Diploma in Electronic Engineering

Purpose and Rationale

The lack of qualified engineering technicians at a level below fully qualified graduate engineers is generally accepted as a reality in South Africa. Such qualified technicians operate especially in a field of product development, repair and maintenance in especially the smaller electronic technologies. Requests from parents and interested students resulted in Centurion Akademie offering a six months certificate programme to provide students with the necessary science and mathematics skills which they lack to allow them into appropriate diploma programmes offered by the public sector higher education institutions. The success of this programme is such that students requested the Akademie to design and offer its own diploma programme.

With a major focus on technical development in the Centurion/Midrand areas, technology companies require skilled technicians to assist in the product development and maintenance arenas. A need was identified for private education in the region where students are trained in smaller groups with a strong interaction between theory and practice with emphasis on practical application.

The purpose of the programme is to

• Provide the necessary theoretical and vocational education and skills to be employed as an electronic engineering technician.
• Provide the student with the necessary theoretical and practical foundation as required by the electronic engineering field and the Engineering Council of South-Africa (ECSA) respectively.
• Equip the student for the electronic engineering work environment in which it is expected of the incumbent to:

> Lay out, build, test, troubleshoot, repair, and modify developmental and production electronic modules, parts, equipment, and systems, such as computer equipment, missile and control instrumentation, test equipment, radio and telecommunications and machine tool numerical controls.

> Apply principles and theories of electronics, electrical circuitry, engineering mathematics, electronic and electrical testing, material science and physics.

> Usually work under direction of engineering staff on project management and new product development.

This Diploma will facilitate access to, and provide mobility and progression on a learning path for students who

• Secondary school graduates who aim to become electronic engineering technicians.
• Technology companies focussed on development and maintenance of electronic systems.
• Local government.
• Self employment.

The following actual knowledge is assumed to be in place in order to embark on learning

The student is

• Competent in the language of instruction of the programme.
• Competent in Mathematics (50%), Science (50%) and English Second Language (40%) at NQF Level 4 or equivalent.
• Able to work independently.
• In possession of a National Senior Certificate or an equivalent qualification at NQF Level 4.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Learning that has been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal means is recognised for the fulfilment of the requirements of this qualification or part of the qualification. It is required that through assessment practices, the student should demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification. Recognition of Prior Learning is performed by means of an Integrated Assessment as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow for accelerated access to further learning. All recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited Education and Training Quality Assurance Body and is conducted by a registered workplace assessor.

Access to the Qualification

• National Senior Certificate or equivalent with appropriate subject combination and Mathematics (50%), Science (50%) and English Second Language (40%).

Or

• National Senior Certificate or an equivalent with appropriate subject combination and a Centurion Akademie Certificate in Electronics.

Or

• National Senior Certificate or equivalent with appropriate subject combination and a Higher Certificate or Advanced Certificate in a cognate field.

Module Name; NQF Level of the Module; Credits per Module; Compulsory/Optional; Year; Total Credits per Year

• Engineering Mathematics 115; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1 Year; 10 Credits.
• Engineering Mathematics 125; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Engineering Science 115; Level 5; 5 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 5 Credits.
• Engineering Science 125; Level 5; 5 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 5 Credits.
• Analogue Electronics 115; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Analogue Electronics 125; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Software Engineering 115; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Software Engineering 125; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Electrical Engineering 115; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Electrical Engineering 125; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Digital Electronics 125; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Professional Skills 115; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Professional Skills 125; Level 5; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 1st Year; 10 Credits.
• Engineering Mathematics 215; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Engineering Science 215; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Engineering Science 225; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Analogue Electronics 215; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Software Engineering 215; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Software Engineering 225; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Electrical Engineering 215; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Digital Electronics 215; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Digital Electronics 225; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Electronic Communication (High Frequency) 225; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Computer Networks (Industrial) 225; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Control Systems 225; Level 6; 10 Credits; Compulsory; 2nd Year; 10 Credits.
• Printed Circuit Board Design (CAD) 306; Level 6; 20 Credits; Compulsory; 3rd Year; 20 Credits.
• Modelling & Simulation (SPICE) 306; Level 6; 20 Credits; Compulsory; 3rd Year; 20 Credits.
• Project Management (Practice) 306; Level 6; 20 Credits; Compulsory; 3rd Year; 20 Credits.
• Analogue Electronics (Practice) 307; Level 7; 20 Credits; Compulsory; 3rd Year; 20 Credits.
• Digital Electronics (Practice) 307; Level 7; 20 Credits; Compulsory; 3rd Year; 20 Credits.
• Software Engineering (Practice) 307; Level 7; 20 Credits; Compulsory; 3rd Year; 20 Credits.

