This course provides a foundation for engineering and communication skills across all engineering disciplines, as such it contains many different elements taught at an introductory level.

The course covers six key areas, general study skills, creativity skills, digital skills, workshop skills, design, build and test skills and communication skills.

The design, build and test section is specific to the student's particular degree programme within engineering.

2 lectures per week for the first 6 weeks of semester 1.

4 hours of creativity labs in semester 1.

Other workshop, studio and lab times vary.

None

None

40% Report: group report for design build and test section, this will include an element of peer assessment

30% Set Exercise: 10% Creativity exercise, sketch and data sheet creation, 20% digital skills submission

10% Written Assignment, including Essay: written summary of a standard / regulation

10% Project Output: design, build and test prototype, this will include an element of peer assessment

10% Oral Assessment and Presentation: design reviews of project progress

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

It is not possible to retake group projects and workshop practicals. Re-submission of assessment is allowed for all components.

The aims of this course are to:

■ act as an extended induction to students starting their degree programmes in Engineering;

■ provide students with the basic digital, workshop and communication skills required for further study in engineering;

■ integrate engineering design activities with the application and construction of components, structures and systems, and to develop the basic skills relevant to team work and the role of engineers in industry.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ explain of how the degree programme and the School of Engineering work including code of assessment, plagiarism, Moodle;

■ describe the university services are available to support studies;

■ act as a member of a team working towards a common goal in an engineering context;

■ describe the role of a professional engineer including professional ethics;

■ discuss the role of regulations and standards in engineering;

■ use research to inform engineering design;

■ create a solution to an open creative brief;

■ create a design solution from a detailed brief and existing initial concept;

■ create prototypes of a quality suitable to prove concept or design;

■ test, evaluate and subsequently redesign a prototype/model;

■ use a range of CAD packages leading to the creation of basic drawings, models and assemblies conforming to engineering standards;

■ produce a basic computer program;

■ use basic software packages to prepare reports, calculations and present data;

■ create a simple part from an engineering drawing using basic mechanical workshop hand-tools;

■ use various manufacturing processes to support prototype/model construction;

■ construct a basic electrical circuit from drawings and fault find;

■ write a technical written report conforming to engineering standards;

■ use correct engineering conventions to cite references;

■ give and receive critical feedback, both verbal and written, and demonstrate its impact;

■ keep written records of progress which demonstrate an understanding of the information required e.g., lab books, portfolios or logbooks;

■ communicate through functional sketches;

■ present data and graphs in a manner conforming to engineering standards;

■ write up a calculation for a professional reader in a manner conforming to engineering standards.

Students must submit all of the components of the course's summative assessment.

Students must attend the timetabled laboratory classes for:

■ Mechanical workshop skills

■ Electrical workshop skills

■ Creativity

■ Design, build and test

Students must complete the self-study sections of the digital skills course and obtain a PASS in each section.