Course coordinator
Professor Peter Knights
Consultation times available on Tuesday afternoons.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (21/07/2025 - 15/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Mech & Mine Engineering School
Professional Practice is designed to give you the knowledge needed to effect change and implement design solutions in the real world. You will be able to identify barriers to technology uptake and work towards overcoming these through practical knowledge of: engineering economics, engineering law, engineering ethics, and the nature of engineering businesses. Students will learn how to undertake and interpret cost-benefit analyses, develop the skills required to understand business decision-making and economic drivers relevant to engineering and investigate key concepts required for ethical professional practice.
Industry representatives and academics will deliver keynote lectures. Students will engage in workshops and project-based discipline-specific content and assessment which will lead the student through the issues encountered in professional engineering practice. Assessment will have both written and oral sections.
The course is structured around team-based, project-based learning. At the start of the semester, students will be directed into multi-disciplinary teams each of six students. Each team is tasked with developing an innovative start-up idea for a novel product or service. PBL applied class are structured so as to assist teams to develop a rigorous business case for their start-ups. The weekly workshop is used to deliver the tools and techniques that will be applied in weekly PBL sessions. UQ Ventures have been invited to present three guest lectures related to the Value Proposition Canvas, the Business Model Canvas and Pitching Start-ups. A representative of Engineers Australia will deliver a lecture on the ethical obligations of Professional Engineers.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
Students need to have completed 32 units toward the BE(Hons) program.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ENGG4900 or ENGG4901, ENGG7901, ENGG7902
Restrictions
Restricted to students enrolled in BE(Hons), BE(Hons) dual degrees or BE(Hons)/ME.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to equip engineering students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the complex factors influencing the successful delivery of engineering technologies and projects. It prepares students to identify and address technical, economic, regulatory, social, and environmental challenges, while assessing and managing risks and uncertainties. Through practical tools and strategies, students will learn to balance trade-offs and make informed business decisions. The course also fosters professional readiness by exploring organisational decision-making, financial project evaluation, stakeholder engagement, professional engineering expectations, sustainability, and the development of entrepreneurial ideas.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Develop a business case for a project (start-up), incorporating key aspects that influence critical decision-gates
LO2.
Explain and critique your roles and responsibilities as a professional engineer working in projects
LO3.
Perform a financial analysis of a project proposal
LO4.
Identify, assess and treat strategic business risks
LO5.
Critique the role of sustainability in business decision-making
LO6.
Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team of engineers to create project proposals and evaluate project feasibility
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project |
Team Project (Parts A, B, C, D)
|
60% |
Part A Start-up Value Proposition (12%) 18/08/2025 2:00 pm Part B Financial Analysis & BMC (18%) 8/09/2025 2:00 pm Part C SSR Analysis (15%) 13/10/2025 2:00 pm Part D Start-up Pitch Presentation (15%) 30/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Reflection | Prof Eng & the Business Environment | 10% |
22/09/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Team Project (Parts A, B, C, D)
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
Part A Start-up Value Proposition (12%) 18/08/2025 2:00 pm
Part B Financial Analysis & BMC (18%) 8/09/2025 2:00 pm
Part C SSR Analysis (15%) 13/10/2025 2:00 pm
Part D Start-up Pitch Presentation (15%) 30/10/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Part A Start-up Value Proposition
Your task is to develop a start-up pitch. You are restricted to a capital ask of no more than AUD $1m. Your start-up can be contained fully within Australia or can target other countries or regions, as long as the location aligns with the start-up idea. Your idea will ultimately be presented as a Pitch Presentation in Week 13 which will be targeted at your potential seed (angel) investors. Each team must submit a team charter and value proposition slide deck.
Part B Financial Analysis & Business Model Canvas
Considering a time line of 5 years, starting with 1 July 2025 (FY 25) as your timeline zero point up to FY30, and using an Excel™ DCF spreadsheet, construct a financial model for your start-up venture.
