1. APSC 450 – Professional Engineering Practice: Course Outline
Winter Term 2017
Lectures: Weds 3-4pm in CIRS 1250; Friday 10-11am in BUCH A101.
Instructors in charge: Prof. Mike C. Stewart, mike.stewart@ubc.ca , 778-986-4818
Prof. Dr. Fariborz Taghipour, fariborz.taghipour@ubc.ca, 778-875-7414
Teaching Assistants: Maryam Dezfoolian, maryam.dezfoolian@alumni.ubc.ca
Caroline Giacomin, cgiaco@mail.ubc.ca
Resha Sabti, reshasabti@gmail.com
Subjects Covered:
 Engineering Law: The legal system in Canada, how engineers get into legal trouble and
how they can avoid it, business structures, contract law, employment and intellectual
property law; environmental and aboriginal law.
 Professionalism: APEGBC and self-regulation, communication and how to be
persuasive, basic entrepreneurship for engineers, decision making; the business of
engineering.
 Ethics: Moral issues, codes of ethics; ethical issues such as conflicts of interest, whistle-
blowing and how to deal with them; cases studies.
Course Delivery: A number of the lectures will be given by visitors from the legal, engineering
and business communities. Most lecture material will be posted on the course website, but it is
important to attend classes, where the material will be explained and expanded upon and where
there will be opportunities for discussion. Coverage in the final examination will include what
is presented verbally in the lectures, as well as what is posted as lecture notes and readings on
the course website.
Marking Scheme: Students will be assessed by one quiz, one individual assignment, a follow-on
group assignment (video presentation) and a final examination. Details of each will be
explained in class. The final exam will be a combination of multiple answer questions and short
answer questions. The mark distribution will be:
In-class Quiz taking place on FEB 10 (Bring you laptop/phone) 15%
Assignment Part 1: Hollywood story script individual assignment 10%
Assignment Part 2: Group Presentation (YouTube Video) 25%
Final Exam* 50%
*You must pass the Final Exam to pass the course.
100%
Textbook: None; extensive notes; articles will be made available as assigned readings.
Quiz: The quiz will take place in class on FEB 10. Bring your electronic device to class. In order
to write the quiz, you must be able to access UBC Connect. You need a CWL id and password
to log into the course website. If you do not have one, or you cannot log in, visit UBC SSC at
https://ssc.adm.ubc.ca/.
Assignments: Assignment Part 1 is due as hard copy (i.e. paper) with name and student number
clearly marked at the top. Assignment Part 2 can be delivered on Connect. Any late
assignments will be penalized by a 10% deduction per late day.
Course Website:
www.connect.ubc.ca Course Code: APSC 450
Course Schedule: See over; also see the Course Website on UBC Connect.

2. APSC 450 – Professional Engineering Practice: Course Schedule
Winter Term 2017
Schedule and Speakers Subject to Change
APSC 450 Professional Engineering
Practice
Schedule for Fall Term, January
to April 2017
Date Lecturer Affiliation Lecture
Jan 4, Weds.
Mike Stewart &
Fariborz Taghipour
UBC Introduction to APSC 450
Jan 6, Fri Cancelled
Jan 11, Weds. Michael Isaacson UBC The Role of APEG BC
Jan 13, Fri. Mike Stewart UBC Introduction to the Legal System, Torts
Jan 18, Weds. Fariborz Taghipour UBC Conflicts of Interest
Jan 20, Fri. Mike Stewart UBC Communication and Presentation
Jan 25, Weds. Mike Stewart UBC Negligence
Jan 27, Fri. Greg Miller Lindsay Kenney When Things Go Wrong
Feb 1, Weds. Fariborz Taghipour UBC Ethics
Feb 3, Fri. Mike Stewart UBC The Act and APEGBC Code of Ethics
Feb 8, Weds. Mike Volker VANTEC/SFU Engineering and Entrepreneurship
Feb 10, Fri. Mike Stewart UBC
Quiz; Dispute Resolution,
Environmental Law, Aboriginal Law
Feb 15, Weds. Mike Stewart UBC Employment Law in BC
Feb 17, Fri. Michael Slater Slater Vecchio
Persuasive Communication;
Assignment pt. 1 due
Feb 22, Weds. Midterm Break
Feb 24, Fri. Midterm Break
Mar 1, Weds Catherine Roome BCSA Leadership
Mar 3, Fri. Craig Wallace SHK When Things Go Wrong - Part 2
Mar 8, Weds. Mike Stewart UBC
Business, Corporate Structures, Legal
Issues in Startups
Mar 10, Fri. Mike Stewart UBC Decision Making
Mar 15, Weds. Mike Stewart UBC Intellectual Property Law
Mar 17, Fri. Amrit Toor
Intech
Engineeing
Engineering in Practice: Forensic
Engineering
Mar 22, Weds. Mike Stewart** UBC
Cognitive Biases**IRON RING?? May
cancel
Mar 24, Fri. Ross Beatty Alterra Power
Engineering in Practice: Alternative
Energy & Assignment pt. 2 Due
Mar 29, Weds. Mike Stewart UBC Presentations
Mar 31, Fri. Mike Stewart UBC Review