Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Purpose

The purpose of the Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering qualification is to build the necessary knowledge, understanding, abilities and skills required for further learning towards becoming a competent practicing professional engineering technician.

This qualification provides

• Preparation for careers in engineering and areas that potentially benefit from engineering skills, for achieving technical proficiency and competency to contribute to the economy and national development.
• The educational base required for registration as a candidate and/or a professional engineering technician with ECSA (Refer to qualification rules).
• For further professional development possible articulation to an appropriate NQF level 7 qualification, or equivalent.

The qualification design reflects the new standard for engineering technicians as required by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) based on the new HEQF Qualification Standard for Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 6.

The introduction of new engineering qualifications aims to develop local products and technologies within engineering. The 360-credit Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering is part of a group of newly developed qualifications for that purpose.

Professional Engineering Technicians apply established and newly developed engineering technology to solve well-defined problems and develop components, systems, services, and processes.

The new Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering will be offered as a distance education option as well. In addition, the contact learning activities will be made available to all students via electronic platforms. As such, it will be accessible to learners countrywide and is thus more likely to be taken up by employed students who would not be able to attend full-time courses offered by residential institutions.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Apply competence to design and conduct investigations and experiments.
• Illustrate competence to use appropriate engineering methods, skills, and tools, including those based on information technology.
• Show competence to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with engineering audiences and the community at large.
• Apply critical awareness of the sustainability and impact of engineering activity on the social, industrial, and physical environment.
• Exhibit competence to work effectively as an individual, in teams and multidisciplinary environments.
• Show competence to engage in independent learning through well-developed learning skills.
• Engage in critical awareness of the need to act professionally and ethically and to exercise judgment and take responsibility within own limits of competence.

Rationale

The introduction of the Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, formed part of the institution's Programme Expansion Plan, based on the identified niche that this qualification presents in the engineering education sector.

This qualification plans to address the current engineering skill shortage by allowing workers in the field to upgrade their qualifications via contact or distance self-study.

This qualification is designed to meet the educational requirement towards registration as a Candidate or Professional Engineering Technician with the Engineering Council of South Africa.

The Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering is a higher education qualification enhanced by work-integrated learning, as outlined in the Revised Higher Education Qualifications Sub framework (HEQSF) (2013).

This vocationally oriented Diploma aims to develop focused knowledge and skills as well as experience in a work-related context. The Diploma equips learners with the knowledge base, theory, skills, and methodology within the electrical and electronic engineering discipline as a foundation for further training and experience towards becoming a competent engineering technician.

The qualification further provides learners with the fundamental and discipline-specific knowledge, cognitive and conceptual tools; and practical techniques to allow them to pursue further studies in higher education. The knowledge emphasizes general principles and their application. The completion of this qualification indicates that the learner has attained higher education knowledge and practical competence in engineering and can apply such knowledge and competence in an electrical and electronic engineering occupation within the workplace environment or to further develop academically.

The engineering skills shortage has an extensive negative impact on South Africa as a developing nation. Furthermore, the emerging trends in clean energy technologies and the optimization of manufacturing and production entities in both the engineering sector and the built environment require the revision of educational programmes to align them with these trends.

This qualification is designed to meet the educational requirement towards registration as a Candidate or Professional Engineering Technician with the Engineering Council of South Africa and acceptance as a candidate to write the examinations for Certificated Engineers.

This qualification can be completed in a minimum of three years of full-time study. The Diploma in Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering will form part of the Institution's approved programme offering and complies with the HEQSF requirements for a Diploma in Engineering qualification, as well as the ECSA standard as documented in E-02-PN, Rev 5, of 01 September 2020.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 6 totalling 373 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 140 Credits

• Engineering Mathematics, 14 Credits.
• Engineering Physics, 14 Credits.
• Communication for Engineering Professionals, 7 Credits.
• Engineering Computing 1, 7 Credits.
• Engineering Graphics, 14 Credits.
• Digital System Fundamentals, 14 Credits.
• Electrical Engineering Fundamentals, 14 Credits.
• Electronic Engineering Fundamentals, 14 Credits.
• Digital Systems & IoT, 14 Credits.
• Electrical Machines and Drive Control, 7 Credits.
• Engineering Computing 2, 7 Credits.
• Electrical Engineering Project, 14 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 140 Credits

• Differential and Integral Calculus, 7 Credits.
• Statistics & Probability, 7 Credits.
• Financial Management for Engineers, 7 Credits.
• Modern Engineering Materials, 7 Credits.
• Data Analytics, 7 Credits.
• Signals & Systems, 14 Credits.
• Society and Environment, 7 Credits.
• Solid State Physics, 7 Credits.
• Optics & Waves, 7 Credits.
• Electrical Engineering 2, 14 Credits.
• Electronic Engineering 2, 14 Credits.
• Power Systems Fundamentals, 14 Credits.
• Communication and Network Systems, 14 Credits.
• Microcontroller Systems, 14 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 93 Credits

• Project Management, 7 Credits.
• Introduction to Numerical Methods, 7 Credits.
• Process Automation and Control, 7 Credits.
• Digital Signal Processing, 7 Credits.
• Advanced Electrical Machines and Drive Control, 7 Credits.
• Advanced Communication and Network Systems, 14 Credits.
• Work Integrated Learning 1, 10 Credits.
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering Design Project (Capstone), 14 Credits.
• Work Integrated Learning 2, 20 Credits.

