ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DEANSHIP OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

Transcription

1 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROGRAM SELF ASSESSMENT REPORT SUBMITTED TO DEANSHIP OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT JUNE 2003

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBJECT PAGE 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. CRITERION 1: Program Mission, Objectives and Outcomes 3 Standard 1-1: 4 Standard 1-2: 8 Standard 1-3 : 15 Standard 1-4: CRITERION 2: Curriculum Design and Organization 24 Standard 2-1: 28 Standard 2-2: 31 Standard 2-3: 31 Standard 2-4: 32 Standard 2-5: 32 Standard 2-6: 32 Standard 2-7: CRITERION 3: EE DEPARTMENT LABORATORIES 34 Standard 3-1: 47 Standard 3-2: 47 Standard 3-3: CRITERION 4: Student Support and Advising 48 Standard 4 1: 49 Standard 4 2: 49 Standard 4 3: CRITERION 5: Process Control 47 Standard 5-1: 52 Standard 5-2: 53 Standard 5-3: 55 Standard 5-4: 62 Standard 5-5: 68

3 SUBJECT PAGE 7. CRITERION 6: FACULTY 69 Standard 6-1: 70 Standard 6-2: 70 Standard 6-3 : CRITERION 7: Institutional Facilities 75 Standard 7-1: 76 Standard 7-2: 76 Standard CRITERION 8: Institutional Support 79 Standard 8-1: 80 Standard 8-2: 80 Standard 8-3: 81

4 1.0 Introduction Recently King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) through the Deanship of Academic Development (DAD) prepared a document and procedure to help academic departments to carry out self assessment of their programs. The document and its criterion were adopted and approved by the university administration. The self assessment helps departments to demonstrate the effectiveness of their academic programs in providing high quality education that positively impacts on students. Furthermore, most accrediting bodies such as ABET are requesting that institutions assess students learning outcomes as a means of improving academic programs. The objectives of self-assessment at KFUPM are to: 1. Improve and maintain academic standards 2. Enhance students learning. 3. Verify that the existing programs meet their objectives and institutional goals. 4. Provide feedback for quality assurance of academic programs. 5. Prepare the academic program for accreditation. The electrical department decided to carry out a process of self assessment using the format adopted by the Deanship of Academic Development. This is the Draft report of the self assessment. The material for this assessment was gathered according to the Self-Assessment Criterion adopted by (DAD) A Department Project Team (PT) supervised and coordinated the preparation of this material. The PT is composed of the following faculty members: 1. I. El-Amin (Chairman) 2. M. Dawoud (Member) 3. H. Ragheb (Member) 4. H. Al-Zaher (Member) 5. M. Al-Absi (Member) 6. M. Abido (Member) 7. A. Zerguine (Member)

5 The PT sought and collected information about the EE academic programs, curriculum, faculty, students and support services. The assessment of information follows the criterion specified by the DAD document. The self-assessment is based on several criteria. To meet each criterion a number of standards must be satisfied. The PT started by reviewing the department mission as published within the Web page. The mission was modified by the PT and is included in this report. The PT then surveyed a number of university sites and collected large volumes on EE program objectives. A number of program objectives were then developed. Those were distributed to faculty members and their inputs were sought. Few faculty members responded by making minor suggestions and improvements. The PT was unable to hold a departmental council to discuss and approve the objectives. Since no objections were received, it was decided to move forward and prepare the report. The outcomes follow closely those adopted by ABET EC2000. Once the program objectives and outcomes were finalized, faculty members got more involved in the preparations and the provision of the required information. Specifically, EE faculty prepared the course outlines according to criterion 2. They also provided their resume according to the format. Moreover, many faculty members participated in the online questionnaire. The department chairman ensured that graduating students filled the relevant questionnaire. A number of faculty members also encouraged students to participate in filling out the student s questionnaire. This report describes the work undertaken to address the criteria and their standards. Each section of the report is devoted to a criterion.

6 Criterion 1: Program Mission, Objectives and Outcomes

7 1.Criterion 1: Program Mission, Objectives and Outcomes The DAD document stipulates that each program must have a mission, quantifiable measurable objectives and expected outcomes for graduates. The outcomes include competency and tasks graduates are expected to perform after completing the program. A strategic plan must be in place to achieve the program objectives. The extent to which these objectives are achieved through continuous assessment and improvements must be demonstrated. Standard 1-1: The program must have documented measurable objectives that support college and institution mission statements. The electrical engineering department has a well established mission. The mission is line with college of engineering and KFUPM general mission. 1. KUFPM Mission Several significant events have marked the University's growth. In 1971, at the first graduation ceremony, four men received their baccalaureate degrees in engineering; since that time, more than 9000 degrees have been awarded. In 1975, the College of Petroleum and Minerals became the University of Petroleum and Minerals, a change both in name and academic status. In 1986, the University was renamed: The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. The successful management of Saudi Arabia's vast petroleum and mineral resources poses a complex and exciting challenge for scientific, technical, and management education in the Kingdom. To meet these challenges, the University has adopted advanced training in the fields of science, engineering, and management as one of its goals in order to promote leadership and service in the Kingdom s petroleum and mineral industries. The University also furthers knowledge through research in these fields. 2. The College Of Engineering Mission

