LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
Programme Specification
MEng in Civil Engineering
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the
programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be
expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning
opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module can be found in
Module Specifications and other programme documentation and online at
http://cisinfo.lboro.ac.uk:8081/CI/WR0015.MAIN
The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed by the University and may
be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Awarding body/institution;
Loughborough University
Teaching institution;
Loughborough University
The Joint Board of Moderators, on behalf of
Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural
Engineers, and Institution of Highways and
Transportation
MEng or MEng with DIS
Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body;
Name of the final award;
Programme title;
UCAS code;
Date at which the programme
specification was revised.
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Civil Engineering
H203 4yr full-time, H202 5yr sandwich
Revised 10.8.10
Aims of the programme:
to provide a high quality educational experience for high achievers that develops and
sustains students’ knowledge and skills to a depth and breadth expected of Masters
level graduates, in preparation for a career in the construction industry;
to extend and enhance the engineering education over that of BEng students by
providing increased breadth and increased depth of technical study at Masters level;
to develop enhanced capacity for independent learning and self reliance;
to produce civil engineering graduates with enhanced teamwork and leadership
skills, who are thus equipped to play a leading role in industry, with the potential to
take responsibility for innovation and change;
to provide an extended programme of study with increased emphasis on industrial
relevance, and with opportunity of sponsorship from, and experience with, a leading
construction company;
to develop students’ analytical, management and key skills to a depth and breadth
expected of Masters level graduates that will enable them to gain employment in a
wide variety of professions; and,
to help students successfully achieve their personal goals and make a valuable
contribution to society.
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2 Relevant subject benchmark statements:
The modular MEng programmes were first introduced in 1995. The aims, intended
learning outcomes and curriculum are continually reviewed and currently take account of
UK-SPEC, the 2005 JBM Accreditation Guidelines, the 2006 QAA Engineering
Benchmark statements for Engineering, and the Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications, as well as input from our industrial contacts.
3 Intended Learning Outcomes
When students have completed the MEng in Civil Engineering, and if they have taken full
advantage of the opportunities for learning that we provide, they should have gained:
Knowledge and understanding of:
1 Relevant mathematics, science and engineering principles in the field of structures,
geotechnics, water engineering and surveying
2 The properties, behaviour, fabrication and use of relevant materials
3 Construction technology and civil engineering practice
4 The management of projects through planning, finance, contract procedures and
quality systems
5 Principles of design specific to civil engineering
6 The role of codes of practice and the regulatory framework in design and practice
7 The principles, importance and management of relevant information technology
8 The role of the professional engineer in society, including health, safety and
environmental issues
9 Team roles, team-working skills and leadership skills
10 Relevant research methods
11 Civil engineering education, design and practice in a European context (Socrates
option in Part D)
The thinking skills to:
1 Demonstrate a high level of competence in identifying, defining and solving
engineering problems
2 Select and apply appropriate mathematical and computing methods for modelling
and analysing engineering problems.
3 Apply appropriate analytical techniques and codes of practice to the design of
components and systems
4 Evaluate and integrate information and processes through individual and group
project work
5 Define, plan, conduct and report on an original research project
6 Identify and apply appropriate project management techniques
7 Evaluate alternative techniques and strategies for managing people at work
8 Analyse and interpret financial information
9 Apply engineering principles, theories and methods in a professional environment
through a twelve month period of work experience (DIS programme only).
The practical skills to:
1 Use laboratory and field equipment competently and safely
2 Observe, record, process and analyse data in the laboratory and in the field
3 Use appropriate specialist computer software
4 Prepare technical reports and give technical presentations
5 Prepare technical drawings both manually and using CAD
6 Apply knowledge and skills in a professional environment through a twelve month
period of work experience (DIS programmes only)
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The Key skills to:
1 Communicate effectively using written, oral, graphical and presentational skills
2 Use IT effectively (WP, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, CAD, email, WWW
and specialist software)
3 Use mathematical skills appropriate to an engineer
4 Work independently
5 Work in a team environment and manage a small team
6 Manage workloads and time effectively
7 Work with limited or contradictory information
8 Monitor, plan and reflect upon personal, educational and career development (PDP)
9 Communicate effectively at a professional level in a second European language
(Socrates option only).
Learning and Teaching Methods
Acquisition of the above knowledge, understanding and skills is through a combination of
lectures, tutorials/examples classes, seminars, laboratory work, field work, practical
classes, teamwork projects, an outdoor management development course, an individual
research project, industrial training (DIS students only), study at an Overseas University
(European, Socrates and International options only), private study and coursework
throughout the programme.
Assessment
Knowledge, understanding and skills are assessed through a combination of written
examinations and coursework in the form of laboratory reports, problem solving
exercises, design projects, field course reports, oral presentations, essays, multiplechoice questionnaires and a research project report and presentation. The assessment
over the whole programme is split approximately equally between examinations and
coursework.
