BEng/MEng Civil Engineering with an Integrated Foundation Year / Course details

Year of entry: 2023

Course unit details:
Foundation Year Project

Course unit fact file
Unit code FOUN10022
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

A unit which will provide students with the opportunity to research and undertake an extended piece of project work in a topic relevant to their chosen area of study. In most cases the student will be part of a team working on a group project.
 

Aims

The aim is to provide students with the opportunity to research and undertake an extended piece of project work in a topic relevant to their chosen area of study.

Teaching and learning methods

  • Introductory (1 hour) lecture at the end of Semester 1 and start of Semester 2
  • Generic assistance will be available during weekly drop-ins (Semester 2).
  • It is expected that students will also meet regularly with their project supervisors in their respective Departments.

Knowledge and understanding

  • Demonstrate an appropriate depth of knowledge (at level 0) in the chosen subject area.
  • Explain the underlying scientific/engineering principles involved in the topics covered.

Intellectual skills

  • Plan and research an extended piece of academic work.
  • Choose appropriate resources for carrying out research.
  • Assess quality and reliability of information/data.
  • Analyse and arrange data in a logical manner.
  • Present and explain aims, methods, discussion, conclusions etc in a logical manner. 

Practical skills

  • Academic report writing and publishing, oral and visual presentation, lab skills (where applicable) 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Project management, team working, time management, communication skills (written, verbal, visual), risk assessment.
     

Employability skills

Analytical skills
Students have to search for and critically analyse texts from a wide variety of sources.
Group/team working
Students work in groups throughout the Project. Wherever possible students are placed in groups which are international in order to help prepare them for the global workplace.
Leadership
In group project work, students have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills
Project management
Students have to manage their own time when undertaking their Project, and have to use relevant technology to assist them to do so.
Oral communication
Students make a group presentation at the end of their project.
Problem solving
In Project work students have to negotiate and resolve issues that can arise.
Research
Students have to do their own independent research in the Project Unit.
Written communication
Students have to write in a formal academic style using the relevant conventions to produce their final Project Report.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Other 10%
Report 60%
Portfolio 10%
Oral assessment/presentation 20%

Written Project Plan = 10%

Written Report = 60%

Group Oral presentations = 20%

Group online journals =10%

Feedback methods

  • Formative feedback given by group members and project supervisors during the unit.
  • Summative feedback and the end of Semester 2
     

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 2
Practical classes & workshops 12
Project supervision 20
Independent study hours
Independent study 66

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Simon Raw Unit coordinator

Additional notes


 

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