2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Analysis of the Impact of University Academic Requirements on Engineering Students’ Outcomes

Presented at Multidisciplinary Engineering Division (MULTI) Technical Session 5

The variation of progression rules in Canadian accredited undergraduate engineering programs reveals their impact on student outcomes, emphasizing the necessity for continuous review and adjustment to meet evolving education and professional needs. The information of first-year requirements, promotion rules, university ranking, and student retention was collected for 25 universities. The data was analyzed to compare academic requirements across institutions and assess their impact on student outcomes. The finding reveals variations in first-year requirements and promotion rules, demonstrating universities’ autonomy in setting academic standards. While there is no noticeable correlation between academic requirements and university reputation, it highlights the important aspect of addressing student retention and mental health through initiatives to improve the sense of belonging and increased support services. Overall, the contrasting relationship between academic requirements, university ranking, and student satisfaction indicates the need for a thorough comprehension of the factors impacting student well-being.

Authors

Dr. Rania Al-Hammoud University of Waterloo [biography]

Rania Al-Hammoud is a lecturer and the current associate chair of undergraduate studies at the civil & environmental engineering department at university of waterloo. Dr. Al-Hammoud has a civil engineering background with research focusing on materials and the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures. She also has passion for engineering education and has published widely in this area. She cares about the success and well-being of her students, thus always being creative with the teaching methods in the classroom. Outside the classroom, she is an active person, with the following hobbies: hiking, biking and dancing.
Dr. Ona Egbue University of South Carolina Upstate [biography]

Ona Egbue is an Associate Professor in the Department of Informatics and Engineering Systems at the University of South Carolina Upstate. She received her PhD from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Her research interests include socio-technical system analysis, critical infrastructure resilience, modeling of energy systems, decision making for complex systems, and engineering education.
Siwakorn Wisawakornwisit University of Waterloo
Tesse Klompstra
Aotian Guan University of Waterloo

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