Course Catalogue

The programme is designed to allow students without sufficient qualifications for level 4 entry to the programme to develop a high level of technical expertise together with the leadership skills needed to practice successfully as a professional engineer in the modern international civil engineering environment. The knowledge and skills gained from this programme are designed to enable graduates to make an immediate contribution to their employers, and to enable them to progress to an MSc or PhD in Civil Engineering. The educational aims of the BEng (Hons) Fnd in Civil Engineering are to: Provide a well-balanced education which allows the student to achieve their full academic potential and in doing so to facilitate the development of independent logical thought and judgement. Enable the student to develop their intellectual, analytical and critical abilities in order that they might exercise those abilities within civil engineering. Deliver an educational experience for the students which enables them to develop their knowledge of those scientific, mathematical and computational principles and methods relevant to civil engineering. Develop the students’ ability to apply engineering concepts and tools to the solution of civil engineering problems. Facilitate the development of design capability, from the understanding of customer needs through to the development and evaluation of innovative designs. Encourage and enable students to develop the full range of communication skills. Enable students to solve technical and intellectual challenges within the field of civil engineering, taking into consideration business, social, ethical and sustainability issues. Provide the opportunities for students to combine theory with practice through the practical application of engineering skills. Provide graduates with a range of highly relevant transferable skills such as team working, problem solving, self-learning as a foundation for lifelong CPD, and the ability to exercise initiative and personal responsibility. Develop skills to ensure that the graduate will operate within a sound Health and Safety framework as provided by the regulatory framework of the industry. Develop critical awareness of all aspects of sustainability to ensure that graduates operate responsibly within their chosen discipline, and make positive choices in this context. Encourage students to engage with the development of employability skills by completing a self-awareness statement. The programme aims specific to level 3 are: - study effectively as reflective and independent learners at level 4 and above - select and apply appropriate basic mathematical techniques to engineering and technology problems - use basic physical models and understand how physical principles underpin a range of engineering and technology disciplines - appreciate how algorithms and computer systems are used to solve problems, analyse data and make decisions - carry out an effective experimental investigation

Teaching includes lectures, tutorials, problem solving sessions, seminars, workshops, laboratory and computer sessions, off-site learning activities (including a surveying field course),participation in a group projects. Case studies from industry practitioners, and the use of real examples from within civil engineering, add to the student knowledge and understanding. Specific work based modules will require the students to analyse and comment on their own work experiences and the techniques and practices to which they are exposed. The main vehicle for the skills development will be through the projects which involve verbal and visual presentations to a panel of experts, backed up by written reports. The major vehicles for practical skills are laboratory work, field work including the surveying field course week, and the research project at level 6. Assessment is by a combination of unseen examinations, open book examinations, assignments, preparation of reports, design tasks, oral presentations, visual presentations, workshops, peer review, computer-based exercises, work placement reports.

To put the students' learning into appropriate vocational contexts project modules at all levels are assessed in realistic, industrially relevant contexts. At each level of the course students participate in cross disciplinary project modules and a major design project in the final year, mentored by industry, develops this further.