University of Bradford
School of Engineering, Design and Technology
Awarding and teaching institution:
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Programme title:
Programme accredited by:
Duration:
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University of Bradford
MEng [National Qualifications Framework level M]
Civil and Structural Engineering
ICE/StructE/IHT
4 years full time; 5 years sandwich
Engineering
original: 1 March 2002; updated: July 2009
Engineering is fundamental to the economic and social prosperity of the UK. It is a “people serving”
profession whose activities not only manage humankind’s environment but also create that environment
itself. It requires well-qualified and motivated students who seek to be the future leaders within their
profession. Your studies at Bradford will be a foundation for life aimed at developing an appreciation of
technical and managerial principles and competence in their application using a wide range of personal and
professional skills. Our commitment to this integration is such that we strongly encourage you to undertake
a 12-month industrial placement as an integral part of your degree studies. Upon graduation you will have
the educational background and capacity for professional growth necessary to seek Chartered Engineer
(CEng) status. The MEng (Hons) Civil and Structural Engineering is designed to develop graduates who can
provide the future leadership of the profession via abilities to deal with the complexities of the industry,
demonstrate originality in problem solving and accept a high level of responsibility for their own work and
personal development. The ability of such an engineer is also widely appreciated by many other professions
and your studies may well be a stepping-stone to an alternative career in accountancy, teaching, law etc – a
real foundation for life. The Joint Board of Moderators’ accreditation ensures that the MEng degree meets
the highest international standards.
The School places emphasis on both teaching and research, believing them to be mutually dependent. We
have particular research strengths in environmental water engineering, environmental acoustics,
underground technologies, geotechnics and structural engineering. Your studies in later stages of the
course will benefit from this expertise and you will undertake individual project work in one of these areas
where you will be expected to display a considerable amount of initiative. We aim to produce MEng
graduates who are imaginative, innovative, versatile and competitive, who will be able to progress rapidly to
professional positions of responsibility with minimal additional training, and who can provide technical,
managerial and entrepreneurial leadership in specialist/interdisciplinary projects. This aim is achieved by:
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Delivering a range of programmes of study with a degree of commonality of core material in the early
years, which is then developed into advanced concepts, techniques and discipline specialities in the later
years. You will increasingly study with engineers of other disciplines and develop capabilities of multidisciplinary teamwork;
Providing a supportive, structured environment in which students are encouraged to develop
independent learning skills. Approximately half of your study in stages 3 and 4 will involve project or
design work undertaken either individually or in groups;
Developing a broad, deep subject knowledge and understanding, developing advanced discipline skills,
providing an enhanced level of business and management knowledge and developing personal
transferable skills, all of which enable graduates to pursue programmes of further study, or to move
quickly into leadership roles of responsible employment;
Promoting educational opportunities for ethnic minority, women, mature and alternatively qualified
students, as well as for school-leavers and traditionally qualified students.
Aims of the Course
To help graduates to develop the engineering, design, management, leadership, business and personal skills
required to become professional Civil and/or Structural Engineers and in doing so, also equip them for
careers in other professions.
To provide the educational requirements (in compliance with UK-SPEC) to permit progression to Chartered
Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers and/or the Institution of Structural Engineers and registration
with ECUK as a Chartered Engineer.
MEng CSE 2009-10
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
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Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the engineering principles underpinning
structures, water engineering, geotechnics, construction materials and surveying within the context of
construction and detailed and conceptual multi-disciplinary design.
Demonstrate a knowledge of the basic principles of organisation, project management, health and safety
within the construction industry.
Demonstrate an appreciation of models of leadership and personal development as applied to the
strategic development and promotion of change within the profession.
Demonstrate an understanding of approaches to optimising the solution of multi-disciplinary problems.
Demonstrate an understanding of the complex interactions of the social, economic, environmental and
technical aspects of sustainability within the built environment.
Intellectual Abilities
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Apply engineering principles and inter-personal skills to the critical analysis of multi-disciplinary problems
in order to create innovative solutions to non-routine problems.
Identify an area for further detailed investigation, design and experimental programme, utilise research
skills to critically evaluate and interpret newly developed data.
Integrate engineering understanding and apply insight to the solution of real problems.
Practical Skills
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Apply advanced laboratory methods to obtain accurate data.
Accurately undertake survey work based on the use of instruments and visual observation.
Use software packages in the advanced analysis, design and evaluation of complex engineering
systems.
General Transferable Skills
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Work in groups in order to meet shared objectives.
Use problem solving strategies to develop, monitor and update a plan for the solution of both technical
and personnel contributions to meeting organisational need.
Lead small teams and apply new theories and concepts to their personal development.
The curriculum
The map of your studies is detailed on the next page showing core (C) and optional (O) modules. Each year,
or stage, of an Honours course comprises 2 semesters with 60 credits being studied in each semester. For
10 credit modules all of the teaching and assessment is undertaken in the same semester. Some of the 20
credit modules have teaching and assessment, which occurs in both semesters.
We strongly encourage you to undertake a year of industrial placement between either stages 2 and 3 or
stages 3 and 4 – the choice is yours. The School has many contacts with relevant organisations and
arranges for interviews with those in which you have an interest. It is then your task to impress them
sufficiently to gain an offer of employment. You will submit a number of reports and make a poster
presentation on your experiences, for which albeit to a satisfactory performance (50%) is awarded a Diploma
of Industrial Studies. You will be able to use this experience to claim some of the training objectives
specified by the Institutions of Civil Engineers and Structural Engineers for professional accreditation.
Assessment regulations: a summary (the text of the progression regulations is maintained on the Web)
http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/acsec/QA_Hbk/Undergrad_Regs_.html
The MEng award is governed by the University Regulations relating to the Undergraduate Advanced Degree
of Master.
To pass and proceed from each stage to the next you must achieve at first attempt:
 at least 55% in 100 credits and at least 40% in the other 20 credits; or
 an average of at least 60% over all of the 120 credits with at least 40% in 100 credits and 35% in the
MEng CSE 2009-10
other 20 credits.
If you successfully complete Stage 3 you will be awarded a BEng (Hons) in Civil & Structural Engineering.
The class and division of the Honours degree that you may be awarded is based on the overall weighted
marks that you receive for each stage; Stage 2 contributes 30% and Stage 3, 70%. The classes and
divisions of the Honours degree are awarded on the basis of the following final overall weighted average
marks (The Board of Examiners has a discretion of ± 2%):
70.0% or above:
60.0% or above:
50.0% or above:
Otherwise:
First Class Honours
Second Class Honours – First Division
Second Class Honours – Second Division
Third Class Honours
If you meet the progression requirements for the MEng award you will be permitted to proceed to Stage 4.
To be eligible for the award of MEng, you must achieve in Stage 4:
 at least 40% in 100 credits and at least 35% in the other 20 credits
The award of the MEng degree is based upon the Final Year marks and will be awarded on the basis of the
following overall average marks (the Board of Examiners has a discretion of ± 2%):
70.0% or above:
60.0% or above:
Otherwise
MEng with Distinction
MEng with Merit
MEng
If you complete Stage 1 successfully, you are eligible for a Certificate of Higher Education; if you complete
Stage 2 successfully, you are eligible for a Diploma of Higher Education. The learning outcomes for these
awards and the final award are consistent with those of the national qualifications framework for England.
MEng CSE 2009-10
Unit Code
ENG1054L
ENG1072L
ENG1028M
ENG1056M
ENG1003M
ENG1011M
ENG1032M
ENG1062M
ENG1001M
ENG1012M
Credit Stage
20
1
20
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
10
1
Sem
1, 2
1, 2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
Level
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Module Title
Design Studies
Engineering Analysis (Civil)
Environmental Systems
Engineering Computation
Materials Technology
Visualisation
Fluid Mechanics 1
Structural Mechanics
Geotechnical Materials
Surveying
C/O
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
ENG2000M
ENG2086M
ENG2038M
ENG2001M
ENG2051M
ENG2026M
ENG2050M
ENG2036M
ENG2028M
ENG2039M
ENG2025M
ENG2030M
ENG3042J
ENG3007D
ENG3009M
ENG3002M
ENG3076M
ENG3016M
ENG3006D
ENG3093M
ENG4064M
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
30
20
10
10
10
10
20
10
10
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1,2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
M
Concrete and Masonry
Further Engineering Analysis (Civil)
Fluid Mechanics 2
Soil Mechanics 1
Structural Steelwork Design
Structural & Solid Mechanics
Structural Concrete Design
Structural Analysis
Computer Modelling Techniques
Open Channel Hydraulics
Stage 2 Project (Civil)
Engineering Statistics
Project
Feasibility Study
Project Management
Soil Mechanics 2
Materials Failure Analysis
Transportation Studies
Civil Engineering Design
Civil Engineering Hydraulic Design
Sustainable Energy
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
O
O
C
C
C
ENG4050L
ENG4010J
ENG4078M
ENG4022M
ENG4029M
ENG4080M
ENG4005M
ENG4074M
ENG4075M
ENG4084M
ENG4073M
ENG4072M
20
30
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
1, 2
1, 2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
Interdisciplinary Competitive Design
Advanced MEng Project
Coaching Development
Advanced Structural Analysis
Design Optimisation
Engineering Vibration
Case Study
Advanced Geotechnics
Earthquake Engineering
Environmental Computational Fluid Dynamics
Advanced Solid Mechanics
Risk Management
Stage 3 Semester 1
Stage 3 Semester 2
Stage 4 Semester 2
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
O
O
O
O
O
10
20
C – Core; O – Option
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies
The teaching and learning strategy takes into consideration the learning outcomes, progression through the
levels of study, the nature of the subject and the student intake, and the need for you to take greater
responsibility for your own learning as you progress through the course. The strategies and methods
MEng CSE 2009-10
implemented are:
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The teaching and learning methods implemented to engage you in developing your knowledge and
understanding of the course include formal lectures (including those from Visiting Lecturers), case
studies, tutorial exercises, practical demonstrations, directed learning and individual work. The method
of assessment is by written examination and both analytical and experimental coursework.