8 The mission of the College of Engineering is to educate professionals in engineering, to create and disseminate knowledge and technology, to expand the base of engineering knowledge through original research, developing technology to serve the needs of society; and to benefit the public through service to industry, government, and the engineering profession 3. The Mission of the Electrical Engineering department The mission of the Electrical Engineering department of KFUPM is to provide quality education, research, and service to its constituents. 4. The objectives of the EE program The EE department has defined a set of objectives that translates its mission into measurable and defined tasks. The objectives of the EE program objectives are as follows 1. To prepare graduates who are able to practice electrical engineering in its major areas, such as communications, electric power, electronics and digital systems. 2. To further develop skills pertinent to electrical engineering problem definition, formulation, design, and analysis. 3. To apply and practice the electrical engineering knowledge in a professional setting such as ethics and safety. 4. To demonstrate ability for scholarship, long life learning, leadership and service among the graduates. 5. To produce graduates who further develop team work and effective communications skills. 6. The Alignment of Mission and Programs Objectives Table 1.1 Shows how each objective is aligned with the department s mission

9 Table 1.1 Department Mission and Objectives Missions\Objectives Quality Education X X X X X research X X X Services. X X 7. Strategic Plans for Achievements of Program Objectives Even though the department does not have a formal written strategic plan for achievement of its objectives, it carries a number of steps to address these objectives. The EE department strives to recruit and retain excellent faculty members who have received very high academic training from well-recognized universities and institutions in North America, Europe and the Middle East. The faculty has strengths in power system, control, digital system, electronics, communications, electromagnetic and fiber optics Young faculty members, in different specializations, are continuously recruited to complement the faculty. The department fosters the faculty development through sabbatical leave of study, attendance of professional and scientific meetings Close cooperation in teaching and research with faculty in computer engineering, system engineering and other related departments is very common and is strongly encouraged. In its efforts to promote research, the Department has established an endowed chair in telecommunications. It is actively seeking funds and support for other endowed chairs. The department, through KFUPM admission office, attracts students with very high caliber. A large percentage of EE students is on the university s honor list. In its endeavor to produce graduates who are able to practice electrical engineering, the EE department adopts an up-to-date curriculum.

10 Up-to-date textbooks support the curriculum. Supplementary and additional material is also used if warranted. The EE department seeks international recognition and accreditation. The EE program was evaluated by ABET in the year April The ABET evaluation team found that EE program is academically equivalent to similar programs that are accredited in the USA. Faculty members use Web-based software for course management. This is done through the support of DAD. Recently DAD has awarded two grants for the development of on-line courses within the EE. This represents 50% of all DAD grants given to the KFUPM at large. The department is currently undertaking a major revision of the undergraduate program. The revision has taken into consideration input from alumni, and employers. The EE department depends on KFUPM Information Technology Center (ITC) as the primary computing facility. It provides computing support for education, research, and administrative applications to the University community. The University library is centrally located within the campus. The current collection for the Electrical Engineering is 22,970 books and bound periodicals. The periodical subscription is for 31 titles. This is in addition to the subscription to the IEEE/IEE Electronic Library full-text database. 7. Program Objective Assessment This is the first time the department is carrying out a self assessment. The recent ABET visit found that the program objective are clear. However, ABET observed that these objectives are neither published in the undergraduate bulletin nor within the department internet site.. The program objectives were not explicitly measured.. However, written examinations, senior project presentations and co-op presentations will be used to gauge the level of the EE graduates. It is the intention of the department to design questions regarding the co-op and senior projects so as to reflect the program objectives and outcomes.

11 Table 1.2 Program objectives assessment Objective How measured When measured Improvement identified Improvement made 1 NA NA NA NA Standard 1-2 The program must have documented outcomes for graduating students. It must be demonstrated that the outcomes support the program objectives and that graduating students are capable of performing these outcomes. The outcomes of the electrical engineering program are to provide student with : a. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science to electrical engineering; b. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data; c. An ability to identify, formulate and solve electrical engineering problems including design of systems; d. An ability to function as a team member and work within multidisciplinary teams; e. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility; f. An ability to communicate effectively; g. An ability to engage in life-long learning; h. An ability to use the techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for electrical engineering practice; i. Knowledge of probability and statistics as applied to electrical engineering; j. Knowledge of mathematics including calculus, differential equation, linear algebra necessary to analyze and design complex devices and systems containing hardware and software components; k. An ability to recognize the interactions between the electrical engineering and contemporary professional, social and global issues. 1. Alignment of Program Objectives and Outcomes Table 1.3 shows the outcomes that are aligned with each objective. For example, to produce graduates who are able to practice electrical engineering a number of skills or outcomes is

12 required. Such graduate should have the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science (a), to design experiments (b), to solve electrical engineering problems (c), to understand professional responsibilities (e), to analyze and design complex hardware (j) and to recognize the relationship between society and electrical engineering. These abilities are realized through the introduction of well structured courses by highly qualified faculty. Table 1.3 Outcomes versus objectives Outcomes\Objectives a x x x b x x x x c d x x x x x x x e x x x f x x g x x x h x x i x x j x x x k x x x 2. Assessment Means The assessment of the program objectives and outcomes is done through traditional and direct methods. These include written examinations, senior project and co-op presentations. A well established grading system provides the department with fair and equitable assessment methods. In addition several indirect methods were used, for the first time to assess the program objectives. These include surveys of graduating students, alumni and employers. The following paragraphs provide the results from these surveys.

