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Course Outline

ENG400 Heat Transfer

Course Coordinator:Ayodele Olofinjana (aolofinj@usc.edu.au) School:School of Science, Technology and Engineering

2026Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Heat transfer is an important part of many diverse areas of engineering. This course covers the fundamental physical processes of heat transfer, including the application of techniques to engineering problem solving. It extends upon the concepts and principles learned in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics courses. The course content will cover the three modes of heat transfer ' conduction, convection, and radiation ' and their application to the industry.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Lecture 1hr Week 1 13 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 3hrs Week 1 13 times
Laboratory 1 3hrs Not applicable 2 times

Course Topics

  1. Basic concepts in heat transfer
  2. Heat conduction
  3. Numerical analysis of heat conduction
  4. External forced convection
  5. Internal forced convection
  6. Natural convection
  7. Heat exchangers
  8. Radiation heat transfer

What level is this course?

400 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Explain and investigate the laws and principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer and use to solve problems. Knowledgeable
2 Investigate and apply the principles of heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) to complex systems. Knowledgeable
Empowered
3 Solve heat transfer problems by appraising information, determining applicable concepts, and providing and verify a solution. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
4 Communicate results through reports, sketching, and modelling Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

(ENG204 or MEC2102 USQ equivalent) or PHY201) and (ENG300 or MEC3102 USQ equivalent) and enrolled in Program SC411

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Students are assumed to have foundational skills in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Early feedback will be provided through the regular discussion of worked examples in class, as well as the summative quiz held in week 3 of semester.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Practical / Laboratory Skills Individual 20% 
Short answer questions
 Refer to Format In Class
All 2 Quiz/zes Individual 40% 
Short answer/numerical workings
 Refer to Format In Class
All 3 Report Individual 40% 
10 pages
 Refer to Format Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Laboratory reports
Goal: 
The goal of this task is to explain heat transfer principles through experimental applications and reporting on the results .
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Submit: Two labs during weeks 3 - 12. You will attend 2 laboratory sessions over the semester. You will attend 1 session between weeks 3-7 and 1 session between weeks 8-12.Prior to each session, you will complete a series of pre-lab questions online. During the session, you will conduct an experiment and complete a report. This report will be submitted at the end of the session. The experimental work will be conducted in a group format, however the pre-lab questions and the reports are to be submitted individually by all students. A template will be provided for the report submission
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Accuracy of the explanation and/or numerical result
2 
Investigation and application of heat transfer concepts
3 
Identification and verification of the system being analysed using sketches and modelling
4 
Communication of results
5 
Assessment criteria are mapped to the course learning outcomes.
 1 2 3 4
Generic Skills: 

                        

                    

                

                

                    

                        

                            
                                All - Assessment Task 2:Quizzes
                            
                        

                        

                            Goal:
                            
The quizzes are designed to evaluate your knowledge of heat transfer concepts and to demonstrate the use of standard methods to analyse heat transfer problems

                        

                        

                            Product:
                            Quiz/zes
                        

                        

                            Authorship Statement:
                            
                        

                        

                            Format:
                            
Submit: Weeks 3, 6, 9, 12. These quizzes will occur in Weeks 3,6,9, and 12 during the lecture session. You will respond to questions using short answer. The quizzes will cover all content taught prior to that week.

                        

                        

                            Criteria:
                            
                                

                                    
                                        

                                            No.
                                            
                                            Learning Outcome assessed
                                        

                                    
                                    
                                            

                                                1
                                                
Accuracy of the explanation and/or numerical result

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                2
                                                
Investigation and application of heat transfer concepts

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                3
                                                
Identification and verification of the system being analysed using sketches and modelling

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                    
                                

                            		
                        

                        

                            Generic Skills:
                            

                        

                    

                

                

                    

                        

                            
                                All - Assessment Task 3:Project
                            
                        

                        

                            Goal:
                            
The goal of this task is to apply fundamental heat transfer concepts to analyse the heating for a given situation.

                        

                        

                            Product:
                            Report
                        

                        

                            Authorship Statement:
                            
                        

                        

                            Format:
                            
The report will be submitted electronically in Week 15 and will be approximately 10 pages long (3000 word equivalent). You will be required to develop models and solve a number of heat transfer problems within the provided context. This will involve conducting research to determine material properties and identifying other necessary information.

                        

                        

                            Criteria:
                            
                                

                                    
                                        

                                            No.
                                            
                                            Learning Outcome assessed
                                        

                                    
                                    
                                            

                                                1
                                                
Accuracy of the explanation and/or numerical result

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                2
                                                
Investigation and application of heat transfer concepts

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                3
                                                
Identification and verification of the system being analysed using sketches and modelling

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                4
                                                
Communication of results

                                                
                                                
                                            

                                    
                                

                            		
                        

                        

                            Generic Skills:
                            

                        

                    

                

        

    

    

        

            

                
Directed study hours

                
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

            

                

                    
Schedule

                    

                        
                            

                                Period and Topic
                                Activities
                            

                        
                        
                                

                                    
1
Basic concepts of heat transfer

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
2	Heat conduction

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
3	Heat conduction (steady, fin approximation)

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
4	Heat conduction (transient)

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
5	Numerical analysis of heat conduction

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
6	Convection (forced external)

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
7	Convection (forced internal)

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
8	Convection (natural)

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
9	Heat exchangers

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
10	Thermal radiation

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
11	Radiation heat exchange

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
12	Radiation heat exchange

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Laboratory
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                                

                                    
13	Course review

                                    
Lecture
Workshop
Online module in Blackboard

                                

                        
                    

                

        

    


    

        

            

                
What resources do I need to undertake this course?

                

                    Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
                

            


            

                
Prescribed text(s) or course reader

                    

                        You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
                    

                    

                        
                            

                                Required?
                                Author
                                Year
                                Title
                                Edition
                                Publisher
                            

                        
                        
                                

                                    Required
                                    Y.A. Cengel and A.J. Ghajar
                                    2015
                                    Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications 
                                    (5th Edition in SI units)
                                    McGraw Hill
                                

                        
                    

            

        


        

            

                
Specific requirements

                    
Laboratory work will be undertaken in areas requiring students to wear closed footwear.

            

        

    


    

        

            
How are risks managed in this course?

            
Risk assessments have been performed for all studio and laboratory classes and a low level of health and safety risk exists. Some risk concerns may include equipment, instruments, and tools; as well as manual handling items within the laboratory. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

        

    


    

        
What administrative information is relevant to this course?


        

            

                
Assessment: Academic Integrity

                
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Additional Requirements

                Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Submission penalties

                Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
            

        


        

            

                
Links to relevant University policy and procedures

                
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

            

        


        

            

                
Student Charter

                
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful.  The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

            

        


        

            

                
General Enquiries

                
  • In person: 
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au

            

        

    







    

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