POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION Programme Title: Part of the MSc Engineering programme Awarding Body: Staffordshire University Institution: Faculty of Computing Engineering and Technology, Staffordshire University Final Awards: MSc Mechanical Engineering* + Intermediate Awards: (Not accredited) Mode of Study: PgC/PgD Mechanical Engineering Full Time/Part Time UCAS Codes: Not Applicable QAA Subject Benchmarks: Engineering Professional/Statutory Body: Awards marked + are accredited by the IET. Awards marked * are accredited by the IMechE. Entry Year 2017-18 If you require this document in a larger text or a different media please contact us.
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME All awards share the following generic aims: Be able to work independently in devising original solutions to problems, and in planning and implementing solutions at a professional level. To gain the ability to undertake independent continuing professional development to allow you to keep abreast of technical developments within your chosen field. To gain employment at a senior technical position within an appropriate engineering company. To gain a qualification that is recognised as contributing towards Chartered status within your profession. In addition the specific aims of each award are: MSc Mechanical Engineering To provide a deep understanding of a substantial body of work at the forefront of the Mechanical Engineering disciplines. To provide experience of applying advanced engineering technology to the solution of problems in a range of disciplines related to Mechanical Engineering. To provide the student with the specialist engineering knowledge needed to undertake independent Mechanical Engineering project work. To provide the student with the ability to communicate effectively with fellow Mechanical Engineering professionals. To provide the student with an understanding of the influence that engineering decisions have on the Engineering business. What is distinctive about this programme? The programme aims to provide students with an opportunity for structured continuing professional development recognised by an academic qualification that may contribute to the student s development as a professional. This award has been recognised by the IET and IMechE as contributing to a matching section leading to Chartered Engineer status. The structure and curriculum of the award have been designed such that graduates can become specialists in problem solving and project management within subject areas which are currently at the leading edge of their chosen field. Students will be exposed to the latest software based techniques appropriate to their chosen field. These techniques are in support of a sound understanding of engineering principles which is also provided as part of this course. 2 P age
As part of the teaching and learning process, it is expected that visits to local engineering companies will be organised. This will allow students to see their academic work in the context of industrial practice. The award provides the skills for students to become independent learners and not just consumers of taught material thereby allowing them to maintain their educational standing within the fast developing area of engineering. All awards in this programme offer the opportunity to undertake a work placement within a suitable company. The University will help and support students in finding such a placement and also provides assistance with CV writing, and interview technique. 3 P age
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES What will this programme teach me to do? At the end of your studies you should be able to: This is expressed in academic terms by the following table... OUTCOME HEADINGS Knowledge and Understanding PgC PgD MSc Demonstrate an understanding of knowledge which is at the forefront of your chosen engineering discipline. Demonstrate an understanding of a significant body of knowledge which is at the forefront of your chosen engineering discipline. Demonstrate an understanding of a significant body of knowledge which is at the forefront of your chosen engineering discipline. Learning Enquiry Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to advance your knowledge and understanding within the engineering discipline. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of methodologies and techniques, within engineering. Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to advance your knowledge and understanding within the engineering discipline and especially your chosen specialised field. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of methodologies and techniques, including Information Literacy, applicable to your chosen specialised field. Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to advance your knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level for continuing professional development. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of methodologies and techniques, including Information Literacy, applicable to your own specialised field and, where appropriate, propose new hypotheses. Analysis Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of current research within engineering. Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of current research within engineering especially your chosen specialised field. Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of current research, advanced scholarship, contemporary problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of engineering. Problem Solving Evaluate issues systematically making sound judgements in predictable situations. Evaluate complex issues systematically, making sound judgements in complex and unpredictable situations. Evaluate complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and employ appropriate decisionmaking in complex and unpredictable situations. Communication Communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences. Able to evaluate the audience and communicate your conclusions clearly and at an appropriate technical level. Application Demonstrate the application of knowledge in engineering. Demonstrate the application of knowledge in engineering especially your chosen specialised field. Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in engineering. Reflection Demonstrate the qualities Demonstrate the qualities Demonstrate the qualities and 4 P age
and transferable skills necessary for continued study. and transferable skills necessary for independent study and research. Show initiative, personal responsibility, self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems. transferable skills necessary for employment Show initiative, personal responsibility, selfdirection and originality in tackling and solving problems. Act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level. In more general terms the learning outcomes above can be expressed as follows... Postgraduate Certificate work independently to plan the physical and human resources needed to complete an engineering project and then monitor the progress of the project to a successful conclusion. apply advanced engineering technology to the solution of problems in a range of engineering subjects appropriate to your chosen field. review and appraise relevant technical literature making informed judgements on the accuracy and quality of engineering judgements made therein. Postgraduate Diploma In addition to the above... use specialist engineering knowledge needed to undertake work independently at an advanced level in a wide range of engineering subjects. communicate the outcome of your project work at a standard equivalent to that required for publication in a professional journal. understand the business implications of engineering decisions. Masters In addition to the above... bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills gained during the PgC and PgD phases of study by a significant piece of independent project work at an advanced level which could lead to the acceptance of a technical paper for a peer-reviewed conference or a professional journal. 5 P age
