Case Analysis of Improved Capstone Project Quality through a Course for Methods in Engineering Research

Abstract

This paper highlights the impact of implementing a course about engineering research on the quality of capstone projects by master’s students with limited science, technology, engineering, and math background. In the academic year 2020, the Naval Postgraduate School Systems Engineering Department began requiring students in the Systems Engineering Management for Acquisition program to take a course focused on engineering research. The graduation requirement for students in this program is a capstone team project and report. Prior to implementing an engineering course in the academic matrix, faculty assessments of the final reports identified shortcomings, specifically in the research approach, analysis, value proposition, and overall scholarship. The Department responded by developing a course in engineering research with an emphasis on applying engineering reasoning and critical thinking within the systems engineering design process. After the student’s completion and submission of a final capstone report to the thesis processing office, faculty advisors provide a subjective assessment of the work. The evaluation criteria include the level that the students have demonstrated mastery of the discipline, rigorous application of research and analysis methods, critical thinking, and publication worthiness of the document. Using five years of data, the author conducted a comparative analysis of evaluations from project advisors before and after the course was required. The results of the analysis show significant improvements in the areas that were lacking in student work before the introduction of the engineering research course. Additionally, the author discusses specific elements of the course that indicate their contributions to improvements in the research approach and the overall quality of the work and final products. This case analysis asks the engineering community to consider elements of the engineering research course in future investigations or as a guide to develop a similar program of instruction.