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School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Programme Handbook for Chemical/Petroleum
Engineering
Academic Session 2013/14
PART A - SCHOOL INFORMATION
1. SCHOOL AND DISCIPLINE INFORMATION
1.1 Key Information
1.2 Significant Dates in the Academic Year
2. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
2.1 Welcome to Heriot-Watt University from the Principal and Vice Chancellor
2.2 Welcome from Head of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
3. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE
3.1 Welcome from Head of Chemical Engineering Teaching
3.2 The School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS)
3.3 The Discipline
3.3.1 Student Responsibilities
3.3.2 Staff Responsibilities
4. TEACHING STAFF
5. SAFETY REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES
6. INFORMATION FOR NEW STUDENTS
6.1 What Goes on in the School?
6.2 What goes on in the Building?
6.3 How do I find my way around?
6.4 Who do I see if I have problems?
6.4.1 Your Lecturer
6.4.2 Your Mentor
6.4.3 Director of Studies
6.4.4 Head of Teaching
6.4.5 Student Welfare Services
6.5 Your Mentor
6.6 Medical Facilities
6.7 Student Services & Accommodation
6.8 The Student-Staff Committee
6.9 Undergraduate Skills Record and Record of Achievement
6.10 How is University Different from School or College?
6.11 Student Information
6.12 Other University Contacts
7 GENERAL INFORMATION
7.1 Programme Aims and Objectives
7.2 Overall Programme Structure
7.3 Timetables
7.4 Attendance
7.5 Study Skills
7.5.1 Lectures
7.5.2 Tutorials
7.5.3 Laboratory Work
7.5.4 Private Study
7.5.5 Submission of Coursework and Laboratory Reports
7.5.6 How is your work marked?
7.5.7 Plagiarism
7.5.8 Board of Examiners and Course Boards.
7.6 External General Communications
7.6.1 Correspondence
7.6.2 Telephones
7.6.3 Undergraduate Office
7.6.4 Employment/Professional References
7.6.5 Use of Social Networking Sites
7.7 Purchase of Books and Materials
7.7.1 Books
7.7.2 Computer Hardware and Software
7.7.3 Photocopying
7.7.4 Preparation of Overhead Transparencies
7.7.5 Lockers
7.7.6 Personal Equipment
7.8 Resources and Facilities
7.8.1 Computing Facilities
7.8.2 USB Memory Sticks
7.8.3 Wireless Network
7.8.4 Library
7.8.5 Crush Area (outside JN115)
7.8.6 Chemical Engineering Society
7.8.7 Institution of Chemical Engineers
7.8.8 Virtual Learning Environment “VISION”
8 COMPLAINTS/APPEALS/HARASSMENT
8.1 Complaints
8.2 Appeals
8.3 Race Equality Policy
8.4 Equal Opportunities Policy
9 PROGRESSION RULES
9.1 BEng Degrees
9.1.1 Progression from Year 1 to Year 2
9.1.2 Progression from Year 2 to Year 3
9.1.3 Progression from Year 3 to Year 4
9.2 Progression Procedure
9.3 Coursework and Project Submission
10 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE AND COURSES
10.1 Year 1 Structure
10.1.1 Progression to Year 2 and Beyond
10.2 Year 2 Structure
10.2.1 Progression to Year 3 and Beyond
10.3 Year 3 Structure
10.3.1 Progression to Year 4
10.4 Year 4 Structure
10.5 BEng Degree Award Classification
10.6 Prizes, Awards and Scholarships
PART B – UNIVERSITY INFORMATION
B1
ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS
B2
QUICK FINDER GUIDE TO SUPPORT SERVICES
B3
QUICK FINDER GUIDE TO STUDENT ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT
SERVICES
PART A - SCHOOL INFORMATION
1. Key Information
Head of School - Professor S. McLaughlin
Director of Teaching & Learning – Professor K.J. McCullough
Chemical Engineering Discipline Head of Teaching - Dr G.B. Thomson
Process Engineering Institute Head - G.White@hw.ac.uk
Other staff should be replaced by BHOS staff.
LINKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION/SERVICES Could be left from HWU, but BHOS
links should also be added
Student Support and Accommodation Services: http://www.hw.ac.uk/welfare/
Students: http://www.hw.ac.uk/home/dir/25/current-undergraduate-students
Administration: http://www.hw.ac.uk/home/dir/28/student-administration-and-supportservices
Heriot-Watt University: http://www.hw.ac.uk
University Academic Registry: http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/
Further information re. Chemical Engineering programmes: http://www.hw.ac.uk/cpeWWW
Society of Petroleum Engineering: http://www.spe.org
Institution of Chemical Engineers: http://www.icheme.org.uk
1.2 Significant Dates in the Academic Year
Heriot-Watt University operates a two twelve-week semester system, dates available from
http://www.hw.ac.uk/student-life/how-to-apply/academic-calendar.htm , repeated below.
All examinations take place during the assessment blocks. Please note that the dates of the
April/May exam diet may change. Full details of examination timetables are published at the
campus and can be found at: www.hw.ac.uk/registry/examination-timetables.php
Semester
Starting Date
Finishing Date
Semester 1 (12 weeks)
16 September 2013
6 December 2013
Block 1 Assessment (2 weeks)
9 December 2013
20 December 2013
Break 1 (3 weeks)
23 December 2013
10 January 2014
Semester 2 (12 weeks)
13 January 2014
4 April 2014
Break 2 (3 weeks)
7 April 2014
25 April 2014
Block 2 Assessment (4 weeks)
28 April 2014
23 May 2014
Graduations (4 days)
24 June 2014
27 June 2014
Resits (7 working days)
7 August 2014
15 August 2014
Graduations ( 2 days)
20 November 2014
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21 November 2014
Buildings on the Edinburgh Campus (except for student halls of residences) are
closed on 18 April 2014 and 21 April 2014. Other buildings closed days to be
confirmed.
Suggest adding any days that BHOS building are closed.
2
Welcome and Introduction
2.1
Welcome from the Principal of Heriot-Watt University
I am delighted to welcome you as a student of Heriot-Watt University!
Heriot-Watt University has a well earned reputation as Scotland's most international
and outward-looking University. With three campuses in Scotland (attended by a
high percentage of students from across the world), a new Campus in Dubai, a new
Campus in Malaysia which is expected to open in September 2012, and Learning
Partner institutions across the world, we have a vibrant and diverse learning culture
which is unique and unmatched by other universities in the United Kingdom. We are
keen to give our students the opportunity to develop an international dimension to
their studies which will enhance their opportunities for future growth.
Students at all our campus locations are an important part of our global community
and I very much hope you enjoy your time with us.
Professor Steve Chapman, Principal and Vice-Chancellor
2.2
Welcome to the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences
from the Director of Teaching and Learning
Whether you are a new or continuing student, you will, we hope, find it useful to have
a one-stop source of information. This handbook is our attempt to provide with such a
source. You will find the most immediately useful information in the first few sections,
and these have been written by staff in your subject area. The later sections contain
essential general University information and Web references where you can find
more detail, should you need it. If you have any questions that are not answered, or if
anything is at all unclear, do please ask your mentor or any other member of
academic or support staff. They will be pleased to help if they can; if they cannot,
they will refer you to someone who can!
Prof Kevin McCullough, Director of Teaching & Learning, EPS
3
General Information about the School/Institute and the
Chemical Engineering Discipline
3.1 Welcome from the Head of Chemical Engineering Teaching
“Welcome, especially to new students joining us for the first time. This handbook, updated
each year, contains useful reference materials about your degree, the courses that make up
the programme and other helpful hints. We have paid particular attention to sections to help
you understand how the programme of study is organised, what the milestones are, and to
provide you with helpful tips to enable you to get through each of the stages of the
programme. Our primary objective, as always, is to provide the opportunities for you to take
in order that you can become a professional engineer. On behalf of the academic staff, I
hope you enjoy this year”
Dr Gillian Thomson
3.2 The School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS)
The objective of the School and the Chemical Engineering subject area is the education and
training of highly qualified professionals capable of satisfying the wide range of technological
needs of our modern society. To this end the School offers programmes ranging from
Bachelor’s degrees in Chemical, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Chemistry and
Physics through taught Master’s degrees, to the research degree of PhD. The School of
Engineering and Physical Sciences has the largest student population of any School in the
University. A particularly lively, stimulating and varied environment for study, the School is
also a cohesive and supportive unit which takes a personal interest in all of its students.
The abbreviation for our School, the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is
EPS. Your School discipline is Chemical Engineering.
The Head of School has overall responsibility for the School’s many activities.
Undergraduate programmes are organised through the Head of Teaching, and the Directors
of Studies for each year of the programme. Section 4 of this booklet lists the current holders
of these posts and other staff closely involved with the programmes in Chemical
Engineering.
3.3 The Discipline
The Chemical Engineering section has over 300 undergraduates alongside postgraduate
students and research associates, and is staffed by an experienced team of academic,
technical and administrative staff. It is also actively involved in research, with strong
emphasis on multi-disciplinary work and active collaboration with other sections within the
University and with industry.
The aim of the chemical engineering discipline is to produce graduates who meet the needs
of industry now and in the future. We endeavour to help students become independent
learners, who can transfer their knowledge into the industrial environment. In order to
accomplish this, both students and staff need to fulfil a number of responsibilities.
3.3.1 Student Responsibilities
What we will expect of you:
 we expect you to follow all safety regulations and procedures at all times, and follow
the instructions of university staff with regard to safety,
 we expect you to adopt a professional approach to your work at all times, and to put
in the necessary level of effort to achieve a successful outcome,
 we expect you to attend all timetabled classes for your programme of study, and to
participate fully in the work of the class and to supplement the material given in
those lectures by reading appropriate texts. If you miss any lectures you should
take copies of handouts from one of your classmates, continued absence from
lectures without good reason can lead to de-registration,
 attempt tutorial questions in advance of the tutorials and use the timetabled
sessions to get help with any problems you might have,
 we expect you to submit all fully completed assignments and laboratory reports on
schedule and by the route described in the instructions for that piece of work. Late
coursework is subject to penalty and coursework handed in by an inappropriate
route that is discovered after the deadline in still late. It is a programme requirement
that all coursework and lab reports are submitted and failure to do so will require
remedial coursework to be completed during the summer re-assessment period,
 in any cases where you experience difficulty, we expect you to discuss (in
confidence) the matter with your academic mentor (or year Director of Studies) as
soon as possible, and
 if you miss any classes, we expect you to inform your mentor or year Director of
Studies as soon as possible. For prolonged periods, i.e. more than 3 days, this
must be accompanied by a medical certificate or equivalent.
There are a number of things that you must do as a bare minimum to ensure that you stand
the best chance of progressing through the programme. You MUST:
 see your mentor at the beginning of each semester, we also advise you to see your
mentor at regular intervals to keep him/her informed of your progress and any
issues that are affecting your studies,
 attend scheduled meetings with your mentor or advise him/her in advance if you
cannot attend,
 submit ALL coursework and lab reports by the deadline and by the route described
in the instructions for that piece of work,
 attend lecture, tutorial and laboratory classes as timetabled, and advise the
appropriate lecturer or laboratory supervisor of any absence (in advance if
possible),
 take good notes in lectures and remember that it is important to note the key points
of what lecturers say as well as things on overheads or the board,
 check notice boards, pigeonholes and University e-mail regularly; you should also
check VISION for the courses on which you are registered for announcements
specific to those courses. Urgent messages will be posted on the “Urgent Notice
board” outside JC16, announced at the beginning of lectures or circulated by e-mail,
 remain at University until the scheduled end of each semester unless you have
cleared your absence with your mentor – semester dates are available in section 1
of this handbook and on the University website,
 attend ALL examinations for the courses that you are taking – it is YOUR
responsibility to ensure that you know the dates of your exams and the courses for
which you are registered. Please make sure that you have checked the FINAL
exam timetable, and
 NOT schedule holidays during any exam period, including the resit period in
August. The dates of assessment periods are shown in the dates of the academic
year on page 6.
Heriot-Watt University reserves the right to update materials from time to time and will
ensure that advance notification concerning changes to materials is provided to students on
the relevant section of the University website. It is the responsibility of students to check the
website, particularly if they are returning to studies after a period during which their studies
have been in abeyance.
3.3.2 Staff Responsibilities
In return:
 we will endeavour to provide you with the highest possible standard of education in
chemical engineering,
 we will give you support, encouragement and the technical back-up to develop your
skills as a practising professional chemical engineer,
 we will set assignments, laboratory and tutorial work designed to challenge your
knowledge, skills and understanding, and ensure that you are developing your
professional competencies,
 we will provide you with an academic mentor who will guide you through your entire
period in the chemical engineering discipline,
 we will make available any advice and help you may need to cope successfully with
your programme, or, where more appropriate, direct you to alternative sources of
help, for example Student Services, and
 we will monitor your progress and provide feedback and guidance if any problems
become evident.
Some students expect academic staff to provide all the information they may require to
successfully complete a programme. However, higher education does not seek to produce
graduates who can simply memorise and reproduce facts, but seeks to develop each
student’s analytical skills by requiring him/her to seek out information and apply independent
thought to it; that is, to produce graduates who can think for themselves. Students who
learn new skills, are prepared to think about problems and start to become chemical
engineers are the students who find it easiest to get jobs.
Part of becoming a chemical or petroleum engineer is about learning to solve
problems and you can’t do this on memory alone.
4. Chemical Engineering Teaching Staff
As well as teaching at undergraduate level, staff in the section are also involved in
postgraduate teaching, research and consultancy. This ensures the subject area keeps upto-date with current practice and this is reflected in the design of the undergraduate
programmes.
The staff most closely concerned with the organisation, delivery and support of the
programmes are:
Staff Member
Dr J.Andresen
Room
Administration Areas
1st,2nd, 3rd
Fundamentals,
Thermodynamics, Design
1st, 2nd year
Physics, Foundation
JC NM10
Dr A.Bell
Mr C. Bell
NS-G18
Teaching Areas
Laboratory Technical
Support
Dr H. Bock
JC NF7
Year 2 Director of Studies
Year 1 Director of Studies,
Building and School Safety
Officer
Dr J.A.S. Goodwin
JC NG20
Mr A. Harper
JN-1.21
Dr P.Henderson
WP G.32
Prof M. Keane
JC NM2
MSc Programme Director –
Sustainability Engineering
Prof G. Markx
Prof. M.Maroto-Valer
JC NM9
WP 2.40
Buchan Chair in Sustainable
2nd, 3rd
Thermodynamics, modelling
1st, 3rd, 4th
Safety,
Mass
transfer,
Material Balances
2nd, 4th
Heat transfer, sustainability
2nd,4th
Fluids, Energy Utilisation
3rd, 4th , 5th
Thermodynamics, Catalysis &
Reactor
1st, 3rd, 4th
Control, Biology
Prof X-W. Ni
Prof R. Ocone
Dr G.B. Thomson
Dr R.E. Westacott
Prof G. White
Dr N. Willoughby
Dr H.Yiu
JC NF3
JN-3.05
JC NF8
JC NM7
JN-1.25
JC NF6
JC NG22
Energy
Year 3 Director of Studies
Head of Teaching
Year 4 & 5 Director of
Studies. Admissions Tutor
“Engineers of the Future”
Programme Director, DIT
Co-ordinator
“Process Engineering”
Research Institute Head.
3rd, 4th Reactions
3rd, 4th – Separations
3rd, 4th
Sustainability, Design
1st , 3rd , 4th , 5th
Energy, Thermodynamics
2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th
Design, Aspen/HYSYS, Oil &
Gas, Distillation
2nd Heat Transfer
2nd Mass/Energy Balances
5. Safety Regulations and Procedures
For the safety of everyone, you are expected to behave in a responsible manner at all times.
Safety is not just a matter reserved for working in the laboratory areas; it applies everywhere
– halls of residence, lecture rooms etc. Anyone found disregarding safety guidelines or
acting in a manner which may cause an incident may face severe penalties, which include
removal from the University.
Across the University there are a range of activities some which will present a higher degree
of risk than others; attending classes, walking across roadways etc. have their own safety
and risk implications. Areas that have potential hazards will be marked by signs located on
the doors to laboratory areas or walk-through corridors. However, at all times you must act to
ensure activities you are responsible for are conducted in a safe manner and that when
participating in activities organised for you that you act in a safe and responsible manner.
All students will be issued with a copy of the Safety Regulations and Procedures booklet, in
paper or electronic format (via Vision). Students should consult this document (plus specific
lab regulations) before commencing any laboratory work. In general anyone working in a
laboratory area will be expected to wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE);
this may mean laboratory coat, safety glasses, appropriate shoes, etc.
New and Expectant Mothers - If a student becomes pregnant she should inform the Building
Safety Officer and the Head of School of her condition as soon as possible so that a risk
assessment of her activities in the School can be undertaken. All information provided will
be treated as confidential.
The fire alarms in the Coulson and Nasmyth buildings are usually tested every Tuesday
morning at about 8.30 am. You should familiarise yourself with the fire exits in both these.
Should you be in an unfamiliar building when the fire alarm sounds leave by the nearest fire
exit. If the fire alarm sounds you are required to obey the instructions of the Safety Officer,
the Building Fire Marshall (wearing a high visibility jacket), your supervising member of staff
and any member of the Fire Brigade.
If the fire alarms sounds and you are not in a supervised class:
- leave the building by the nearest Fire Exit
- do not use the lifts (elevators)
- do not collect coats or bags
- do not go into any rooms (or toilets)
- please assist any disabled persons.
Go immediately to the assembly point for the building you are in, away from the main door.
Do not stand close to the building.
It is an offence to tamper with any fire fighting equipment (extinguishers or hoses) or alarms
anywhere on campus. This is a disciplinary matter and could results in expulsion from the
University and/or criminal prosecution.
