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Programme Handbook 2016/17
BTEC Higher National (QCF) in General Engineering
CONTENTS
Contents ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Welcome...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
General Information About Your Programme ............................................................................................................................. 3
Qualifications Credit Framework ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Programme Overview .................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Programme Aims ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Programme Learning Outcomes .................................................................................................................................................. 6
Programme Structure .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Assessment Overview .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Where will I study? ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Getting started ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Teaching, Learning and Assessment ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Partners for Success .................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Careers Team .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Student Support and Wellbeing Team .................................................................................................................................... 8
Learning Resource Centre teams .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Student Union ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Being a partner in your own success ..................................................................................................................................... 16
The Student Charter .................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Absence reporting ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Safeguarding .............................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Student Identity Card ................................................................................................................................................................ 18
Food on campus ........................................................................................................................................................................ 18
Sports facilities and College teams ............................................................................................................................................ 19
Enrichment ................................................................................................................................................................................ 19
Getting Involved In the Quality of Your Programme ................................................................................................................. 19
Academic Appeals ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Graduation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Unit Outlines .............................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Unit 1 Analytical Methods for Engineers .......................................................................................................................... 22
Unit 2 Engineering Science ............................................................................................................................................... 23
Unit 3 Project Design, Implementation and Evaluation .................................................................................................... 24
Unit 35 Further Analytical Methods for Engineers ........................................................................................................... 24
Unit 41 Fluid Mechanics ................................................................................................................................................... 25
Unit 60 Dynamics of Machines ......................................................................................................................................... 25
Unit 63 Electrical Power .................................................................................................................................................... 25
Unit 5 Electrical and Electronic Principles ......................................................................................................................... 26
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WELCOME
Welcome to Blackpool and The Fylde College and to the HNC in General Engineering
This Programme Handbook aims to provide you with the key information you will need to settle into and get the most out of your programme of study here at the College leading to successful completion of your HNC in Mechanical Engineering. It will provide you with an overview of the programme content, how individual units are organised and delivered, how and when you will be assessed and how overall grades final results are determined. In addition there is information on the help and general support available to you as well as making it clear what you need to do if you should encounter any specific difficulties in progressing as planned on the programme.
There is also further information available in the College Student Handbook which includes guidance on term times, Travel to College, Attendance Expectations, College Facilities, Student Services, and Student Representation amongst other useful information.
It is strongly recommended that you keep both this Programme Handbook and the College Student Handbook readily to hand if you are to get the most out of the time you will have invested in participating in your valuable and hopefully enjoyable learning experience.
We appreciate that as students in order for materials to be fully accessible you may have a preference for a specific font size or colour of text/paper. To ensure that your needs are considered this handbook is available electronically.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PROGRAMME
Name of awarding body/institution Pearson
Teaching institution Blackpool and The Fylde College
Details of Professional/Statutory body accreditation
The Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals in General Engineering (QCF) have been developed with career progression and recognition by professional bodies in mind.
This development has been informed by discussions with the Engineering Council UK (EC (UK)) and the Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA).
Name of the final award Pearson BTEC Level 4 HNC Diploma in General Engineering (QCF)
Programme title Higher National Certificate (HNC) in General Engineering
UCAS code H100
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Statement Group(s)
This programme pays reference to the QAA Honours degree benchmarks for Engineering (UK-SPEC)
QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) 2015
Mode of Study (FT/PT/Both) Both
Language of Study English
Academic Regulations Pearson
Blackpool and The Fylde College BTEC Regulations
3
QUALIFICATIONS CREDIT FRAMEWORK
All awards and programmes offered by the College are aligned with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland published by the QAA. The table below shows the structure of this framework where there are eight designated levels ranging from entry level which normally takes place at primary school; levels 1 and 2 which normally occur at secondary school; level 3 which is equivalent to a 6th form education. Levels 4 and above are regarded as higher education and usually take place at colleges and universities.
In addition to the academic content each qualification is measured in terms of credits which reflect the amount of time spent in learning at that level. Each credit notionally represents around 10 hours of learning time.
The table below illustrates where this qualification sits within the FHEQ.
