Principles of Engineering
Gain a fascinating introduction to engineering principles and learn about key engineering skills, processes, and technologies.
13,550 enrolled on this course
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
4 hours100% online
How it works
Principles of Engineering
Develop your understanding of engineering design and the role of an engineer
This four-week course will develop your engineering skills and understanding for university study and work.
You’ll gain a thorough introduction to engineering principles, engineering design, and leading engineering technologies.
Learn about modern engineering technologies
This hands-on and practical course has a strong emphasis on the real work that engineers do every day. Through a combination of videos, articles, and mini-projects, you’ll explore the role of engineers in society, and look at the typical day in the life of an engineer.
As you explore key engineering technologies and challenges, you’ll consider the ways engineers think and communicate, and learn the value of soft skills like empathy and teamwork for working in engineering.
Learn engineering design and start problem-solving with engineering
Under the guidance of global experts, you’ll discover the latest in engineering design and technology.
You’ll demonstrate engineering design methodologies in practice, and learn how to define a problem, create a low-fidelity prototype, and undertake engineering problem-solving.
You’ll even have the chance to apply some of the design methodologies to your own engineering design.
Discover the best-known engineering processes across a range of engineering areas
This course is led by experts at The Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at King’s College London.
You’ll learn from internationally-renowned scientists and engineers about major engineering branches, including mechanical, material, and technological, as well as evolving areas like connectivity, networks and environmental engineering.
By the end of the course, you’ll know how to start to tackle engineering projects, as well as what soft skills you need to succeed as an engineer.
What topics will you cover?
Week 1
In Week 1, you will get an eye for engineering. You will discover
- The different branches of engineering
- Why soft skills and people are at the heart of the field
- How to design your own project using skills found in many different types of engineering
Week 2
This week is all about the application of engineering to solving problems. By the end of the week, you will know
- How to identify problems that engineering can solve
- How to discover what people really need and design an engineering brief
- How to create a prototype and find out where it needs to be improved
Week 3
Knowledge of materials and how they behave is essential for engineers. During this week you will
- Gain a detailed understanding of how one recent innovation works - what keeps a drone in the air
- Hear from worldwide experts about robots, smart materials, and why origami can be helpful
- Discuss where engineering is taking us, and what humans must do to ensure it stays safe
Week 4
Professor Mischa Dohler’s speciality is telecoms connectivity. This week is devoted to
- The miracle of what happens in the background when we click a link or make a mobile call
- Discovering how a huge data centre is made and why it can help us
- Thinking about the possibilities, and the dangers, presented by artificial intelligence and quantum technologies
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Identify some ancient and modern engineering wonders and explain what makes them stand out
- Explain some of the broad principles of engineering and show how they apply to things we use every day
- Apply design thinking systematically to your own ideas and inventions
- Develop, create and test low-fidelity prototypes
- Evaluate an existing design and suggest ideas for improvement
- Explain why engineering is about people and solving problems
- Explore some frontier developments such as AI, and analyse their advantages and risks
Who is the course for?
This course has been created for refugees, displaced people and the communities supporting them in the MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) region who wish to study engineering at a university in English. It has been created as part of the PADILEIA project.
However, it will be useful for anyone who wants a taster of studying engineering at university, as well as anyone interested in how engineers think, approach problems, and follow projects from ideas to solutions.
Supported by UK aid - Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education, Innovation and Reform
Who will you learn with?
Mischa Dohler is full Professor at King’s College London, Head of the Centre for Telecommunications Research, co-founder of Worldsensing, and Fellow of the IEEE.
More under www.mischadohler.com.
Professor of Engineering Education at King's College London. Research social justice and simulation and modelling in Engineering Education.
Who developed the course?
King's College London
King’s College London, established in 1829 and a founding college of the University of London, is one of the world’s leading research and teaching universities, based in the very heart of London.
Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $134/one-off payment | $244.99 for a whole year Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 13 Nov 2024 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$244.99 for a whole year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$134/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 13 Nov 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 31 October 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 31 October 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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