Capstone design project coursework using the industrial short course format

The Creative Project Design sequence is a 2 semester long capstone design project in the University of Arkansas mechanical engineering department. It is split into the CPD I class (primarily lecture), followed by CPD II (all project work; no lecture) the subsequent semester. This course covers project management and the iterative design process, including problem definition, creative thinking and optimization. The lecture portion of the course is split into 3 distinct topical areas: reinforcement of basic technical skills and their integration; engineering professionalism; and materials selection in design. This last topic addresses a need that many working engineers acknowledge; a broader expertise in practical materials science. This course strongly borrows from the industrial “short course” paradigm using concise, encapsulated lectures using participative learning.