6. Information for New Students
Getting started is always the hardest part, knowing where to go and who to see. This section
is specifically aimed at those who are just joining the University either as 1st year students or
as direct entrants to later years of the programme.
6.1 What Goes on in the School?
The University is structured into a number of Schools which administer the degree
programmes and manage the teaching resources allocated to specific subject areas. All
undergraduate programmes in the University have a number of members of staff who
specifically teach in one discipline area and you will be associated with these members of
staff for your entire programme. Chemical Engineering is within the School of Engineering
and Physical Sciences, which also covers Chemistry, Physics, Electrical and Electronic
Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
6.2 What goes on in the Chemical Engineering Building?
Nearly all members of staff for Chemical Engineering are located in the John Coulson
Building. John Coulson was a key figure in the history of Chemical Engineering in the UK
and was instrumental in establishing Chemical Engineering at Heriot-Watt.
Your main contact with academic staff will be in lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions
although you will get to know individual members of staff through mentee and project
meetings. Members of staff are not exclusively involved with teaching; they are also likely to
be busy with administrative roles and be part of research groups working either within the
University or collaborating with industry or academics at other Universities. Their time, like
yours, is a valuable commodity which should be used wisely. The demonstrators that you will
meet in the laboratories are postgraduate students doing research toward their PhD degrees
and this research covers many different and exciting areas at the cutting-edge of
engineering and science.
Access to buildings is sometimes restricted for reasons of health and safety. The normal
opening hours for academic buildings are 8.00 to 18.30 on Mondays to Fridays only. You
should consult the Building Safety Officer (Dr. J.A.S. Goodwin) if you require access outside
these times, but please note that access will only be permitted under exceptional
circumstances. Undergraduates are not allowed in the buildings between 10 p.m. and 8
a.m., at weekends or during buildings closed days.
Access to the University Library and computing facilities is less restricted and you should
consult the University web page for details of their opening hours.
6.3 How do I find my way around?
Although the University may seem very large and strange at first, you will very quickly
become familiar with your new surroundings. During “Freshers” week, you will be shown the
key areas in the John Coulson Building and the rest of the University, and you will find other
places as and when you need them.
You will find that lectures are scattered across the campus and your timetable will indicate
which room and which building you are meant to be in. Buildings across the campus are
designated by a two letter code, some examples are:
JC
JN
DB
WP
WA
John Coulson
James Nasmyth
David Brewster
William Perkin
William Arrol
Chemical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Physics
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
If in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask. Your first port of call will usually be the School General
Office but keep a copy of the campus map handy.
6.4
Who do I see if I have problems?
Of course we very much hope that you do not experience problems in your time at HeriotWatt, but the reality is that many people need a little extra help and guidance on academic or
personal matters at various stages. At such times it is very important to remember that you
are not alone and that confidential help is always available from several sources. Please
confront and deal with any problems as they arise; don't ignore them or let them drag on as
this generally only makes things worse. People who you can see, in order of preference are:
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for a specific academic problem, the lecturer for that particular subject should
be your first point of contact,
your mentor – all students will be attached with a mentor who may be able to
offer more advice (see section 6.5),
the Director of Studies for your year of the programme if you are having
general problems,
the Head of Teaching for more serious issues, and
Student Welfare – your mentor may suggest that you see Student Support
and Accommodation in the University or Student Welfare in the Students
Association. You can of course make an appointment to see them yourself.
6.4.1 Your Lecturer
There will always be a member of academic staff responsible for the academic content of a
course. This may be the lecturer who you see every timetabled slot, or it is someone who
organises sessions. If you have a technical issue with the content of the course, a problem
with a tutorial question then you should try and see the lecturer or any postgraduate student
who may be employed as a teaching assistant. You should however have attended the
tutorial sessions and made use of these to address questions you might have first before
making any additional arrangement with a member of staff. It is often easier to arrange to
see the lecturer concerned by making an appointment, as lecturers other duties may mean
that they can’t see you immediately if you just turn up at their office.
6.4.2 Your Mentor
The role of your mentor is described in section 6.5 but it is worth reminding that for specific
academic issues your mentor is also responsible for
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checking approval of course change forms,
collecting medical certificates if you are absent from classes for more than 2 days,
advising on the appeals procedure,
advising who to see if you have a problem elsewhere, and
writing reference letters for jobs and accommodation.
6.4.3 Director of Studies
Each year group will have a member of staff who takes an overview of the entire year and is
responsible for activities in that year. You may find that you won’t see your Director of
Studies that often, but you can make an appointment to see him/her should your problem not
have been solved by either the individual lecturer or your mentor. Amongst other things, the
Director of Studies is responsible for:
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making sure that the particular year of the programme runs smoothly,
ensuring that appropriate examination questions and papers are produced for
assessment,
collating the marks and grades after each examination diet, and
advising students on any issues arising from examination results that might hinder
the student’s progression to the next year of the programme.
Do not approach a Director of Studies for a year of the programme other than your own. It is
likely they will refer you back to your own Director of Studies or your mentor.
6.4.4 Head of Teaching
The Head of Teaching is responsible for running the Chemical Engineering programmes.
Ultimately any decision regarding problems encountered by students and staff will reach the
Head of Teaching. You can make an appointment to see the Head of Teaching should the
lecturer concerned, your mentor or the appropriate Director of Study not be able to resolve
your problem.
6.4.5 Student Welfare Services
The University has two additional support mechanisms for students. You will find more
details of the range of support systems place in section B. Your mentor or Director of Studies
may advice you to see support from either of these systems, both of which are completely
confidential.
6.5 Your Mentor
All students are assigned an academic mentor – a member of academic staff who will advise
you during the whole of your time here. Your Mentor should be the first person that you go
to see if you have problems of any type - academic or personal. You have our guarantee
that anything you tell your Mentor in confidence will be kept strictly confidential. If your
Mentor cannot help you directly, he or she is very likely to know someone who can. In an
emergency you should visit your Mentor’s office without an appointment. If your Mentor is
not in his/her office, you should contact the General Office.
ALL discussions between you and your Mentor are strictly confidential. Your mentor
may offer to talk to someone else on your behalf, but they will never talk to someone
else without your permission.
A summary of the role of your Mentor is
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someone to contact for advice on academic and non-academic issues, which might
include programme options as well as health, financial and welfare problems,
giving you your examination marks from previous semesters,
monitoring your academic progress,
providing references for employers and accommodation,
support in difficult circumstances, and
representing your interests at meetings of the Board of Examiners.
At the very least, YOU MUST SEE YOUR MENTOR ONCE DURING EVERY SEMESTER.
This allows you to discuss with your Mentor how things went the previous semester (from
laboratory and coursework marks to exam results), and it enables us to check that all is well
with you. Your Mentor will keep a record of how you are doing, where to contact you, etc.
An academic reference is an important part of the job application process. It is worth
remembering that your attitude to your work, your commitment and involvement in the
programme, and your overall attendance record play an important part in such a reference,
as potential employers always ask about these issues when they request information from
staff about employing you. It is very difficult for your Mentor to write a reference for you
if you have not made an effort to get to know him/her.
To make an appointment with your Mentor, you should contact the Student Support Office
(JN 1.09), or telephone or e-mail him/her directly.
6.6 Medical Facilities
All students who are not living at home and consequently do not have access to their family
doctor during semester-time are strongly advised to register with a doctor in the Edinburgh
area. If you are living on the Riccarton campus or in its vicinity you are recommended to
register with the on-campus University Health Service which provides both Medical and
Dental facilities, and is located in the Health Centre on the Avenue, adjacent to Leonard
Horner Hall. The phone number is (0131) 451 3010.
In each academic building, you will find a list of staff (with photographs) who are qualified to
administer First Aid.
6.7 Student Services & Accommodation
The University has a very efficient and helpful Student Services and Accommodation
department designed to aid students with any academic, personal or financial problems that
may arise. This department is also responsible for the Halls of Residence and helping to
find off-campus accommodation. This service operates completely independently from the
School and individual academic departments, and all discussions are strictly confidential.
The advisers have vast experience of helping students through difficulties and their services
include
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a free and confidential Counselling service
financial advice
exam anxiety workshops
Appointments are made through the Student Services and Accommodation Office located in
the Hugh Nisbet Building, opposite the Students Association Shop. Additional advice can be
sought from the Students Association Advice and Support Centre. Your mentor may suggest
that you make an appointment or may offer to make an appointment on your behalf. Either
way, your conversation with an advisor or counsellor from Student Support and
Accommodation is confidential.
6.8 The Student-Staff Committee
Each discipline has a Staff-Student Liaison Committee which meets at least once per
semester. This committee is vital in ensuring communication between staff and students,
ensuring that students can voice their concerns at a level that makes students in other years
and staff aware of issues that have arisen. In Chemical Engineering, we are particularly
pleased with how this committee has worked in the past and hope that it continues to work
successfully to the benefit of everyone. Membership is voluntary but generally consists of
two students from each year, the School Officer for Chemical Engineering and three
members of staff. Student members are volunteers, and where there are more than two
volunteers for a particular year group of students, a ballot may be held.
The remit of the Staff-Student Committee is to raise and discuss issues affecting the
University, School and Chemical Engineering. Student representatives are asked to bring
general concerns of their particular year group to the meeting, and report back the results of
the discussion. Minutes and action lists will be published for all students and staff to read.
Note that the meeting is not one way; it also provides an opportunity for staff to raise issues
as equally as students.
6.9 Undergraduate Skills Record and Record of Achievement
To act as a focus for your regular discussions with your Mentor, and to provide you with an
overview of your performance, you are required to keep an up-to-date Undergraduate Skills
Record, mapping your progress throughout your programme. This document will be valuable
to you, allowing you to chart your academic development, and aiding the construction of a
CV when you come to apply for jobs. It is also designed to encourage you to look back at
your self-development profile, and hence identify any changes you should make, or any help
you need, to achieve a successful outcome in your studies. You should endeavour to keep
it updated regularly. In addition, you are asked to keep an up-to-date Academic Record of
Achievement, charting your progress, and allowing you to reflect on your performance as the
session proceeds. The value of these documents is directly proportional to the effort you
invest in them and the seriousness with which you treat them. Please give them due care
and attention.
6.10 How is University Different from School or College?
Although on the face of it, both types of institution may seem to have the same purpose,
there is a wealth of difference in your involvement in, and management of, the learning
process between the two levels of education. At Heriot-Watt, as with any good University,
your lecturers and tutors will do their utmost to help you learn, but the responsibility for
ensuring that the learning is actually done is very much down to you. The cliché “you get
out what you put in” is rarely more true.
You are here to take the first steps towards becoming a professional chemical engineer, so it
is very important that you adopt a professional attitude to your studies. This can be more
difficult than it sounds, unless you adopt a disciplined approach. You must get your priorities
right and realise that your primary purpose for being here is to study. If you don’t get this
right, it’s very easy for other things to take over, so try to keep things in perspective. By all
means enjoy an extensive and active sporting and social life, but also ensure that you are
fulfilling your academic responsibilities to yourself.
At University your studying should be geared to achieving a professional education, not only
in chemical engineering but in a range of transferable skills that are valuable even if you
eventually choose a career outside of the profession. Thus your learning should focus not
just on the idea of passing exams, but on the understanding of the subject matter and on
developing strategies to solve problems. With understanding comes insight and also deeper
enjoyment and pleasure in knowing and being able to apply your chosen field of study. Your
skills from school will stand you in good stead, but you will need to learn lots of new ones – if
you don’t, things will seem much more difficult.
Guidance on how to study and learn is freely available from academic staff at all times, and
some information is also given in this Handbook. Always remember that what you learn is
built on in later years, so all the effort expended in Year 1 will pay off later in the programme,
but taking it easy in Year 1 usually means harder work to catch up in later years.
Remember also that, merely passing the exams is not enough! As you progress through
the programme the emphasis is more on solving open-ended problems that require
understanding of fundamental principles and not memory. The culmination of any
chemical engineering degree programme is the “Final Year Design Project”, and
passing this is a requirement of getting an accredited degree required for Chartership.
A similar project is carried out in Petroleum Engineering and is of equal importance.
It is particularly important that you refer to the information on Study Skills. While you have, of
course, demonstrated your academic abilities by qualifying for a University place, it is almost
universally true that students need to adopt a more disciplined and a more structured
approach to their work to achieve at least the same level of success at University. This is
especially true because you are now the person controlling the effort you put in, and human
nature dictates that it is much easier to develop bad habits rather than good ones! Try to be
disciplined with yourself in your academic work. If you adopt an effective and efficient
working method in Year 1, this will stand you in good stead for the more challenging material
in later years of the programme, so it is really important to develop good work habits from
day one. Lecturers will not chase you to work in the same way that your teachers at school
or college may have done – the responsibility to study is yours.
Many students struggle because they fail to start their programme in the correct manner and
put off studying until examinations loom over them. This is not a good idea! Advice on
studying is available from your Mentor, your Director of Studies, the Student Services, and
indeed from students in the later years of your programme.
While school is a legal requirement, you have won a place at University because you chose
to follow this path. It is up to you to take responsibility for learning, and the University
reserves the right to remove students from programmes if they do not perform or attend at
the required level.
6.11 Student Information
Information on each student is held on the University computer system which includes
contact addresses, academic records and notes regarding financial information. Staff across
the University have partial access to key items of information on this database. Additional
information, such as medical certificates, letters to students, appeals etc. are held in the
Student Support Office in each student’s personal file and may be referred to by members of
academic staff. All information is regulated under Data Protection and Freedom of
Information.
6.12 Other University Contacts
Here is a list of other useful numbers in case you need additional help:
Tel. No.
Student Welfare Services
3386
Student Counselling
Morag Patten – Senior Counsellor
3387
Lorraine Vallance – Special Needs Adviser
3509
Lesley West - Student Funding Administrator
3613
University Chaplaincy
Emergency Services (red emergency telephone) or
4508
2222
7 General Information
Programme handbooks, such as this, provide the essential information to help you survive
throughout the programme. There will be a new edition provided each year on registration
and you are strongly advised to read through the booklet so that you are aware of the rules
and guidelines for your particular year, and to see what may lie in store for future years. Also
note that some of the rules and regulations that govern the University and programmes
change from year to year, and these changes will be reflected in the updated handbook
each year.
Heriot-Watt University reserves the right to update materials from time to time and will
ensure that advance notification concerning changes to materials is provided to students on
the relevant section of the University website. It is the responsibility of students to check the
website, particularly if they are returning to studies after a period during which their studies
have been in abeyance.
7.1 Programme Aims and Objectives
The aims of our undergraduate chemical and petroleum engineering programmes at BEng
level are:

to provide suitably qualified candidates the opportunity to study chemical engineering
and petroleum engineering through programmes which reflect a balance between
engineering science and the application of engineering to real problems;



to provide a learning experience, linked to the research and specialist skills within the
discipline, which is intellectually challenging, industrially relevant, up-to-date,
stimulating and enjoyable;
to provide programmes of study which fulfil the requirements of the Institution of
Chemical Engineers, are matched to the needs of industry and produce graduates
who are able to design, operate and manage plants in the process industries and
who can provide leadership in innovation, research and technology transfer; and
to develop curricula which meet the needs of the profession while being responsive
to new technological demands and changes in the subject area.
Our objectives are to provide graduates who:






7.2
have consolidated and extended their basic education in mathematics and chemistry,
gained a good understanding of the principles of chemical engineering, and gained
experimental skills in measurements related to chemical engineering science and its
applications;
can apply the skills and knowledge developed during the programme to solve the
complicated problems in today’s industry;
understand the function of a wide range of process plant equipment and its use in
achieving business and process objectives safely, effectively and efficiently, with
minimal undesirable environmental consequences;
have deepened their understanding of chemical process principles through problem
solving, projects and assignments, and have the design skills necessary to be able,
both individually and within a team, to carry out design tasks for a range of processes
and plant, and are able to make oral and written presentations of their findings;
are familiar with the use of a range of modern IT tools for communication, information
searches, calculation and design, data analysis and reporting, and specialised
chemical engineering applications; and
have satisfied the academic requirements for membership of the IChemE, have
developed a readiness for a career in chemical, biochemical or process engineering
and have a professional attitude to their employers and society.
Overall Programme Structure
The following undergraduate degree programmes are offered:
 BEng in Chemical Engineering
 BEng in Petroleum Engineering
It may be possible to transfer between these degree programmes at an appropriate point,
subject to meeting the necessary prerequisites and progression requirements.
Ensuring that our programmes meet the external standards plays a significant part in the
development of the programme syllabus and the use of various assessment techniques.
Our BEng Degree is designed as an Honours Degree programme. It may however be
awarded as an Ordinary Degree to students who fail to reach Honours standard. The
structure of the Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering programmes are
described later.
For internal procedures, each programme is designated a unique code number. The
following codes apply:
7.3
B411
BEng Chemical Engineering
B421
BEng Petroleum Engineering
Timetables
Timetable information for each programme of study and stage will be available to students
from the Heriot-Watt University Timetable website
http://www.hw.ac.uk/timetabling/teaching-timetables.htm
Semester 1 and Semester 2 timetables will be available two weeks before the start of
Semester 1 and two weeks before the end of Semester 1 respectively.
Information on the location of rooms on the published timetables can be found from
http://www.hw.ac.uk/timetabling/building-information.htm
All students are advised to ensure that they know the location of each timetabled activity that
they are required to attend.
Students will be alerted to changes to the timetables made during semester from the course
responsible person.
7.4
Attendance
In order to obtain a University degree you MUST complete various programme
requirements, in addition to doing well in the exams. Academic performance is clearly
linked to attendance and participation in the timetabled events. So, in general, if you
miss work through illness you are expected to make it up later.
Whenever you miss any lectures, laboratory work or tutorials, you must inform your Director
of Studies via an Absence Certificate. Copies are available from the general office. If you are
away for 5 or more consecutive days through ill health, a Doctor's note is required. It is
extremely important that if you are ill in the run up or during the examination diets that you
get a medical note from your Doctor and inform your mentor and year Director of Studies.
Finally, if you need to be off for extended periods through illness, or for any other reason,
then contact your Mentor immediately. He/she will see how we can help you to continue on
your programme successfully. Anyone who is experiencing significant difficulty may wish to
consider suspending their studies for a period of time. Ask your mentor in the first instance.
Experience shows us that even missing a few classes can have a severe impact on a
student’s ability to keep up with their work, leading to difficulty in that student achieving their
potential. Thus it is essential that absences from classes are kept to a minimum, and that
any work that is missed due to an unavoidable absence is caught up with immediately upon
return to work.
In some courses, particularly in 1st Year, attendance at lectures and tutorials is
recorded. At certain points in the year, warnings are issued to students whose
attendance is less than satisfactory. If the situation does not improve students may
be de-registered from the course(s) concerned. This is a very serious situation. Students
should note that it is a requirement of obtaining a Student Loan that students are registered
FULL TIME. Thus it is essential that ALL absences from classes are discussed with your
Director of Studies at the earliest opportunity.
7.5
Study Skills
University is very different to School and it’s almost certain that you will have to modify your
study habits to cope with the demands of a university education. University programmes do
not include lectures for teaching purposes, but as a guide towards self-study. You must
ensure that you review material covered in lectures in order that you are sure that you
understand it. Remember that you are switching focus from merely passing exams as the
primary criterion, to UNDERSTANDING and REMEMBERING the material for future use.
It is your responsibility to study, identify your difficulties and seek help from your colleagues
or a member of staff.
From experience, it is the students who continually work throughout the year who find
themselves progressing to the next year of the programme without any problems. Those
students who try to “cram” material in at the last minute often fail to get through assessments
without incident. Students who cram also tend to struggle in the next year of the programme
because they don’t fully understand the material from earlier years of the programme.
Please remember that your academic record will be sent to you and is often asked for by
potential employers.
In many ways the manner in which you study is a personal thing, but there are a number of
general matters you should be aware of. You will be given a range of general advice from
various sources and you are well advised to consider carefully what you are told, and try to
develop a method of work that suits your personal style. Your mentor will be able to provide
advice or will refer you to the Academic Counsellor for more specific help. It is important to
work conscientiously to ensure you genuinely understand what is going on. The biggest
mistake people often make is to leave their studying until close to exam time. This is TOO
LATE. It is very important that you quickly develop the habit of working through the entire
semester, ensuring you understand what is being taught, as you go along. Remember the
real world is not like a series of tutorial questions. To solve problems in the workplace you
will need to understand the principles that you will learn on your programme.
Careful planning of workload is a key to success; managing your time by setting aside study
time will help tremendously. Ensure that you tackle all coursework assignments in good time,
preferably starting as soon as possible; students who leave assignments until just before the
submission date often find that by that time they have accumulated several other pieces of
work to complete and thus find it difficult to cope. It is a good idea to have a work diary, to
map out what is required of you on a weekly basis, to allow for effective planning on your
part.
7.5.1 Lectures
The lecture is the main way that you pick up the facts about subjects. All subjects will regard
attendance at lectures as COMPULSORY and is monitored rigorously, especially during 1st
year. If you miss lectures on a regular basis this tells us that all is not well with you and we
will try to find out why. Many subject areas will pass attendance lists to us and your year
Director of Studies will want to see those people whose attendance is poor. Please note that
it is a programme requirement that you attend classes, so unless you have a genuine reason
for any absence, make sure you attend them all.
If you miss a lecture please inform your Mentor as soon as possible and provide a selfcertification note or letter from your doctor to cover illness, or an e-mail for other personal
reasons. The same applies to the late submission of coursework – you will not be excused
any late penalties for missing coursework without a signed note from your Mentor.
Students who fail to attend sufficient classes without a valid reason will be deregistered from the programme.
You should regard the lecture as providing pointers to the key facts and use text books
where you need to find out more about a particular topic. You may be required to take notes
in lectures, and you must develop the important skills of taking your own notes, integrating
handouts and supplementing this with material from relevant textbooks. In many lectures it
will be obvious what material needs to be recorded, but in lectures on more descriptive
topics it is not always so obvious. Your notes should include details of what the lecturer says
as well as anything that is on the board or overheads. Simply photocopying something is not
the same as learning and understanding, you will be much better off taking your own notes.
Organise these notes systematically, and course by course. Do this continuously because if
you get behind there is no time to catch up.
As a rough guide, you should spend an hour of private study for every hour of lecture. This
private study should involve reading over and understanding your own lecture notes,
consulting textbooks for further explanation of material, and forming a list of questions for
material that you require further explanation
We continually try to improve lectures and programmes and we will ask you for formal
feedback at key times throughout the year.
7.5.2 Tutorials
Tutorials take many forms. In the Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering
programmes we use tutorials mainly as problem solving sessions where you will be given a
numerical problem and asked to solve this using techniques and theory covered in lectures.
You will be expected to try problems before the tutorial session and use the tutorial
time to get help and advice. You should spend about an hour of private study time trying
the tutorial questions per hour of timetabled tutorial. Some students may find they can work
through problems on their own and get the “right” answer, but there are many cases where
the route to get this answer may be wrong. Your lecturer and their tutorial assistants will be
happy to offer advice. You can also spend some tutorial time trying the examples and
exercises in the recommended textbooks.
As you progress in the programme, problems will become more open-ended; that is to say
that the number of ways to approach a problem will grow as will the assumptions you will be
expected to make. This is a desirable skill necessary for tackling problems in industry and is
one of the key outcomes we expect from the Chemical Engineering and the Petroleum
Engineering programme. In the real world we can’t always find all the information that we
need to solve a particular problem, so we need to make assumptions – the more we
understand about the issues surrounding the problem, the better assumptions we are likely
to make. In some cases, you may find it beneficial to confer with your fellow classmates. We
often find that some students work better in small groups where ideas can be shared.
However, remember assessments are solely on your own expertise. Copying, collusion and
plagiarism are disciplinary offences.
As with lectures, we consider tutorial sessions compulsory, especially in 1st year. Often the
lecturer will give hints about problem solving or other pointers to supplement his/her lecture
on the topic. You are very strongly advised to attend all the tutorial sessions.
7.5.3 Laboratory Work
Laboratory exercises in Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and Chemistry are
another key part of the programme; they provide a visual and practical demonstration of
some of the key principles of the topics covered in lectures. You must do all the practical
work that is set and abide by all safety rules for the laboratory and specific experiment. Most
exercises will require a written report which is written following a standard layout set down in
the laboratory notes provided to you. You will find it will take time to get used to the discipline
of reporting facts and observations accurately, but like anything – the more you practise the
easier it gets. It is a key skill required by an engineer. The number of laboratory exercises
will vary from year to year, as will the depth and number of different topics.
7.5.4 Private (Self-Directed) Study
Your success at University will depend largely on your skill and dedication to private study.
This private study is not graded, but this does not mean it is not important. You are expected
to develop skills and manage your own study. For most people, working in small amounts at
a time, but doing it often, is the best policy, using odd hours during the days or evenings to
re-enforce, discover and practice your engineering skills. This is often very usefully done in
small groups, but note that any formal assessments must be completed independently,
unless otherwise indicated. As a guide, a reasonable weekly commitment to private study is
shown in the following table:
Lectures
Tutorials
Lab/Project Work
Total hours
Timetabled Classes
(hours per week)
12-14
3-6
3-7
18-27
Private Study
(hours per week)
10-14
6-10
2-5
18-29
Note that this comes to about 23 hours of private study, on average, but you may have to
work even more if you recognise that problems are becoming evident in any particular area.
If you do less than 20 hours, it will not be enough.
To improve your chances of being successful, you are strongly advised to note the following:




it is very important that you use some of your private study time for revision of
programme material during the semester, instead of cramming all your revision
into the week before the exams,
you must manage your time carefully - if you spend a lot of time checking through
your lecture notes and reading around them, then you have less time on tutorials;
make sure that laboratory reports do not take up a disproportionate amount of
time at the expense of other private study,
if you discover a problem during private study, ask for help from the lecturer
teaching the material at the next opportunity or make an appointment to see
them, and
the vacations are crucial times for additional background reading and revision - it
is useful to mix revision work with answering questions, either from past papers
or recommended textbooks; if you don't average a couple of full days of work per
week during vacations, you are probably not doing enough.
In summary, you are likely to spend about 20 hours per week on timetabled work, and about
20 hours per week on private study during the teaching weeks in each semester. You can
monitor your progress using tutorials, and the grades you get in assignments and lab
reports. You will need to be organised and conscientious with private study if you are to
obtain a good degree. Remember: the better your degree classification, the better your
chance of obtaining a job, and the better your prospects for advancement. If you develop
good study habits in Year 1, experience suggests that you will do well throughout the entire
programme.
If at any stage you feel that you are falling behind in your work, you should contact either
your year Director of Studies or your Mentor for advice. Remember the ethos underpinning
study is different from that at school. Try to understand the concepts and ideas as you go
along, not just memorise them. Don’t just try to pass the exams! If you concentrate on just
passing the exams you are likely to struggle in the design projects which become more and
more important as you progress through the programme.
7.5.5 Submission of Coursework and Laboratory Reports
It is your responsibility to ensure that your coursework is submitted by the deadline.
Coursework submitted after the deadline is subject to penalty, except where justifiable
circumstances have been accepted by your Mentor/course leader. You are strongly
advised to keep regular back-ups of your work.
Coursework must be submitted according to following rules:


the instructions for submission of the coursework given by the person setting the
coursework must be followed,
it is your responsibility to ensure that your coursework is submitted; non-submission
of your coursework by a friend is your responsibility,


all work submitted on paper must be bound or stapled as appropriate; multiple loose
leaf sheets or paperclips are not acceptable, if coursework (or part of) is lost because
it is inappropriately bound, it is your fault, and
it is your responsibility to ensure that you leave sufficient time before the deadline for
material to be printed; non-functioning printing equipment is not a valid excuse for
late submission, neither is a lost memory stick or disk.
You must keep all of your coursework after it has been returned to you. This serves two
purposes: your Mentor may ask to see your coursework in order to assess your progress
and to allow review of programme quality by internal and external bodies.
7.5.6 How is your work marked?
Examinations:
Your exam scripts are anonymous until all parts of the scripts for all students taking the
examination have been marked. Your answers to examination questions are always marked
by the person who wrote the question, model solution and designed the marking scheme,
except in exceptional circumstances. If several members of staff contributed questions to the
paper, then each of them will mark the questions that they wrote. The marks are totalled,
and where the total number of marks available is not 100, the mark for each student is
scaled by the appropriate factor to get a mark out of 100 (or a percentage). The course
leader, in the presence of another member of staff, will then double check that all parts of
every script have been marked. Anonymity strips are removed and the marks for each
question and the total mark are then entered into a course marks spreadsheet for the
courses (this will also contain marks for any coursework in the course). The marks wil then
be made available for examination boards.
Coursework and Laboratory Reports:
Laboratory reports are marked by the person who supervised you when you did the
experiment in the laboratory. The marked reports are then passed to the laboratory coordinator or course leader for overview. The marks are collated before the reports are
passed back to you and added to the course mark sheet. It is important that you meet
deadlines for laboratory report submission, so that you can use the feedback on one report
to help you with the next.
All individual pieces of coursework are marked by the person who set them and the marks
added to the course mark sheet for the relevant course. Coursework where a group
submission is required is marked by the supervisor of that group and at least one other
person. In general there will be more than one mark for each piece of group coursework in
order that a fair individual mark can be obtained. These contributions might include: report
mark, presentation mark, contribution to the group mark and peer review mark.
Note that some courses are assessed by both examination and coursework. Where this is
done, the mark for the course will be a combination. Students are reminded that to pass, all
elements must be attempted.
A guide linking the standard of the work to the mark awarded is available in the following
table:
%
mark
90-100
CAPS
GRADE
A
80-89
70-79
65-69
60-64
B
55-59
50-54
C
45-49
D
40-44
35-39
E
30-34
15-29
F
0-14
Description
An excellent piece of work that shows a thorough understanding of the
material, and has been presented with analysis and critical thought. The
work is concise, well presented and well structured, and provides evidence
of additional study outside of lecture material and provided course notes.
There are virtually no errors.
An excellent piece of work with some minor errors or deficiencies that are
compensated for by other excellent work. Well presented and well
structured. Shows evidence of substantial additional study.
An excellent piece of work which may contain some minor errors. Shows
evidence of substantial additional study and a thorough understanding of the
material. Is presented in an excellent manner, with logical structure and
argument.
A very good piece of work that shows a thorough understanding of the
material, but may contain minor errors. The substantial detail is supported
by reasoned argument and critical analysis, with evidence of additional
study. Well presented and well structured.
A very good piece of work that provides some evidence of additional study.
There may be small errors of understanding, but the material is well
presented and well structured. Meets the aims and objectives of the
coursework.
A good piece of work that is mostly factually correct, but lacks critical
thinking and analysis, and no evidence of further study. Shows some errors
of understanding, but this is compensated for by other bits of good work.
Well presented and structured.
A good piece of work that is relevant to the aims of the coursework, but not
complete. Relies almost exclusively on the course material provided by the
department and contains significant errors of understanding. Generally well
presented and structured.
Limited but basic level of understanding of material. Much of the relevant
material is missing, or too much irrelevant material is present. May contain
significant errors of fact or understanding. Adequate presentation and
structure.
Borderline pass. Limited understanding of material. Significant errors and
omissions. Little or no analysis. Poor presentation and structure. Very basic.
Borderline fail. Attempts to meet the requirements of the work. Minimum
acceptable level of understanding with significant factual errors and
omissions. Poorly presented and structured.
Some relevant material provided. General failure to understand the material.
Significant factual errors and omissions. Poor presentation and structure.
Limited work. Very poor attempt. No understanding of material, although
some relevant material from course notes. Irrelevant material with
significant errors.
Little or no attempt to complete the work
7.5.7 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a very important topic in Higher Education, especially when most people use
the internet as their primary source of information. Plagiarism is as serious as cheating in an
examination. Heriot-Watt has a strict policy in dealing with cases where plagiarism is
detected; reports will go to the University Disciplinary Committee. It is very important that
every student understands that presenting the work of other people as your own is a serious
academic issue. Copying the work of a classmate, a student from another year, another
University or copying work word-for-word from a book, magazine, course handouts or the
internet is NOT acceptable. It is likely to result in disciplinary action being taken against
the person doing the copying, as well as any student who has knowingly provided
their work for someone else to copy. It is therefore important that every student
understands that work they submit for assessment must be their own and written in their own
words. The only exceptions to this are cases where the lecturer has explicitly stated that joint
work is acceptable, for example group reports for group projects.
This should not discourage students from discussing their work with colleagues. It is
important that you do discuss your work, but work that is submitted must be that of an
individual unless otherwise specified. For example, you may discuss with your colleagues
how to solve a particular problem, but you should not prepare a common solution and then
go way and write up the same thing.
Section B of the handbook has more to say on this topic. Where a case of plagiarism is
detected, disciplinary action will be taken against the student(s) in question. We are all
judged on our own work and it is folly to participate in deliberate acts of plagiarism.
7.5.8 Board of Examiners and Course Boards.
The Board of Examiners considers the exam results, resolves any difficulties and agrees the
position of each student at the end of each assessment period. This board consists of every
member of academic staff in Chemical Engineering, as well as representatives from other
disciplines that contribute to the programmes, and the Dean of Science and Engineering. For
Final Year students, the External Examiner (a Professor in the subject area from another
University) will be present. An Assessment Board consisting of academic staff from
Chemical Engineering meets at the end of each semester to discuss specific issues relating
to the courses in that semester, to monitor overall student progress and to provide the
course marks for the Board of Examiners meeting.
7.6 External General Communications
You may need to contact organisations outside the university and we expect many of you
will probably resort to mobile phones and e-mail. If there are occasions when you can’t use
these methods, then the School can provide alternative means listed below.
7.6.1 Correspondence
Programme, course and general notices, as well as urgent letters for individual chemical
engineering students, will be pinned to notice boards located on Floor F of the John Coulson
Building, outside Rooms JC NF15/16/17. Non-urgent letters are placed in the mail boxes in
the Crush Area in the Nasmyth Building. Students are advised to check the notice boards
and mail boxes daily.
E-mail is another important means of communication and you are asked to check your email regularly and try to clean old messages as soon as possible. Each student’s mailbox is
of limited size, and if you exceed your limit, e-mail will be returned to the sender. Some of
your work and important information will be delivered by e-mail and it is important to ensure
you have sufficient e-mail space to receive e-mail messages. You can use e-mail to explain
an upcoming (or past) absence to your Mentor.
You should remember that although your Mentor is willing to help you, they have
other demands on their time, so before sending an e-mail please consider whether
you could get the same information from somewhere else.
Please remember that as a written form of communication, e-mail is best written in clear and
appropriate language in order that you receive the information you require in return.
7.6.2 Telephones
Telephones and fax in the General Office can be used by project students from 3rd Year
onwards with the permission of their supervisors. They may not be used by other
undergraduates except in emergencies or with prior consent from a member of staff.
7.6.3 Student Support Office
Communications from students to members of academic staff should be handed in to the
General Office. The General Office is located in Room JN 1.09 and will normally be open all
day during semester time. Sometimes you might find it more appropriate to contact staff
directly at their office. You should, however, note that staff have a number of other duties
and may not always be in their office when you call. In such cases you should try e-mail
contact or leave a message with the General Office. When contacting potential employers by
e-mail, please remember to be professional and check to see your e-mail address is not
offensive in any way. Better still, use your Heriot-Watt e-mail account.
7.6.4 Employment/Professional References
Students should be aware that staff do not automatically provide references and permission
should be sought to cite a member of staff (normally your Mentor, Director of Studies or Year
4/5 project supervisor) as a referee. Staff are obliged to give an honest and fair reference. It
is the responsibility of each student to ensure they keep the formal results transcript sent by
the University at the end of each academic year. Additional copies are available but a charge
will be made. The University will not pass transcripts to 3rd parties unless given permission
by the student concerned. You should note that staff are not allowed to provide
references if a student is in financial debt to the University.
7.6.5 Use of Social Networking Websites
Please bear in mind that such are in the public domain and that, potentially, anyone can read
what you write.
Many organisations (public, private, government) and individuals use software to trawl the
Internet for uses of their name. If your Twitter or Facebook account is open to the world, then
the contents of your tweets, Facebook wall scribbling, etc. will be detected. As a
consequence, disparaging comments on organisations, even if meant in jest, will be seen by
the public relations departments of these organisations and their agents. Furthermore,
comments posted on Social Networking sites that insult the University or the staff or other
students are regarded in breach of university regulations.
Remember, while you have freedom to express your point of view, you should avoid
exaggeration, colourful language, guesswork, obscenity, derogatory remarks or
characterisations.
7.7 Purchase of Books and Materials
We expect you to need text books and to refer to work published in journals and scientific
papers to support your learning. There will be occasions when you will need to submit work
in either paper or electronic format, or to give oral presentations. Materials needed for these
activities can be found within either the School or stationery supplies.
7.7.1 Books
A list containing details of all Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering books
recommended for purchase throughout all years of our programmes is updated annually and
is available at registration, in each course on VISION and from the Student Support Office.
Staff involved in the teaching of individual courses will tell you which books, if any, are
appropriate for the material in the course.
In selecting for this list, we place emphasis on books covering a range of topics and on
books that will be useful to you over several years. Collectively they will provide you, by the
end of your programme, with a comprehensive and reasonably cost effective personal
professional library which will continue to be useful to you in your future career.
The list divides into two categories:


ESSENTIAL books which staff may reasonably expect you to possess at the
specified stage of the programme, and to which they may frequently refer.
DISCRETIONARY books which, though not essential, we feel will be useful
components of your professional library. Often they will provide a useful alternative
treatment of material covered in lectures and in the essential texts.
In addition to the books which you are recommended to purchase, staff involved in particular
courses will often recommend further reading material, available in the Library.
7.7.2 Computer Hardware and Software:
It is by no means essential for you to have your own computer, but we are sometimes
asked for advice on the purchase of suitable systems.
The University currently uses Windows XP and supports Microsoft Office for that platform, in
line with central University Computer Services. Parts of the campus are covered by wireless
hot spots (e.g. in the Nasmyth Crush area, JC NF14 and the library) and access to the
service comes as part of the registration to PC Caledonia.
The University has a recommended supplier of computer systems, software, and
maintenance for undergraduates. Details may be obtained from the Computer Centre.
7.7.3 Photocopying
Photocopying cards, useable in a number of ‘self-service’ machines spread about the
campus (particularly in the Library and the Hugh Nisbet Building) can be bought from
dispensers situated at a variety of locations on campus.
Major photocopying tasks, such as the preparation of 4th and 5th year project reports, can
be handled by the Photocopying Centre in the Graphics and Printing Centre. The Centre
also handles ring-binding of reports. Please contact the General Office (JN 1.09) for details.
7.7.4 Preparation of Overhead Transparencies:
Pens and acetate sheets for preparation of overhead projector transparencies for oral project
presentations are available from the General Office.
Note that there are two types of acetate sheet: one for writing on and one for photocopying.
Be sure you ask for the right type.
7.7.5 Lockers
Lockers for books, coats etc can be arranged through the General Office. Most lockers
require a padlock, which you will supply. Others with key access require a deposit to be paid
to the General Office. Note that all students who do not stay on campus are recommended
to get a locker as quickly as possible.
7.7.6 Personal Equipment
There is some basic equipment that you are expected to provide. This includes a calculator,
lab coat, safety glasses and stationery.
The University has specific rules on the use of calculators in exams. ONLY the University
approved calculators may be taken into the examinations. Further details can be found in
Part B of this handbook.
Laboratory coats and safety glasses are a requirement for ALL laboratory classes. These
can be purchased in your first laboratory class, and should be kept/maintained for your entire
stay at the University.
You will be required to take your own notes. You should have a systematic method for
storing these notes. You should have your own hole punch and stapler. We suggest that you
use a collection of A4 ring or lever-arch binders to store your notes and handouts. You
should also have a lab notebook, a notebook or loose-leaf paper for lecture notes, and a
diary or small notepad for general notes such as coursework deadlines.
7.8 Resources and Facilities
7.8.1 Computing Facilities
Rooms JN-2.04 and JN-2.09 are the local computing laboratories for undergraduate use.
Computing workshops for 2nd and 3rd year Chemical Engineering students are generally held
there. You are free to use these laboratories when they are not in use for a timetabled class.
Computers in room JC NF14/15 are intended for 4th and 5th year use only.
Rooms JN-2.04 and JN-2.09 are part of the University’s PC Caledonia network to which all
matriculated students have access. Note that special software such as ASPEN/HYSYS, the
industrial flow sheeting package, is normally only accessible from JN-2.04 and JN-2.09 and
JC NF14/15. These facilities are managed jointly by the School and University Computer
Services. Any problems logging into the system should be directed to the computer help
desk in the first instance. You should contact IT support using the details provided in each
computer lab to report any problems with hardware or software in the room. You may
contact the lecturer concerned, but any hardware changes will be passed to the School’s
computer technical support staff.
You may also use the central University computing facilities, located mainly in the Library.
The help desk for the University computing facilities is also in the Library. You will find
extensive details on these in the Learning Skills Manual, available on the Heriot-Watt
website.
Your ‘account’ on PC Caledonia will provide you with access both to central and to local
computing facilities, and their use is restricted to work for your programme. You must ensure
you adhere to the terms and conditions described when you apply for an account. The
University will take disciplinary action against anyone breaching these conditions.
7.8.2 USB Memory Sticks
The use of these devices to store and transport information is widespread and is encouraged
especially when it is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate backup of your work.
Many of the PC Caledonia systems will accept these devices but there may be the odd
occasion when drivers are not installed correctly. We cannot stress sufficiently the
importance of making backups and even multiple backups stored on different PCs.
7.8.3 Wireless Network
Several areas around the University are active wireless hot spots. Anyone with a compatible
wireless facility for their PC/Laptop/Tablet may connect to this service. Refer to the
Computer Centre help desk for further information.
7.8.4 Library
The University Library provides you with access to a large stock of books and periodicals
and increasingly to a wide range of ‘electronic’ sources of information. An introduction to the
Library’s facilities is arranged for all new students early in the first semester. Further
instruction is provided later in the programmes, generally in Year 3. Students are
encouraged to make full use of the library resources as their primary source of reference
material.
The Library is a very important resource for general texts and specific literature which will in
most cases turn out to be more useful than using the web for technical information.
7.8.5 Crush Area (outside NS-1.36)
Several areas in each building are set aside to be used in between lectures or used for
informal meetings between groups of students and staff/students. Most areas will have drink
and food dispensing machines and all those using the Crush Areas are asked to keep the
area tidy. For Chemical and Mechanical Engineering any mail received by the General Office
will be placed in pigeonholes at the east end of this area.
NOTE: The University has a strict NO SMOKING policy. Smoking is prohibited in ALL
University buildings and within 5 metres of the building walls.
7.8.6 Chemical Engineering Society
You will be encouraged (indeed press-ganged!) to join the student-run Chemical Engineering
Society. This Society organises many of the social activities such as the staff-student get
together and the annual ritual of the ‘Frank Morton Sports’ at which teams from many UK
Chemical Engineering departments compete and socialise. The committee is made up of
students from all years of the programme and those of you interested in playing their part
would be very welcome. It provides an ideal way of contacting other years to find out what
University life is really like.
Nearly every University department which offers a chemical engineering programme will
have its own Chemical Engineering Society and often office bearers can be the first port of
call for external organisations trying to reach the student body at large.
7.8.7 Institution of Chemical Engineers
Your association with IChemE, the qualifying body for the profession in the UK, can start at
University. A substantial number of its publications and other facilities and events are
available to Student Members at modest cost.
Professor White provides our link with the Institution, providing new students with details of
Student Membership and final year students with details of Graduate Membership. Whilst
membership is voluntary, the IChemE provides a convenient route to becoming a Chartered
Engineer.
The IChemE is your professional body and it is to this organisation that graduates make their
application to become a Chartered Engineer. Many companies look to see if students are
members of IChemE as a demonstration of their commitment to their future career.
7.8.8 Virtual Learning Environment “VISION”
The University provides an electronic means to assist your learning, accessible by any web
browser over the internet. Web-based systems like “VISION” are common and are used in a
variety of ways; some courses can be delivered and assessed via the web while others may
use the web to provide additional reading material. At Heriot-Watt, the system is growing and
you will find members of staff using the system in a variety of ways. You should not expect
all lecture material to be available via the Vision system but you should make yourselves
aware of what is there for specific courses.
8 Complaints/Appeals/Harassment
8.1 Complaints
If you are unhappy with the teaching delivery or content of a course, your complaint can be
dealt with in a number of ways: you could directly approach the member of staff concerned,
record your dissatisfaction on the management questionnaires and/or discuss the situation
informally with your Mentor or Director of Studies. If you wish to take your grievance further,
you can speak to your student representative for the matter to be raised at the Staff-Student
Liaison Committee.
8.2 Appeals
There are three types of appeals:



