Engineering and Engineering Technology Capstone Design Teams Lead to Successful Projects

The electrical engineering (EE) and electrical engineering technology (EET) programs at Penn State Harrisburg have two-course sequences that constitute the capstone design experience. In the first course, student teams learn about the formal engineering design process and project management then develop a detailed proposal for a project to be implemented in the following semester. Over the years, students from both electrical engineering and electrical engineering technology have worked in teams to complete their capstone projects. While electrical engineering students may have a strong theoretical background, electrical engineering technology students have strong hands-on experience, an important skill for building and troubleshooting electronic systems. This paper provides details about our approach in coordinating the activities in the two-course capstone design sequences and assessment results from industry sponsors, technical advisors, student self-assessment, and feedback through an “after-action-review” form. The results show high satisfaction with our capstone course structure, content, and approaches.