Dozens of courses throughout the Cockrell School and beyond challenge students to go further than merely understanding principles by designing and building creative solutions. Some classes introduce hands-on projects for the first time, while others may have students creating robotic mechanisms or arrays of IoT sensors that have been developed over several semesters. In most cases, the broad, multi-disciplinary expertise and facilities at Texas Inventionworks have enabled great classes to emerge. Texas Inventionworks professional and student staff are available to help.
We provide a list of classes that have been developed in collaboration with Texas Inventionworks. To find out more about courses in your major, contact your departmental academic advisor or an advisor in Engineering Student Services.
ES 119 – First-Year Design Experience
Overview of design based on solving a problem that requires the design and fabrication of some kind of physical device. This course is designed to be the start of design experiences that give students opportunities to operate like engineers, a skill they will use throughout their undergraduate curriculum.
IDT 150 – Introduction to Technology Product Development
This one-credit, five-week course puts students in the role of a product designer. During the final day, teams present their product prototypes to a panel of industry experts.
ME 302 - Introduction to Engineering Design and Graphics
Introduction to mechanical engineering education and practice through lectures and laboratory experiences. Graphics and modeling fundamentals for engineering design: freehand sketching, computer modeling of solid geometry and generation of engineering drawings. Introduction to reverse engineering, computer-aided design, rapid prototyping and manufacturing. Application of the design process and problem-solving through individual and team projects.
ARE 320K – Introduction to Design
Introduction to design principles, concepts and problem-solving approaches. Issues addressed by a series of 2D and 3D studies.
UGS 303 – How Things Work
Large-group lecture and discussion class focusing on a contemporary issue. Designed to introduce undergraduates to scholarly analysis from an interdisciplinary perspective. Includes an introduction to university resources, such as research facilities, museums and attendance at university lectures or performances as assigned. Multiple sections may be offered in the fall and spring with various topics and instructors.
ME 380R - Robot Mechanism Design
Students explore the analysis and synthesis of mechanisms in order to design robotic systems. Motion properties of mechanisms, including degrees of freedom, velocity and acceleration, will be studied. Discusses design ideas and motion analysis for robotic systems for a wide range of applications, including spatial, industrial and medical robotics. Simulates and analyzes motions of multi-link mechanisms in the MATLAB programming environment. Design and build robots with interesting mechanisms and mechatronics elements as part of group projects. Studies machining, assembly, mechatronics and programming through the projects.
BME 377T - Design of Artificial Organs
Students in this course will learn about technologies applied to assume the functions of human organs. Teams of students have opportunities to design, build and test small machines like an assistive blood pump designed to work with the heart.
CE 397 – Sustainable Building Design
This class provides an overview of design considerations related to energy, building materials and future upgrades/maintenance.
BME 362E - Medical Device Innovation
This course provides an introduction to the development of medical devices. In addition to design and fabrication, money, markets and entrepreneurship will be covered.
ME 338 - Machine Elements
Analysis of the design and manufacture of basic mechanical elements and their role in the design of machines and application of finite element modeling.
ME 277K - Projects in Mechanical Engineering
Independent project carried out under the supervision of a faculty member in mechanical engineering. Students prepare a project proposal and a final report, each of which is evaluated by the faculty committee on individual projects.
Engineering Senior Design Classes
All seven engineering departments feature a senior-level class where students work in teams to broadly apply their engineering skills to an open-ended design problem. There are also more opportunities emerging in the Cockrell School for students to work on multi-disciplinary teams for these types of projects.
EE 464S – Start-Up Senior Design Project
Completion of a practical engineering product design and validation of the design through prototype construction and testing, modeling and simulation and manufacturability analysis. Development of a completed company prospectus, seeking venture funding for the project.
IDT 350 – Idea to Product
Focuses on skill development and mentoring in startup formation, technology development, market validation, marketing, sales, operations, human resources, program management and finance. Emphasis on written and oral presentation of startup activities.
ME 395 – The Enterprise of Technology
Studies the basis for assessing emerging technologies. Describes the process of technology commercialization, including identifying marketable technologies, defining products and matching products to markets. Also studies intellectual property protection and strategy and the steps and processes necessary to the successful design and manufacture of a product or service.
