| Course Information | Grading | Written Assignments | Project | Independent Research | Class Participation | Resources |
Instructors |
Place and Time |
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Kennedy Library Building 35 Room 216A MW 10:10pm-12:00pm |
Develop research, communication, and problem solving skills by working on interdisciplinary projects that require innovative solutions to complex technological/social problems. This capstone experience provides the student the opportunity to demonstrate competency in their chosen Engineering and Liberal Arts concentrations. Examination of how to define LAES as a new field of study; analysis of the creative process and team building in theory and in application.
The “content” for this combined course will change every time it is offered, while keeping the same structure in place. Students who are “repeating” the course the second time (for LAES 302, previously LAES 411, credit) are required to serve in leadership roles for project work, serve as program mentors, and to conduct some additional, international-focused research and development work for the course and for the LAES program. Throughout the quarter, additional LAES students may also join us in a mentor, or “specialist” position to help you with projects and to further enhance our abilities to work together as a program.
Scott McCloud, "Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art", William Morrow Paperbacks, ISBN 978-0060976255
James Baldwin, The Evidence of Things Not Seen, ISBN 0-8050-3939-2
Tom Rath, "Strengths Finder 2.0", Gallup Press, ISBN 978-1595620156
| Written Assignments | 10% |
| MMF/Library Project | 30% |
| Feasibility Report | 10% |
| Mentor Report | 10% |
| Class Participation | 10% |
| PolyXpress Project | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
View this detailed grading policy.
Late Policy: Except for exceptional circumstances (e.g. a limb fell off), Late assignments will be given 0 points.
I will report all suspected incidents of academic dishonesty to the Office of Student's Rights and Responsibilities. If guilty, the student will receive an "F" in the course.
I will not be responsible for lost or misplaced assignments. I will also not be responsible for data loss on any disks you submit to me. Submit your assignments on a disk that contains only a copy of your assignment. If you lose data due to a system malfunction, you should have a backup. I will not accept system failure as an excuse for a missing assignment. Also, please be sure you remove any detected viruses from every electronic file you submit to through email or on a disk.
This class is highly experiential, as it is mainly based upon fluid course discussion and debate, therefore you need to be in class to understand what is going on this quarter. If you miss three or more classes during the quarter, for any reason, you will fail this course, no matter how well you are doing on other work. If you miss a class, it’s nearly impossible to make up for this absence through notes—your presence and participation is an essential part of what this class is all about. If you do need to miss a class, be sure you not only notify the instructors in advance (by email) but also notify the members of your work group. There is, however, one exception to this rule. If you are a member of a Cal Poly sports team or an official Cal Poly organization that requires you to travel for a competition, conference, or off-campus meeting, and this takes you away from Cal Poly on a day when we have class, the instructors will not count that absence against you. However, you need to provide the instructors, well in advance of the absence, with an official letter from the Cal Poly organization that excuses you from attending classes for that day. However, if you are on campus, and some Cal Poly group meeting (practice, conference, presentation) conflicts with class time, you still are required to attend class. The instructors will not give incompletes for this course.
| Assignment | Due | Points |
| Written Assignment #1 (html) | 5% | |
| Written Assignment #2 (html) | May 28 |
5% |
In addition to the deliverables outlined in the "Project Schedule" section below, you'll need to do the following:
| Milestones | Due | Points |
| Project Proposal Presentation (pdf) | April 14 | 10% |
| Final Presentation (pdf) | May 14 | 10% |
| Final Paper (pdf) | 10% |
After completion of the MMF and Library projects, the entire class will on the PolyXpress project. The final deliverable for this project will be an on-location walkthrough of each groups PolyXpress story. This will serve as the course's final examination and will be due during Final's week.
| Milestones | Due | Points |
| Project Proposal Presentation | 10% | |
| PolyXpress Chapter: Draft (pdf) | 10% | |
| PolyXpress Chapter: Final (pdf) | June 13 (final's week) | 10% |
This class is designed to introduce you not only to the program in Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies, but to also introduce you to the other students in the program who will be your colleagues, collaborators and research/development partners for your remaining years at Cal Poly. Therefore, we will spend a portion of every course meeting working through various issues involved with group dynamics and project management. You will be collaborating with many people, on many diverse projects that are open to rapid change and revision. You therefore need to be willing to work well with others, to learn how to share your ideas with a large, continually changing group, and how to adapt quickly to changing project demands.
Each student is required to write one independent, original research paper that explores indepth one issue/topic related to one of the course's projects. In addition, we have assigned a "mentor" assignment that is bit unrelated to our current project work, but is meant to aid you in defining you future careers and to help you start building your professional network.
| Assignment | Due | Points |
| Feasibility Study (html) | April 21 | 10% |
| Mentor Report (html) | June 4 | 10% |
This class is highly experiential, as it is mainly based upon fluid course discussion and debate, therefore you need to be in class to understand what is going on this quarter. If you miss three or more classes during the quarter, for any reason, you will fail this course, no matter how well you are doing on other work. If you miss a class, it's nearly impossible to make up for this absence through notes -- your presence and participation is an essential part of what this class is all about. If you do need to miss a class, be sure you not only notify the instructors in advance (by email) but also notify the members of your work group. There is, however, one exception to this rule. If you are a member of a Cal Poly sports team or an official Cal Poly organization that requires you to travel for a competition, conference, or off-campus meeting, and this takes you away from Cal Poly on a day when we have class, the instructors will not count that absence against you. However, you need to provide the instructors, well in advance of the absence, with an official letter from the Cal Poly organization that excuses you from attending classes for that day. However, if you are on campus, and some Cal Poly group meeting (practice, conference, presentation) conflicts with class time, you still are required to attend class. The instructors will not give incompletes for this course.