ENGG1810: Semester 1, 2025

Overview

This unit introduces students to computational thinking and programming skills essential for solving a variety of engineering problems. Students will explore how complex engineering applications can be modeled and analyzed using computational tools, including data processing and time-series analysis, dynamic system simulations, and decision-making optimization. The unit covers fundamental programming concepts—such as variables, functions, data structures, algorithms, and data visualization—as well as essential coding skills. Students will learn to transform real-world engineering challenges into computational tasks, develop efficient programs to solve these tasks, and evaluate the effectiveness of their solutions through visualized results. Throughout the unit, students will engage in exemplary projects, such as analyzing brain functionality, simulating climate change, and planning robot motion.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	ENGG1801 or INFO1110 or INFO1910 or INFO1103 or INFO1903 or INFO1105 or INFO1905 or COSC1003
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Guodong Shi, guodong.shi@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Guodong Shi, guodong.shi@sydney.edu.au
	Mitch Bryson, mitch.bryson@sydney.edu.au
	Daria Anderson, daria.anderson@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final Exam Closed Book Supervised Exam	50%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Early Feedback Quiz Questions to check mastery of concepts. #earlyfeedbacktask	0%	Week 03 Due date: 16 Mar 2025 at 23:59	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project 1 Solve a data visualization and processing problem and write a report based on project description	10%	Week 07 Due date: 13 Apr 2025 at 23:59	N/A.
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Grand Challenge Presentation Submit a recorded video on the grand challenge project based on project description	5%	Week 09 Due date: 04 May 2025 at 23:59	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project 2 Solve a computational engineering problem and write a report based on project description	10%	Week 11 Due date: 18 May 2025 at 23:59	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Grand Challenge Report Write a professional report on the grand challenge project based on project description	15%	Week 13 Due date: 01 Jun 2025 at 23:59	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Weekly Exercises and Coding Practice Questions to check mastery of contents in Weeks 2-13	10%	Weekly	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ? = early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Weekly Exercises and Coding Practice - 10%: All weekly lab exercises and coding practice must be completed individually. The problems and practice will assess your understanding of the contents covered each week. You need to submit them before due date. Your best 10 out of 12 submissions will be counted for 10%.

Early Feedback Quiz - 0%: This will be an online quiz taking place during week3. The quiz will cover content related concepts from Lectures 1-3, and the outcome will provide feedback on how you have mastered the concepts.

Project 1 - 10%: This will be an individual project on data visualization and processing.

Project 2 - 10%: This will be an individual project on dynamics simulation and optimization.

Grand Challenge Presentation - 5%: This will be a group presentation with recordings submitted in Week 9 on Canvas.

Grand Challenge Report - 15%: This will be a group project report to be submitted in Week 13 on Canvas.

Final exam - 50%: Covers all aspects of the course. This is a closed book examination. You are not allowed to access recources etc.

To pass this unit, a student must achieve at least 40% in the written examination, and also achieve an overall final mark of 50 or more. Any student not meeting these requirements may be given a maximum final mark of no more than 45 regardless of their average.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Introduction to Python (I)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Introduction to Python (II)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Introduction to Python (III)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Computational Thinking: Transforming Real-world Applications to Computing Problems	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Processing Data and Time-series (I)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Processing Data and Time-series (II)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Simulating Dynamical Processes (I)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Simulating Dynamical Processes (II)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Uncertainty, Complexity, and Society in a Computational World	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Optimizing Decision Making (I)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Optimizing Decision Making (II)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Revision	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Tutorial	Tutorial (2 hr)
Weekly	6 hours of independent study each week for reviewing course material, independent research, and practicing programming skills.	Independent study (78 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Course websites:

The course website on Canvas will contain information, including important announcements. Teaching staff will communicate with all students via Canvas which is considered part of the course. Students are expected to regularly visit Canvas to know these announcements and information concerning the format and schedule of assessment. Learning materials and assessments will also be stored at the course site on edstem.org/.

Attendance

Students are recommended to attend the weekly lectures and/or watch lecture recordings after the class. Students are recommended to attend their tutorial class each week for learning, support, and feedback. Students who are unable to attend a lecture or tutorial class will be responsible for catching up on the contents covered before the next class.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand computational problems and programming in an engineering context
LO2. Understand and apply fundamental programming principles including data types, variables, flow-control; sequences, if-then-else, loops, functions, input/output and arrays; to produce a program that solves a specified problem
LO3. Write programs that can visualize and process data and time series in engineering applications
LO4. Understand and apply principles in modeling and simulating dynamical systems with their states changing over time, and analyse, interpret, and draw conclusions from the simulation results
LO5. Understand principles in optimization and decision-making for engineering systems, and write programs that apply such principles in practical applications
LO6. Apply computational thinking and formulate computational problems in forms of data processing, dynamics simulation, and decision optimisation from real-world applications
LO7. Use programming as a fundamental tool for engineering problem-solving, and critically evaluate the outcomes and analyse their implications

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.3. Meaningful engagement with current technical and professional practices and issues in the designated field. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 5. PRACTICAL AND ‘HANDS-ON’ EXPERIENCE
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1. ENABLING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 4.2. Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2. IN-DEPTH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.6. Skills in the design and conduct of experiments and measurements.

Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.1		Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice.
1.2		Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles.
2.1		Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks.
2.2		Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains.
2.3		Meaningful engagement with current technical and professional practices and issues in the designated field.
2.4		Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity.
4.2		Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance.
5.1		An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis.
5.5		Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings.
5.6		Skills in the design and conduct of experiments and measurements.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This will be a new launch of a refreshed curriculum in 2025.

Additional information

Every week students must:

Attend and take notes for the Live lecture (Mondays) or watch and take notes for the Recorded lecture
Prepare for the Tutorial by reviewing reading, lecture and lab questions
Attend and participate in weekly Tutorial with tutor (as timetabled)

Computer programming assignments may be checked by specialist code similarity detection software. The Faculty of Engineering currently uses the MOSS similarity detection engine (see http://theory.stanford.edu/~aiken/moss/), or the similarity report available in ED (edstem.org). These programs work in a similar way to Turnitin in that they check for similarity against a database of previously submitted assignments and code available on the internet, but they have added functionality to detect cases of similarity of holistic code structure in cases such as global search and replace of variable names, reordering of lines, changing of comment lines, and the use of white space.

All written assignments submitted in this unit of study will be submitted to the similarity detecting software program known as Turnitin. Turnitin searches for matches between text in your written assessment task and text sourced from the Internet, published works and assignments that have previously been submitted to Turnitin for analysis.

There will always be some degree of text-matching when using Turnitin. Text-matching may occur in use of direct quotations, technical terms and phrases, or the listing of bibliographic material. This does not mean you will automatically be accused of academic dishonesty or plagiarism, although Turnitin reports may be used as evidence in academic dishonesty and plagiarism decision-making processes.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

This unit of study outline was last modified on 20 Feb 2025.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

ENGG1810: Introduction to Engineering Computing

Semester 1, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect