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Minor in Product Development

Background

Any product, be it hardware, software, or service, requires good planning and development strategies to make it successful in the market place. Technical inputs have to be balanced with commercial aspects through good managerial practices so that the developed products deliver best value to all those who are concerned with them. While Hong Kong companies move from OEM (original equipment manufacturing) to ODM (original design and manufacturing), their ability to develop products from conception stage to full development is more critical than before for their continued success in the era of globalization. In particular, with most of the common manufacturing operations moved to the mainland, Hong Kong graduates would be expected to get increasingly involved in the product design stage and planning its full development rather than be experts of manufacturing operations alone. Therefore, it will be necessary for the future graduates to have sufficient knowledge and skills to engage in product development and related management activities.


Aim and Intended Learning Objectives (ILOs)

The main aim of this minor is to develop adequate academic knowledge and skills in a number of subject areas that are necessary for graduates to be able to effectively work as a member of teams involved in the design and development of commonly used products.

A number of PILOs listed below will be accomplished with the courses included in this minor. Based on the actual combination of the courses taken, graduates will have attained some of these:

  • Gain sufficient knowledge and skills in common technologies involved in the manufacturing of discrete components used in several commonly used products;
  • Identify aspects that lead to design of products that offer not only functionality but also industrial and ergonomic aspects to benefit customers;
  • Effectively implement computer applications in several stages of design and development of products
  • Able to design and implement quality systems that will ensure development of better, reliable, and consistent quality products; and
  • Effectively manage product development projects and technology innovation activities.

Requirements for the award

  1. At least 15 credit units must be taken from the courses shown in the following table, including at least one of the designated core courses on product development.
  2. Students from other departments should take two required courses MBE2003 (or MBE2040) and MBE2016 in addition to the course requirement mentioned in (1).
  3. An average GPA of 1.7 or above for these courses is required for the award.
  4. For 3-year degree students, a maximum of six credit units can be used to fulfill both the major and minor programme requirements. For 4-year degree students, credits earned to fulfil the minor requirement cannot be used toward meeting the requirement for a major and/or other minor(s) taken by the student.
  5. A student who intends to take the minor should seek approval from his / her home academic unit and the department offering the programme.

Course Code Course Title Credits Remarks
MBE2003 Mechanics 3 Required course for non-MBE students (either MBE2003 or MBE2040 must be completed)*
MBE2016 Engineering Graphics 3 Required course for non-MBE students*
MBE2040 Basic Mechanical Engineering Principles 3 Required course for non-MBE students (either MBE2003 or MBE2040 must be completed)*
MBE3006 Plastics Engineering 3 -
MBE3007 CAD/CAM 3 -
MBE3023 Ergonomics in Man Machine Systems 3 -
MBE3050 Design for Manufacture 3 -
SEEM3062 Quality Engineering I 3 -
MBE4001 Tool Design 3 -
MBE4005 Finite Element Analysis 3 -
MBE4006 Mechatronic Product Design 3 -
SEEM4024 Project Management 3 -
MBE4031 Management of Technological Innovation 3 -
MBE4033# Product Development: Methodologies and Solutions 3 Designated Core Course; Pre-requisites must be satisfied.
MBE4034# Product Development: Managerial Approach 3 Designated Core Course

* Students from AP and CA departments who have successfully completed similar courses at B2 level or above may get exemption from the requirement. MBE students who use the courses towards their major cannot use them to satisfy the requirement of this minor.

# Students must complete at least one of the designated core courses.


Note: This minor cannot be taken by students of BEng (Hons) in Design & Technology and BEng (Hons) in Manufacturing Systems Engineering.
To be eligible, applicants must have completed at least one semester of study in CityU, gained 15 CUs and achieved a CGPA of 3.0 or above.


Application

Students are required to submit their declaration of minor request through AIMS under Course Registration. Information on the key dates, process and steps for the Declaration of Minors are available in the website of the Academic Regulations and Records Office.


Last modified on 31 December, 2012