LEVEL
8 Doctorate PhD
7 Master’s Degree (MA; MSc; MPhil)
6
University Degree (BA; BSc; BEng)
Hons, Top-Up Degree (BA; BSc; BEng)
5
Foundation Degree (FdA; FdSc)
HND
4 HNC
Pearson BTEC HNC in General Engineering
3 A-Level A2 L3 Extended Diploma
(National Diploma)
L3 Diploma
(National Certificate) AS
2 GCSE
(Grades A-C)
L2 Diploma
(First Diploma)
1 GCSE
(Grades D-G)
L1 Diploma
(Foundation)
Entry Key Stage 3 E3 Diploma
(Foundation)
4
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Blackpool and the Fylde College remains committed to providing a highly responsive curriculum that is employment and future-focused and will enable students to develop the essential knowledge and skills that will prepare them for future success in work and life.
All Higher National Certificate (HNC) programmes within the Curriculum area of Engineering follow the ethos of highlighting their relevance to students, employers and industry. There is an emphasis on learning and self-development, as well as the development of an understanding of the motivation of other people (for example: creative problem solving, project management, team-working, etc.). The aim is to produce students that are equipped with the transferable, personal and professional skills that meet the demands of the workplace.
The General Engineering course was initially developed along with EDF Energy in order to meet requirements for an all-round programme of study for their apprentices and staff who attend the college each year. The General Engineering Curriculum has a compulsory core that focuses on Analytical methods, Engineering Science and Project Design, Implementation and Evaluation. The remaining modules selected by the college allow students to develop in both mechanical and electrical engineering. These include Fluid Mechanics, Machine Dynamics, Electrical Power and Electrical & Electronic Principles.
All Higher National Certificate (HNC) programmes within the Curriculum Area of Engineering aim to enable the students to develop a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attributes essential for successful performance in working life and equip individuals with knowledge, understanding and skills in preparation for a range of technical and management careers in mechanical, electronic and electrical engineering or for progression to an undergraduate degree or further professional qualification in engineering, or a related area.
This programme provides local delivery either full-time (two days per week) or part-time (one day per week) with course content to be matched to local needs, offering opportunities to students who would otherwise find it difficult or even impossible to access an appropriate degree level course. Blackpool and the Fylde College’s delivery and assessment of courses are tailored to the needs of the local, regional and national population.
The HNC develops higher level general engineering skills in a technological and management context thereby providing opportunities for students to develop a range of skills, techniques and attributes essential for successful performance and progression in working life.
By the end of the programme students will have developed the practical performance skills and key academic knowledge required to enable progression to further study or pursue a successful career within the mechanical, electronic and electrical engineering based industry spectrum.
PROGRAMME AIMS BTEC Higher Nationals are designed to provide a specialist vocational programme, linked to professional body requirements and National Occupational Standards where appropriate. They offer a strong, sector-related emphasis on practical skills development alongside the development of requisite knowledge and understanding. The qualifications provide a thorough grounding in the key concepts and practical skills required in their sector and their national recognition by employers allows direct progression to employment. Specifically this programme aims:
to develop a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attributes essential for successful performance in working life and thereby enable learners to make an immediate contribution to employment at the appropriate professional level
5
to prepare for a range of technical and management careers in engineering
to provide specialist studies relevant to individual vocations and professions in which students are working or intend to seek employment in mechanical or electrical engineering and its related industries
to enable progression to or counting towards an undergraduate degree or further professional qualification in engineering
to provide a significant engineering base for progression to incorporated engineer level.
For the full aims and objectives, please look at the Programme Specification for the course which is available on the web. These are quite technical documents that are prepared when a course is validated and include full details of all aspects.
PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES
Programme Learning Outcomes are a set of statements which indicate what you will be expected to be able to do on successful completion of your programme. The programme learning outcomes have been developed using QAA subject benchmark statements for Engineering.
There are Learning Outcomes for the whole programme, which are then developed into specific Learning Outcomes for each unit. In that way you can be sure that the whole programme is consistent and hangs together. Full details are included in the Programme Specification. The Learning Outcomes for each unit are included here towards the back of the handbook.
On completing the programme students will be able to: analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically read and use appropriate literature with a full and critical understanding think independently, solve problems and devise innovative solutions take responsibility for their own learning and recognise their own learning style apply subject knowledge and understanding to address familiar and unfamiliar problems design, plan, conduct and report on investigations use their knowledge, understanding and skills to evaluate and formulate evidence-based arguments critically and identify solutions to clearly defined problems of a general routine nature communicate the results of their study and other work accurately and reliably using a range of
specialist techniques identify and address their own major learning needs within defined contexts and to undertake
guided further learning in new areas apply their subject-related and transferable skills in contexts where the scope of the task and
the criteria for decisions
6
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Unit Title Level Credits
01 Analytical Methods for Engineers 4 15
02 Engineering Science 4 15
03 Project Design, Implementation and Evaluation 5 20
35 Further Analytical Methods for Engineers 5 15
41 Fluid Mechanics 4 15
60 Dynamics of Machines 4 15
63 Electrical Power 4 15
05 Electrical & Electronic Principles 5 15
More information relating to the units delivered on your programme can be found in the Unit Outline Section of this handbook.
ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Year 1 (Level 4)
Unit Code
Unit Title Credits Coursework %
01 Analytical Methods for Engineers 15 100%
02 Engineering Science 15 100%
03 Project Design, Implementation and
Evaluation 20 100%
35 Further Analytical Methods for Engineers
15
100%
41 Fluid Mechanics 15 100%
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60 Dynamics of Machines 15 100%
63 Electrical Power 15 100%
05 Electrical & Electronic Principles 15 100%
More information relating to aspects of teaching, learning and assessment can be found in the Teaching Learning and Assessment section of this handbook.
WHERE WILL I STUDY?
The HNC in General Engineering will be delivered at Bispham Campus. For more information about our campuses please click here
UNIVERSITY CENTRE
The majority of higher education courses are delivered at our University Centre in central Blackpool, within easy reach of student accommodation, shops, restaurants, bars and the promenade. This multi-million pound complex provides higher education students with a dedicated campus, with the major teaching and support facilities conveniently converging in an attractive central courtyard. The open-plan Central Hub houses a refectory, chill-out zones and the central learning resource centre. A unique and important addition to the Centre is our Gallery, housing works by both our own students and independent artists.
BISPHAM CAMPUS
Courses in Construction, Computing, Engineering and Automotive are delivered at our Bispham Campus. Here you can access a central reception, vital student support functions and a convenient number of retail outlets all within one attractive Hub development. Bispham Campus has recently been the focus of a stunning £3.5m upgrade, with the result that it is now dramatically more energy efficient, along with the multi-million pound development of the Advanced Technology Centre. The Bispham campus hosts a range of specialist equipment and facilities tailored towards engineering, science and construction.
FLEETWOOD NAUTICAL CAMPUS
Fleetwood Nautical Campus is a leading provider training and educational development for the nautical sector, attracting students from all over the world. Foundation degrees in Nautical Science and Marine Engineering and HNC/D programmes are delivered from this campus to cadets employed by a range of companies such as Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises and BP. The campus hosts a range of cutting-edge facilities including a state-of-the-art environmental survival training tank, a full-mission ship simulator and an engine room simulator suite.
GETTING STARTED
At the start of your course, your tutors will guide you through an initial induction which is designed to ease you into university life and higher level studies. Activities generally focus on helping you to find your feet, make friends and plan your studies. It can also traditionally be the time when students get to
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let their hair down and familiarise themselves with both the College and the local area before getting down to the more serious business of studying.
Our annual Freshers’ Fair is a fun, vibrant event and a great chance to find out more about what’s on offer locally, with representatives from the B&FC Student Union as well as local attractions, restaurants, health and fitness centres, clubs, bars and more. Support organisations and charities are also represented, along with B&FC’s own clubs and societies and sports teams.
TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT Most classes are taught at the Bispham campus of Blackpool and the Fylde College where you will have the opportunity to experience high quality teaching and learning facilities including the new STEM Advanced Technology Centre which opened in 2015. This programme is delivered on a modular basis, with teaching delivered through a variety of methods appropriate to module content, technical requirement and student development. You will learn in a variety of ways which supports specialist vocational skill development and knowledge, some of which is practical and some theoretical in nature. Lectures and presentations will be used to provide structured and research informed content; you will use these lectures and presentations as the basis for assignment work development, enquiry and active learning experiences. Problem identification and solving is a key skill required in the engineering discipline and our blend of interactive, individualised and group learning opportunities provide you with ample opportunities to develop as engineers. In the core maths module (Analytical Methods for Engineers) you will be encouraged to learn key principles, perform calculations and integrate this into real wold situations and applications. This is an important aspect of this HNC programme and the development of confidence in mathematical related skills and knowledge is a central element of this mechanical engineering programme. In the Engineering Science module, you will be introduced to both mechanical and electrical principles through lecture input which is based on real world industry examples reflecting the highly vocational nature of this HNC. You will have the opportunity to work in groups and individually to measure, collect data, determine formulae, predict and evaluate engineering problems. In the early stages of the HNC it is important to ensure that these fundamental mathematical and scientific principles are developed and you feel confident to progress in your chosen engineering field of study. The specialist modules are taught using a variety of teaching and learning methods including group, pair and individual work to develop knowledge and support further research and enquiry. You will be encouraged to develop essential engineering and scientific principles to produce routine solutions to familiar engineering problems. Routine engineering systems, processes and products will be modelled and analysed using up to date software in order to support the development of vocationally, relevant engineering skills.
Both formative and summative assessments will require you to demonstrate advanced study skills and to use them in the critical analysis and synthesis of information from a variety of sources. Various modes of assessment will be used in different modules to ensure the key aspects of learning are assessed and that you are engaged in different forms of assessment, covering their diversity of preferred learning approaches and relevant to the engineering discipline.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
All higher education programmes are designed so that you are able to progressively develop independent learning skills and aptitudes. Learning independently is a key skill of all graduates when they enter the work place and one which we aim to develop further during your time with us.
As you begin your programme you will be more intensively supported to develop the skills of learning and learning how to learn. As you progress you will be given the opportunity to apply these skills and to
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manage your own study time and activities with the goal of becoming a truly independent learner ready to get the most out of graduate employment opportunities.
Your Personal Development planning activities are a key component in developing these independent learning skills and with support from your tutors, support mentors and peers can help you to organise and structure this aspect of your learning and development.
DELIVERY
For the HNC in General Engineering, the academic year is divided into 2 semesters of 16 weeks, with all assessments issued and submitted during this time.
HOW MUCH WORK SHOULD I DO?
For each unit, you will have a number of hours timetabled each week where you will be supported by an academic tutor in your studies. You are expected to attend all timetabled classes. If you wish to see a member of staff at another time, either drop in or make an appointment in person, by phone or by e-mail. In addition to your timetabled sessions, you will be expected to undertake further study independently, outside of the classroom. This may be in the form of reading, research, revision or completing assignments as directed by your tutor. The amount of time you will need to allocate to your studies outside of the classroom will vary greatly from person to person, and the chances are that your there will be times within your programme of study where your workload will be heavier than others. Your tutors will work with you to ensure that you are aware of factors that may influence your workload, such as assessment deadlines and examinations well in advance, to assist you in your planning.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
You will be assessed on the extent to which you have mastered the content of each course or unit you take. You will be given clear information about each assignment, what to include, and how many marks are available for each question or task. Lots of support will be available both from your tutors and from HELMs to help you understand how to go about each one.
WHAT KINDS OF ASSESSMENT WILL THERE BE?
Some assessments may already be very familiar, such as essays and reports. However, in higher education there are a great many varieties of assessment depending on the subject, the level and the type of course. Our higher education courses often integrate academic and work-based learning so assessment may include aspects of personal reflection, portfolio building and case studies.
Here’s a bit more detail about some of the more common types of assessment:
Essay
An essay is an answer to a question in the form of continuous, connected prose, usually with a word limit. Often these are set by the tutors but you may also be asked to formulate your own question with the tutor’s help. Essays test your ability to organise your thinking, discuss, evaluate, analyse, summarise and criticise. They also test your skills at making essay plans and reaching a robust conclusion or decision.
Assignment or brief
An assignment or brief is a learning task that allows you to cover a fixed section of the curriculum predominantly through independent study. Different methods of presenting the results can be used
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dependent on the nature of the task - a report (oral or written), a design solution, a newspaper or magazine article, a video, a poster, a research bid, a book review, a contribution to a debate, etc.
Group project or assignment
This is where either an assignment or project is undertaken collectively by groups of students working collaboratively, helping to develop team working skills. In some cases, particularly where the same thing happens in industry, there are particular assignments that can by definition only be achieved in a group. The major assessment problem is how to identify each individual's role and contribution and to reward it fairly. Solutions (none of which is problem free) tend to include combinations of: an individual component which can be individually assessed, tutor observation, and involving the students in some self
Exams
Exams can take a variety of different forms, with the most common sort being done under timed and observed conditions to ensure it is the student's own work. Exams test your ability to think critically, to respond in a structured way to a question and to plan on the spot as well as your knowledge and understanding of the subject. Some of the most common types of exams are:
• 'Seen' where the questions to be answered are given at a pre-specified date beforehand. The intention is to reduce the need for 'question-spotting', to reduce the anxiety and to increase the emphasis on learning
• 'Open-book', where you will have access to specified texts and/or your notes. the intention is to reduce the emphasis on memorising facts, to reduce anxiety and allow more demanding questions to be set
• 'Unseen' where you don’t know what the questions are until you sit the exam. Arguably these make you focus on the whole syllabus because anything may appear on the paper
• Multiple choice exams where you simply select from a bank of potential answers. These also assess your decision making skills
Logs and Portfolios
These are an increasingly popular kind of assessment, and involve a collection of all sorts of evidence of your work (often including others’ testimony about your work, and feedback you’ve collected). Portfolios are intended to be a measure of the work of the ‘whole candidate’, rather than just particular aspects of the candidate’s work. They also measure your ability to organise a collection of evidence, in a readable, navigable way. Not least, they test your ability to stick to deadlines with a big, multifaceted job.
