Unit Outline

This unit introduces first-year engineering students to the fundamental principles of electrical engineering, with a focus on electrification's transformative role in modern industries. Students will develop a strong foundation in DC and AC circuit analysis, learning key concepts such as Kirchhoff’s laws, Thevenin and Norton equivalents, and time-domain and frequency-domain analysis. The unit integrates theory with hands-on laboratory experiences, reinforcing key skills through simulation and circuit construction.

Students will also explore the broader implications of electrification, including its impact on energy efficiency and sustainability across industries. Case studies will highlight real-world applications of electrical engineering principles, providing insight into innovation, renewable energy integration, and sustainable power solutions.

The unit places a strong emphasis on safe engineering practices, ensuring students are equipped with both the theoretical and practical knowledge required for advanced studies in electrical engineering.

The unit serves as a foundation for Analogue Electronics, where students build upon circuit principles to design and optimise electronic systems.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Apply fundamental electrical principles to analyse and construct basic electrical circuits in a DC context.
2	Analyse the dynamic behaviour of electrical circuits using time-domain analysis techniques.
3	Analyse the steady-state behaviour of electrical circuits in an AC context.
4	Explain the role of electrification in transforming various industries by focusing on energy efficiency and sustainability.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Concurrent Pre-requisite	KMA154

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This is a newly run P4V unit.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Laboratory	Week 11	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:	Electrification Assignment	Week 12	20 %	LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Online Quizzes	Refer to Assessment Description	10 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 4:	Exam	Exam Period	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Laboratory

Task Description:

In a series of 4 labs, students will work in pairs to analyse various RLC circuits, including DC circuits, transient circuits ands AC circuits. Students will be assessed during each lab class against a series of competencies and on their ability to complete analysis of observations (6% per lab session - pairs); in addition, for one of the lab activities students will be required to complete an individual written assessment (6% - individual) and submit this in week 8 or 9, one week after their lab session has been conducted.

These labs provide a hands-on experience, allowing students to use mathematical techniques, simulate electrical engineering problems and construct, analyse, and observe circuit performance. The lab activities will provide students with hands-on experiences and real-world perspectives, and an opportunity to apply their analysis skills developed in seminar and tutorial classes.

The use of Generative AI is permitted in preparing the written lab submission, but it must be acknowledged and a clear statement of how it was used should be included.

Task Length:

12 hours in the lab with proforma, plus 4-page written submission

Due Date:

Week 11

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Combine parallel and series configurations of components, and use voltage divider rule to explain observations.	LO1
2	Apply Kirchhoff's Voltage Law, Kirchhof's Current Law and Nodal Analysis techniques to solve DC circuits and explain practical measurements and observations.	LO1
3	Use circuit simulation tools for basic circuit design and verification.	LO1
4	Analyse the response of an RC, RL, and/or RLC circuit subjected to a step response input.	LO2
5	Use transient circuit analysis to select components so that an RC or RLC circuit produces a desired target response.	LO2
6	Construct and troubleshoot DC circuits, measure DC circuit quantities and relate observations to theory.	LO1
7	Construct RC, RL and/or RLC circuits, perform transient measurements and explain circuit behaviour.	LO2
8	Construct AC circuits, measure quantities and relate key observations to AC circuit theory.	LO3
9	Use AC circuit analysis techniques to explain observed relationships between both amplitude ratio and phase shift with frequency	LO3
10	Analyse the AC response of an RLC circuit to enable circuit component selection to achieve a desired frequency response.	LO3
11	Use circuit simulation tools to assist with transient circuit design and to assist with validating circuit response.	LO2

Assessment Task 2: Electrification Assignment

Task Description:

Students will work in pairs to assess a specific industrial application for the potential benefits of electrification.

Research and analysis techniques will be applied to explain the potential of electrification for the improvement of energy efficiency and sustainability to the chosen industrial application. This builds the students' understanding of the environmental impacts of electrification of industries. Responses will be documented in a formal report.

Technical knowledge developed through the seminar and unit content and the development of new ideas will be required to complete this assignment.

Possible AI use required. For example, students may be required to use generative AI tools to analyse the applicability of electrification for their chosen industry / sector. This will involve the development of an appropriate question to ask the AI as well as a critical review of the AI response. Use of Gen AI should be acknowledged, with a brief description provided detailing how it has been used.

This assessment task will require an individual response, from each separate group member, as well as the written group report.