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Programme Structure
The MEng in Civil Engineering is offered as a full-time programme of four years or a
sandwich programme of five years if taken with the optional year of industrial training
leading to the award of a Diploma in Industrial Studies DIS. Each Part (academic year)
of the programme is taught in two semesters and students study modules with a
combined weight of 60 credits in each semester.
Full details of the programme regulations can be found at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/lps/progreg/year/1112/index.htm
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Criteria for admission to the programme
Applicants must satisfy the general requirements of the University and one of the
following programme requirements:
A level qualifications
AAB at A2 level, including Mathematics and excluding General Studies and Critical
Thinking.
VCE qualifications
340 points from 18 units (either VCE units alone or a combination of VCE units and AS
or A level units), including at least grade B in the mathematics units.
BTEC HNC/HND
Year 1 entry: averaging distinction, with distinction in engineering mathematics. Year 2
entry: majority of Distinctions at Level 4 (including Engineering Mathematics)
BTEC NA/NC/ND
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340 points from 18 units (either BTEC National units alone or a combination of BTEC
National units and AS or A level units), including Distinctions in mathematics units
(BTEC) and/or at least grade B in Mathematics (A or AS level).
International Baccalaureate
36 points, including at least 5 in Mathematics (at Higher level) and Physics
European Baccalaureate
75% (including English and mathematics)
French Baccalaureate
Overall score of 15 points (including English and mathematics)
Advanced Scottish Highers
AB including Mathematics
Scottish Highers
AABBB, including at least grade B in Mathematics
Irish Highers
340 points from four Highers, including Mathematics at grade B
French Baccalaureate
16 (including English)
Second year entry
Second year entry may be offered to candidates with appropriate qualifications.
Examples include diplomas from Malaysia and Singapore, higher diplomas from Hong
Kong, and HNDs from the UK.
Additional requirements
GCSE Physics or Double Science grade C
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Information about assessment regulations
Criteria for progression and Degree Award
(i) In order to progress from Part A or Part B candidates must obtain 120 credits in each
Part, and must normally obtain a minimum overall average mark of 60% in each Part.
(ii) In order to progress from Part C or to qualify for the award of an MEng Degree in Part
D, candidates must obtain 120 credits in each Part.
Any candidate who fails to progress from Parts A or B may transfer to the appropriate
Part of the BEng programme in Civil Engineering, before or after re-assessment,
provided that the candidate has satisfied the progression requirements for that
programme.
Any candidate who fails to progress from Part C may, at the discretion of the Examiners
and subject to completion of an individual Research Project, be awarded a BEng in Civil
Engineering with a classification based on the candidates performance in relevant Part B
and C modules, using modules and weightings appropriate to the BEng Programme.
Any candidate who fails to qualify for the award of the MEng Degree in Part D may, at
the discretion of the Examiners, be awarded a BEng in Civil Engineering with a
classification based on the candidate’s performance in Parts B and C together with the
individual research project (CVD002), using modular weightings appropriate to the BEng
programme.
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 average percentage mark for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 20: Part
C 35: Part D 45 to determine the final programme mark.
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Re-assessment
Provision will be made in accordance with Regulation XX for candidates who have the
right to re-assessment Part A, B or C of the programme to undergo re-assessment in the
University's special assessment period.
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What makes the programme distinctive
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The programmed prepares students for a career in the construction industry by
providing a broad-based education in civil engineering with a wide range of options
available in the final two years.
Our graduates continue to be popular with industry and the employment record for
our civil engineering graduates is excellent.
The programme has an option of an industrial placement year, taken after the second
year at university. Successful completion of this leads to the award of Diploma of
Industrial Studies (DIS). There is strong demand from industry for our second year
students that opt for the DIS year. Reports from employers are generally very
positive, and many graduates are subsequently employed by the companies with
whom they undertook industrial training.
The department has an industrial sponsorship scheme set up to give first year MEng
students the opportunity to apply for sponsorship once they are in their first year at
Loughborough. The scheme provides an annual bursary, a twelve month industrial
placement period and summer work if required. The scheme was started in 2001.
In the National Student Surveys (2005 -2008), designed to measure the level of
students' satisfaction with their university experience, the department achieved very
high rankings, including two in first place for the Civil Engineering category. In the
most recent survey the Civil Engineering programmes were ranked joint 3rd with 97%
student satisfaction
The programme is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators on behalf of the
Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, and the Institution
of Highways and Transportation. The last JBM visit was in February 2006 and the
report received was very positive and noted many examples of good practice.
Amongst the examples of good practice highlighted for inclusion in the JBM’s annual
report were; the outdoor management course; the industrial sponsorship scheme
(which the JBM said provides financial support, industrial placement opportunities
and employment opportunities for a large number of students); the MEng Teamwork
Design Project run with support from industry and involving a real site under
development; and the development of sustainable solutions to engineering problems
through the Development Project module, based around the annual New Civil
Engineer Communication Competition.
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8. Particular support for learning:
Please refer to
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/templateshop/notes/lps/
9. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of learning:
The University’s formal quality management and reporting procedures are laid out in its
Academic Quality Procedures Handbook, available online at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/policy/aqp/index.htm
These are under the overall direction of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching).
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