School of Engineering & Built Environment. MSc Sustainable Urban Environments. Programme Specification Proforma 15-16

Transcription

1 School of Engineering & Built Environment MSc Sustainable Urban Environments Programme Specification Proforma 15-16

2 GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY Programme Specification Proforma PS1 1. General programme information 1.1 Key programme information The purpose of this submission is to seek the approval of the following programme: Programme Title: MSc Sustainable Urban Environments Final Award: MSc Sustainable Urban Environments Exit Awards PgD Sustainable Urban Environments PgC (Unnamed) Awarding Body Glasgow Caledonian University School School of Engineering and Built Environment Host Department Construction & Surveying UCAS Code Not applicable PSB Involvement Place of Delivery GCU, Glasgow Subject Benchmark Statement Not applicable Modes of Delivery Full-time / Part-time Duration of Programme 1 year full-time / 2 years part-time Programme Leader Prof Rohinton Emmanuel Date of PS Preparation / Revision 02 September P age

3 2. Educational aims of the programme The explosive urban growth in our times coupled with the challenges posed by a changing climate emphasises the need for experts and professionals who are equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills to lead the management of urban environments in a sustainable and climate-sensitive manner. The aim of the MSc in Sustainable Urban Environments is to produce high calibre post-graduates who are equipped with skills and knowledge to assess and manage climate change in the urban environment in a sustainable manner. The educational objectives of the programmes are: Establish critical understanding of the complexity of urban sustainability and the need for local action to combat this global issue Evaluate competencies in sustainable and climate orientated planning and design in existing and future urban settings Apply principles of sustainability in key professional areas, such as urban planning Develop critical intellectual and practical skills in the collection, analysis, interpretation of data related to urban environments within the context of sustainability Appreciate the role of planning in managing urban climate change and the need for explicit and inclusive community engagement Enhance interpersonal, communications and other transferable skills so that graduates are competent to operate in senior positions in both public and private sectors Develop skills in research methods and practices to allow for advanced research in urban sustainability to be undertaken. The broad scope of the programme is designed to stretch students educational horizons across traditional subject boundaries, encompassing areas normally associated with planning, urban design, engineering, management, economics, legislation and others. Thus students will need to understand and develop technical and non-technical arguments at an advanced level. Students are supported to develop transferable skills in line with the University s Framework for Employability Assets. MSc work, case studies and industrial engagement activities are designed to enhance career opportunities in urban professions such as environmental consultancies, real estate development, local and national government and the third sector. 2.1 Patterns of delivery Full-Time The full-time mode is designed to serve the needs of applicants from a range of undergraduate programmes who wish to further their studies at advanced level, for mature students wishing a career change and for international students who wish to come to the UK to study. Full-time students would normally complete the programme in one year. Part-Time Part-time students will follow the well-established pattern adopted across the School, where students attend for one day or two half-days per week. All modules are web-enhanced using the Managed Learning Environment (GCU Learn) giving access to both FT and PT students to additional learning materials and other resources. 3 P age

4 Student Study Routes Mode of Attendance T1 T2 T3 T1 T2 T3 T1 T2 T3 Total Duration FT Sept. start xxxx xxxx MSc 12 months FT Jan. start xxxx xxxx MSc 16 months PT Sept. start xx xx xx xx MSc 24 months PT Jan. start xx xx xx xx MSc 28 months Notes: T1, T2, T3 = Trimester1, Trimester 2, Trimester 3 of the GCU academic calendar X = one taught module The MSc Dissertation / is normally expected to take four months to complete. However students may choose to defer submission if it is considered that the quality of the work will be significantly improved as a result 4 P age

5 4. Programme structures and requirements, modules, credits and awards The programme follows the standard Glasgow Caledonian University model for postgraduate programmes. There are 4 modules per trimester (total 8 taught modules), each valued at 15 SHEM credit points. The Masters dissertation is a 60-credit module, normally completed during the summer months. Each 15-credit module corresponds to approximately 150 hours of notional student effort (including various forms of class contact, private study and assessment). The programme is offered on both a full-time and part-time basis. The duration of the full time mode is one calendar year and part time students are normally expected to complete the taught modules in two years. Part time students normally attend the university one day per week studying two modules.. In accordance with the University guidelines, the following exit awards are available: Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Diploma Master of Science 60 credits 120 credits 180 credits Hence a student completing the 8 modules and accumulating 120 credits would be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Urban Environments. On successful completion of the 8 modules and the project, the student would be awarded the MSc in Sustainable Urban Environments. A student accumulating 60 taught credits would be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Certificate (un-named). The programme structure is shown in Table 1 below: Table 1: Programme structure Module Code Module Title Core / Credit Elective MMK Urban and Interactive Planning CORE 15 MMK Managing Change for Urban Sustainability CORE 15 MMK Sustainable Cities CORE 15 MMF Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and CORE 15 Environmental Management* MMK Climate Change in Urban Environment CORE 15 MMK Data Management for Urban Environment CORE 15 MMH Climate Change and Carbon Management* ELECTIVE 15 MMK Sustainable Design and Construction* ELECTIVE 20 MMH Environmental Planning and Impact Assessment* ELECTIVE 15 MMJ Renewable Energy Technologies* ELECTIVE 15 MMH Climate Justice* ELECTIVE 15 MHK Urban Regeneration* ELECTIVE 20 MMH * 60 The following awards can be made: Postgraduate Certificate (PgC): for four postgraduate modules (60 SHEM credits), equivalent to 1 trimester of full-time study or 2 trimesters of part-time study; 5 P age