13 a. Graduating Student Survey The department carried out, for the first time, a survey of its graduating students. A total of 91 students responded to the questionnaire. The questions were designed by the PT committee. The survey sought to find out how the students perceive the program in developing analytical skills, independent thinking, and others as indicated in Table 1.4. The results of the survey are expressed as a weighted average out of 5. A score of 5 indicates that the respondent strongly agrees with the question, while a score of 1 indicates a strong disagreement. For example, the weighted average for the first question is Eighty two percent (82%) of the students strongly agree or agree that the program provides them with effective analytical skills. Students also feel that the program provides adequate mathematics. Moreover, graduating students have indicated that there is a great need for more practical oriented study cases. There is a general consensus that more design projects should be introduced. The department has recently adopted this approach. Each course is required to include a design component. The survey results also reveal that the program lacks or is very low in the field of professional development. This is an issue that the department need to address urgently. And finally over seventy percent (70%) feel that the program has a very high work pressure. The department recognizes this and will attempt to co-ordinate this matter with the university at large.

14 Table 1.4: Results of the of Graduating Students Questions Strongly agree (%) Agree (%) Neutral (%) Disagree (%) Strongly disagree (%) Weighted Average (out of 5) Effective Analytical Skill Independent Thinking Adequacy of Mathematics Written Communication Skills team Work Learning Support Design Abilities Work Pressure Coop Team Work Coop Communication Skill Coop Independent Thinking Ethical Values Professional Development Time Management Skills Judgments Discipline Link Theory &Practice Safety Awareness Typical Comments 1. Best Aspect of the Program: The best aspect of EE program is to develop thinking and analysis of problem and to solve problem in more than one way if possible 2. Suggestions for Improvements a. To add more practical courses to learn about real life b. Enhance the team work skill, develop the designing abilities c. Make a project in each course in level 3 & 4 b. Alumni Survey The department carried out, for the first time, a survey of its alumni. Alumni were contacted via different means such as their organizations, personal contacts, professional meetings and others. A total of 48 EE alumni responded to the questionnaire. The department acknowledges that this is a low response and will attempt to improve on that. The questions sought to find out how the alumni perceive how the program satisfies their working

15 environment and needs. Table 1.5 shows the survey results. The results of the survey are expressed as a weighted average out of 4. For example, the weighted average for the first question is This indicates that over ninety seven percent (97%) of the alumni found that the EE program has excessive and sufficient mathematical skills. Also over 72 percent indicated described the communication skill to be average to below average. This alarming and the department is encouraging student to make oral presentations and prepare reports in a professional manner. The capstone design project and co-op provide good forums. It is interesting to note that almost 100 % of the respondents recommend that the department should introduce options within the EE program. It is worth mentioning both the graduating students and alumni agree on the need for more design project within the curriculum.. QUESTIONS Table 1.5: Results of the Survey of EE alumni Excessive (%) SUFFICIENT (%) AVERAGE (%) BELOW AVERAGE (%) Weighted Average (out of 4) MATH & SCIENCE SKILLS ELECTRICAL ENGG SKILLS COLLECTING & ANALYZING DATA ABILITY TO LINK THEORY TO PRACTICE DESIGN ABILITY COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE ORAL COMMUNICATION REPORT WRITING PRESENTATION SKILL ABILITY TO WORK IN TEAMS LEADERSHIP INITIATION OF NEW IDEAS APPRECIATION OF ETHICAL VALUES TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS EE STUDENTS SHOULD BE SPECIALISED AREA OF SPECILAZATION TO YOUR ORGANIZATION Suggestions for Improvements: Typical Points 1. Electric Engineering should start from first year not theory wise but knowing the parts and where they are used as communication oral. as per my experience the way the engineer can

