MAE Capstone Design Project

Catalog description

This course serves as the capstone project course for the Integrated (IUG) Master of Architectural Engineering degree. Students conduct independent investigations into the design and analysis of building systems and/or construction processes for an actual building project, with an emphasis on systems integration, sustainability, and performance. Each student proposes the scope of work they will address on their building project, which must include topics from one or more of a student's MAE graduate-level courses and be approved by the course instructor. Students may also investigate topic areas that lie beyond those covered in formal coursework. Students perform research into engineered building system options and construction processes that meet established project criteria, conduct technical analyses, finalize their recommendations, prepare a written report on their work, and deliver a final project presentation. Meetings with the instructor/project adviser(s) are scheduled throughout the semester to review progress and provide feedback on the student's work. While most student projects are conducted independently, students may also work as part of a multi-disciplinary team (consisting of students from different undergraduate option areas) where integration across subject areas is a major design consideration in addition to the focused work in the student's AE option area.