An Integrated and Comprehensive Approach to Engineering Curricula, Part One: Objectives and General Approach*

The need for increased professional skill development within engineering programs has beenfrequently discussed and is widely accepted. There is equal acceptance of the importance ofincreasing the social and environmental awareness of students of engineering. Efforts to increasethese topics within engineering programs are often hampered by the fact that those programs arealready heavy and demanding. Integrated Learning is an effort to utilise a broader range oflearning techniques, including a conscious use of learning from one’s environment, to address theseissues in a comprehensive way within the constraints of a four-year program. This paper describesthe educational objectives and the general approach. Subsequent papers will deal with issues oftechniques, facilities and staffing.