Suspension of Studies – this is to suspend your current academic year and apply to
be readmitted to the programme the following academic year. Students who
experience a significant disturbance in their programme through medical issues or
personal issues beyond their control should seek advice from their mentor. Should it
be necessary then a student can apply to the University Undergraduate Studies
Committee to suspend their studies. This must be done as soon as possible. If a
student completed the year and all the assessments for that year, then a suspension
of studies will not be possible.
Additional Resit Opportunities – University regulations only allow a student two
attempts at an assessment – usually this will be the first time an examination is sat,
and at the resit diet held in August. Do not think that it is easy to apply to re-take
courses or re-take the entire year.
Degree Awards – any student contemplating appealing against a degree award
decision should be fully aware of the consequences, and the level and detail of
information Undergraduate Studies Committee will require.
If you are unhappy with the results of an assessment you should discuss the situation with
the lecturer(s) concerned or your Mentor in the first instance. Should you wish to take the
matter further, you should consult the “General Information Booklet for First Degree
Students” which will be issued to you by the Registration Office, or locate the appropriate
document from the Registry web site, then discuss the case with either the Discipline Head.
Appeals would normally be made to the Head of School via the Director of Teaching and
Learning.
8.3 Race Equality Policy
The University is committed to the elimination of racial discrimination; and the promotion of
equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups.
“No religious, racial or political test shall be imposed by the University on any person in order
to entitle him or her to be admitted as a Member, Professor, Teacher or Student of the
University, or to hold office therein, or to graduate thereat, or to hold any advantage of
privilege thereof.”
8.4 Equal Opportunities Policy
Heriot-Watt University is committed to equal opportunities for all, irrespective of sex, ethnic
origin, disability, marital status, religious or political beliefs, trade union membership, sexual
orientation or other irrelevant distinction.
The University considers harassment to be wholly unacceptable behaviour and it is
University policy to deal with such incidents most seriously. If you feel that you are being
harassed on sexual or racial grounds then you should consult the booklet “Sexual or Racial
Harassment Policy and Procedures for Students”, available from the Registration Office.
9 Progression Rules
Specific regulations on assessment and progression are provided in section 10.
Additional advice specific to Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineeirng
programmes is provided below.
Progression Rules will detail the minimum standards at which progress to the next stage of
a programme is permitted. All of our students should be aiming for substantially higher than
minimum levels of attainment.
Resit opportunities should be viewed as a ‘safety-net’ in case of the occasional lapse,
rather than as a regular means of scraping through to the next stage.
Later years of your programme will build on earlier years. A poor grasp of fundamentals from
early years of the programme will cause ever-increasing problems as you progress. If you
advance through the years with poor averages and continual recourse to resits, you are
unlikely to achieve a good performance in your qualifying courses. Even from first year, keep
in mind the BEng(Hons) classification divisions (70, 60, 50, 40%), and remember that only
marks taken at first attempt in courses which form part of the weighting for a degree award
can be used; resit marks are not eligible for degree weightings.
Remember, too, that potential employers will often ask for details of the subjects studied and
the grades attained in them.
Meeting deadlines is an important feature of a professional engineer’s work and potential
employers of students and graduates frequently ask staff preparing references to comment
on this aspect of student performance. Meeting deadlines on coursework and related
assessments therefore forms an important part of the degree programme and it is
particularly important that all elements of such work are attempted. Failure to present work
for assessment will result in a grade F being returned at the end of the year with
consequently no progression. The “F” grade may be returned for ALL synoptically
linked courses regardless of the overall average.
9.1 BEng Degree
9.1.1 Progression from Year 1 to Year 2
Since Engineering subjects, Mathematics and Chemistry are all continued into Year 2, at
least a Grade D pass will be required in all these courses. In order to meet the requirements
for progression from Year 3 to Year 4 (section 9.1.3), you need to aim for an overall average
in excess of 50% in Year 1. We will warn you in writing at the end of the year if we think your
performance is not sufficient to give you the required foundation to succeed in later years of
the programme.
9.1.2 Progression from Year 2 to Year 3
Virtually all Year 2 Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering courses are prerequisites for related courses in later years and must be passed with Grade D or better.
Chemistry is also a continuing subject and will require a Grade D pass. In order to meet the
requirements for progression from Year 3 to Year 4 (section 9.1.3), you need to aim for an
overall average in excess of 50% in Year 2. We will warn you in writing at the end of the year
if we think your performance is not sufficient to give you the required foundation to succeed
in later years of the programme.
9.1.3 Progression from Year 3 to Year 4
In Year 3, reassessment opportunities for Honours Degree candidates in qualifying courses
are available for credit point purposes only, the original mark being retained for determining
degree classification. Again, all Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering courses
are pre-requisites for Year 4 courses and Grade D passes in these will be required. If you
have an average in excess of 50% at the end of Year 3, you can progress to Year 4.
Those students who have an average below 50% at the end of Year 3 will graduate
with a BEng Ordinary degree at the next opportunity.
9.2 Progression Procedure
Decisions on the progression of students from one stage to the next are made by the
Progression Board, which sits in early June each year after results from each course have
been compiled and approved by the appropriate Course Board. The Progression Board
analyses the results of each student who has not completed their programme of study and
decides whether or not each student has met the requirements to proceed to the next stage.
Those students who do not meet the requirements will be provided with a resit opportunity
where necessary. The results and progression decision from the Progression Board are
passed to Registry for uploading to the Student Record system and released to students.
If you want to successfully graduate with BEng(Hons) you should realise that:





the great majority of your grades should be A, B or C,
students should note that coursework forms an integral part of the assessment
and all elements must be submitted to ensure progression is not affected,
while your grades in Year 1 and 2 do not count directly towards the award of
your degree, it is vital that you appreciate how these two years performance
might influence your future progress,
year 1 courses in Engineering, Maths and Chemistry are vital to later work and
must be passed to ensure uninterrupted progression, and
work throughout your programme is cumulative; therefore a good start in Year
1 is important to your development in later years.
For those students requiring either resit examination or other remedial work over the
summer, there is a similar procedure after the resit diet. Students who have still not met the
progression requirements will not be able to continue or will graduate at the next opportunity
with the qualification relevant to the number of credits accrued.
9.3 Coursework and Project Submission
There is a strict policy applied across the school that coursework and project reports must be
submitted within deadlines as set and arranged with members of staff. One of the key
complaints from our industrial contacts and our external examiners is that students have
problems submitting work on time and every step is taken to encourage you to plan and
manage your time effectively and hence avoid problems submitting work. Equally important
is submitting something which is worthy of your ability and something you can be proud of.
The School has introduced a penalty system for late coursework. Work that is submitted late
can attract a fixed penalty. Any work submitted 7 days after the published deadline will get a
zero mark and will only be marked at the discretion of the lecturer concerned. If there are
legitimate reasons for submitting work late (e.g. illness confirmed by a doctor’s note), you
MUST inform the lecturer concerned and your Mentor as soon as possible. Remember, poor
planning on your part does not constitute an excuse for late submissions.
Final year should note that their design and research projects will NOT be accepted after the
stated deadlines except in highly exceptional circumstances. Students are reminded that
both of these projects are weighted two courses. The impact of failing to submit on time
is severe – with the ultimate sanction of a degree not being awarded.
10 Programme Structure and Courses
At the start of each academic year, your year Director of Studies will provide you with
additional information on the structure of the year, progression requirements and general
advice. This information should be used in conjunction with the information in this handbook.
10.1 Year 1 Structure
Year 1 provides grounding in the main science and mathematics used in later years as well
as providing an introduction to Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering. Details on
courses and specific aspects of 1st year will be provided during induction.
Chemical and Petroleum Engineering courses at this level are designed to provide a broad
view of the subject and its industrial context. They include industrial awareness, and basic
mathematical and scientific principles vital to understanding process engineering. Site visits,
library and laboratory projects supplement lecture material and to enhance students’
transferrable skills.
Chemical Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B47AA
Process Industries A
B47AC
Foundation Engineering A
B17CA
Principles of Chemistry
F17XA
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 1
B47AB
Process Industries B
B47AD
Foundation Engineering B
B17CB
Chemical Reactivity
F17XB
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2
1
2
Petroleum Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B47AA
Process Industries A
B47AC
Foundation Engineering A
B17CA
Principles of Chemistry
F17XA
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 1
B47AB
Process Industries B
B57EB
Mechanical Engineering Science 2
B47PE
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
F17XB
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2
1
2
10.1.1 Progression to Year 2 and Beyond
University Regulations state that for progression into the next year of a programme:

“In order to proceed to the next year of a programme of study, a minimum of Grade D
is required in all courses which are pre-requisites for subsequent courses and in all
courses designated as requiring a minimum of Grade D in the structure of each
programme of study”
Therefore to put it more simply, a D grade (at first attempt or after resit) in each
course will ensure uninterrupted progression to Year 2 of a Chemical/Petroleum
Engineering Degree:
While formal progression rules lay down minimum standards at which progress is permitted
you are reminded that, in order to build a sound platform for progression it is important to
achieve grades that are significantly higher than this.
10.2 Year 2 Structure
The second year of the programme, while retaining some Maths and Chemistry, extends the
emphasis on fundamental Chemical Engineering in Fluid Flow, Thermodynamics and Heat &
Mass Transfer and in Petroleum Engineering starts to introduce the major topics such as
Geoscience. These are studied in the lecture, tutorial and lab classes across all the courses.
Embedded throughout all the courses are opportunities to gain practical experience through
projects and laboratory exercises. These serve to illustrate in a practical way topics
introduced in the lectures. Due to the phasing over the material you will be expected to find
out about some of the theory yourselves through reading appropriate text books. The course
Process Design A draws together all the elements in the 2nd Year in a paper-based design
project. This project represents the first real chance students have of working with problems
which may be ill-defined and open-ended.
Chemical Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B48BA
Process Industries C
B48BB
Process Engineering A
B18AP
Chemical Thermodynamics & Introductory
Chemical Kinetics
F18XC
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 3
B48BC
Process Engineering B
B48BD
Process Engineering C
B48BE
Process Design A
F18XD
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 4
1
2
Petroleum Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B58EC
Mechanical Engineering Science 3
B48BB
Process Engineering A
G18BG
Geoscience A
F18XC
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 3
B48BC
Process Engineering B
B48BD
Process Engineering C
B48BE
Process Design A
F18XD
Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 4
1
2
Process Industries C – this includes material balances, and introduction to core topics of
fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics.
Process Engineering A – deals with fluid flow, fluid statics, hydrostatic pressure,
manometers. Fluid mechanics deals with the transport of liquids through pipelines, frictional
pressure losses, shear stress, pumping systems, pressure drops.
Process Engineering B – thermodynamics is a core topic in engineering which you will need
to tackle 3rd year. Concentrates on cyclic processes, state functions, energy, entropy, cycle
efficiency.
Process Engineering C – is heat transfer, which deals with the transport of energy in the
form of heat and the equipment used for this process operation.
Geoscience introduces the fundamental concepts including history, materials and processes,
plate tectonic theory and basin development, and rock types and the rock cycle.
Process Design A – is a mini design project which pulls together the other topics in the year.
You will be working in a group on a design type exercise. There is also a section on material
selection, application of mechanics for stress/strain calculations.
Throughout the year, you will also be engaged in laboratory experiments relating to the
taught material, to computer projects using spreadsheets for calculations, and an
introduction to design topics, engineering drawings, materials of construction.
10.2.1 Progression to Year 3 and Beyond
To ensure uninterrupted progression to Year 3 of students must achieve at least ‘D’ grades
in ALL 2nd year courses.
While your grades in Year 2 courses do not count directly towards the award of your degree,
it is vital that you appreciate how Year 2 performance might influence your future progress.
The main points to note are:



All Year 2 courses are vital to later work and must be passed to ensure uninterrupted
progression,
it is worth bearing in mind that work throughout your programme is cumulative,
therefore a continual improvement in Year 2 will demonstrate your ability to cope with
3rd and 4th year,
NOTE: your average is calculated from the results of your first attempt at each
course, so resits are only to get you the minimum grade required to pass the course.
Each element of these courses must be attempted to at least a D grade. Note that some
taught courses may involve other “coursework” elements, which will be weighted into the
“course” element for the overall assessment.
10.3 Year 3 Structure
Chemical Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B49CA
Separation Processes A
B49CB
Business Awareness, Safety and Sustainability
B49CC
Chemical Reaction Engineering
B19AB
Chemistry of Materials for Chemical Engineers
B49CD
Separation Processes B
B49CE
Multiphase Thermodynamics
B49CF
Process Modelling
B49CG
Process Design B
1
2
Petroleum Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
G19PG
Geoscience B
G19FE
Formation Evaluation
G19RA
Reservoir Engineering 1
G10DR
Drilling
G19PA
Production Technology 1
B49CE
Multiphase Thermodynamics
G19RB
Reservoir Engineering 2
B49AF
Advanced Fluid Mechanics
1
2
Laboratory exercises will be held throughout each semester. For those courses where
laboratory components are included in the final mark, the laboratory will normally contribute
25% of the final course mark. Students must achieve a minimum of grade D in the laboratory
classes to pass the course.
Process Modelling & Control is assessed by a examination for the control section (75%), and
by coursework for the modelling section (25%).
All courses in the 3rd stage of the programme contribute to the class of degree awarded in
final year. Resit opportunities in the stage 3 courses will be used for progression only.
All courses are assessed standalone but may be synoptically linked with equal weighting for
purposes of allowing students who do not meet the progression requirements to graduate
with the BEng Ordinary degree or, in exceptional circumstances, to progress to Year 4.
10.3.1 Progression to Year 4 (BEng Programme)
To ensure uninterrupted progression to Year 4 of a BEng (Hons) degree, students must
achieve at least ‘D’ grades in the 3rd year chemical engineering (B4) and petroleum
engineering (G1) courses and at least an ‘E’ grade in the B19AB Chemistry of Materials
course. Students not meeting these requirements will graduate with the BEng Ordinary
degree at the next opportunity.
10.4 Year 4 Structure
Students will undertake an individual, literature-based research project in one of the
discipline’s major research interests.
Running through the whole year is a major Design Project in which students work in small
groups on the process design of a substantial production plant/platform. This is the
culmination of the programme and serves to bring together material taught throughout the
programme in a close approximation to a realistic industrial working environment. This
project provides a mechanism for students to demonstrate their grasp of Chemical
Engineering and Petroleum Engineering by applying their knowledge to situations which may
not have clear solutions.
Chemical Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B40EA
Unit Operations A
B40DB
Sustainability, Health and Safety
B40DG
Design Project A
B40DE
Research Project
1
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
B40DC
Energy Generation and Utilisation
B40DD
Reaction, Modelling and Control
B40DH
Design Project B
B41OA
Oil & Gas Processing
2
Petroleum Engineering
Semester
Course Code
Course Title
G10PB
Production Technology 2
B40DB
Sustainability, Health and Safety
G10PE
Field Development & Design Project A
B40DE
Research Project
G10EE
Energy and Petroleum Economics
G10RS
Reservoir Simulation
G10PF
Field Development & Design Project B
B41OA
Oil & Gas Processing
1
2
Students are reminded that there are no resit opportunities for the examinations and
all projects must be submitted by the publicised submission dates. In addition,
students are reminded that they should produce work of a sufficiently professional standard
which fully demonstrates their grasp of the subject areas. It is expected that professional
engineers are able to design processes, carry out field development work and specify plant
equipment which is safe, economic and environmentally sound. The Institution of Chemical
Engineers and the academic members of staff place high importance on design and
development projects. Students must provide sufficient evidence of knowledge and
competency in both their attitude to the project, their performance throughout the project and
in submitted documentation.
10.5 BEng Degree Award Classification
Awards for degrees are based on accumulation of credits awarded after the successful
completion of a course. Decisions on students’ progression from one stage to the next will
be taken by the Progression Board, which usually meets in early June of the academic year.
The awards of degrees will be decided by the Award Board which usually meets in late May.
The BEng Degree can be awarded either as an Honours or as an Ordinary Degree.
Ordinary Degree:
For the award of an Ordinary Degree, the student must accumulate 360 credits from
at least 24 of the courses specified in its programme structure. (For example,
students completing all 24 courses from the first three years of their programme may
be eligible to graduate with the Ordinary Degree). This degree can be awarded to
students at the end of Year 3 who do not meet the progression requirements to
get to Year 4 or to Year 4 BEng students who do not meet the requirements for
the Honours Degree.
Honours Degree:
To qualify for the award of an Honours Degree, the student must accumulate 480
credits from the 32 courses specified in the programme structure for the degree. The
Progression Board has discretion to award 30 credits (i.e. 2 courses) across the
entire programme should there be a case for this.
The class of the Honours Degree is determined by a weighting of performance in 16
qualifying courses:
 a 20% contribution from all 8 courses from 3rd year
 an 80% contribution from all 8 courses in Year 4
Note that