6 Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) in Sustainable Urban Environments for a further four modules (total 120 SHEM credits), equivalent to 2 trimesters of full-time study or 4 trimesters of part-time study; Master of Science (MSc) for the equivalent of a further 1 trimester of student effort (total 180 SHEM credits), being a project dissertation. The MSc degree is awarded as follows: MSc Sustainable Urban Environments for students who have completed the PgD, including the six compulsory modules and two optional modules and a dissertation on an urban environmental theme. The mapping of modules to programme learning outcomes is provided in Appendix A of this document. 4.1 Selection of taught modules When students first register and attend the University the Programme Leader will provide advice and guidance to help them select modules appropriate to their prior experience and learning, interests and future career aspirations; the aim is to match, as far as is practicable, the learning requirements specific to the student with the portfolio of modules on offer. Students admitted to the programme will have every opportunity to complete the requirements of the programme specification. However, modules are subject to minimum and maximum numbers, and therefore it cannot be guaranteed that any specific module will be available for any specific cohort. Should a module not be available for any reason, students will be asked to select an alternative module to study. 4.2 Masters dissertation/project All students are required to complete the Masters Dissertation/ module, which is based on a significant body of individual research. The subject of the research will be an area of interest to the student but aligned to the three thematic focus areas of sustainable urban environments, and will be based on a proposal written by the student and submitted to the Dissertation/ Cocoordinator. The area of research chosen should be of the required subject and intellectual depth and should provide a suitable match with previous study. This may require increased technical depth or greater breadth of subject matter relating to previous projects, case studies or dissertation undertaken by the student. The programme aims to support the research by allocating the student a relevant urban professional from our Industrial Liaison Group who will provide advice, access to data, and feedback where relevant. 6 P age

7 8. Assessment regulations GCU s current Assessment Regulations (University Assessment Regulations: Taught Postgraduate Programmes, June 2014) apply to this programme. Programme specific aspects: Paragraph 13: In order to satisfy the examiners in any module, candidates must obtain an aggregate mark of 50% or greater. For modules assessed by a combination of a coursework component and an examination component, in addition to achieving an aggregate mark of 50% or greater, candidates must obtain a mark of 45% or greater in each of the coursework and the examination components. Paragraph 24: PgC (unnamed) may be awarded for successful completion of any four taught modules. PgD Sustainable Urban Environment may be awarded for successful completion of the eight taught modules. Assessment Boards (Regulation 1.14 Appendix 1) This postgraduate programme has PgD and MSc exit points at the end of Trimester 1, 2 and in September. The Assessment Board will meet formally at all three points and consider all marks for all students. Role of External Assessor: External Assessors are appointed to the Assessment Board after being approved by University LTSC via External Examiner Appointment Panel (through the submission of an EXT1 form). The duties of an External Assessor can be found in the Regulations for the Appointment and Responsibilities of External Examiners ( The duties of an External Assessor will include the following: To ensure that the standard of any award which is recommended by the Assessment Board is comparable to the standard of similar awards conferred by Universities in the UK. To be satisfied that the work and decisions of the Assessment Board are consistent with the policies and regulations of the University and best practice in Higher Education To ensure that students have been assessed fairly and within the regulations approved by the University for the Programme To comment on the appropriateness and consistency of assessment practices and procedures across the modules which comprise the award? To inform the University on any matter which, in the External Assessor s view, militates against the maintenance of proper academic standards To inform the Director of Governance and Academic Quality if they decide to resign over a matter of principle in order that this may be brought to the attention of Senate as a matter of urgency To produce an annual report for consideration by the School Board and the Learning and Teaching Subcommittee, on the standards attained by students on the programme and any other matters which may seem appropriate to report. 7 P age