16 communicate the better he is in other people opinion the will learn more from other people experience faster 2. To spend more time in the lab with additional experiments related the student s specialized electrical area. 3. Employing on practical and reduce theory reduce math on core course and focus on concepts put practical senior projects from industry. 4. I realized after graduation that I learnt too much math but with very little understanding of engineering.i recommend that course material, teaching skill home work exams should be designed to encourage student to improve their understanding recommend to redesign course materials to math market requirement in a very specialized manner c. Employer Survey The department also carried out a survey of employers where a large majority of EE graduates work. Employers were contacted via different means such their organizations, personal contacts, professional meetings and others. A total of 13 employers responded to the questionnaire. The department acknowledges that this is a very low response and will attempt to improve on that. The questions sought to find out how the employers judge the EE graduates in meeting job requirements and needs. Table 1.6 shows the survey results. The results of the survey are expressed as a weighted average out of 5. A score of 5 indicates that the respondent strongly agrees with the question, while a score of 1 indicates a strong disagreement. For example, the weighted average for the first question is Almost 99% of the employers agree that EE graduates have excellent to very good knowledge of mathematical and science skills. Forty six percent (46%) of the employers (question 21) rated the EE graduates between to be very good when compared with other university graduates. The employers agree (100%) with alumni for a need for department options. They also agree on the need for improvement of the communication skills of the graduates. The department takes these observations very seriously and will look into the subject during the forthcoming curriculum review.

17 QUESTION KNOWLEDGE Table 1.6 Results of Employers Survey Very Excellent GOOD GOOD FAIR POOR (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Weighted Average (out of 5) OF MATH & SCIENCE SKILLS KNOWLEDGE OF ELECTRICAL ENGG SKILLS KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM FORMULATION COLLECTING & ANALYSING APPROPRIATE DATA ABILITY TO LINK THEORY TO PRACTISE DESIGN ABILITY COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE ORAL COMMUNICATION REPORT WRITING PRESENTATION SKILLS ABILITY TO WORK IN TEAMS LEADERSHIP INDEPENDENT THINKER INITILAZATION OF NEW IDEAS APPRECIATION OF ETHICAL VALUES TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS JUDGEMENT DISCIPLINE SAFETY AWARNESS SPECIALIZED EE ENGINEERS KFUPM EE GRAD COMPARED WITH OTHER UNIV Suggestions for Improvements: Typical Comments 1. I believe that adding more specialty courses in the joiner and senior years would be of a great help to the student to obtaining a better and wider view on the filed that he tend to specialize in. In other words, I propose to establish more than one EE program that is

18 diversified and include a group of specialties to enable the student to choose the field he likes. Moreover, I suggest adding more management/skills courses to the EE curriculum addressing themes like leadership, economic engineering and others. 2. There is a big difference between grade gaining and material understanding, so concentrate to deliver since to students in the way they will not think only about grades. Give them more time to understand principles and basics Standard 1-3: The results of program s assessment and the extent to which they are used to improve the program must be documented. a. Actions for Periodic Assessments The Department does not have a formal mechanism for program assessments. However, it implements several steps that help to evaluate the success of program objectives. This enhances future development and improvement of the Electrical Engineering Program. The Department carries out a number of assessment steps. 1. ABET Accreditation The EE departments along with other KFUPM engineering departments, sought ABET recognition and accreditation. The EE program was evaluated by ABET in the year April Even though the ABET evaluation team found that the program is academically equivalent to similar programs in the USA, the team pointed some areas for improvements. These include the introduction of design projects throughout the curriculum. The EE department is currently implementing this, especially within senior level course. 2. Student Evaluation The Department conducts student evaluation for each class and of each instructor. This process is done at the end of each semester. The students provide assessment of the faculty instructional qualities and abilities. They also address the course contents and the suitability of the textbook and supporting material. The students are encouraged to write comments and suggestions. The Department Chairman reviews the evaluation and makes it available to the instructors. The student evaluation is considered as a factor in faculty evaluation and promotion. 3. Research Assistants Evaluation

19 Students also conduct assessment of Research Assistants (RA) and Teaching Assistants (TA). These evaluations are reviewed by the Department chairman and are also made available to the RAs and TAs. 4. The EE-Student Club The EE-Student Club is an active organization of the deanship of student affairs. The club organizes each semester an open meeting with the chairman and the faculty. During this meeting, the students are encouraged to speak out about the EE program. Comments from the students are taken very seriously and in many cases corrective actions follow immediately. 5. Faculty-Student Interaction The faculty-student interaction is achieved through the following: Each faculty member is assigned a small group of student advisees. These students remain as faculty advisees till graduation. The Department provides opportunities for student interaction through professional societies. The IEEE-Student branch is very active within the Saudi Arabia section of the IEEE. 6. Interaction with Graduates The Electrical Engineering Department does not have a formal mechanism for interaction with its graduates. However, the department has recently established an Industry Advisory Committee. The role of the committee is to provide the department with the industry s assessment and needs. In the meantime, the Electrical Engineering Department seeks input from graduates through many means. These include the following: a. The Annual Technical Exchange Meeting This is a meeting held by the IEEE-Saudi Arabia Section. The Department hosts and helps in the organization of the meeting. Engineers attend the meeting from different organizations and industries. Students also attend and participate in the meeting. Although the meeting is devoted to technical presentations, panel discussions are also organized. Some panel discussions are devoted to engineering education and industry needs. b. Short Courses and Symposia

