serve the local community. CCER are in the final phase of testing the devices and hope to team up with an industry partner to make the monitoring system available to fire authorities.
New design method for rock slope stability under earthquake loads
Prediction of the stability of rock slopes has always been a challenging task for civil and mining engineers because the rock masses constituting the slopes often have discontinuities in various forms, resulting in different types of slope failures.
ECU School of Engineering's Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Research Group, including Associate Professor Sanjay Kumar Shukla and Doctor of Philosophy student and Master of Engineering Science graduate Md Monir Hossain, have developed a simplified methodology to estimate the factor of safety of the rock slopes, which may be present in open cast mines or developed areas around hilly terrain.
The new mathematical method considers all relevant factors under earthquake loading conditions in order to provide a more realistic prediction of the factor of safety of the rock slopes.
The real benefit of the new method is that it does not require the use of complex software packages. Practising engineers can carry out the safety calculations using a pocket calculator and therefore more rapidly assess the safety of proposed works.
Fee-Help for our Aviation students
Our Bachelor of Aviation students can now apply to concurrently study the Graduate Diploma of Flying which includes flying training units covered by the Commonwealth FEE-HELP program.
This means that more students will be able to complete both their academic studies and commercial flying training within just three years.
Schneider Electric donates significant infrastructure to ECU Engineering
ECU is leading the way with facilities in automation and control through our collaboration with Schneider Electric. This partnership has resulted in significant hardware donations to our School's Schneider Electric Instrumentation Control Laboratory.
The laboratory is unique to ECU and enhances our ability to offer industry-relevant engineering education and training in the field of automation and control.
From a mining job to a career in mining
A few years ago Trenton Auld was working in a mining job and yearned for a challenging and exciting career. He enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering (Instrumentation Control and Automation) at ECU where he developed a range of skills and gained knowledge that have provided the foundation for his engineering career.
Asked what the most beneficial aspect of the course was, he is quick to answer "The professional contacts that I developed within the Engineering Faculty and the small class sizes". Trenton was also offered an opportunity to act as a teaching assistant for a 1st year Electrical Engineering Laboratory.
Now a Graduate Process Electrical Engineer at the Boddington Gold mine of Newmont Mining Corporation, Trenton says of his experience at ECU "I graduated with first class honours and had the opportunity to choose the best of several high quality job offers. You can’t ask for more than that."
Three Maritime Engineering courses offered in collaboration with the Australian Maritime College
At ECU, we offer three maritime engineering courses in collaboration with the Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania. The three courses are in the areas of Marine & Offshore Engineering, Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering.
Students undertake their first two years of study at our Joondalup campus and complete their final two years at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston, Tasmania.
We are excited to be able to offer WA students a pathway to engineering qualifications in these high demand areas of the profession.
ECU develops wireless sensor networking device
Professor Daryoush Habibi (Head of School of Engineering), Dr. Iftekhar Ahmad and Mr. Amro Qandour, researchers from ECU's Centre for Communications Engineering Research (CCER) have developed the Wireless Sensor Networking Device – a small, palm-sized unit that is capable of detecting bushfire smoke from up to 60km away.
The device uses air sensors that are sensitive enough to detect not only smoke, but even fluctuations in the atmosphere of a specified area. This information is then transmitted wirelessly, and the entire device can run on solar power. The device should cost no more than a few hundred dollars and its potential benefits are invaluable.
ECU Motorsports team impress at Summer Hill Climb
In February 2012, our Motorsports students took part in round 2 of the Jack Nelson WA Summer Speed Hill Climb Series and came away with an extraordinary 2nd place finish. The 24-entrant race represented a number of technical challenges that the ECU team was well prepared to overcome.
Despite having the smallest engine amongst their competitors, the team's 2011 FSAE car managed to finish in front of renowned vehicles such as the Chevrolet Corvette, Evo 9, Lotus Exige, Birkin Clubman, and impress all of those in attendance.
ECU investigates energy saving glass
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), several of our Engineering students have been researching and developing an energy-saving glass coating that is not only energy efficient, but also communication efficient.
The thin coating reduces inbound UV rays and keeps temperatures down. During winter, it limits the amount of outbound
heat.
This coating would typically minimise the transmission of Wi-Fi, mobile, 3G and GPS signals. However, one of our Master of Engineering Science students, Irfan Ullah, is currently exploring the implications of spatial filters within the coating that actually improve these signals, yet retain the energy-saving characteristics.
Unique courses
Our Engineering & Technology disciplines offer a number of unique courses which give you the competitive edge:
- University Certificate in Maintenance Engineering
Whether you are already engaged in a maintenance department or thinking of pursuing a career in industrial maintenance, this course allows you to develop the knowledge and skills needed for implementing, planning and optimising industrial maintenance operations. This course can be studied off-campus (online). Students undertaking this course will also have access to our specialised Maintenance and Vibrations Laboratory.
Course information - Aviation at ECU
Offers a variety of practically oriented courses leading to flying and non-flying careers. Our facilities include a range of flight simulation devices in the Aviation Centre and our own aircraft. Our Aviation academic staff members are practicing pilots.
Student flying activities include the Royal Flying Doctors Service Airfield Surveys.
Course information - Bachelor of Technology (Motorsports)
The first course of its kind to be run in Australia. Students not only learn motorsport from the ground up, but also experience race track action first-hand through our unique networking with the local industry.
The course provides a stimulating and supportive learning environment with an enthusiastic and articulate approach that reflects the culture of motorsports. Students engage in hands on work on ECU's racing cars in our state-of-the-art laboratories.
Graduates will be well equipped for a career in motor racing, product design and development, manufacturing technology, or team and project management.
Course information - Maritime Engineering courses
ECU is excited to be able to offer WA students a pathway to engineering qualifications in Naval Architecture, Ocean Engineering and Marine & Offshore Engineering, all high demand areas of the profession.
Offered in collaboration with the University of Tasmania students undertake the first two years of study in these courses at our Joondalup campus and complete the final two years at the Australian Maritime College in Launceston.