BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering

The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances.

For information about scholarships and bursaries please visit our undergraduate student finance pages and our Department funding pages .

This unit will cover the following: The individual project is a mandatory component of the curriculum, designed to cover a wide range of topics related to the programs offered within the School. The subject matter of each project can be from any area relevant to the disciplines taught.

Supervisors are requested to propose several topics that align with their expertise and research interests, ensuring that students have a diverse selection of projects to choose from. These proposed topics are then made available to students, who are invited to express their preferences by selecting up to six different topics. The allocation process takes into account the distribution of supervisors' workloads, aiming to assign each student a project based on their expressed interests. Student and project supervisor have an opportunity to refine the project scope, its aim and objectives and then through regular weekly meetings they monitor project progress.

Students’ engagement and technical progress is continuously assessed by project supervisor who provides summative mark but also formative feedback to each of the students. In addition to general engagement and technical progress students are provided with formative feedback on the preliminary written deliverables that are expected to form the basis of the final project report. The major part of the assessment is focused on the final project report as well as the final demonstration of the main outcomes of the project.

The projects span across two semesters and begin with a period of close guidance from the supervisor, complemented by initial research undertaken by the student. As the project progresses, the student’s activities will become increasingly autonomous, focusing on the unique objectives and challenges outlined in their individual project scope. By the end of the project, students are expected to demonstrate independent research capabilities, effective problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of their chosen topic, ultimately contributing to their academic and professional development.

The course unit aims to: 

The individual project is a compulsory unit that allows students to apply the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their degree to a particular technical challenge defined by the project supervisor. The individual project also enables students to acquire new knowledge and skills that they may not have been exposed to within the formally taught curriculum.

The individual project offers opportunity for students to develop their project management skills as well as to exercise their initiative and personal responsibility.
 

ILO 1 - Develop realistic project plan in the form of a GANNT Chart accompanied with the list of specific, measurable and achievable objectives. Identify various types of risks that may adversely affect project work by developing and maintaining Risk Register.

ILO 2 - Demonstrate the ability to plan and execute self-learning of knowledge and skills development from technical literature, appropriate codes of practice and industry standards. 

ILO 3 - Appraise alternative technical solutions for a given problem.

ILO 4 - Apply problem-solving skills and technical knowledge to create solution to a given technical problem.

ILO 5 - Demonstrate ability to exercise initiative and personal responsibility.

ILO 6 - Use a project plan as a tool for progress monitoring and for communicating progress to stakeholders, updating the plan as necessary. 

ILO 7 - Communicate all aspects of the project using report writing and oral presentation skills.

Lectures covering technical writing and presentation (2 hours), regular weekly meetings with project supervisor (12 hours). Independent study (288 hours).

• Research their subject (from the Web, the library, manufacturers, supervisors, conversations with third parties)
• Identify areas where there is a lack of knowledge
• Identify the main requirements of the project and complete a specification
• Design a project plan
• Draw up a risk assessment

• Refine solutions to meet the requirements of the project
• Design a project plan
• Draw up a risk assessment
• Depending on the project, other intellectual skills may involve: circuit design, printed circuit board design, software design, mechanical design, modelling and experimentation
• Design tests for software and/or hardware
• Analyse results
• Arrive at reasoned conclusions
• Comment on further work

• Depending on the nature of the project
• Constructional skills - Mechanical, electronic and printed circuit board
• Testing

• Report writing
• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Interpersonal skills

Project Engagement:

Multiple Progress Review Meetings as defined by the Project Handbook

The Project Engagement mark is 15% of the unit assessment.

Presentation:

You will be expected to give a presentation of no more than 15 minutes in duration, there will then be 15 minutes allowed for questions. Marks will be given for the quality of the description of the project and for the demonstration of technical achievement.

The Presentation mark is 10% of the unit assessment.

The Presentation takes place in Weeks 11-12, Semester 2 and is assessed by both the supervisor and the independent examiner.

Final Project Report:

A word-processed report as defined by the Project Handbook.

Submitted by Monday, Week 11, Semester 2.

Assessed by both the supervisor and the independent examiner (guided by project norms).

The Final Project Report forms 75% of the unit assessment.

Student engagement and technical progress is continually assessed by the project supervisor who provides formative and summative feedback. Students are provided with formative feedback on the preliminary written deliverables that are expected to form the basis of the final project report.