Part C Stakeholder Sustainability and Risk Analysis
Your task is to prepare a Stakeholder, Sustainability, and Risk Analysis evaluation for your start-up venture. This will be used to decide the next detailed development steps and where further study is needed.
Part D Start-up Pitch Presentation
The pitch summarised the business case around your start-up (Value Proposition, DCF Analysis and Stakeholder/Sustainability/Risk Analysis). A short presentation to be made to Angel Investors Pty Ltd, a venture capital company. The aim of presentation is to convince an investor that your idea is worth investing in.
Please refer to Blackboard for a detailed marking criteria.
If, for whatever reason, you find that your group is not functioning effectively, please contact your Course Coordinator for support.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.”
Submission guidelines
Submission is via turn-it-in on Blackboard Ultra.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Feedback is provided to students after 14 calendar days.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Prof Eng & the Business Environment
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Reflection
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
22/09/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04
Task description
An individual assignment.
You are tasked with reflecting on the meaning of professional engineering practice. What is a professional engineer? When will you be a professional engineer? How does it affect how/what you do?
Please refer to Blackboard for a detailed marking criteria.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission is via turn-it-in on Blackboard Ultra.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Feedback is provided to students following 14 calendar days.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Short answer, covering key concepts from the course.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
A minimum of 40% must be achieved on the final exam to receive a passing grade.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0.00 - 29.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30.00 - 44.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45.00 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Falls short of satisfying basic requirements for a Pass. Overall grade: 45.00-49.99% or less that 40% in the IVA requirement explained below. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50.00 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Satisfies all of the basic learning requirements for the course, such as knowledge of fundamental concepts and performance of basic skills; demonstrates sufficient quality of performance to be considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in the course. Overall grade 50.00-64.99% and a minimum score of 40% in the IVA requirement explained below. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65.00 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates ability to use and apply fundamental concepts and skills of the course, going beyond mere replication of content knowledge or skill to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of their relevance, some use of analytical skills, and some originality or insight. Overall grade 65.00-74.99% and a minimum score of 40% in the IVA requirement explained below. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75.00 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates awareness and understanding of deeper and subtler aspects of the course, such as ability to identify and debate critical issues or problems, ability to solve non-routine problems, ability to adapt and apply ideas to new situations, and ability to invent and evaluate new ideas. Overall grade 75.00-84.99% and a minimum score of 40% in the IVA requirement explained below. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85.00 - 100.00 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates imagination, originality or flair, based on proficiency in all the learning objectives for the course; work is interesting or surprising or exciting or challenging or erudite. Overall grade 85.00-100% and a minimum score of 40% in the IVA requirement explained below. |
Additional course grading information
Grading Criteria
Specific grading criteria will be provided for each assessment item. These are available on Blackboard in the assessment folder.
Identity verified assessment
Identity verified assessment (IVA) will be through obtaining at least 40% of the available marks in the final exam.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
Supplementary Examination will generally take the same format as the Final Examination.
Additional assessment information
There is one team project and all applied classes will require working in teams. Students are required to actively participate in their teams - reflecting on workshop content, planning team tasks and reviewing the work of their peers during applied class sessions. All students must also contribute to the team project. This will be assessed by members of the teaching team and the Course Coordinator using mentor meetings in the applied classes, applied class participation, documented contributions, and two Peer Assessment Factors (PAFs) evaluated using Buddy Check. The maximum PAF for the team assignment is capped at 1.1 The minimum PAF is zero.ﾠ
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
The ENGG4902 Blackboard site (www.learn.uq.edu.au) will contain learning resources and other course information, and also direct students to relevant external information in the library and internet.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Lecture Lecture for all students. Covers key concepts for the week ahead and how it relates to upcoming tutorials and assessment. Held at St Lucia. Please refer to Blackboard for the detailed schedule. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Problem-based learning |
Problem Based Learning Sessions Students will work in teams on their start-up idea related to assessment tasks. Attendance and participation at applied class sessions is used as part of determining individual marks for the team project. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.