The program is part of the School of Engineering’s plan to enhance the breadth and depth of its undergraduate curriculum. It comprises 4 core courses and 12 electives. The core courses cover the legal perspective on engineering practices and operations, intellectual property law in engineering, project investment strategies and cost control, and engineering management. Electives will enable students to explore more specific aspects of the law in relation to engineering management.

While some may regard law and engineering as two widely different subjects, law is in fact an essential feature in engineering practice. For example, when engineers deal with their clients, there are service contracts specifying the rights and obligations between the two sides where contract laws are involved. When civil engineers carry out design works of a building, they have to understand Building and Environmental laws and regulations. When they supervise engineering or building works, they are expected to manage the engineering or building contract between the developer and the contractor. Newly invented engineering designs are protected by patents, including mechanical designs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and genomes. Software is protected by copyright. Integrated circuits enjoy special intellectual property protection. Without proper legal training, they will find it difficult to understand the  legal rights and obligations involved in today’s engineering practice and how they are affected.

As engineers encounter legal issues throughout their engineering careers, they would clearly see themselves disadvantaged in today’s legal-driven commercial environment if they do not possess legal knowledge. Yet, law is seldom taught in engineering courses and in general engineers have little legal knowledge.

It is therefore not only desirable, but imperative, to equip all specialties of engineers with legal knowledge. The minor program will train students to be multi-dimensional professionals with strong logical thinking and communication skills. It will significantly broaden students’ knowledge which they will find highly useful as they start their engineering careers in Hong Kong or other parts of the world.

Minor progam in Engineering Management and Law

Four Required Core Courses:

Project Investment Strategies and Cost Control   Legal Perspective of Engineering Practice and Operation   Engineering Management   Intellectual Property Law in Englineering

Two Elective Courses form:

Engineering Ethics and Professional Development   Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Systems   Principles of Project Finance   Infrastructure Project Delivery Systerms   Construction Law and Contract Administration   Engineering Bussiness Development   Quality and Process Improvement   Engineering Economy   Logistics Planning and Service Management   Product Design and Lifecycle Management   Engineering Ethics and Social Values   Engineering Risk Assessment and Decision Making