Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

The overall aim of this programme is to equip students with the knowledge, understanding, key skills and attributes to make a substantial impact in manufacturing enterprises and to become future leaders. This is achieved through a combination of taught courses held at the University and integrated industrial placements. Together, these enable rapid development both technically and managerially through observation of the theory applied in an industrial context.

Specific aims are:

•      To train passionate and capable manufacturing engineers on a degree programme with strong partnership between higher education and industry.

•      To demonstrate, through active learning opportunities, the rewarding and highly varied career opportunities that exist in manufacturing engineering.

•      To produce high quality graduates with a strong academic background, combined with excellent communication skills and the ability to progress rapidly to a position of responsibility, and to become future technical and managerial leaders.

•      To integrate significant industrial experience, such that graduates are able to make a strong and immediate contribution to engineering businesses.

•      To deliver technical depth in core engineering subjects and specialist applications leading to a broad understanding of engineering knowledge, and a critical awareness of current insights in the fields of manufacturing engineering and manufacturing management.

•      To encourage students to manage their own learning and make use of primary source materials to solve complex problems individually and in teams.

•      To foster a holistic appreciation of the essential practical, commercial and social aspects of engineering.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) – ‘Subject Benchmark Statement for Engineering’, (Feb.2015). 

• Engineering Council (UK). ‘UK-SPEC, UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence’, 3^rd Edition, Jan.2014. 

• Engineering Council (UK). ‘The Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes’, 3^rd Edition, May 2014. 

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• the underpinning science, mathematics and other disciplines associated with a career in manufacturing engineering;
• engineering principles and relevant numerical methods and an understanding of the role of information technology in providing support for manufacturing engineers;
• codes of practice, industry standards and quality issues applicable to a career in manufacturing;
• the management of manufacturing methods and the wider business background appropriate to the organisation of a manufacturing enterprise;
• the commercial and economic context, together with the importance of sustainability, legal, ethical and intellectual property issues within the modern industrial world;
• material properties, manufacturing processes and technologies, their limitations and applicability, with an awareness of new developments in these areas;
• the design process related to the manufacturing arena.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

The MEng graduate will also be able to use such knowledge and understanding in a creative way and be able to:

• define an unfamiliar manufacturing related problem, evaluate its technical and business requirements and generate innovative solutions that consider the system as a whole including constraints such as economics, production capabilities and sustainability;
• apply appropriate methods (including analytical and computational methods) to model and critically assess such solutions making allowance for uncertainty in the information available;
• investigate methods to continuously improve manufacturing processes for enhanced quality, sustainability and economics;
• research data and fundamental knowledge from other disciplines and apply the relevant aspects in the solution of unfamiliar problems;
• understand the role of other engineering disciplines and their technical and business constraints.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• use appropriate computer software numerical modelling methods and/or computational techniques to solve engineering problems;
• use laboratory and mechanical workshop equipment competently and safely;
• research information from a wide range of sources;
• prepare engineering drawings and other technical data and present it in alternative forms to create good understanding and/or impact;
• manage the manufacturing related design process taking account of customer constraints such as cost, health and safety and risk.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• critically evaluate an existing or proposed technology;
• use a range of computer based systems and adapt them to other applications;
• communicate effectively through written, graphical, interpersonal and presentation skills;
• monitor and adjust a personal programme of work on an on-going basis and learn independently;
• develop, monitor and update a plan for themselves and/or others, to reflect changing requirements;
• gather information from a range of sources, collate it and present its key findings;
• undertake different roles within a team including leadership.

4. Programme structure

Candidates will normally be expected to complete a four week (minimum) period of industrial experience with a consortium company, if available, or other relevant work experience in lieu, as agreed by the Programme Director, after part A studies and before commencing part B.

Candidates will complete a 10 week (minimum) period of industrial experience with a consortium company, or with any other relevant (partner) company approved by the Programme Director, after Part B studies and before starting Part C. Students will then undertake a further period of industrial experience (usually with the same organisation) for Semester 1 of Part C.  During these periods students will be preparing for and undertaking their industry based individual project (WSD216) and personal and professional development (WSC507) modules. 

An alternative route is for candidates who cannot find an industrial placement at the end of Part B (for the industry based individual project and professional development modules) to continue their studies in Semester 1 of Part C at the University with the agreement of the Programme Director.  

Any candidate unable to meet the above requirements will be eligible to transfer to BEng Manufacturing Engineering at the appropriate programme part. 

4.1    Part A - Introductory Modules

4.2    Part B - Degree Modules

4.3    Part C - Degree Modules

Some modules in Part C and D are paired together. For example, (1a) in part C is paired with (2a) in part D. Similarly (1d) in part D is paired with (2d) also in part D. All students MUST COMPLETE AT LEAST TWO of these specialist module pairs during part C or D.  The second module of a pair (numbered 2) may not be taken without the prerequisite module (numbered 1) but the preliminary modules may be studied independently.

For modules WSD216 and WSC507 students will be based at their placement company - Modules are by distance learning.  C* is the alternative route for students who are unable to secure an Industrial Placement for Part C (with the agreement of the Programme Director).

ONE optional module must be chosen from each group.

All optional module choice is subject to availability, timetabling, student number restrictions and students having taken appropriate pre-requisite modules.

 4.4    Part D - Degree Modules           

A number of modules are paired together.  For example, the module marked (1a) in part C is paired with (2a) in part D. Similarly (1d) in part D is paired with (2d) also in part D. All students MUST COMPLETE AT LEAST TWO of these specialist module pairs during part C or D.  The second module of a pair (numbered 2) may not be taken without the prerequisite module (numbered 1) but the preliminary modules may be studied independently.

A total weight of 40 credits must be chosen from the optional modules across both semesters (10 credits from Semester 1 and 30 credits from Semester 2). 

All optional module choice is subject to availability, timetabling, student number restrictions and students having taken appropriate pre-requisite modules.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

5.1 Criteria for Progression and Award of Degree

In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to Part C, and from Part C to Part D and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must not only satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX but also: 

5.1.1 In order to progress from Part A to Part B, from Part B to Part C, from Part C to Part D candidates must not only satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX but also accumulate at least 120 credits from the Part and a minimum overall average of 55% for the Part.

5.1.2 In order to progress into Part B candidates must normally complete a four week (minimum) period of industrial experience with a partner or consortium company or other relevant organisation agreed by the Programme Director after Part A studies and before starting Part B.

5.1.3 Unless following the alternative route (with the agreement of the Programme Director), candidates must complete a ten week (minimum) period of industrial experience with a consortium or other relevant (partner) company after Part B studies and before starting Part C. Students will also undertake modules WSD216 and WSC507 in a consortium or other relevant (partner) organisation during Semester 1 of Part C.

5.2 Criteria for Candidates who do not receive Permission to Progress or gain the Award of a Degree

Any candidate who fails to achieve the criteria for progression from Part A to Part B, Part B to Part C or Part C to Part D shall have the opportunity to repeat module assessments in accordance with the provisions of Regulation XX. 

A candidate who has failed to progress from Part A to Part B or Part B to Part C may elect to enter the BEng Honours Degree programme in Manufacturing Engineering, provided that the candidate has achieved the criteria for progression on the BEng programme at the appropriate point.

A candidate who does not secure a placement with a partner or consortium company before the commencement of Part C will also be allowed to transfer to Part C of an alternative degree programme in the School subject to the approval of the relevant programme Director.

Candidates who do not progress from Part B cannot take up the industrial placement period with the partner or consortium company. 

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Candidates’ final degree classification will be determined on the basis of their performance in degree level Module Assessments in Parts B, C and D in accordance with the scheme set out in Regulation XX.  The overall average percentage marks for each part will be combined in the ratio (Part B 20: Part C 40: Part D 40) to determine the overall average percentage mark for the Programme (the Programme Mark).