Measurement science versus measurement technology in the engineering curriculum

Measurement education within many engineering curricula may be described as `elementary´ and `traditional´. In this paper it is argued that this style of presentation, with its emphasis on `recipe´ and traditional measurements, is increasingly inappropriate for the requirements of modern engineering practice. This paper outlines two contrasting undergraduate units (subjects) in which measurement engineering is presented in a generic but systematic manner within two separate degree courses in electrical/electronic (and other) engineering. Both these subjects emphasise the science of measurement and measurement system design rather than the technology involved, this provides the student with a basis for, and some experience in, applications spanning a wide range of measurement requirements