In order to pass this unit a student must obtain a mark of 50 or more for the unit (i.e. obtain a passing grade P/ CR/ D/ HD). There are no hurdle assessments.

Students enrolled in this unit with all written assessments will have the following university standard late penalty applied. Please see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/assessments for more information.

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of '0' will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. This is to allow the timely release of assessments to the rest of the class. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, and scheduled practical labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

In this unit, late submissions will accept as follows:

• Essay and critical analysis – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies

• Advanced materials selection and design study – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies

• Oral examination – NO, unless Special Consideration is Granted

All assessments will be graded according to standards set in the marking rubrics. Students will receive a numerical grade for each assessment which will be representative of a fail (0-49%), pass (50-64%), credit (65-74%), distinction (75-84%) or high distinction (85-100%) as defined by the university standards based assessment guidelines. The definitions of these standards will be posted on the iLearn page. All marking rubrics specific to each assessment will be released on the iLearn page indicating requirements to achieve a particular standard. These will be released well in advance of the assessment due date or are specified below.

Essay and critical analysis (30/100)

This individually assessed assignment evaluates the student’s ability to conduct a literature review and critically analyze the unique properties and applications of a chosen advanced engineering material. Students should explore its advantages, limitations, and potential innovative uses across various industries. The assessment emphasizes the synthesis of technical information and the development of a well-structured, evidence-based argument. A detailed rubric will be provided in the assessment handout.

Advanced materials selection and design study (30/100)

In this assignment, students will conduct a data-driven material design study focused on a complex, real-world engineering application. The task involves integrating literature-based analysis, materials database tools, and advanced engineering principles to propose and justify the optimal material selection for a high-performance application. Students will define design requirements, review relevant literature, and systematically screen candidate materials. Selection will be based on key criteria such as performance, sustainability, cost, and manufacturability. The outcome will be a comprehensive technical report that clearly documents the decision-making process and presents a well-justified final recommendation. Design report will be assessed according to a rubric to be made available on the iLearn page.

Oral Examination (40/100)

In this short, structured session, students will present a brief overview of their chosen application, design requirements, and final material recommendation, followed by a question-and-answer segment with examiners. The oral examination assesses the student’s understanding of advanced engineering materials principles, their ability to justify design decisions, and their critical thinking in evaluating alternatives. It also serves to confirm the originality of the work and the student’s ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world engineering problems.

Assessment Tasks

There is no single core text for this course. However, the following texts are recommended:

1. Callister, W. D., & Rethwisch, D. G. (2022). Fundamentals of materials science and engineering. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Ashby, M. F., & Jones, D. R. (2012). Engineering materials 1: an introduction to properties, applications and design (Vol. 1). Elsevier.

First offering in S2 2025