While there are no obligatory prerequisites for enrolling in Models in Engineering, having the following suggested career experience and familiarity with certain concepts can enhance the relevance and understanding of the course:
- A bachelor's degree is recommended.
- Minimum Career Experience: 1-2 years of work experience in a technical field.
- Average Career Experience: 5-15 years of work experience.
- Past experience in modeling, regardless of the domain (computation, physics-based simulation, testing, etc.), can be helpful in understanding the challenges and opportunities of modeling, but specific modeling languages or experience are not required.
- No management experience is required, but some class materials may touch on teamwork and general management topics related to architecture and complex projects.
Incoming learners are expected to be familiar with the following concepts related to System Architecture and Model-Based Systems Engineering:
- Systems Engineering "V" model.
- Product Development Reference Models: Stage-Gate Reviews, Waterfall, Spiral, Agile.
- Requirements engineering, including principles for developing clear and concise requirements, requirements flow-down, and management tools.
- Identifying customer needs and conducting voice of the customer analysis.
- Proficiency in spreadsheet software (such as Excel) and basic spreadsheet modeling.
While not obligatory, familiarity or experience in the following areas is preferred:
- Early-stage product development.
- Product lifecycle, including aftermarket and maintenance.
- Functional analysis.
- Basic concept development methods (Morphological Matrix, QFD).
- Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE).
- Integrating or connecting models together.
- Verification and validation.
Having these prerequisites and familiarity with the concepts will help you engage more effectively with the course material and derive greater benefit from the learning experience.