Systems Analysis in Engineering - entry

This module will give you an understanding of how systems analysis can support the planning, design and management of engineering systems, including water and environmental systems. The module covers a number of systems analysis tools including simulation, optimisation and decision making techniques, and enhances your theoretical and practical knowledge of their application to real world problems.

This module aims to give you a basic knowledge of computer simulation, optimisation and decision making techniques for a potential future career as a practising engineer involved in the management of engineering systems. It also equips you with practical experience in the development and use of such techniques to solve engineering problems.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge
1 understand how systems analysis is used to support engineering systems management;
2 comprehend model development and assessment methods;
3 appreciate modern techniques and tools such as genetic algorithms, genetic programming, neural networks;
4 make appropriate and critical use of these tools to analyse and solve problems associated with engineering systems including water and environmental systems.
Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:
5 identify, formulate, analyse and solve problems in engineering;
6 show practical experience of using modelling, simulation, optimisation and decision making techniques and tools.
Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:
7 prove you have the necessary skills for independent learning;
8. demonstrate improved IT skills.

- introduction to systems analysis;

- computer simulation: model development and assessment;

- sensitivity and uncertainty analysis;

- optimisation techniques;

- system control;

- multi-criteria decision making;

- computer programming with MATLAB: programming environment, coding, and toolboxes.

If a module is normally assessed entirely by coursework, all referred/deferred assessments will normally be by assignment.

If a module is normally assessed by examination or examination plus coursework, referred and deferred assessment will normally be by examination. For referrals, only the examination will count, a mark of 40% being awarded if the examination is passed. For deferrals, candidates will be awarded the higher of the deferred examination mark or the deferred examination mark combined with the original coursework mark.

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk

·MATLAB - The Language of Technical Computing:  http://www.mathworks.co.uk/help/techdoc/

Reading list for this module: