Programme Specification for Geotechnics and Engineering Management PGDip
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Final award |
PGDip |
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Intermediate awards available |
PGCert |
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UCAS code |
N/A |
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Details of professional body accreditation |
N/A |
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Relevant QAA Benchmark statements |
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Date specification last up-dated |
September 2011 |
Profile
The summary - programme advertising leaflet
Programme content
The aim of the programme is to meet the needs of civil engineers engaged in the field of Geotechnics and Engineering Management and enhance their expertise in this area.
PGDip at UEL
The programme is made up from a number of core Geotechnics and Engineering Management modules covering ground investigation, soil-structure engineering, and project organisation alongside optional modules which include highway and transportation engineering, and design for seismic effects.
This programme has been developed from our PGDip Programme in Civil Engineering to enable study of the particular issues and details associated with Geotechnics and Engineering Management. Postgraduate programmes in the field of Civil Engineering and Surveying have been successfully run at UEL since 1964.
Admission requirements
- BEng(Hons) minimum class 3 or BSc (Hons) minimum 2:2, both in Civil Engineering
- Appropriate professional qualifications such as MICE or MIStructE
- Applicants with other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis
In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS Academic 6.0 Overall, with no less than 5.5 in components, or equivalent, is required. International qualifications will be checked for appropriate matriculation to UK Higher Education postgraduate programmes.
Students that apply to enter stages of the programme may be admitted through normal Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes, or through an approved articulation agreement. Therefore such applicants must be able to demonstrate and evidence that they have the required learning outcomes as listed in the modules for which they are seeking exemption.
Programme structure
The programme can be studied either in a part-time mode, by engineers employed in the UK, or in a full-time mode by either national or overseas engineers. The PGDip is offered for full-time students with the possibility of being complete in one academic year’s duration. The PGDip for part-time students is studied one module per semester and, consequently, the length of study is doubled. Part-time students require two years to complete the PGDip programme.
Enrolment on the programme is possible either in semester A (starting in September, comprising the academic period from September to January) or semester B (starting in February, comprising the academic period from February to May).
The programme consists of four 30-credit modules. The common schedules for PGDip students are included below:
Full-time PGDip student starting in semester A:
- Semester A (1st year): two 30-credit modules
- Semester B (1st year): two 30-credit modules
Full-time PGDip student starting in semester B:
- Semester B (1st year): two 30-credit modules
- Semester A (1st year): two 30-credit modules
Part-time PGDip student starting in semester A:
- Semester A (1st year): one 30-credit module
- Semester B (1st year): one 30-credit module
- Semester A (2nd year): one 30-credit module
- Semester B (2nd year): one 30-credit module
Part-time PGDip student starting in semester B:
- Semester B (1st year): one 30-credit module
- Semester A (1st year): one 30-credit module
- Semester B (2nd year): one 30-credit module
- Semester A (2nd year): one 30-credit module
The maximum registration period is six years.
Students require one 30-credit module for a Postgraduate Associate Certificate, two 30-credit modules for the PGCert, (Intermediate awards) and four 30-credit modules for the PGDip.
Learning environment
Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials, seminars, laboratory work and external site visits. We also utilise our Virtual Learning Environment extensively to support learning within modules.
Assessment
Assessment involves end of semester examinations and coursework. The pass mark for a module is 50% with minimum module component marks of 40%.
Relevance to work/profession
The modules of the programme that has been offered before as part of the MSc in Civil Engineering are regularly assessed and approved by the Institution of Civil Engineers as CPD programmes.
Dissertation/project work
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Added value
Transfer from the PGDip to the MSc programme in Geotechnics and Engineering Management is possible depending on results achieved, and students may obtain details of current requirements from the programme leader.
Your future career
Engineers with postgraduate qualifications in Geotechnics and Engineering Management will find a wide range of career opportunities with consulting, contractor and client organisations, as well as in other related areas such as research and management.
How we support you
Students may approach staff for help with personal or academic problems either in person or by e-mail. A programme handbook provides all relevant information on the programme and the teaching resources.
Bonus factors
Outcomes
Programme aims and learning outcomes
What is this programme designed to achieve?
This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:
- To gain an in depth knowledge and understanding of geotechnical design and engineering management issues in relation to civil engineering projects
- To understand the role of the geotechnical engineer as an important professional in society and in the built environment
What will you learn?
Knowledge
Understand the latest theories and practices in:
- Ground and site investigation
- Soil structure engineering
- Engineering Management
- Highway Design
- Design of structures for seismic effects
Thinking skills
Development of skills in:
- Development of models for the analysis of structures and their foundations
- Geotechnical Design
- Interpretation of results of ground and site investigation
- Engineering management techniques
- Critical assessment
- Interpret experimental and numerical data
Subject-Based Practical skills
Ability to:
- Use computer design and construction management packages
- Use office packages
- Use current codes and relevant geotechnical design guidelines
Skills for life and work (general skills)
Ability to:
- Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
- Express, discuss and defend technical ideas in front of others
- Work as a part of a design team
- Plan the work in advance, estimate the resources required, comply with deadliness and submit works in time
Structure
The programme structure
Introduction
All programmes are credit-rated to help you to understand the amount and level of study that is needed.
One credit is equal to 10 hours of directed study time (this includes everything you do e.g. lecture, seminar and private study).
Credits are assigned to one of 5 levels:
- 0 - equivalent in standard to GCE 'A' level and is intended to prepare students for year one of an undergraduate degree programme
- 1 - equivalent in standard to the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
- 2 - equivalent in standard to the second year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
- 3 - equivalent in standard to the third year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme
- M - equivalent in standard to a Masters degree
Credit rating
The overall credit-rating of this programme is 120 for PGDip, 60 for PGCert and 30 for PGAssCert.
Typical duration
The duration of this programme is one year full time if the enrolment is in September two years part-time.
How the teaching year is divided
The teaching year is divided into two semesters of roughly equal length. A typical student registered in a full-time attendance mode will study two 30-credit modules per semester and a typical student registered in a part-time attendance mode will study one 30-credit module per semester. February starts are also available.
What you will study when
The modules offered in this PGDip in Geotechnics and Engineering Management are:
- CEM003: Engineering Management and Project Organisation (30-credit core module taught in semester B)
- CEM004: Soil Structure Engineering (30-credit core module taught in semester B)
- CEM009: Site Investigation Practice and Ground Exploration (30-credit core module taught in semester A)
- CEM010: Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering (30-credit optional module taught in semester A)
- CEM012: Highway Engineering (30-credit optional module taught in semester B)
- CEM013: Transportation Engineering (30-credit optional module taught in semester A)
Requirements for gaining an award
In order to gain a Postgraduate Associate Certificate, you will need to obtain 30 credits at Level M.
In order to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, you will need to obtain 60 credits at Level M.
In order to gain a Postgraduate Diploma, you will need to obtain 120 credits at Level M
Assessment
Teaching, learning and assessment
Teaching and learning
Knowledge is developed through:
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Seminars
- Site visits
Thinking skills developed through:
- Coursework
- Mini projects
Practical skills:
- Laboratory experiments
- Design projects
- Planning of work required for the research dissertation
Skills for life developed through:
- Seminars
- Presentation of research
Assessment
Knowledge is assessed by:
- Coursework
- Examinations
Thinking skills are assessed by:
- Solutions to practical problems
- Evaluation of literature
- Evaluation of experimental data
Practical skills are assessed by:
- Use of design aids
- Use of computer aided design packages
- Laboratory experiments
Skills for life are assessed by:
- Seminars
- Coursework
- Oral examinations
Quality
How we assure the quality of this programme
Before this programme started
Before the programme started, the following was checked:
- there would be enough qualified staff to teach the programme;
- adequate resources would be in place;
- the overall aims and objectives were appropriate;
- the content of the programme met national benchmark requirements, in the case that these have been published (not applicable, since no benchmark requirements on PGDip in Engineering have been published);
- the programme met any professional/statutory body requirements;
- the proposal met other internal quality criteria covering a range of issues such as admissions policy, teaching, learning and assessment strategy and student support mechanisms.
This is done through a process of programme approval which involves consulting academic experts including some subject specialists from other institutions.
How we monitor the quality of this programme
The quality of this programme is monitored each year through evaluating:
- external examiner reports (considering quality and standards);
- statistical information (considering issues such as the pass rate);
- students’ feedback.
Drawing on this and other information, programme teams undertake the annual Review and Enhancement Process which is co-ordinated at School level and includes student participation. The process is monitored by the Quality and Standards Committee.
Once every six years an in-depth review of the whole field is undertaken by a panel that includes at least two external subject specialists. The panel considers documents, looks at student work, speaks to current and former students and speaks to staff before drawing its conclusions. The result is a report highlighting good practice and identifying areas where action is needed.
The role of the programme committee
This programme has a programme committee comprising all relevant teaching staff, student representatives and others who make a contribution towards the effective operation of the programme (e.g. library/technician staff). The committee has responsibilities for the quality of the programme. It provides input into the operation of the Review and Enhancement Process and proposes changes to improve quality. The programme committee plays a critical role in the quality assurance procedures.
The role of external examiners
The standard of this programme is monitored by at least one external examiner. External examiners have two primary responsibilities:
- To ensure the standard of the programme;
- To ensure that justice is done to individual students.
External examiners fulfil these responsibilities in a variety of ways including:
- Approving exam papers/assignments;
- Attending assessment boards;
- Reviewing samples of student work and moderating marks;
- Ensuring that regulations are followed;
- Providing feedback through an annual report that enables us to make improvements for the future.
Listening to the views of students
The following methods for gaining student feedback are used on this programme:
- Module evaluations
- Student representation on programme committees
Students are notified of the action taken through:
- circulating the minutes of the programme committee
- providing charts on student feedback on the programme notice board
Listening to the views of others
The following methods are used for gaining the views of other interested parties:
- Questionnaires to former students
- Industrial liaison committee
Further Information
Alternative locations for studying this programme
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Where you can find further information
Further information about this programme is available from:
- The UEL web site http://www.uel.ac.uk
- The programme handbook
- Module Specifications
- UEL Manual of General Regulations http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa
- UEL Quality Manual http://www.uel.ac.uk/qa/
- Regulations for the Academic Framework http://www.uel.ac.uk/academicframework/
- Current External examiners
- External examiner reports (available from UEL virtual learning environment (UELPlus or Moodle))
