Form 20
Course Title
MEng Group Project II
School
EPS
Course
Co-ordinator
EECE Teaching Group Convener
SCQF
Level
10
1. Pre-requisites
None
2. Linked Modules
(specify if synoptic)
3. Excluded Modules
B30UD (synoptic)
4. Replacement Module
Code: B30VI, B31VJ
6. Degrees for which this
is a core module
7. Aims






Course
Code
B30UE
Semester
On or OffCampus
Credits
2
On
30
None
Date Of Replacement: 1 September 2011

Version 3.0 (2007/2008)
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor Template (RAY)
5.
Availability as an
Elective
Yes
No
X
B351,B3L1
To apply and increase students’ specialist knowledge and enhance their design and groupworking skills through a major group project in preparation for their
industrial placement.
To develop technical, personal and communication skills and prepare students for their industrial placement.
To challenge students in design and implementation and to compete as a team.
To raise student awareness of time management, deadlines/deliverables and project planning issues.
To assess commercial potential of an application and the impact of technology on current engineering practice.
To raise student awareness of enterprise/entrepreneurship in group projects within engineering disciplines .
To further develop and demonstrate self-discipline and self-motivation.
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Form 20
Version 3.0 (2007/2008)
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor Template (RAY)
Course Title
MEng Group Project II
School
EPS
Course
Co-ordinator
EECE Teaching Group Convener
SCQF
Level
10
Course
Code
B30UE
Semester
2
On or OffCampus
Credits
On
30
8. Syllabus
The fourth year MEng group project provides an opportunity for students to apply their specialist knowledge and enhance their design and group working skills. The
project is carried out over two semesters. It allows the students to gain valuable experience of project development within a team similar to the typical working
environment in industry. In addition to technical challenges, the project work develops skills in planning, management and working within timescale and budget
constraints.
A project group comprises at least three students and is supervised by a team of academic members of staff with complementary experience from different research
areas in electrical and electronic engineering or an interdisciplinary team within the school as required. The project represents a real system with students involved in all
stages of project development from design concept through to final implementation and validation. The initial research and investigation phase will include an extensive
literature survey. Appropriate methods of analysis, design, systematic end-product construction and evaluation will be used in system development and integration.
Decision making in the group project will be guided by two key academic supervisors, a lead supervisor with overriding supervision responsibility and a second
supervisor/moderator also deputising should the main supervisor be unavailable. Two other allocated academics with complementary specialist expertise will be
available as necessary for providing additional technical advice. The supervisory guidance process will be ‘soft touch’ involving project specification and scope and it will
be up to each team to navigate through the project to achieve a successful outcome. Supervisory feedback on progress will be provided both generically to the group
and also to individual team members. This will take place both orally during regular meetings with the supervisors and moderator, and by written comments as
appropriate to each project. In addition to the generic component of assessment of a group project an individual assessment of each member’s contribution will be
made. Peer assessment of each member of the group will also be included.
Students write a business plan report on the commercial potential of this work as one of their assignments in the linked taught business module, New Process and
Product Development. The group project follows best practice with regular fortnightly progress meetings, results reporting and production of a final report. Minutes of
meetings with supervisor and logbook are maintained by the students and final report submitted at the end of the group project with interdependently identifiable sections
from each member of the group. This final report brings together all aspects of the group project in a concise manner.
Students will develop their understanding of relevant areas of engineering, their capabilities in the practical work, presentation and reporting activities as well as
demonstration of their competence as candidate engineering professionals. Issues such as environmental and sustainability constraints and limitations, health and
safety and risk assessment issues will be explicitly addressed. Each group project team will produce a poster presentation on the project work and submit a report on the
background, design, construction, testing and the outcome of the project.
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Form 20
Version 3.0 (2007/2008)
Heriot-Watt University - Course Descriptor Template (RAY)
Course Title
MEng Group Project II
School
EPS
Course
Co-ordinator
EECE Teaching Group Convener
SCQF
Level
10
Course
Code
B30UE
Semester
2
On or OffCampus
Credits
On
30
9. Learning Outcomes (HWU Core Skills: Employability and Professional Career Readiness)
Subject Mastery
Understanding, Knowledge and Cognitive Skills
Scholarship, Enquiry and Research (Research-Informed Learning)
Understanding, Knowledge and Subject-Specific Skills
 To gain a critical understanding of the dynamics of relationships within a small team, similar to industry.
 To develop student knowledge and critical analysis skills of enterprise/entrepreneurship in group projects within engineering disciplines.
 To apply advanced technical knowledge and skills of the small team to solve the specific advanced technical problems associated with a
specific project.
 To develop professional attitude and critical review of a project by regularly maintaining technical documentation on design activities.
Personal Abilities
Industrial, Commercial & Professional Practice
Autonomy, Accountability & Working with Others
Communication, Numeracy & ICT
Cognitive skills, Core skills and Professional Awareness
 To demonstrate the ability to work as a member of a team in achieving a set of shared objectives as defined by the scope of the allocated
project.
 To work productively in teams, interacting effectively within the team while displaying leadership and group skills to appropriate standards
 To critically review, research and develop informed alternatives to given problems.
 To demonstrate some originality and creativity in an advanced area.
 To communicate to an audience with findings from research and analysis.
 To address explicitly environmental and sustainability constraints and limitations, health and safety and risk assessment issues.
10. Assessment Methods
Method
11. Re-assessment Methods
Duration of Exam
Weighting (%)
Synoptic modules?
Method
(if applicable)
Continuous Assessment (report,
presentation etc)
Duration of Exam
(if applicable)
100%
B30UD
N/A
12. Date and Version
Date of Proposal
24 February 2011
Date of Approval by
School Committee
Date of
Implementation
Version
Number
1.0
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