20 The Department regularly offers short courses for various industries. During those courses, former students meet with the faculty and provide some critique of the Electrical Engineering Program. Although this is an informal mean, it provides the Department with excellent feedback. c. Student Visits The Electrical Engineering Department organizes visits to various industries and facilities. Engineers from these industries talk to the students and faculty about their experiences and expectations. 7. Department Future Plans The Electrical Engineering Department has significant plans for future development. The Department has committees for this purpose. These committees are the Curriculum, Laboratory Development, and the Planning Committees. The purpose of these committees is to study, update and improve the program. The Electrical Engineering Department has prepared this report on the development of the department in accordance with the 7 th 5-year plan Assume the department s target is to maintain a student/faculty ratio of 20. This number has been translated in the past few years in multi-sections of students per class, crowded by all standards. The above ratio excludes the students of other departments. The projected faculty needs are shown in Table 1.7. Table 1.7: Projected number of students and faculty requirements during Expected Faculty Year Expected Number Total Faculty Saudi (Present + Non-Saudi of Students Requirements Returning) Presently, there are eight Saudi nationals who are pursuing their PhD s abroad. It is evident that the ratio of Saudi to non-saudi faculty members will be around 1:1.22 in 2005 if no additional new Saudi faculty joins the department. The above ratio is below the university s target of 1:1.

21 It is, therefore, recommended that at least 6 more graduate assistants be appointed over the coming few years. Table 1.8 shows the breakup (of the proposed 6 graduate students) according to the area of specialization. Table 1.8: Suggested appointment of graduate assistants Area of Specialization Number of Graduate Assistants Power 2 Communications 1 Electronics 1 Electromagnetic 1 Control 1 With the increasing enrollment of students to the Electrical Engineering Department, additional laboratory equipment for teaching should be acquired. Modernization of the laboratories and apparatus are required due to the tremendous advances in the existing areas of electrical engineering discipline. The Electrical Engineering Department has major problems with regard to laboratory space. The problem appears in the Service Course Laboratories such as EE 201, EE203, EE 306 and EE 360 and other courses with large enrollment. Additional spaces in Building #1, #26, #7, #14 are needed to accommodate new laboratories. The areas needed for Laboratories are approximately 250 square meters for 3 laboratories in major areas and PC labs. Additional spacing of 9 offices is needed for new faculty members joining the department the next five years. Five additional offices are needed to accommodate graduate students. The technicians in the department are highly overloaded as all technicians are assigned to two or three laboratories daily. This load occupies their time during the whole day. They do not have the time to calibrate their equipment or repair the damaged ones. Furthermore, there will be an increase in laboratory sessions. Therefore, at least five additional technicians and a laboratory supervisor are needed to handle the teaching load and assist in research work for the next 5 years. At least two of these technicians are to be hired now besides the laboratory supervisor. The department has four secretaries (one as chairman secretary and three for departmental work). One of the three is an Arabic typist. The rapid increase in undergraduate and graduate students has resulted in a tremendous increase in their workload. Additional two secretaries are

22 needed; one secretary to handle the increasing load of typing of assignments and lab work and the other will be directed to work on Research papers, Reports, etc 8. EE Program Strength The Electrical Engineering Program provides the students with sufficient background in Electrical Engineering sciences. It also contains basics Mathematics, Sciences, English and General Studies. A large number of electives in both Electrical Engineering and other technical subjects are also offered. The faculty-student interaction through advising, smaller classrooms and laboratory sessions are also major features of the program. In summary, the principal strengths of the Electrical Engineering Programs are as follows: A well structured curriculum that emphasize theory, analysis and design. Excellent and qualified faculty body High-quality student body through the high standards of admission to the Electrical Engineering Department Good student preparation through a large number of electives. Excellent physical plant facility and support services. Close faculty-student contact through the advisor assignment. Each faculty member is assigned a small group of students to advise who remain as the faculty advisees till graduation. Student-faculty contact through research is also a feature. This is achieved through the part-time involvement of students in a number of faculty research projects. 9. EE Program Limitations Although the electives are arranged in groups in specialized areas of Electrical Engineering, the program lacks clear division into options. The results of the employer and alumni surveys indicate strong support for departmental options. The department is currently reviewing its program and will take into consideration the input of its constituents. Three areas are identified for improvement: 1. Introduction of program options

23 2. Introduction of design components into the curriculum 3. Introduction of practical oriented study cases. Standard 1-4: The department must assess its overall performance periodically using quantifiable measures. 1. Student Faculty Ratio Table 1.9 shows the total number of faculty and undergraduate/graduate students in the Electrical Engineering & Applied Electrical Engineering Departments during the period along with the student/faculty ratio. The EE faculty members teach courses for both Electrical Engineering and Applied Electrical Engineering students. Currently, the department has 46 professorial ranks and 6 lecturers. However, it is important to point out that there 11 faculty members who are on special administrative assignments. Some of these teach one course a year while some teach on course a semester. The student/faculty ratio fro the year was calculated after adjusting the number of faculty to reflect this special condition. In addition to EE students, the Department also offers service courses to all other engineering departments and College of Computer Science and Engineering that contribute a significant load to the Department. This is not included in Table 1.9 Moreover, the EE Department has active M.S. and Ph.D. programs. The average enrollment of graduate students over the past few years was about 87 students. The student-to-faculty Table 1.9 Student Enrollment & Student-to-Faculty Ratio Year No. Of EE No. Of No. Of No. of Undergraduate Students AEE Graduate EE Faculty Student-Faculty Students Students ratio (44+9) (46+4) (46+7) The student-to-faculty is very high by university standards. It emphasizes the need for recruitment of faculty. An effort should be exerted to encourage some of the honor students to join the department as graduate students. This is especially true in the areas of power and control systems. 2. Student Average GPA