Task Length:

10 pages

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Outline the impact of electrification on industry.	LO4
2	Analyse case studies that demonstrate the role of electrification in innovation and sustainability.	LO4
3	Describe the features and advantages of 3-phase electricity for transport of electrical energy to end users.	LO4
4	Quantify via estimation and calculation, using accepted metrics, the impact of electrification on usage of different energy types and on emissions.	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Online Quizzes

Task Description:

Students will complete a series of 6 online quizzes throughout semester, each corresponding to content and tutorial problems that have been worked through in class over the preceding two weeks. The intent of the quizzes is to give students an opportunity to test their learning and to grow confidence in their problem-solving skills, contemporaneously with topics being covered, and to build marks against relevant ILOs.

Students are required to complete each quiz at a time of their own choosing, within a 3 day window at the end of weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12. Quizzes are each worth equal marks, and are identical in format. Upon completing a quiz, students will be provided with immediate marks and feedback and offered a chance to re-attempt the quiz, with the highest attempt score being used. Each attempt of a quiz will contain different numerical input parameters.

Students should not use Generative AI to answer quiz questions.

Task Length:

6 x 1-hour online quizzes

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse circuits containing both independent and dependent sources.	LO1
2	Apply the principles of conservation of energy and power.	LO1
3	Combine passive components in parallel and series, and apply the Voltage Divider Rule and Current Divider Rule to solve DC circuits.	LO1
4	Apply Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL) & Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL), and the superposition theorem, to solve circuits.	LO1
5	Apply source transformation and use Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits.	LO1
6	Apply circuit laws and determine boundary conditions required to accurately explain the transient and steady-state behaviour of RC, RL and RLC circuits.	LO2
7	Analyse the transient behaviour of first-order RC or RL circuits.	LO2
8	Analyse the transient behaviour of second-order series or parallel RLC circuits.	LO2
9	Apply Nodal Analysis to solve meshed DC circuits containing multiple voltage and current sources	LO1
10	Perform frequency-domain circuit analyses using phasors.	LO3
11	Calculate real and reactive power in steady-state AC circuits.	LO3
12	Analyse circuits that have multiple AC sources with different frequencies using superposition and phasors.	LO3

Assessment Task 4: Exam

Task Description:

The exam will be centrally invigilated and will assess all non-practical unit content.
Students will apply fundamental electrical principles and analysis techniques to answer questions. The exam will assess students' skills in DC, transient and AC circuit analysis, drawing on skills and knowledge developed in seminar and tutorial classes.
Assessment security checkpoint for all non-practical assessment criteria.

Use of Generative AI is not permitted in the task.

Task Length:

3 hours

Due Date:

Exam Period

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain the fundamental properties and operations of a resistor with reference to its electrical quantities in the context of DC circuits.	LO1
2	Analyse circuits containing both independent and dependent sources.	LO1
3	Apply the principles of conservation of energy and power.	LO1
4	Combine passive components in parallel and series, and apply the Voltage Divider Rule and Current Divider Rule to solve DC circuits.	LO1
5	Apply Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL) & Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL), and the superposition theorem, to solve circuits.	LO1
6	Apply source transformation and use Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits.	LO1
7	Explain the fundamental operation of resistors, capacitors and inductors with reference to their electrical and electromagnetic quantities and in the context of transient circuits.	LO2
8	Analyse the transient behaviour of first-order RC or RL circuits.	LO2
9	Analyse the transient behaviour of second-order series or parallel RLC circuits.	LO2
10	Apply circuit laws and determine boundary conditions required to accurately explain the transient and steady-state behaviour of RC, RL and RLC circuits.	LO2
11	Perform frequency-domain circuit analyses using phasors.	LO3
12	Calculate real and reactive power in steady-state AC circuits.	LO3
13	Analyse circuits that have multiple AC sources with different frequencies using superposition and phasors.	LO3
14	Explain the fundamental operation of resistors, capacitors and inductors with reference to their electrical and electromagnetic quantities and in the context of AC circuits.	LO3
15	Apply Nodal Analysis to solve meshed DC circuits containing multiple voltage and current sources	LO1

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes and achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater.

1. To pass ILO1 (DC Circuits) your aggregate mark on the components of the Online Quizzes and the Exam assessing ILO1, weighted according to their contribution to the final mark, must be greater than or equal to 50%. This will consist of Quiz 1, Quiz 2 and Exam questions 1 and 2.

2. To pass ILO2 (Transient Circuits) your aggregate mark on the components of the Online Quizzes and the Exam assessing ILO2, weighted according to their contribution to the final mark, must be greater than or equal to 50%. This will consist of Quiz 3, Quiz 4 and Exam questions 3 and 4.

3. To pass ILO3 (AC Circuits) your aggregate mark on the components of the Online Quizzes and the Exam assessing ILO3, weighted according to their contribution to the final mark, must be greater than or equal to 50%. This will consist of Quiz 5, Quiz 6 and Exam questions 5 and 6.

4. To pass ILO4 (Industry electrification) your mark on the Electrification Assignment must be greater than or equal to 50%.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.