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"I have been looking forward to project work on a professional level for my entire undergrad. This course greatly exceeded my expectations for quality of collaboration and teamwork. Potential employers love asking about the project and are very impressed." - Past Senior Design Student

Course Objectives

Students in Senior Design experience the design process first-hand, gaining experience inÌýproblem definition, determining design requirements, alternative design concepts, engineering analysis, proof-of-concept prototypes, CAD drawings, refinement of a prototype, design optimization, fabrication, testingÌýand evaluation. By the time they complete the course, students will have gained experience in the following areas:Ìý

1. Understand how to collaboratively work in a team toward a common design
2. Become proficient at technical and professional communications (both written and verbal)
3. Become proficient at managing long-term projects
4. Become proficient at integrating technical skills from courses, independently acquiring project-specific knowledge, and effectively utilizing available resources
5. Become proficient in design skills and application of the design process

What Senior Design Students Learn

Course Deliverables

Senior Design is aÌýtwo-semester course, takingÌýplace over the full academic year with specific course deliverables required during each semester.ÌýThe student experience requiresÌýlectures, training sessions, weekly project meetings and weekly team meetings with their client. Students are expected to spend 10 to 15 hours per week on Senior Design.Ìý

"In all cases, your program has delivered excellent value to our companyÌýand has provided a rich experience to the students involved.ÌýI credit this to something unique in your approach at CU Boulder." -ÌýIndustry Sponsor

How Sponsors Contribute

• Sponsors pay a feeÌýof $16,000Ìýfor undergraduate and $25,000Ìýfor graduate projects. This feeÌýis split between student project budgetsÌýand support of Idea Forge spaces, such as theÌýmachine shop and the Chevron Design Studio, where students design and build hardware for their projects​.
• Sponsors are asked to provide an Industry Mentor who can commit 10 hours per semester to support the student team.ÌýThese hours are typically dedicated to weekly meetings with the students.​
• Sponsors benefit from students’ fresh ideas, gain an edge inÌýrecruiting top students to their company and obtain functionalÌýhardware with documentationÌýat the end of the project.ÌýA company’s investment may also result inÌýthe company retaining exclusiveÌýrights to the intellectual property developed. When intellectual property is developed, sponsors own all IP, while students are listed on any patents filed,Ìýwith no ownership rights.Ìý
• With sponsor approval, students present their work at the CU Engineering Projects Expo, a public forum open toÌýfamily, friends, alumni and the community.Ìý

What Students Provide

• Each student team will commit at least 1,500 hours to the project.
• Student collaboration with professional engineers.
• ​Students leverageÌýover 50,000 square feet of active learning spaces and fabricationÌýfacilitiesÌýlikeÌýthe Idea Forge andÌýtheÌýIntegrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory, among others.ÌýIf desired, students may also work at the sponsor's worksite.ÌýNote: Students are not currently able to work at the sponsor's worksite due to COVID-19.Ìý
• ​Students budget time and materialsÌýwhile gaining experience with industry procedures such as writing purchase orders and meeting deadlines under pressure.
• Each year, student teams submit approximately four written reports and many oral presentations on product development and testing.

​If you are interested in sponsoring a project, contactÌýAlan Goodman.

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