Exit Level Outcomes

1. Identify, formulate, analyse, and solve well-defined engineering problems.
2. Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural sciences, engineering fundamentals and an engineering specialist to solve well-defined engineering problems.
3. Perform procedural design and synthesis of components, systems, engineering works, products, or processes.
4. Demonstrate competence to design and conduct investigations and experiments.
5. Demonstrate competence to use appropriate engineering methods, skills, and tools, including those based on information technology.
6. Communicate competently and effectively, both orally and in writing, with engineering audiences and the community at large.
7. Apply knowledge to show critical awareness of the sustainability and impact of engineering activity on the social, industrial, and physical environment.
8. Apply knowledge and work effectively and competently as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary environments.
9. Illustrate awareness of the need to act professionally and ethically to exercise judgment and take responsibility within own limits of competence.
10. Apply knowledge and understanding of workplace practices to solve engineering problems consistent with academic learning achieved.

Associated Assessment Criteria

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Define and analyse the problem and identify the criteria for an acceptable solution.
• Analyse and identify relevant information and engineering knowledge and skills and use them for solving the problem.
• Consider and formulate various approaches that would lead to workable solutions.
• Model and analyse solutions.
• Evaluate and analyse the best solution and present these in an appropriate form.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Appropriate a mix of knowledge of mathematics, statistics, natural science, and engineering science knowledge at a fundamental level to bear the solution of well-defined engineering problems.
• Process and analyse engineering materials, components, and systems.
• Present concepts and ideas in a logical and methodical manner.
• Deliberate and reason engineering materials, components, systems, or processes.
• Outline and justify procedures for dealing with uncertain/ undefined/ill-defined variables.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Formulate a design problem to satisfy user needs, applicable standards, codes of practice and legislation.
• Design, plan and manage a process to focus on important issues that recognises and deals with constraints.
• Acquire and evaluate knowledge, information, and resources to apply appropriate principles and design tools to provide a workable solution.
• Perform and design tasks that include analysis and optimisation of the product, system or process, subject to relevant premises, assumptions, and constraints.

Alternatives are evaluated for implementation and a preferred solution is selected based on techno-economic analysis and judgement.

• Communicate design logic and relevant information in a technical report.
• Apply procedures to evaluate and assess the selected design in terms of the impact and benefits.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Define the scope of the investigation.
• Plan and conduct investigations within an appropriate discipline.
• Search and evaluate the available literature and material for suitability to the investigation.
• Select and use appropriately relevant equipment or software for the investigation and analyse and interpret obtained data.
• Conclude and analyse all available evidence.
• Record the purpose, process, and outcomes of the investigation in a technical report.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Assess and apply the method, tool for applicability and limitations against the required result.
• Select and use relevant computer applications to test the results produced by the method, skill, or tool.
• Test and assess results produced by the method, and tools.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Test the structure, style, and language of written and oral communication to be appropriate for the communication and the target audience.
• Ensure that the graphics used are appropriate and effective in enhancing the meaning of the text.
• Use visual materials to enhance oral communications.
• Provide information in a format that can be used by others involved in the engineering activity.
• Deliver oral communication with the intended meaning being apparent.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Illustrate the impact of technology in terms of the benefits and limitations to society.
• Analyse the engineering activity in terms of the impact on occupational and public health and safety.
• Analyse the engineering activity in terms of the impact on the physical environment, considering the methods to minimise/mitigate impacts as outlined above.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Explain the principles of planning, organising, leading, and controlling.
• Carry out individual work effectively, strategically and on time.
• Support the output of the team as a whole and individual contributions made to activities.
• Illustrate team leader abilities and organize and manage projects.
• Carry out effective communication in the context of individual and teamwork.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9

• Describe the nature and complexity of ethical dilemmas in terms of required practices, legislation, and limitations of authority.
• Describe the ethical implications of engineering decisions in terms of the impact on the environment, the business, costs, and trustworthiness.
• Apply ethical judgements in decision-making during problem-solving and design that are within acceptable boundaries of current competence.
• Take responsibility and accept consequences stemming from own actions or inaction.
• Limit decision-making to an area of current competence.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10

• Describe labour practices used in the workplace in accordance with relevant legislation.
• Describe workplace safety in terms of the application of relevant safety, health, and environmental legislation.
• Describe general administration procedures in terms of how they operate and the key purpose.
• Conduct Work activities in a manner suited to the work context.
• Report in a prescribed format, using appropriate language and style knowledge and understanding gained from the work-integrated learning period.