an honours degree can only be awarded for students obtaining 480 credits
across the 4 years of the programme,
all courses in Year 4 are qualifying courses for the degree,
the Design project is a core 2 course synoptic set. CAPS grades of E and F
will denote a student has not met the learning outcomes of a course and
therefore students are expected to gain grades D or above in order to satisfy
the examiners in the design course, and
re-assessment opportunities are not available in Year 4 qualifying courses to
Honours candidates. Re-assessment opportunities in Year 3 qualifying
courses are available for credit point purposes only.
10.6 Prizes, Awards and Scholarships
Scholarships
A number of industrially-sponsored and university scholarships are available on entry to the
course and also in Years 2 and 3. Information can be found on http://www.hw.ac.uk/studentlife/scholarships/undergraduate.htm.
Announcements of these, and other opportunities, will also be made via e-mail by Directors
of Studies.
Prizes
The University awards a number of Prizes to the top student in each year group, along with
other prizes supported by companies. Chevron and BP are two companies who generously
award prizes to students in the senior years of the programme. A list of available awards and
prizes is included on the following page. Please note that this list is subject to change at any
point.
Year 1
University Prize: Outstanding Merit
The Bremner Prize: The student with the best performance in Chemical Engineering
and related subjects in the first/second year of the course for the degree of BEng
in Chemical Engineering.
Ede & Ravenscroft Prize: Awarded to the best first or second year honours
student on a course in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (Chemical).
£100
£25
University Prize: Outstanding Merit
The Bremner Prize: The student with the best performance in Chemical Engineering
and related subjects in the first/second year of the course for the degree of BEng
in Chemical Engineering.
Ede & Ravenscroft Prize: Awarded to the best first or second year honours
student on a course in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (Chemical).
The Chevron Prize for Best Student in a Team Environment (Year 2 Group Project):
Awarded to the Year 2 student who, in the opinion of the examiners, best
demonstrated leadership, project management and team working skills during the
group design project. Where two or more students are tied, the prize shall be split
between the students.
£100
£25
University Prize: Outstanding Merit
The Chevron Prize for Best Student in a Team Environment (Year 3 Group Project):
Awarded to the Year 3 student who, in the opinion of the examiners, best
demonstrated leadership, project management and team working skills during the
group design project. Where two or more students are tied, the prize shall be split
between the students.
The BP Design Prize: Awarded to the group showing chemical engineering
excellence in the stage 3 BEng/MEng Design Project
£100
£150 +
certificate
Years
1/2/3
The Institution of Chemical Engineers Prize (IChemE): Normally awarded to a
student in the first three years of the course. Awarded to the most deserving
student in those years.
£20 (nonmember)
£40
(member)
Years
4/5
Watt Club Medal: Awarded for exceptional merit and distinction in the final honours
year.
The Chemical Engineering Prize: Awarded to a student showing particularly
meritorious performance in chemical engineering in the final year of the BEng Hons
Chemical Engineering Course.
The BP BEng/MEng Design Prize: Awarded to the group completing stage 4 of the
BEng/MEng Design Project, showing excellence in Chemical Engineering.
The BP MEng Design Prize: Awarded to the group completing the final stage of the
MEng Design Project, showing excellence in Chemical Engineering.
The Chevron Prize for Best Student in a Team Environment(Final Year BEng Group
Project: Awarded to the Year 4 BEng student who, in the opinion of the examiners,
best demonstrated leadership, project management and team working skills during
the group design project. Where two or more students are tied, the prize shall be
split between the students.
Chevron Prize for Best Student in a Team Environment (Final Year MEng Group
Project): Awarded to Year 5 MEng student who, in the opinion of the examiners and
using peer assessments in developing their opinion, best demonstrated leadership,
project management and team working skills during the group design project. Where
two or more students are tied, the prize shall be split between the students.
The Institution of Chemical Engineers Scottish Branch Prize: Awarded for the best
performance in the final year research project.
Gordon Butters Memorial Prize: Awarded to an undergraduate or postgraduate
Chemical Engineering student deemed to have shown particular excellence in the
field of particle technology and/or to one whom could utilise the award to advance
from the important aspect of particle technology
Medal
Year 2
Year 3
£200
£200
£100 +
certificate
£400
(Group)
£100
£800
(Group)
£800
(Group)
£200 +
certificate
£250 +
certificate
£150
£250
PART B – UNIVERSITY INFORMATION
The Academic Registry is responsible for producing Part B of the handbook to
provide information and assistance on University policies and support services.
Kathy Patterson is the Academic Registrar and Deputy Secretary.
Students should contact the appropriate School/Institute in the first instance for any
academic query or assistance.
Please note that the following sections are standard sources of information provided
to all students. However, certain aspects are programme-specific and students
should refer to Part A where directed.
B1.
ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS
Heriot-Watt University has a detailed set of rules which governs the operation and
management of University business. These are referred to as Ordinances and these
Ordinances are set by the Court, which is the governing body of the University. The
University Ordinances are also supported by University Regulations which detail the rules,
policies and practices which Staff and Students must adhere to for all academic matters.
The following section on Academic Support Services often refers to Ordinances and
Regulations. These links will provide you with information and guidance on all matters
relating to your academic life.
A full list of Ordinances and Regulations are available at the following weblink:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
B2.
QUICK FINDER GUIDE TO ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
Subject Area
For More Information Please Refer to:
1. Academic Support
1.1
Mentoring
http://www.hw.ac.uk/quality/studentsupport.htm
and
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/enrolment.htm
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on Mentoring.
1.2
Professional
http://www.hw.ac.uk/careers/pdp/index.php
Development
Planning
1.3
Student Feedback
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on Professional Development Planning.
http://www.hw.ac.uk/quality/studentfeedback.htm
and
http://www.HWUnion.com
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on Student Feedback.
2. Enrolment, Attendance and Periods of Study
2.1
Absence from
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
University
Regulation 1 – General Regulation, paragraph 6
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraph 10
2.2
Accreditation of
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Prior
2.3
2.4
Learning
Regulation 46 – Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
Amendment to
Application Form:
Registration
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/amendmenttoregistration.doc
Attendance
Policy on Student Attendance:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/studentattendancepolicy.pdf
Withdrawal from University:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/withdrawalprocedures.pdf
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Regulation 1 – General Regulation, paragraph 6
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraph 10
2.5
Change of
Address
Application Form:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/ChangeofAddress.pdf
2.6
Enrolment
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/enrolment.htm
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on enrolment.
2.7
Periods of Study
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraph 6
2.8
Student Personal
www.hw.ac.uk/students/data_protection_policy.pdf
Information (Data
Protection)
2.9
2.10
Suspension of
Application Form:
Studies
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/studentappealform.doc
Teaching
www.hw.ac.uk/timetabling
Timetables
3. Guidance on Assessment
3.1
Assessment
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraphs 13 -19
3.2
Common
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/CAPSdiagrampgt.pdf
Assessment
and Progression
System (CAPS)
3.3
Extension to
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry
Assessment
Deadlines
3.4
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on extensions to assessment deadlines.
Ill Health and
Extenuating
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Circumstances Assessment
Regulation 1 – General Regulation, paragraph 6
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraph 10, 16, 25
3.5
Special
Circumstances in
Assessment
Policy:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/special-circumstances-policy.pdf
Application Form:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/special-circumstances-form.doc
3.6
Non-Submission
of
Assessment
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on non-submission of assessments.
3.7
Submission of
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on submission of assessment.
Assessment
4. Examination and Re-assessment Procedures
4.1
Assessment
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/examinations.htm
Results
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on assessment results.
4.2
Discretionary
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Credits
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraph 22
4.3
Examinations
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/ordinances.pdf
Ordinance 2 – Fees, Charges, Fines and Debts
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on examinations.
4.4
Examination Diets
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/examinations.htm
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on examinations diets.
4.5
Examination
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/examinations/timetable.htm
Timetables
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on examination timetables .
4.6
Ill Health and
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Extenuating
Circumstances –
Regulation 1 – General Regulation, paragraph 6
Examinations
Regulation 9 – Assessments and Examinations, paragraphs 9 and 12
Students should refer to the programme-specific information in Part
A of this handbook for related procedures in Schools.
4.7
Special
Circumstances in
Assessment and
Examinations
Policy:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/special-circumstances-policy.pdf
Application Form:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/special-circumstances-form.doc
7.8
4.9
Examination in
Different Time
Zones
Policy:
Policy on Student
http://www.hw.ac.uk/policy/student_fees.pdf
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/QESCpolicyexams.pdf
Fees and Charges
4.10
Re-assessment
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/examinations/reassessmentprocedures.htm
Please refer to the programme-specific information in Part A of this
handbook for further details on re-assessment.
4.11
Use of Calculators
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/policies.htm
and Dictionaries in
Examinations
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Regulation 9 – Assessments and Examinations, paragraph 8
5. Grading, Awards and Qualifications
5.1
Honours
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Classification and
Grading
For information regarding the qualifying courses used to determine
honours classifications, please refer to:
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraphs 14, 20, 23
For information on credit levels relating to degree awards can be found at:
Regulation 3 – Modular First Degrees, paragraphs 14, 20
5.2
Intermediate
Award
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/awards/intermediateawards.htm
6. Graduation
6.1
Graduation
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/graduation.htm
Information and
Application Forms
7. Conduct, Discipline and Appeals
7.1
Academic Conduct
Further Information is available from:
(including
copying,
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
plagiarism and
collusion)
Ordinance 9 – Student Discipline
Regulation 9 – Assessment and Examinations, Paragraph 8
Regulation 50 – Student Discipline
7.2
Appeals
Further Information is available from:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Regulation 36 – Student Appeals
7.3
Detection of
Plagiarism
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/discipline.htm
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/plagiarismjiscnote.pdf
7.4
Guidelines for
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/discguidelines.pdf
Students and Staff
on Student
Discipline
Procedures
7.5
Plagiarism
Further Information is available from:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/discipline/plagiarism.htm
Plagiarism Guide:
For an English language version, please refer to
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/plagiarismguide.pdf
(this document is attached in Appendix A)
For the Chinese language version, please refer to
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/plagiarismguidechinese.pdf
For the Arabic language version, please refer to
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/plagiarismguidearabic.pdf
8. Deferred Progression, Suspension and Withdrawal
8.1
Deferred
Students should complete a Student Appeal to Undergraduate Studies
Committee Form available from:
Progression
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/studentappealform.doc
8.2
Exit Awards
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/awards/exitawards.htm
8.3
Suspension
Students should complete an Amendment to Registration Form (Approval
by School/Institute) in the first instance:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/amendmenttoregistration.doc
Further Information is available from:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf
Regulation 3 (new) – Modular First Degrees, paragraph 19
8.4
Withdrawal
Application Form to withdraw from studies is available form:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/studentrecords.htm
9. Student Fees and Charges
9.1
Charges for
Follow the link for Additional Notes on Fees at:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/additionalfees.pdf
Transcripts,
Certifications, Late
Enrolment and
Student Identity
Cards
9.2
Fees Status
http://www.hw.ac.uk/support/isao/docs/Fee%20Form%202011.pdf
Enquiry
Form
9.3
Information on
www.hw.ac.uk/student-life/scholarships/tuition-fees.htm
Student Fees
and
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/ordinances.pdf
Ordinance 2 – Fees, Charges, Fines and Debts
9.4
Policy on Student
http://www.hw.ac.uk/policy/student_fees.pdf
Fees and Charges
9.5
Re-assessment
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/examinations/reassessmentprocedures.htm
Fees
and Procedures
9.6
Repeated Courses
B3.
QUICK FINDER GUIDE TO STUDENT ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT
http://www.hw.ac.uk/student-life/scholarships/tuition-fees.htm
SERVICES
Much of the detail this handbook provides guidance and links for the academic operations of
a complex institution like Heriot-Watt University. However, as well as helping to inform
students, the University also hopes to ensure that students are happy members of a vibrant
community.
This section outlines the range of services available for students to help them get the most
out of their time here and to assist with any problems they may experience along the way.
Student Administration and Support Service
1
Academic
Counselling
http://www.hw.ac.uk/sbc/library/academic_skills/index.htm
and Skills Coaching
2
Academic Registry
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry
3
Careers Advisory
http://www.hw.ac.uk/careers
Service
4
Centre for Sport and
Edinburgh Campus: http://www.hw.ac.uk/sports/
Exercise
5
Chaplaincy
http://www.hw.ac.uk/chaplaincy/
6
Computing Services
Regulation 29 ‘Use of Computing Facilities’:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/it/Rules_%20Regulations/conditionsofuse.html
General IT information and Help:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/it/Help_Support/index.html
or contact IT Help on +44 (0)130 451 4050
Freewire: http://www.freewiretv.com/hw
7
Development and
http://www.hw.ac.uk/alumni.htm
Alumni Office
8
Equality and
http://www.hw.ac.uk/equality
Diversity
Service
9
Finance Office
http://www.hw.ac.uk/student-life/scholarships-fees.htm
or contact Finance@hw.ac.uk
10
Guide to Student Life
http://www.hw.ac.uk/student-life.htm
11
Health Service
http://www.hw.ac.uk/health
12
Heriot Watt
http://HWUnion.com
University
Students’
or contact hwusa@hw.ac.uk
Association
13
Information Security
To find out more please contact foi@hw.ac.uk
(Data Protection)
14
International Student
http://www.hw.ac.uk/support/isao/about-us.htm
Advice
15
Library
http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/
16
Sports Union
http://www.hw.ac.uk/sports/sports-union.htm
17
Student Service
http://www.hw.ac.uk/studentcentre
Centre
18
Student Support and
http://www.hw.ac.uk/support/isao/accommodation.htm
Accommodation
or contact - studentsupport@hw.ac.uk
19
Wider Access Unit
Further information on Wider Access can be found at:
http://www.hw.ac.uk/student-life/entry-requirements/other-routes-toentry.htm
or contact Fiona Watt, Wider Access Assistant - F.Watt@hw.ac.uk
University Policy and Guidance
The University publishes many policies and reference information on its website that may be
of use and of interest to students throughout their programme of studies at Heriot-Watt
University
Wherever practicable, University policies are designed to include all members of the
University’s community, both in and outwith the main campus environments.
Policies of specific interest and relevance to students can be accessed via:
www.hw.ac.uk/registry
and,
Freshers’ Guide
http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/freshersguide.pdf
APPENDIX A
STUDENT GUIDE TO PLAGIARISM 1
Plagiarism is intellectual theft and is a major offence which the University takes
seriously in all cases. Students must therefore avoid committing acts of plagiarism
by following these guidelines and speaking to academic staff if they are uncertain
about what plagiarism means. Those who are found to have plagiarised will be
subject to the University’s disciplinary procedures, which may result in penalties
ranging from the deduction of credits and courses already achieved by students to
compulsory termination of studies. Students are advised to refer to Regulation 50 at
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf and to the Guidelines for Staff and
Students on Discipline at http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/discipline.htm for further
details of how the University deals with all acts of plagiarism.
1
Introduction
1.1
This guide is intended to provide students at Heriot-Watt University with a clear definition of
plagiarism and examples of how to avoid it.
1.2
The guide may also be of use to members of staff who seek to advise students on the
various issues outlined below.
2
Definition
2.1
Plagiarism involves the act of taking the ideas, writings or inventions of another person and
using these as if they were one’s own, whether intentionally or not. Plagiarism occurs where
there is no acknowledgement that the writings or ideas belong to or have come from
another source.
2.2
Most academic writing involves building on the work of others and this is acceptable as long
as their contribution is identified and fully acknowledged. It is not wrong in itself to use the
ideas, writings or inventions of others, provided that whoever does so is honest about
acknowledging the source of that information. Many aspects of plagiarism can be simply
avoided through proper referencing. However, plagiarism extends beyond minor errors in
referencing the work of others and also includes the reproduction of an entire paper or
passage of work or of the ideas and views contained in such pieces of work.
1
The author acknowledges the following sources of information used in preparing this guide to Plagiarism:
“Plagiarism – A Good Practice Guide”, Carroll, J and Appleton, J (2001) and various extracts from Student/Programme
Handbooks 2004/2005, Schools and Institutes at Heriot-Watt University
APPENDIX A
3
Good Practice
3.1
Academic work is almost always drawn from other published information supplemented by
the writer’s own ideas, results or findings. Thus drawing from other work is entirely
acceptable, but it is unacceptable not to acknowledge such work. Conventions or methods
for making acknowledgements can vary slightly from subject to subject, and students
should seek the advice of staff in their own School/Institute about ways of doing this.
Generally, referencing systems fall into the Harvard (where the text citation is by author and
date) and numeric (where the text citation is by using a number). Both systems refer
readers to a list at the end of the piece of work where sufficient information is provided to
enable the reader to locate the source for themselves.
3.2
When a student undertakes a piece of work that involves drawing on the writings or ideas of
others, they must ensure that they acknowledge each contribution in the following manner:
3.3