Students will be required to show that they are competent against the following

• Knowledge of the main areas of analogue and digital electronic engineering. Understanding key terms, concepts, laws, principles, rules and theories of electronic engineering, including the knowledge and application of appropriate mathematical concepts. Students should know and understand the principles and practice of engineering measurement and control techniques and how it relates to the fields of project management and new product development.
• Understanding the operation, functions and applications of electronic and electrical components, circuit and system behaviour and its relatedness to industrial application and control.
• Competency in being able to evaluate, select and apply appropriate electro-technical design techniques and skills according to particular industrially accepted methods and procedures and techniques within the context of a clearly defined problem in an electro-technical, familiar context.
• Competency in being able to identify and evaluate defined electro-technical challenges in an unfamiliar industrial related field such as bio-technology, agricultural-, medical- and other technology fields. Apply known theory and skills to solve such new unfamiliar problems within the context. Recognize when problem falls outside of scope of competence and who to refer it to.
• Take decisions and act with full cognisance of ethical implications such as intellectual property issues, privacy, copyright and confidentiality within the context of the engineering profession, including the optimum and correct application and use of appropriate computer software, proprietary processes, design principles and data management and security.
• Evaluate appropriateness of different sources of information such as the quality and legitimacy of open source information pertaining to electro-technical engineering, such as the evaluation of internet versus accredited, published research papers and textbooks. The ability to select the most appropriate information related to the task and apply well-developed processes of analysis, synthesis and evaluation based on acquired appropriate information should be demonstrated adequately.
• Write an acceptable project or task proposal, effective designs and an acceptable product report and operational instructions to communicate the design and application of complex electro-technical systems to a colleague and/or client.
• Compare and evaluate similar and different systems operating within the same context indicating clearly the existing or non-existing relationships that characterise different electro-technical systems and their potential impact on each other. Suggest appropriate actions to address significant differences in solving identified problems.
• Apply given criteria pertaining to electro-technical systems to accurately identify and address own task-specific learning needs in a given context, and to support the learning needs of others.
• Effectively complete group tasks identified by a competent team and/or industry. Take responsibility for own decisions and actions and those of others in the group. Apply and utilise resources showing a high level of responsibility.

Assessment methods include

• Self assessment activities.
• Knowledge tests.
• Case studies.
• Report writing.
• Research and project based assignments.
• Written examinations.
• Oral assessment.

The assessor will be able to determine students' competency pertaining to these outcomes by using formative and summative assessment methods to measuring their ability to:

• Communicate information reliably and coherently using appropriate and professional formats.
• Apply the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of Electronic Engineering.
• Understand the interrelatedness of the different areas of Electronic Engineering and how actions, ideas or developments in one system impact on another.
• Evaluate, select and apply the appropriate tools and techniques to solve problems in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
• Work independently and as part of a team, taking responsibility for decisions made.
• Understand the ethical and social implications of management decisions and actions on the organisation, community and society at large.
• Identify own learning needs and support the learning needs of others.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no student is disadvantaged. Learning, teaching and assessment are in line with each other.

The term 'Integrated assessment' implies that theoretical and practical components should be assessed together. During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies.

A variety of methods must therefore be used in assessment. Tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the student is working. Where it is not possible to assess the student in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies and other similar techniques should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment.

Assessors should assess and give credit for the evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience.