BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering: Course Overview and Learning Outcomes, Study notes of Civil Engineering

Download BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering: Course Overview and Learning Outcomes and more Study notes Civil Engineering in PDF only on Docsity! 1 V3 updated 07/06/2017 Nottingham Trent University Course Specification Basic Course Information 1. Awarding Institution: Nottingham Trent University 2. School/Campus: Architecture, Design and the Built Environment 3. Final Award, Course Title and Modes of Study: BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering Sandwich or Full Time 4. Normal Duration: Sandwich 4 years, Full Time 3 years 5. UCAS Code: H202 / H201 6. Overview and general educational aims of the course This degree course exposes you to the exciting and rapidly expanding world of construction, preparing you to take on the challenges of developing and maintaining the infrastructure required by the world at large. Civil engineering offers a rewarding and varied career where you can make a positive difference to the world in which we all live. Remember that without the infrastructure provided, developed and maintained by civil engineers the world as we know it today would not exist. The course develops together the theory and practice of civil engineering with an emphasis on the practical nature of civil engineering and the application and management of current technologies. The vocational nature of the course is further supported for students following the sandwich route by an acclaimed salaried supervised year in industry between the second and final academic years. The final year of the course builds upon the engineering knowledge and practice developed earlier in the course and broadens the curriculum addressing issues such people management, finance, professional ethics and transportation issues. The course is recognised by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT), the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and the Chartered Institution of Engineering Surveyors (CInstCES) and satisfies the educational requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status. In summary, the course aims to:  Encourage students to achieve and surpass their expectations on the most appropriate course through dedicated tutorial and pastoral support.  Equip students with the skills required to be valued member of the civil engineering profession directly upon graduation.  Provide an academically rigorous, professionally accredited, course of study that prepares students for wider graduate employment and equips them for lifelong learning. Opportunities exist for students who perform well at Level 4 (NQF 4) of the course to be considered, should they wish, for fast-track progression onto Level 5 (NQF 5) of the sister BEng Civil Engineering course – details available within the BEng Course Specification Admissions section. 2 V3 updated 07/06/2017 7. Course outcomes Course outcomes describe what you should know and be able to do by the end of your course if you take advantage of the opportunities for learning that we provide. Knowledge and understanding By the end of the course you should be able to:  Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key engineering principles and processes that underpin civil engineering (B)  Apply mathematics and science to the application of engineering principles within existing technology (B)  Monitor, interpret and use the results of analysis to solve civil engineering problems, apply technology and implement engineering processes (B)  Relate civil engineering to the wider global context considering social, environmental and ethical issues with an awareness of the legal framework (B)  Recognise the importance civil engineering has in the commercial and economic market place (B)  Demonstrate the requirement for civil engineering activities to promote sustainable development (B)  Convey a comprehensive awareness of the realm and context of design within the built environment and of the different customs and practices within the interrelated disciplines. (B) = indicates those outcomes that have been informed by the QAA Engineering (2015) Benchmark Statement and the Engineering Council Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes 3rd Edition Skills, qualities and attributes By the end of the course you should be able to:  Use creativity to solve engineering problems (B)  Design and adapt solutions according to customer and user needs ensuring fitness for purpose (B)  Identify environmental, sustainability, health and safety and risk issues in civil engineering and propose solutions (B)  Demonstrate a proficiency in the use of key technology, software, materials, standards and codes of practice related to the civil engineering industry (B)  Adapt to changing technology and new techniques (B)  Work effectively, and with intellectual curiosity, both independently and within teams (B)  Prepare and give technical reports and presentations proficiently in both the oral and written form  Demonstrate a range of transferable skills that will be of value in the world of work  Communicate clearly and effectively at different levels and with different parties involved in the design process within the built environment. (B) = indicates those outcomes that have been informed by the QAA Engineering (2015) Benchmark Statement and the Engineering Council Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes 3rd Edition 8. Teaching and Learning Methods A range of teaching and learning methods are used across the course and the particular method used for each module will depend upon the key learning outcomes of that module and the type of subject material being dealt with. Staff/student contact will include: individual and group seminars/tutorials, lectures, laboratory/practical sessions, interdisciplinary design projects, cross-year and cross- 5 V3 updated 07/06/2017 Mathematics 20 cps Total 120 cps Year 2, Level 5 Civil Engineering Construction 20 cps Construction Practice & The Environment 20 cps Engineering Skills 20cps Further Engineering Mathematics 20 cps Ground Engineering 20 cps Structural Engineering 20 cps Total 120 cps Work Placement (year 3) Industrial Placement period for Sandwich students Diploma/Certificate of Professional Practice Working in conjunction with the work placement office, you are assisted in identifying appropriate work placement opportunities which are then secured though a process of application and competitive interview. In order to qualify for the Diploma of Professional Practice you will normally have:  Completed 36 weeks (minimum requirement) of Professional Practice Placement with an approved organisation.  Received a satisfactory report from the employer.  Successfully completed the Professional Practice logbook / presentation. A Certificate in Professional Practice is available for the successful completion of shorter periods of placement work experience (a minimum of 10 weeks). NOTE: A Sandwich award will not be conferred with a Certificate in Professional Practice Further information regarding the placement learning framework can be found by visiting the Placement Information area of the NOW Workspace. Final Year, Level 6 Individual with Group Project 40 cps Management & Transportation Studies 20 cps Further Structural Engineering 20 cps Ground Engineering, Water Resources & The Environment 20 cps Professional Responsibilities & Development in Civil Engineering 20 cps Total 120 cps Overall Total 360 cps 11. Admission to the course Applicants to the course need a technically enquiring mind, to enjoy problem solving and possess an ability to approach any problem with an open mind. They should be ‘team players’ who can develop the ability to communicate clearly in a technical environment. They need to be prepared to follow an active, varied and exciting career, dealing with projects that are often worth many millions of pounds. A desire to enhance the built environment in a sustainable manner is also a key quality. For admission to the course, you would need 104 UCAS points which can come from three A-levels or equivalent qualifications: Note  Those applicants with a BTEC National Diploma in an Engineering subject (18 Units not including early years) must have achieved - Grade Distinction and 6 V3 updated 07/06/2017 grade Merit and grade Merit.  All applicants are required to have GCSE maths at grade C or above and GCSE English at grade C or above (literature and language). Non-UK qualifications will be asessed in comparison to their UK equivalents, for example IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 550 or CBTOEFL 213 instead of GCSE Grade C in English. Please note applications are welcomed from students without these normal qualifications. In addition students may be considered for entry beyond the beginning of the course if they possess appropriate prior qualifications or experience. If applying through this route you will need to provide a portfolio of supporting evidence which will be assessed against the course level learning outcomes and also to attend an interview with the Admissions Tutor. Students from the Nottingham Trent University BSc (Hons) Civil Engineering course are elligible to be considered for entry directly onto the second year of the BEng course if they gain an overall first year aggregate mark of 60%, including at least 65% in Mathematics and with no failed modules. Students transferring by this route will be required to undertake bridging studies in the area of Structural Mechanics to demonstrate competency in the Level 1 (NQF 4) BEng course outcomes. Selection is by application form, open days and, where appropriate, interview. All applicants are invited to attend open days. Competence in written and spoken English is essential. Applicants from overseas need to have a minimum score of either IELTS 6.5 (with minimum of 5.5 in reading, listening, speaking and writing) and for TOEFL (IBT) 83 (with minimum reading:18, listening: 17, speaking: 20, writing: 17) unless their previous studies were undertaken in English. A full list of all English language qualifications accepted by the University is available on our website www.ntu.ac.uk/englishlanguage. There is an entry profile available on the UCAS website. The entry profile will give you more information about the course. It provides further details about entry qualifications, selection criteria and desirable personal characteristics. Direct entry from Partner Institutions with advanced standing Agreements Applications for direct entry to the second or third year of the course will be considered from suitably qualified candidates at a partner institution with which the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment has signed an agreement for advanced standing provision. Candidates must have successfully completed two or three years of appropriate prior study (minimum average mark of 70%) and be able to evidence English language standards to a score of IELTS 6.5 (or its equivalent). 12. Support for Learning There is an induction course at the start of year 1 and for students entering directly into other years (including IT and library use) and you will receive a course handbook that provides all the essential information about the course and the support we provide for your learning. Returning students will receive refresher induction at the start of both year two and the final year. 7 V3 updated 07/06/2017 The academic staff teaching on the course are active within their professional fields and are supported by external practising engineers who provide guest lectures and project support. The course leader, assisted by year tutors, oversees all students enrolled on the course and the Course Team will monitor your progress on an individual basis. All staff operate an ‘open door’ policy and you are always welcome to call in for help and advice. A Placement Team will will assist you to find an industrial placement with a suitable company and provide detailed appropriate Health & Safety training. The Placement Team will also closely monitor your progress during your year of industrial placement. The library and other learning resources (equipment/plant/IT/laboratory provision) are continually updated to ensure they are fit for purpose. The University central Student Support Services offers a range of general, specialist and professional support services for students. 13. Graduate destinations / employability Gaining this award will open up the wide range of career opportunities that exist in civil engineering and related industries. The construction industry is at the heart of society and civil engineering graduates are potentially more likely than most other graduates to find employment directly upon graduation. Opportunities for career development exist worldwide with many civil engineering companies working on an international basis. The civil engineering courses at Nottingham Trent University have an enviable graduate recruitment record with graduates working for many of the major UK contractors and consultants. If you chose to work in the areas related to the subject discipline studied, we have a near 100% graduate employment record. Top UK companies return year on year to employ both placement students and graduates on very attractive starting salaries. Some graduates choose to venture into other sectors and are equally successful in gaining employment because of the transferable skills gained on their course. Other graduates continue in academia and go on to study for higher degrees. The University’s Careers Service is available to all students, offering individual consultation. 14. Course standards and quality  Student Representatives are members of the course committee which also monitors student feedback on module delivery.  You will be given detailed feedback on all assessed work.  The course is overseen by an External Examiner, who submits an annual report on the standards and quality of the course.  The Civil Engineering team has a longstanding and active relationship with various sectors of the construction industry. This group of senior civil engineers from the public and private sectors (some of whom are alumni) provide ideas, feedback and assistance in what we teach, the way we run courses and employment related issues.  The Joint Board of Moderators of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Chartered Institution of Highways &