Senior Project Objective:
Senior Projects are intended as a capstone learning experience for students at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, where students apply initiative and creativity to implement the engineering knowledge they have gained in pursuit of a research or build topic of their choice.
When to Start:
Since Senior Projects are intended to involve an application of the knowledge gained from the engineering curriculum, it is best to start your senior project in your senior year after all 300-level courses have been completed. However, many students start in their junior year to provide more time to complete all project deliverables.
How to Get Credit:
Each students will enroll in the following three classes:
- EGR4810: Senior Project
- EGR4820: Senior Project
- EGR4830: Senior Project
These classes are can be taken separately in consecutive semesters, or together in a single semester. However, it is encouraged to take EGR4810 in one semester, and EGR4820 & EGR4830 together the following semester.
Each student needs to arrange his/her own plan for when credit will be sought with their advising professor.
How Grading Works:
Although three classes are used to assign credit for senior project work, the three classes together capture the entirety of the student work. Therefore, grades for the three classes are usually not assigned until all work is complete. Therefore, each student will typically be assigned an RP (which means Report in Progress) grade at the end of any semester they are enrolled in any one or more of the three courses. Once the project is completed and accepted by the advising professor, these grades are changed to the earned grade by the advising professor.
If students are not done with their senior project by the time they complete EGR4830, their grade in all three classes simply remains RP until they complete the project and their professor assigns them a grade.
Students who dilly-dally with their project completion beyond completion of these classes should beware, however, because RP grades eventually revert to F's, and Registrar action is requried to modify the grades after that happens.
What Specifically the Project Entails:
This is really up to you and your Advising Professor. However, projects usually involve either (a) research leading to a published paper or conference presentation, or (b) a design, analysis & build of a component, structure, mechanism or vehicle.
How to Find an Idea for Your Project:
Sometime in your sophomore or junior year, start thinking about what classes and engineering subtopics were the most interesting to you.
- Review your text and notes from your classes to see how those principles are applied, and look for project ideas.
- Search the internet for research or build ideas related to the topic.
- Talk to other students and to faculty who have expertise in that area to glean ideas that may be investigated or implemented.
- Share your ideas with other students to see if others have interest in a similar area and explore the idea of partnering together in your project.
- Click Here for Some Ideas from the past & future
This should help to focus your attention on the general area that may be most beneficial for your natural interest and giftedness.
Selecting an Advising Professor:
If you are joining an upcoming project under a certain advising professor, or have selected a project with the help and advice of one, then your choice is made and you can get started as they deem fit.
However, if you have an idea you'd like to pursue but have not yet chosen an advising professor for your senior project, then there are a number of considerations that come into play:
- Professors are different and have different expectations and approaches to everything.
- It is best to select an advising professor you have had in classes already. This will provide valuable insight into their style, expectations, & grading policies.
- Some will expect to provide consistent, detailed direction and guidance to your project, often including consistent meetings thoughout the duration of the project.
- Others have a more hands-off approach, and will expect you to lead, manage, and guide yourself, and will simply provide feedback and ideas for your consideration when you solicit help.
- Some professors run their student projects to simulate industry where they are the boss and you are the employee. This is great if you lack confidence or initiative or if you prefer a well-defined process to follow.
- Other professors run their student projects to simulate industry where your student team includes its own boss, employees, you name it. This is great if you are bursting with initiative and ideas and would rather express your own creativity and abilities rather than having another stakeholder who may get in the way of your desired objectives.
- Choose a professor with an approach and style that matches your interest and desire for the project.
Getting Started:
Once you have selected a project idea and an advising professor, the basic steps to get started are as follows:
- See your advising professor, and arrange enrollment in the first of the three courses per their direction.
- Click Here if Considering a Senior Project with Dr. Coburn
Professors may have different ideas and approaches to how this should be done. Follow the guidance of your chosen professor.
Finishing Successfully:
Some ideas for success are as follows:
- Develop a schedule and stay on track, or revise it and keep your advisor appraised of changes.
- Stay in touch with your advisor and keep him/her appraised of your progress.
- Be sure to enroll in all three classes noted above. You cannot graduate without completing all three.
- Be sure to follow any specific directions provided by your advisor.
- Be sure to finish early enough to present your work to your professor such that they have time to review and grade your work before the end of the semester in which you complete the project.
Professors may have different ideas and approaches to how this should be done. Follow the guidance of your chosen professor.
The Engineering Symposium & Showcase of Excellence:
The College of Engineering presents student projects to industry professionals in the Spring in its Engineering Symposium and Showcase of Excellence. This provides a chance to showcase your work and to have it seen by folks who may be seeking their next employee.
Projects that finish in the Spring will be expected to present their work at the Engineering Symposium.
One student project is selected by each engineering department to compete in the Showcase of Excellence in the Spring. In order to be eligible to be selected, you'll need to have a great project, you'll need to be able to sell it in a compelling and inspirational way, and you will need to finish early enough in the spring semester to be able to provide sufficient finished detail so that folks can see your good work.
Good Luck!