Program Overview
In consultation with and under direction of a faculty member, students pursue scholarly activities individually or in teams. These projects may be interdisciplinary. The objectives of the Creative Inquiry program are to develop the following capabilities and characteristics in students:
- Reasoning and critical thinking skills
- Understanding of methods of scientific research
- Problem solving skills
- Communications and teamwork skills
- Ethical judgment
Program Structure
The Creative Inquiry program in the ECE Department consists of three courses: ECE 299, ECE 399, and ECE 499, which can be taken during the sophomore, junior, and senior years, respectively. In each of these classes, students interact with a faculty member on a project in a subject area which is of mutual interest. Each of the above courses can carry from one to four credit hours. Three credit hours of ECE 499 (or ECE H499) can be used to satisfy part of the Technical Elective requirements for either the Electrical Engineering program or the Computer Engineering program.
Outline of Creative Inquiry Classes
Since the ECE Creative Inquiry classes are customized for each student or team of students, there is not a "regular outline" as there is for traditional courses. However, the general outline of activities that will normally be followed in ECE 299, ECE 399, and ECE 499 is as follows:
- Talk with professors, perform web searches, and perform literature search to define activities for semester. (approximately 4 weeks)
- Meet regularly with faculty supervisor and team members, if applicable, to discuss plans, accomplishments, and problems associated with the project work. (approximately 9 weeks)
- Summarize activities and accomplishments in form specified by supervising professor. (approximately 2 weeks)
Normally, outside reading will be required for the student(s) to develop background needed for the project. This will be directed by the faculty supervisor and will typically include library search and web search.
Honors Sections
There is an Honors section associated with each of the above ECE Creative Inquiry courses, which can be taken by students in the Calhoun Honors College who are working on an Honors Thesis. The Honors versions of the three ECE Creative Inquiry Courses are described below:
ECE H299 - Students will be required to perform a literature search, under the direction of a faculty advisor, on potential topics for an honors thesis. At the end of the semester students will be required to provide a written report and an oral presentation to summarize their findings.
ECE H399 - Students will be required to perform a literature search, under the direction of a faculty advisor, on potential topics for an honors thesis. At the end of the semester students will be required to provide a written report and an oral presentation to summarize their findings. Students will also be required to develop and present a draft outline for an honors thesis.
ECE H499 - Students will be required to write an honors thesis based on research they conduct under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Three credit hours of ECE H499 (or ECE 499) can be used to satisfy part of the Technical Elective requirements for either the Electrical Engineering program or the Computer Engineering program.
More information about Clemson University Creative Inquiry program can be found here.
For more information about ECE Creative Inquiry projects, students should contact:
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Gowdy, John Professor, Undergrad Program Coordinator (864)656-5910 |