University of Sheffield
Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
ELECTRONIC / ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
INFORMATION TO NEW STUDENTS ABOUT FIRST YEAR COURSES IN
SESSION 2010-2011
1.
Introduction
On Monday 20th September, during Intro Week, you have to register for your course. Prior
to this event, you must fill in your course options on your registration form, a copy of which
will be handed out at the Departmental Welcome Meeting on the same day. The following
information explains the course structure and the choices you have to make. This document is
also an opportunity to explain how year 1 is assessed and the decisions you will need to make
in year 2, so that you are aware of any future implications.
You should read this information, together with the outline of the First Year Syllabus, to
decide your choice of modules and so that registration is straightforward. You will also need
to attend the Department's Welcome and Advice Session at 11.00am on Monday
20th September, when academic staff will be available to give further assistance and
explanation and to sign your registration form to approve your module choices.
Note: The information in this document regarding choice of modules supersedes any
information which may be sent to you via the Student Services Department because
changes may have occurred since their documentation went to press.
If, for exceptional reasons, you are unable to attend during Intro Week, there are late
registration events in week 1.
2.
Which Degree Course?
You will normally register for one of the degrees below in accordance with your UCAS
application.
main specialisations
• Electrical Engineering (UCAS code H620/H621, BEng/MEng)
• Electronic Engineering (UCAS code H610/H613, BEng/MEng)
• Electronic and Communications Engineering
(UCAS code H647/H645,
BEng/MEng)
• Digital Electronics (UCAS code H651, MEng)
• Microelectronics (UCAS code H614, MEng)
with a modern language
• Electrical Engineering with a Modern Language (UCAS code H6T9, MEng)
• Electronic Engineering with a Modern Language (UCAS code H6TX, MEng)
All the above courses have a similar core of modules in years 1 and 2 and hence, with one
exception, your choice is not critical at this stage. The exception is:
• “with a Modern Language” where one module (20 credits) of language material
must be chosen in year 1 and in year 2.
If you want to study “with a modern language” you must register for that degree title now.
We recommend that you register for an MEng at this stage because although local education
authorities never object to students changing from four to three year degrees, they sometimes
have problems with changes in the other direction.
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You will get an opportunity to change your choice of degree course at the end of year 2, if
you wish and the only change that is forbidden at the end of year 2 is change into “with a
modern language” (unless you have studied the appropriate language modules as options).
At the end of year 2, you will have to choose between the following degrees,
• 3 year BEng
• 4 year MEng
• 4 year M.Eng. with a Mod Lang (20 credits/year of language needed in years 1 and 2)
More information about these choices is given later in section 5.
3.
Choices to be made at the start of year 1
Table 2 summarises the course structure for the first year courses.
In all degrees you are required to take a combination of modules (20 credits) and halfmodules (10 credits) totalling 120 credits during each academic year.
When you register, you will be required to specify your choice of units for both Semesters 1
and 2. However, there will be an opportunity to amend your choice during the first three
weeks of each Semester.
In year 1, a core of four modules (80 credits) are common to all students. Of the remaining
40 credits (two modules) which you must take, your choices will depend on your
Mathematics qualification at entry. The choices open to you are shown in table 2. These are
two maths module sets as described in the next section and those who are advised to take
MAS145 and MAS146 should also take EEE112 plus 10 credits of free choice from modules
anywhere within the University. Those of you who take MAS147 and MAS148 should take
20 credits of free choice from modules anywhere within the University. Those of you
wishing to study a language will study one of the two MAS module pairs and 20 credits of
MLT modules (see section 3.2).
3.1 Mathematics modules
Competent mathematical skills are crucial to success in an engineering degree. There are two
sets of mathematics half modules; one for those with mathematical ability equating to “A”
level grade A or B and one for everyone else. The aim of these different sets is to get
everyone up to the same mathematical level by the end of year 1. The set for those without
“A” level grade A or B or equivalent takes more time to explain the ideas and provides more
time for skill development. The two sets are
1 Module MAS147 & MAS148 (Mathematics AI & AII)
2 Module MAS145 & MAS146 (Mathematics BI & II) Plus
Half Module EEE112 (Engineering Applications of Mathematics)
Exemption from EEE112
At the Intro week Advice Session we will tell you if we think you need this extra maths
support. If so this will mean that you can not register initially for a language module or EEE
options. If you applied for “with a modern language” this obviously creates problems and we
would discuss the issues with you at the advice session in order to find a way of proceeding.
Students without ‘A’ level grade A or B or recognised equivalent, who think their maths is
better than we do and would like to be exempt from EEE112 in order to study the optional
modules, may elect to take a short maths test during Intro Week. If successful, you may then
transfer to MAS147 and MAS148 and an extra module of choice. If you have a qualification
in mathematics from another country that is not recognised by the University as equivalent
with an ‘A’ level, you will also have to take this test so that we can assess your mathematics
ability and to determine if you need the additional mathematics support.
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3.2 Modules of Choice
(i) MLT*** Languages
If you choose to study a language you must register for 20 credits of language material.
There is a variety of language provision, details of which can be found in the separate
language document. Most students can choose to study a language in year 1 and may
continue this throughout their course. Students who must do the extra maths and are
therefore prevented from taking a language in year 1 may start in year 2.
This language module is compulsory for students registering for the 4 year M.Eng
Modern Language degree or contemplating a possible transfer to this degree at the end
of years 1 or 2. Such students will study abroad in year 3 and, to be selected, will need to
have achieved a mark of at least 55 at the ‘A-level plus 1’ language standard by the end of
year 2. You are unlikely to achieve this standard unless you have at least GCSE grade A/B in
the language at entry.
