Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Development from Perspectives of Undergraduate Students: ME Senior Exit Survey

Most of the modern educational institutes adopted standard-based curriculum development, which means that the educators set standards or bars for the students to reach. Generally, tests or examinations were used to assess the student's mastery of the specific knowledge and skills. The initiative of curriculum development is from the perspectives of instructors and policymakers. In recent decades, the needs of the real world shifted quickly and became more and more diverse. For example, the existing mechanical engineering curriculum was challenged by real-life industrial needs. Universities must reform their curriculum development according to the new challenges and requirements from different perspectives, including the student's perspectives. One of the feedback forms from the students is the senior undergraduate student survey, which shows the strengths and weaknesses of the current curriculum in their eyes. Students with different career plans and socioeconomic backgrounds could have various learning requirements and perceptions. The standard-based curriculum does not always match their needs. The author of the present paper has taught undergraduate students from freshmen to senior students and collected the senior exit survey results for two consecutive semesters from a public university. The senior exit survey indicated different views from those of faculty members. Providing a personalized curriculum to individual students could boost their motivation and desire to achieve their career goals. By doing that, we can provide students with a solid and rewarding foundation for academic and personal success and increase retention rates.