24 Table 1.10 shows the average GPA of EE students and the percentage of Honor students. The average GPA of EE students is around 2.5. The department does not have a bench mark or data for comparison but it is generally satisfactory. The GPA of the EE students remains fairly constant over the years. Also over 30% of EE students are on the honor list. Students are placed in the honor list if the GPA is 3.0 or more. Table 1.10 Average GPA & Honor Ratio for EE Students Year Average GPA Of EE Students Percentage of EE Honor Students Average GPA Of AEE Students Percentage of AEE Honor Students * * The data for reflect the first term results only. 3. Attrition Rate Table 1.11 shows the attrition rate is defined as the percentage of students who left the program because of withdrawal, major change, or dismissal at the end of first term of the academic year. The attrition rate is quite high and may reflect the followings: - The ease with which students drop the semester -The ease with which students change their major of study. Table 1.11 Attrition Rates Year Attrition Rate for EE Students (%) Attrition Rate for AEE Students (%) Employer Satisfaction The number of employers who responded to the questionnaire is quite limited. Only 13 employers filled the questionnaire. Sixty percent of the respondents rated the graduate of the department as very good when compared to graduates from other universities. The remaining 40% gave a rating of good. The department considers that all employers are satisfied with the

25 performance of its graduates. However, there is always a drive for improvement and the opportunities do exist. These will be addressed in the following program revisions. 5. Student Course Evaluation Table 1.12 shows the average student evaluation for all courses for the period The average ranges from The department considers the annual scores to be very good; however every effort will be exerted for further improvement. Three Faculty members received the excellence in teaching award during the period This corresponds to 6.5% out of 46 PhD faculty members Table 1.12 Student Average Course Evaluations Year Average Annual Evaluation Faculty Research and Community Services Indices Table 1.13 shows the research indices for EE faculty. The EE faculties are quite active in research as reflected by the numbers of papers, conference presentations and the number of funded projects. The average number of Journal publications per is between 1.2 and 1.9. The average for conference is between 0.83 and The department considers these indices to be adequate and reflect the commitment of its faculty. Moreover, Four Faculty members received the excellence in research award during the period This corresponds to 8.7% out of 46 PhD faculty members. Table 1.13 Faculty Research Index Year No. Faculty No. of Journal No. of Conf. No. of Funded With PhD. Papers per Faculty Presentations per faculty Projects per Faculty Average

26 Table 1.14 shows the number of seminars and short courses offered by the EE department over the last three years. It is essential to note the department organizes the annual IEEE technical exchange meeting. This year it organizes the International Symposium for Wireless Communications. Both events drew large numbers of participants. In addition, the EE faculty participated in the organization of the Sixth Saudi Engineering Conference which was organized by KFUPM during December 14-19, The number of short courses per year is rather low. This may be attributed to the followings: - Limited marketing efforts by both the department and the Deanship of Educational Services - Many faculty feel that the compensation package does not reflect the faculty and coordinator efforts. - The EE faculty feels that they are involved in many projects and other activities. However, the department is reviewing this situation and will try to improve on this Table Community Services Year No. Faculty No. of Short No. of Seminars No. of With PhD. Courses Workshops per Faculty IEEE Technical meeting IEEE Technical meeting IEEE Technical meeting 7. Faculty and Student Satisfaction Seventy Four percent of the faculty members (Corresponding to 29 out of 39 faculty members who responded) indicated satisfaction with the administrative and support services offered by the department.

27 Criterion 2: Curriculum Design and Organization

28 A. Degree Title Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. B. Definition of Credit Unit The credit hour is equivalent to a weekly lecture with duration not less than 50 minutes or a laboratory session or field study of not less than 100 minutes duration for 15 weeks. C. Degree Plan: Flow-Chart

29 D. Table 4.3: Curriculum course requirements COURSE REQUIREMENTS OF CURRICULUM BASIC- LEVEL PROGRAM Category (Credit Hours) Course Math & Basic Major Year; Semester Dept., Number, Title Science Humanitie Math Basic Science requirements s & Social Sciences Other s 1-Fall Chem. 101 General Chemistry 4 Engl. 101 Engl. Composition I 3 IAS 111 Islamic Ideology 2 Math 101 Calculus I 4 PE- 101 Physical Educ. I 1 PHYS 101 General Physics I 4 1-Spring Engl.102 English Composition II 3 IAS 200 Objective Writing 2 ICS 103 Computer Programming 3 in C. Math 102 Calculus II 4 PE 102 Physical Educ. II 1 PHYS 102 General Physics II 4 2-Fall EE200 Digital Logic Design 4 EE 201 Electric Circuits I 4 Math 201 Calculus III 3 ME 203 Thermodynamics 3 PHYS 203 E&M Props. of Materials 3 2-Spring EE 203 Electronics I 4 EE 205 Electric Circuits II 3 EE 207 Signals & Systems 3 Engl. 214 Technical Report 3 Writing IAS 222 The Quran & Sunnah 2

