It’s Full Steam Ahead with the Melbourne Model for Melbourne School of Engineering
Media Release, Wednesday 2 July 2008
The Academic Board of the University of Melbourne has endorsed the proposal for the Melbourne School of Engineering to fully implement the Melbourne Model.
All engineering students commencing at the University from second semester 2010 onwards will study engineering through an undergraduate degree leading to a Master of Engineering qualification.
“With an engineering degree you can really change the world,” said Dean of Engineering Professor Iven Mareels.
“We have some exciting changes here at Melbourne School of Engineering.
“Many top universities around the world support a five year engineering program as the future model for a broad based engineering foundation,” Professor Mareels said.
“This will provide Melbourne engineering graduates with a world recognised qualification and offer them a distinct competitive advantage in the global job market.”
Advances in engineering technology in fields such as biomedicine and renewable energies along with the demands of industry for soft skills in addition to strong technical skills, have influenced the transition.
“Engineers today need to have skills to work across a range of disciplines, in communicating with clients, project management and engineering design.
“A lack of specialisation in science and maths at high school means universities need to work harder to enable aspiring engineers to become globally competitive professionals.”
The new Melbourne Model students will develop greater technical and problem solving skills, combined with creativity, ingenuity and leadership – all of which are portable and adaptable skills sets.
Students will receive a deeper understanding of disciplines and broader knowledge of context – ‘depth and breadth’ for an increasing body of engineering knowledge.
Students can complete a major or sequence in engineering through a Bachelor of Commerce, Science, Environments or Biomedicine, followed by a two year Master of Engineering. Students will graduate after five years with a Bachelor degree and Masters qualification, leading to professional accreditation with Engineers Australia.
The final commencing student intake for the four year Bachelor of Engineering will occur in first semester, 2010.
The University is also introducing new opportunities for existing graduates to study engineering at Melbourne.
Beginning in 2010, non-engineering graduates can study engineering by completing a three year Master of Engineering. This is a novel development in engineering education for graduates and signifies Melbourne’s leadership in addressing the skills shortage, making it possible for more students to pursue engineering.
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