If you have a lower qualification in a language, or none at all, you can still take a language
module, appropriate to your entry standard, as an option. You can get advice on standards
from staff of the Modern Language Teaching Centre, during Intro Week, before registration.
(ii) Free choice
You must choose 20 credits of modules from any Department in the University. You will
need to talk to a representative of the department concerned to ensure that you have an
appropriate set of prior knowledge to tackle your modules of choice and this can best be done
at the module enrolment session during Intro Week.
4.
Assessment in Year 1
All modules and half-modules (including coursework and other continually assessed work)
will be assessed as an integer grade on a 0-100 point scale as follows :0-39
Fail, no credits awarded
50-59
Work of a Class II.2 standard
40-44
Work of a Pass standard
60-69
Work of a Class II.1 standard
45-49
Work of a Class III standard
70-100
Work of a Class I standard
In year 1, most modules consist of linked half-modules, one half-module in each semester, as
shown in Table 2. Each half-module will be assessed by either an examination at the end of
the semester or continuously during it. At the end of the year, the marks achieved for each
half-module of a linked pair will be combined to decide the award of credits for the pair.
All examined modules have re-sit examinations in August but continuously assessed
modules do not (See table 2). In these, you will be advised of unsatisfactory progress so that
you can take appropriate action during the year. Failure in these continually assessed
modules will normally require you to retake the year.
5.
Choice of BEng or MEng at the end of year 2
Our main degrees and the “with a Modern Language” degrees are accredited and meet the
requirements of SARTOR (Standards and Routes to Registration), as specified by the
Professional Institutions (the IET in our case). A new version of SARTOR, called “UK
Spec”, was introduced in early 2004. Its requirements are similar to those of SARTOR and
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the two systems will join seamlessly as far as students are concerned. To meet the
educational requirements for ultimately becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng), you will
need to complete either the 4 year MEng degree course or, alternatively, the 3-year BEng
degree plus a further year of approved academic study to bring your educational standard up
to an MEng equivalent. If CEng status is important to you, remaining on the MEng degree
offers the most direct route to satisfying the academic requirements for chartered status and
hence should be your aim.
M.Eng. degrees
The largely common core of modules in years 1 and 2 of our degrees gives you considerable,
albeit not unfettered, freedom to transfer at the end of year 2 between the MEng programmes
listed in section 2, irrespective of your original UCAS application or your registered course
during years 1 and 2. The transfers allowed are summarised in table 1 below.
Permission to continue on the MEng degrees will depend on your academic performance in
year 2 and some students may therefore be required to transfer to the BEng degree at this
stage. You should aim to get 120 credits at level 2 and a grade point average of 55 or more.
You may be allowed to continue on the MEng with a minimum of 100 credits but this is at
the discretion of the examiners.
Table 1 Allowed transfers at the end of year 2
TO
main
group
FROM
main
group
with mod
lang.
yes
yes
with mod
lang
yes
see note 1
yes
note 1: must have studied appropriate language modules in years 1 and 2
B.Eng. degrees
These are only available in three of the degree specialisations
main specialisations
• H620 BEng Electrical Engineering
• H610 BEng Electronic Engineering
• H647 BEng Electronic and Communications Engineering
Anyone wishing to graduate after 3 years will have to transfer from an M.Eng. degree onto
one of these 3-year BEng degrees at the end of year 2. Transfers into the BEng main
specialisations can be made from any of the MEng programmes listed in section 2 and any of
the BEng programmes listed above. Certain BEng to MEng transfers are also possible at the
end of year 2 providing the academic requirements for MEng progression are met - table 1
gives an idea of what is possible if “main group” in the from field are BEng and all the to
field is MEng.
MEng with a Modern Language
Students on these courses will study abroad in year 3, at one of the universities with which
we have an exchange arrangement. Currently, exchanges are available with high quality
universities in France, Germany and Spain. Students wishing to go abroad should aim to get
120 credits at level 2 and a grade point average of 55 or more in both their core courses and
their language module, the latter being at the 'A level plus 1' standard or higher. You may be
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allowed to continue on the MEng with a minimum of 100 credits but this is at the discretion
of the examiners.
Table 2: Structure for First Year Degree Courses 2010 - 2011
Compulsory Modules (All students)
Credit
Value
Semester
Assessment
EEE101
Circuits & Signals
10
1
Exam
& EEE102
Power Networks
10
2
Exam
EEE104
Digital Systems
10
1
Exam
& EEE115
Systems Engineering
10
2
Continuous
EEE105
Electronic Devices
10
1
Exam
& EEE103
Analogue Circuits
10
2
Exam
EEE160
Coursework Year 1
20
1&2
Continuous
Plus:
Either (For A-Level students grade A/B or equivalent)
MAS147
Mathematics A I
10
1
Exam
& MAS148
Mathematics A II
10
2
Exam
10+10
1&2
Exam &
Continuous
and one of the following:
Free Choice of Modules Totalling 20 Credits
Or MLT***
Languages (Compulsory for M.Eng
Modern Language)
Or (For non A-Level grade A/B equivalent)
MAS145
Mathematics B I
10
1
Exam
& MAS146
Mathematics BII
10
2
Exam
EEE112
Engineering Applications of Maths
10
1&2
Exam &
Continuous
and
Free Choice of Module
10
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