EED 511 Societal Foundations for Engineering Education
3 Credit Hours
VC
This course covers the development of engineering systems using methodologies that account for global and cultural issues in society. It examines pedagogies that can help eliminate barriers to success and the disparate impacts of inequitable access to resources for underrepresented populations across engineering disciplines. Students use engineering design methodologies to create or enhance products and services for identified user groups.
Prerequisites
Graduate students or undergraduates with senior standing. Students should be pursuing a degree or course of study in an engineering discipline or in education with a STEM focus.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Define global engineering practices and situate them within the context of engineering disciplines and engineering phenomena.
- Apply skills for engaging with under-resourced groups to implement structural changes in engineering and education practice.
- Distinguish adaptive and pedagogical challenges in engineering education related to access, resources, suitability, and sustainability.
- Evaluate conceptual frameworks for implementing engineering practices that complement educational pedagogy.
- Develop high-impact engineering education experiences and adapt them to enhance societal engagement, including research ethics/IRB, Grand Challenges of Engineering, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and study abroad.
- Create engineering ecosystems that cultivate community and belonging through global engineering frameworks.
- Analyze emerging topics in knowledge systems and global engineering practices through relevant literature, including journal articles, conference proceedings, and publications from engineering societies. (Graduate students only.)
Course Requirements
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Design Challenges | 20% |
| Journal Paper Reviews, Reports, and Presentations | 20% |
| Reflections, Reading Assignments, and Summaries | 15% |
| Case Studies | 25% |
| Final Project | 20% |
Textbooks
Required Textbooks:
- McGee, E. O. (2020). Black, Brown & Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation. Harvard Education Press. ISBN 978-1682535356. Approximate cost: $32.
- McGee, E. O. (2019). Diversifying STEM: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Gender & Race. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-1978805675. Approximate cost: $32.
- Harvard Business School course pack — details and cost, if required, will be announced in Moodle.
Created: 10/06/2026.
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