30 Math 202 Elem. Diff. Equations 3 3-Fall EE 303 Electronics II 4 EE 360 Electric Energy Eng. 4 EE 380 Control Eng. 4 3-Spring IAS 300 Arabic Terminology 2 MATH 302 Applied Math for 3 Engineers EE 315 Probabilistic Methods in 3 EE EE 340 Electromagnetics 4 EE 370 Communication Eng. 4 EE 390 Digital Systems Eng. 4 IAS 333 The Islamic System 2 4-Fall EE 411 Senior Design Project 3 EE 4xx EE Elective I 3 EE 4xx EE Elective II 3 IAS 400 Technical Arabic Syntax SE 301 Numerical Methods Spring EE 4xx Elective III 3 EE 4xx Elective IV 4 IAS 4xx Elective 2 XE xxx Technical Elective 3 XX xxx Elective from CIM 3 Total Minimum Requirements

31 As can be seen from this table the program satisfies the ABET requirements for mathematics and basic sciences, major requirements and social sciences. Appendix A1 contains description of the EE courses. Standard 2-1: The curriculum must be consistent and support the program s documented objectives. The Electrical Engineering Program satisfies the ABET requirements in addition to meeting other objectives. The students are required to take courses in differential and integral calculus, differential equations (MATH 101, MATH 102, MATH 201, MATH 202). They also take MATH 302: vector methods, complex variables. Chemistry (CHEM 101) and Physics (PHYS 101, PHYS 102) courses are required. In addition, EE students take a course in materials and semiconductors (PHYS 203). ABET curricular requirements call for thirty-two credit hours of basic mathematics and sciences. The Electrical Engineering Program requires thirty-seven credit hours. The Electrical Engineering Program provides sixty-five credit hours of basic engineering topics. This is above the forty-eight ABET minimum requirements. The EE curriculum provides the students with core courses in Electrical Engineering. The students are required to take a total of forty-five Electrical Engineering core topics. These include electric circuits, digital system, electromagnetic, electromechanical energy conversion, communication and control. Afterwards they are given the opportunity to choose a minimum of sixteen credits from many electives. The electives cover all the areas of Electrical Engineering: power systems, electronics, digital systems, communications & control. Students have a free hand in choosing the electives after consultation with their advisors. The students are provided with a wide selection of electives in their senior year. Engineering Sciences and Design are incorporated in the core and elective EE courses. The students are given term projects and assignments that include Design components. In their final year, the students are required to take a capstone Design course. The EE 411: Capstone Design provides the student with a major design experience. In addition, the Electrical Engineering curriculum requires twenty-three credits hours of humanities and social sciences. These cover Islamic and Arabic studies (IAS111, IAS200, IAS222, IAS300, IAS333, IAS400, IAS 4**). They also include English language courses (ENGL 101, ENGL 102 and ENGL 214). Moreover, the students are required to take a course in computer programming (ICS 103). This

32 is a C-language course. The Electrical Engineering students take two Physical Education courses and they are required to choose an Industrial Management course. The majority of EE students elect to choose Management (MGT 301) or Engineering Economy (ECON 403).

33 Table 4.4: Courses versus program outcomes Outcomes Courses a b c d e f g h i j k EE200 X X X X X EE201 X X X X EE203 X X X X EE204 X X X X X X EE205 X X X X EE207 X X X X X EE208 X X X EE303 X X X X EE306 X X X X X X X EE315 EE340 X X X X X X X X EE351 EE360 X X X X X X X EE370 X X X X X EE380 X X X X X EE390 X X X X X X EE399 X X X X X X X X X X X EE400 X X X X X EE402 X X X X X X X X EE403 X X X X X EE405 X X X X X X X EE406 X X X X X X X X X X X EE407 X X X X EE410 X X X X X X X X X X EE411 X X X X X X X X X X X EE415 X X X X X X X X X X EE416 X X X EE417 X X X X X EE418 X X X X X X X EE420 X X X X X EE422 X X X X X X X EE429 X X X X EE430 X X X X EE432 X X X X X X X EE433 X X X X X X EE434 X X EE437 X X X X EE445 X X

