This module is a core module in the BEng Aerospace Engineering programmes and forms a capstone experience for the course. This major project is undertaken throughout the final year of the BEng programme, allowing you to research and study in depth a topic in aerospace engineering which is of personal interest, thus allowing you to demonstrate your ability to:
Professionally this module allows you to show high levels of responsibility and organisational capability (through arranging meetings with supervisors, setting project goals and meeting appropriate deadlines) as well as demonstrating effective communication with others (through completing reports and a log book, as well as presenting a seminar and producing a display poster for the project). Furthermore the module encourages you to recognise, question and deal with the ethical dilemmas that are likely to occur in engineering professional practice and research.
Furthermore this module provides you with an opportunity to further enhance the independence and employability skills industry is looking for in its graduate engineers, especially those seeking professional recognition as Incorporated or Chartered Engineers.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Students are provided with a list of areas of academic staff expertise and possible projects to enable them to identify an appropriate area of study before the start of the academic year. A project supervisor is allocated to each project to encourage the student to achieve the project goals and to monitor progress. Students are required to maintain contact with their supervisor at formal meetings at least once a fortnight. Guidance on skills required by all students (including research methods, data retrieval, report writing and oral presentation) is given through written guides, discussion with the project supervisor and occasional lecture presentations. Outside of meetings with the supervisor the student is expected to commit the remainder of the module to independent study.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 3 x 2 hour lectures on aspects of managing the project. 12 x 1 hour scheduled meetings with supervisor (or equivalent). | 6 12 |
| Guided independent study | Regular independent study such as research, preparation of reports, experimentation, etc. | 282 |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
Summative assessment is 100% coursework based and is achieved through a portfolio of work made up of a preliminary report, usually written, worth 15% of the total, a presentation and poster element and Logbook worth 20% and a final dissertation worth 65%.
Formative opportunities will be provided through the regular meetings and discussions with the project supervisor. Submission of early drafts of sections of the dissertation, presentation etc. will provide opportunities for the supervisor to give regular detailed feedback and feed-forward to the key summative points. It is envisaged that these on-going discussions will encourage the student in developing strategies for improvement and enhancement.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) Initiate project work by conducting a critical literature survey and setting realistic project goals and milestones. | Interim Project Planning Report and Log Book assessed by the Project Supervisor. |
| 2) Conduct regular project meetings to discuss and evaluate new ideas and to review progress against deadlines. | Formative assessment by the Project Supervisor at formal project meetings once a fortnight (or the equivalent) leading to summative assessment at the end of the project. |
| 3) Present information and defend arguments both orally and in the form of a poster-style display. | Project seminar and poster assessed by academic panel. |
| 4) Structure a report in clear English providing a description of work undertaken, a synthesis of the data collected and present a logical discussion of the processes, results and conclusions. | Final report and log book assessed by the Supervisor and a Second Reader. Overall moderation provided by a Project Moderation Committee. |
| 5) Produce project work commensurate to a BEng standard always being aware of their personal and professional responsibilities. | Final report and log book. |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Project Planning report+Logbook | Coursework | 15% |
| Seminar + Poster+ Logbbook Presenting the project to a panel of academics | Practical exam | 20% |
| Final dissertation | Coursework | 65% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Pears R and Shields G, 2010, Cite Them Right, Palgrave; ISBN-13: 978-0230272316.