Citation:
T. Carleton, L. Leifer, Stanford’s ME310 Course as an Evolution of Engineering Design, Proceedings of the 19th CIRP Design Conference – Competitive Design, Cranfield University, 30-31 March 2009, pp547
Abstract:
ME310 is a radical course that has been taught at Stanford University since 1967. The year-long course is a
graduate level sequence in which student teams work on complex engineering projects sponsored by
industry partners. Student teams complete the design process from defining design requirements to
constructing functional prototypes that are ready for consumer testing and technical evaluation. This paper
presents the first longitudinal study of ME310 and characterizes the course in terms of nine eras, each with
distinctive teaching philosophies and class dynamics. By looking at one engineering design course in its
entirety, a rough parallel is gained of how the field of engineering design itself has evolved over the last forty
years. Data for this study was drawn from 80 surveys, 28 interviews, and 42 years of historical university
enrollment records, course archives, and course bulletins.