34 EE446 X EE455 X X EE456 X X EE460 X X EE465 X X X X EE466 X X X X EE470 X X X X X X Standard 2-2: Theoretical background, problem analysis and solution design must be stressed within the program s core material. Table 4.5: Standard 2-2 requirement Elements Courses Theoretical background EE207, EE315, and EE340 Problem analysis EE200, EE201,EE203, EE204, EE205, EE207, EE208, EE303, EE306,EE315,EE340,EE360,EE370, EE380, EE390, EE400, EE402, EE403, EE405, EE406, EE407, EE410, EE415, EE416, EE417, EE418, EE420, EE422, EE429, EE430, EE432,EE433, EE434, EE445, EE446, EE455, EE456, EE460, EE462, EE463, EE464, EE465, EE466 Solution design EE200, EE204, EE208, EE303, EE306,EE390, EE400, EE402, EE403, EE405, EE406, EE407, EE410, EE415, EE416, EE417, EE418, EE420, EE422, EE429, EE430, EE432,EE433, EE434, EE437, EE446, EE455, EE456, EE460, EE462, EE463, EE464, EE465, EE466, EE470 Some courses in problem analysis contribute to theoretical background such as EE 200, EE 201 and E 203. Standard 2-3 : The curriculum must satisfy the mathematics and basic sciences requirements for the program, as specified by the respective accreditation body.

35 Standard 2-4 : The curriculum must satisfy the major requirements for the program as specified by the respective accreditation body. Standard 2-5: The curriculum must satisfy humanities, social sciences, arts, ethical, professional and other discipline requirements for the program, as specified by the respective accreditation body. Table A.1a: Minimum Requirements (Semester Credit hours) Discipline Math & Basic Major Humanities and Others Science Social Sciences Engineering (ABET) Electrical Engineering As can be seen from the table our program exceeds the ABET requirements in Math and Basic Sciences and in major by 28% and 27%, respectively. Standard 2-6: Information technology component of the curriculum must be integrated throughout the program. Computer Programming in C (ICS 103) is a required Freshman level course. It covers programming in C language, including modular and structured programming techniques. Numerical methods (SE 301) is also a required course that includes the solution of linear and nonlinear equations, and engineering case studies. Extensive computer programming is used. Topics include floating point arithmetic on digital computers, solution of nonlinear and linear systems of equations, interpolation, numerical integration, and the solution of differential equations. The PSPICE software package is currently integrated in several undergraduate courses such as : EE 201 (Required), EE 205 (required), EE 203 (required), EE 303 (required), EE 445 (elective), EE 460 (elective), and EE 462 (elective) MATLAB software is used extensively in EE 380 (required) and EE 370 (required). It is also used by the students for many assignments and problems in other senior courses.

36 Students are also using ETAP and EDSA Software for power system assignments and design projects (EE 462, EE 463, EE 465, EE 466). Standard 2-7: Oral and written communication skills of the student must be developed and applied in the program. To assure competence in written communication in the English language, four courses, Preparatory English I and II (15 credit hours each), Composition I and II (3 credit hours each) are required. The following is a description of ENGL 002: Emphasis on four communication skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Includes use of language laboratories for listening comprehension and speaking, development of independent reading habits, guided compositions. Useful vocabulary and fundamentals of English grammar introduced in context. A course in Technical Report Writing (ENGL 214) is also required. These courses are structured as workshop/laboratory courses, allowing students to progress at different rates. The Writing Laboratory offers tutorials and other resources required to give each student a personalized curriculum in writing skills development. In the Electrical Engineering Department, written communicative skills are continually monitored through the grading of laboratory reports in EE 200, EE 201, EE 203, EE 303, EE 340, EE 360, EE 370, EE 380 and EE 390. Written reports are required in EE 411 (Capstone Design Project), for summer training (EE 399) and Co-op program.also several senior EE Courses include a term project with a written report.

37 Criterion 3: EE LABORATORIES

38 The EE department is the largest department in the university. It has more than 20 laboratories for teaching and research. Teaching laboratories are equipped with all necessary equipment to facilitate running the experimental work fully with no problem to enhance student understanding of the material. Qualified technicians are looking after these laboratories preparation of experiments, fixing equipment copying lab manuals.etc. Also we have about four research laboratories supervised by some faculty members to carry out research in their specialization area and it also support graduate study activities. 1. DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN LAB: Location: (Two Rooms Laboratory) Building 7-208/206 Area: 1078 sq ft Objectives: To carry out experimental work Adequacy for Instructions: Excellent Safety regulation: Framed (50 60 cm) and posted in the lab Course Taught: EE 200, Digital Design INTRODUCTION TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LOGIC CIRCUIT DESIGN, Logic Gates, Boolean Algebra, Karnaughmaps, Mathematical operations, flip-flops, Counters, Decoders, Multiplexers, Registers, Memory concepts. Equipped with oscilloscopes and Prototyping circuit Boards LOGIC WORKS, C.A.D.E.T. BOARDS supported by logic Circuit Design software. The labs is well equipped ( see appendix A2) for list of equipment Safety rule is placed in all EE laboratories. 2. ELECTRIC CIRCUITS LABORATORY: Location: (Three Rooms Laboratory ) Building /247B/151 Area: 4320 sq ft Objectives: To carry out experimental work Adequacy for Instructions: Excellent Safety regulation: Framed (50 60 cm) and posted in the lab Course Taught: EE 201, Electric circuit