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The methods implemented in developing your intellectual skills include engaging with you during tutorial
exercises, case studies, practical demonstration and supervised research or project work. You will
develop skills of working with other engineering disciplines particularly in the Interdisciplinary Competitive
Design module. In Stage 4 you will also learn the skills associated with designing and executing your
own research project. The methods of assessment of intellectual skills are implicit in the written
examinations, analytical and experimental coursework and more particularly in your Final Year Project
work.
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The methods implemented in developing your practical skills include demonstrations and practicals
linked with the taught modules. You will also design and operate equipment and/or procedures and use
control and measuring instruments under supervision during your project work. The methods of
assessment of practical skills include feedback on laboratory work linked with the taught modules. Also
a large part of the mark of the Project report will be attributed to the Experimental Method and Equipment
and the Presentation & Discussion of Results.
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The methods implemented in developing the students’ transferable skills are implicit in the programme.
The University of Bradford is well known for attracting students from a wide variety of background,
experiences and countries. This and the learning facilities available to all students provide the conditions
for students to develop and manage their learning. The University of Bradford modus operandi, Making
Knowledge Work, is imbedded in the philosophy of this course, particularly in the area of Engineering,
Design and Technology, which is well equipped with practical and computational facilities. In particular,
you will learn skills of mentoring colleagues in the Coaching Development module in which you will work
with Stage 1 students to support their introduction to their course of study. The methods of assessment
of transferable skills are built in the structure of the examinations, case studies, laboratory
demonstrations and research or project work.
Admissions policy
We operate a combined admission to the MEng and BEng in Civil and Structural Engineering. In addition to
a degree, successful completion of the course will give candidates a recognised professional qualification;
applicants must therefore achieve a minimum of 240 UCAS tariff points if they are seeking entry to the BEng
through the UCAS main Scheme. If you can offer 300 points you will immediately be registered for the MEng.
An advanced mathematics qualification, such as A Level, is a requirement for direct MEng registration.
Nevertheless, offers are only made after detailed consideration of each individual application and the precise
requirements we ask of candidates will vary. Most important in this decision is our assessment of a
candidate’s potential to benefit from their studies and of their ability to succeed on this particular course. We
also pay considerable attention to an applicant’s academic background and achievements and to all other
non-standard qualifications or who, lacking academic qualifications, have significant relevant experience.
Upon completion of a UCAS form you will be invited to the School for an Open Day and interview when you
will have the opportunity to meet staff, view the facilities and discuss “the Bradford experience” with current
students. You will be made aware of the range of courses available within the School covering technology
and design together with a Foundation Year attracting a typical offer of 120 points
English Language Requirements
All students must satisfy the English language requirements for admission as described in
http://www.brad.ac.uk/international/english-prepare.php. If your native language is not English, you will have
to pass a test in English approved by the University before you can be admitted. The following qualifications
are acceptable as satisfying this requirement. Both are available internationally.
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The International English Language Testing Service Test (IELTS) administered by the British Council is
the test which is preferred by the University. You will need to achieve an Overall Band of at least 6, with
at least 5 in each of the four sub-tests. Testing facilities are available at most British Council overseas
offices. When you take your test, you should ask for a copy of your Test Report Form to be sent to the
University.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service,
Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, USA. You will need to score at least 550 (220 on the computer-based
MEng CSE 2009-10
test). If you take this test, you should enter the University’s code 0828, on your answer sheet.
Should you not be able to offer these grades then you should contact the Admissions Tutor for further
advice.
Student support and guidance
This is provided both by the University and the Course Team. You will be allocated a personal tutor who is
someone with whom you will be able to talk about any academic or personal concerns. However, all
members of staff are equally approachable so you will always be able to find a “friendly face” with whom you
feel comfortable. The School has a system of handbooks, year tutors and formal staff-student liaison
committees so that issues are rapidly dealt with.
The University provides important facilities such as
extended access to Library and Computing facilities, counselling and welfare services, careers advice and a
Disabilities Office. The latter routinely arranges dyslexia assessments and appropriate additional time
allocation for sitting examinations.
The School has a Women’s Engineering Society named FAIRER (Females Actively Involved in Rewarding
Engineering Roles). It provides a social network support to all students in Engineering, Design and
Technology, form Foundation Year to Postgraduate.
The contents of this Programme Specification may change, subject to the University's course and regulatory
approval, monitoring and review procedures.
For further information, please check the University prospectus or contact the Admissions tutor.
The Admissions Office,
University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP
Bradford BD7 1DP
Tel: +44 (0)1274 233054
MEng CSE 2009-10
The Admissions Office,
School of Engineering, Design & Technology
University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP
Tel: +44 (0)1274 234567