Citations: when a direct quotation, a figure, a general idea or other piece of information
is taken from another source, the work and its source must be acknowledged and
identified where it occurs in the text;

Quotations: inverted commas must always be used to identify direct quotations, and
the source of the quotation must be cited;

References: the full details of all references and other sources must be listed in a
section at the end of any piece of work, such as an essay, together with the full
publication details. This is normally referred to as a “List of References” and it must
include details of any and all sources of information that the student has referred to in
producing their work. (This is slightly different to a Bibliography, which may also contain
references and sources which, although not directly referred to in your work, you
consulted in producing your work).
Students may wish to refer to the following examples which illustrate the basic principles of
plagiarism and how students might avoid it in their work by using some very simple
techniques:
3.3.1
Example 1: A Clear Case of Plagiarism
Examine the following example in which a student has simply inserted a passage of
text (in italics) into their work directly from a book they have read:
University and college managers should consider implementing strategic
frameworks if they wish to embrace good management standards. One of the
key problems in setting a strategic framework for a college or university is that
the individual institution has both positive and negative constraints placed upon
its freedom of action. Managers are employed to resolve these issues effectively.
This is an example of bad practice as the student makes no attempt to distinguish the
passage they have inserted from their own work. Thus, this constitutes a clear case of
plagiarism. Simply changing a few key words in such a passage of text (e.g. replace
APPENDIX A
‘problems’ with ‘difficulties’) does not make it the student’s work and it is still considered
to be an act of plagiarism.
3.4
What follows are examples of the measures that students should employ in order to
correctly cite the words, thought or ideas of others that have influenced their work:
3.4.1
Example 2: Quoting the work of others
If a student wishes to cite a passage of text in order to support their own work, the
correct way of doing so is to use quotation marks (e.g. “ “) to show that the passage is
someone else’s work, as follows:
“One of the key problems in setting a strategic framework for a college or
university is that the individual institution has both positive and negative
constraints placed upon its freedom of action”.
3.4.2
Example 3: Referencing the work of others
In addition to using quotation marks as above, students must also use a text citation.
If the work being cited is a book, page numbers would also normally be required.
Thus, using the Harvard system for a book:
“One of the key problems in setting a strategic framework for a college or
university is that the individual institution has both positive and negative
constraints placed upon its freedom of action” (Jones, 2001, p121).
The same reference could also be made to a book using the numeric system:
“One of the key problems in setting a strategic framework for a college or
university is that the individual institution has both positive and negative
constraints placed upon its freedom of action” (Ref.1, p121).
More often, a piece of work will have multiple references and this serves to show an
examiner that the student is drawing from a number of sources. For example, articles
by Brown and by Smith may be cited as follows in the Harvard system
“It has been asserted that Higher Education in the United Kingdom continued to be
poorly funded during the 1980’s [Brown, 1991], whereas more modern writers [Smith,
2002] argue that the HE sector actually received, in real terms, more funding during
this period than the thirty year period immediately preceding it”.
or as follows using the numeric system:
“It has been asserted that Higher Education in the United Kingdom continued to be
poorly funded during the 1980’s [Ref 1], whereas more modern writers [Ref 2] argue
that the HE sector actually received, in real terms, more funding during this period
than the thirty year period immediately preceding it”.
3.4.3
Example 4: Use of reference lists
Whichever system is used, a list must be included at the end, which allows the reader
to locate the works cited for themselves. The Internet is also an increasingly popular
source of information for students and details must again be provided. You should
adhere to the following guidelines in all cases where you reference the work of others:
If the source is a book, the required information is as follows:
APPENDIX A
 Author’s name(s)
 Publishers Name
 Year of Publication
 All Page Numbers cited
 Title of Book
 Edition (if more than one, e.g. 3rd
edition, 2001)
 Place of Publication
If the source is an article in a journal or periodical, the required information is as
follows:



Author’s name(s)
Year of Publication
Title of Journal


Volume and part number
Page numbers for the article
If the source is from the Internet, the required information is as follows:



Author’s or Institution’s name
(“Anon”, if not known)
Title of Document
Date last accessed by student


Full URL (e.g. http://www.lib.utk.edu
/instruction/plagiarism/)
Affiliation of author, if given (e.g.
University of Tennessee)
The way in which the information is organised can vary, and there are some types of
work (for example edited volumes and conference proceedings) where the required
information is slightly different. Essentially, though, it is your responsibility to make it
clear where you are citing references within your work and what the source is within
your reference list. Failure to do so is an act of plagiarism.
3.5
Students may find the following examples2 of common plagiarism mistakes made by other
students useful when reflecting on their own work:








“I thought it would be okay as long as I included the source in my bibliography”
[without indicating a quotation had been used in the text]
“I made lots of notes for my essay and couldn't remember where I found the
information”
“I thought it would be okay to use material that I had purchased online”
“I thought it would be okay to copy the text if I changed some of the words into
my own”
“I thought that plagiarism only applied to essays, I didn't know that it also applies
to oral presentations/group projects etc”
“I thought it would be okay just to use my tutor's notes”
“I didn't think that you needed to reference material found on the web”
“I left it too late and just didn't have time to reference my sources”
None of the above are acceptable reasons for failing to acknowledge the use of
others’ work and thereby constitute plagiarism.
3.6
Students are encouraged to use a style of acknowledgement that is appropriate to their own
academic discipline and should seek advice from their mentor, programme leader or other
appropriate member of academic staff. There are also many reference sources available in
the University Library which will provide useful guidance on referencing styles.
Extract from ‘Plagiarism at the University of Essex’ advice copyrighted and published by the Learning, Teaching and Quality
Unit at the University of Essex (http://www.essex.ac.uk/plagiarism/pages/reasons.htm), reproduced with kind permission.
2
4
4.1
Managing Plagiarism
APPENDIX A
Students, supervisors and institutions have a joint role in ensuring that plagiarism is
avoided in all areas of academic activity. Each role is outlined below as follows:
How you can ensure that you avoid plagiarism in your work:


Take responsibility for applying the above principles of best practice and integrity within
all of your work
Be aware that your written work will be checked for plagiarism and that all incidents of
plagiarism, if found, are likely to result in severe disciplinary action by the University.
The standard penalty is to annul all assessments taken in the same diet of
examinations (for details please refer to Regulation 50 at
http://www.hw.ac.uk/ordinances/regulations.pdf and to the Guidelines for Staff and
Students on Discipline at http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/discipline.htm).
How your School/Institute will help you to avoid plagiarism:



Highlight written guidance on how you can avoid plagiarism and provide you with
supplementary, verbal guidance wherever appropriate
Regularly check student work to ensure that plagiarism has not taken place (this may
involve both manual and electronic methods of checking, an example of the latter being
use of the Joint Information Standards Committee (JISC) “TurnitIn” plagiarism detection
software).
Alert you to the procedures that will apply should you be found to have committed or be
suspected of having committed an act of plagiarism and explain how further action will
be taken in accordance with University policy and procedures.
How the University will endeavour to reduce student plagiarism:




Provide clear written guidance on what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it
directly to your School/Institute and to you
Alert you and staff in your School/Institute to the penalties employed when dealing with
plagiarism cases
Take steps to ensure that a consistent approach is applied when dealing with cases of
suspected plagiarism across the institution
Take the issue of academic dishonesty very seriously and routinely investigate cases
where students have plagiarised and apply appropriate penalties in all proven cases.
For information on plagiarism-detection software used across the University, please refer
to:
www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/plagiarismjiscnote.pdf