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE, MODULES AND CREDITS Programme Title : MSc Mechanical Engineering (Sep Start) L E V E L M Block 1 Block 2 ELEC70315 Control Systems ELEC70560 Research Methods & Project Management MECH70624 Design Technologies for Masters MECH70535 Advanced Engineering Materials MECH70647 Structural Integrity MECH70590 Applied Structural Integrity MECH70625 Energy Management Option Choose 1 from the list below (7) Block 3 ELEC70312 MSc Project OR ELEC70281 MSc Project by Distance Learning (60 Credits) Programme Title : MSc Mechanical Engineering (Jan Start) L E V E L M Block 1 Block 2 ELEC70315 Control Systems ELEC70560 Research Methods & Project Management MECH70535 Advanced Engineering Materials MECH70624 Design Technologies for Masters MECH70647 Structural Integrity MECH70590 Applied Structural Integrity Option Choose 1 from the list below MECH70625 Energy Management (7) Block 3 ELEC70312 MSc Project OR ELEC70281 MSc Project by Distance Learning (60 Credits) Options : Choose 2 from the list below MECH70610 Sustainable Design and Manufacture ELEC70280 Industrial Robotics and Control COWB70327 Technical Paper Authoring MECH60543 Industrial Responsibility (for industrially based students only) Potential Awards: Postgraduate Certificate - 60 credits from any of the taught modules listed above. Postgraduate Diploma - 120 credits from any of the taught modules listed above. Master of Science - 180 credits from any of the modules listed above including MSc Project. 6 P age
HOW WILL I BE TAUGHT AND ASSESSED? and Learning A substantial variety and range of teaching and learning strategies is used on these awards. These take the form of class attendance, directed reading, private reading, electronic delivery of learning material, computer simulations, discussions with supervisors, practical work, problem solving, working with peers in group activities, working with people in industry, literature reviewing and critically appraising published work, giving presentations, being interviewed, report writing, industrial visits and seminars. This variety of methods is designed to encourage you to become an independent learner so that you can continue to increase your knowledge even after you finish the course. and learning within the University is supported by electronic distribution of information and course management through the Blackboard virtual learning environment. Each module within the Faculty has a presence on Blackboard. Due to the nature of learning on an MSc this is particularly important ensuring a wide variety of resources are available to students independent of their geographic location or time of study. The system also provides a means of communication between students and lecturers both formal and informal through discussion forums. Many of the modules on the MSc have been developed to make full use of this facility and are used as exemplars of good practice. The information on Blackboard is in support of and not as a replacement for attendance at taught classes each week. The Faculty encourages students and supervisors to include an element of practical work in the project module. This may include design work, building of technical equipment, experimental measurements, implementing computerbased based solutions. This practical work is linked to the theoretical studies undertaken. Students also learn from the range of assessment activities that they are subjected to. These activities include making presentations, engaging in interviews, log-book preparation, and report writing. Students receive both written and verbal feedback on these activities from their tutors to assist them in further developing their skills. The substantial range of facilities available within the Faculty and the University, contribute to generating a research/academic community environment and culture which impacts favourably on MSc students. However, the resource that influences the learning of students most on these awards is probably the staff - their approach to supporting students, their specialist subject knowledge, and their knowledge of appropriate specialist texts and other support material that can contribute to student learning. 7 P age
Assessment Assessment serves two purposes. Firstly it gives students the opportunity to demonstrate that they have successfully understood the information they have been given. Secondly, and most importantly, assessment is also a continuation of the learning process. Revision for examinations and writing of reports allows students to practice what they have been taught and the feedback received from the lecturer can further direct them to enhance their knowledge and skills further. Most modules on the course are assessed by a mixture of coursework and examination. The coursework is designed to assess practical skills and problem solving ability whereas the examination will focus more on assessing knowledge and understanding. Some modules will be teaching practical applied skills and so may be assessed entirely by coursework which might include laboratory work, report writing and presentations. It is recognised that peer support is an important part of the overall learning process so students are encouraged to work in small groups where appropriate and in this case the work may be assessed as a group. In all cases the majority of the assessment for any module will be on individual work. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Entry Requirements (including IELTS score) For overseas students there is a requirement for English language at one of the following standards: IELTS 6.0 TOEFL: (IBT 79, paper 550, computer based 213) Pearson test 60 65% at year 12 English What qualifications would I need to join this programme? The entry requirements for the award are normally: A first degree of second class honours classification or above in a relevant subject area. The relevancy of the first degree will be judged by the programme admissions staff in consultation with the Award Tutor. However applicants with lower entry qualifications, but with relevant work experience, can also be admitted to the programme at the discretion of the Award Tutor. Admission to the programme with advanced standing is possible for applicants who already hold a recent, relevant postgraduate qualification, or who already have substantial recent, relevant experience. In this case Advanced Prior Learning (APL) or Advanced Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) credit will be given against specific modules. 8 P age
Disability Statement Staffordshire University operates a policy of inclusive teaching and learning to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/study_here/disabled_students/index.jsp AWARD SPECIFIC INFORMATION Assessment of the programme will be undertaken in accordance with the University awards regulations, which can be found at http://www.staffs.ac.uk/assets/postgrad_regs_tcm44-26797.pdf We actively encourage students to undertake a suitable engineering work placement lasting up to a maximum of 1 academic year. This placement cannot start until the student has gained at least 45 credits and must be completed before the student starts the MSc Dissertation. The placement is zero credit rated and so does not contribute to the final award but is noted as an additional module on the certificate. Overseas students you will need to extend your visa if you gain a placement. In addition to these general regulations our accrediting bodies have imposed the following additional regulations: Student must achieve at least 40% in each reported element of assessment to be awarded a pass in a module. At the discretion of the Award Board a compensation for failure can be given if at least 40% has been achieved in the final assessment. A maximum of 30 credits can be compensated. Compensation will not be applied until progression on the award would not be possible without it. Further information about the award can be found in the relevant Student Handbook and on the University Website. This includes information about optional modules, student support, and academic regulations. ==================================== 9 P age