Reports
There are many kinds of reports – laboratory ones, field-trip ones, business ones, and so on – each has its own conventions and preferred formats – your tutors will tell you more. Assessed reports measure your skills at finding out about, and adhering to, the expected report formats and conventions in your subject discipline. They also measure your ability to put forward an organised piece of writing, coming to conclusions, making suggestions for further work, and so on. They often test your skills at interpreting data, making sense of your findings, and so on.
Calculations and problems
Usually given in sets – with a deadline for tutor marking, or to bring along completed to a tutorial. These, unsurprisingly, tend to measure your ability to solve problems and do calculations.
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Presentations
Lots of students worry about presentations – you normally build up to these as your course progresses and you’ll be given lots of support and time to prepare. You may be involved in group or solo presentations, perhaps to some or all of your class, usually with the tutor present. Sometimes peer assessment is used. Presentations measure your ability to talk fluently about a topic, and to answer questions from the group. They also measure your skills at preparing visual aids (overheads, handouts, PowerPoint presentations) to support your presentation. On some courses there are very few presentations. However, in the workplace, more and more people have to be involved in them, so practising on your course is a very good way of developing your skills.
Self and peer assessment
There is strong evidence that involving students in the assessment process can have very definite educational benefits. Not so much a type of assessment like those already listed, this is something which can be done in conjunction with any type of assessment. The important aspect is that it involves the student in trying to apply the assessment criteria for themselves. This might include: a marking exercise on 'fictitious' or previous years' student work; the completion of a self-assessment sheet to be handed in with your work; 'marking' a peer's work and giving them feedback (which they can then possibly redraft before submission to the tutor); or really marking other students' work (i.e. allocating marks which actually count in some way) - a seminar presentation, for example, or a written product using a model answer. The evidence is that through trying to apply criteria, or mark using a model answer, you will gain much greater insight in to what is actually being required and subsequently your own work improves in the light of this.
WHEN WILL I BE ASSESSED?
In the majority of courses you will be assessed throughout your course and you will receive on-going feedback to help you improve your future grades. This is sometimes called formative assessment and is designed to help you learn as you go through your course. Some formative assessment is quite informal; it may be your tutor asking specific questions in class, for example. Other types of formative assessment can include written reports, essays, tasks for seminars etc., some of which are handed in so that written feedback can be provided. You will also be assessed summatively. This just means that during each unit, often at the end, you will complete work that is then graded, where the mark counts towards your final qualification.
At the start of your course you will be given an assessment schedule which details the deadlines for all the units you will be studying that semester. This will help you to plan your work effectively. Your tutors understand that you have lots of commitments so will always try to spread the assignments out as much as they can, although inevitably many will come towards the end of each semester.
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
The Schedule provided is indicative of when you will be assessed on this programme. The variations in the timing of the Easter Holidays will also have an influence on the submission of work during March and April. Your actual assessment schedule will be confirmed in induction week for each year of your programme.
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HE Programme Assessment Schedule HNC Mechanical/ Electrical and Electronic/ General Engineering (Level 4)
Week Commencing
12 S
epte
mbe
r 201
6
19 S
epte
mbe
r 201
6
26 S
epte
mbe
r 201
6
03 O
ctob
er 2
016
10 O
ctob
er 2
016
17 O
ctob
er 2
016
24 O
ctob
er 2
016
31 O
ctob
er 2
016
07 N
ovem
ber 2
016
14 N
ovem
ber 2
016
21 N
ovem
ber 2
016
28 N
ovem
ber 2
016
05 D
ecem
ber 2
016
12 D
ecem
ber 2
016
19 D
ecem
ber 2
016
26 D
ecem
ber 2
016
02 J
anua
ry 2
017
09 J
anua
ry 2
017
16 J
anua
ry 2
017
23 J
anua
ry 2
017
30 J
anua
ry 2
017
06 F
ebru
ary
2017
13 F
ebru
ary
2017
20 F
ebru
ary
2017
27 F
ebru
ary
2017
06 M
arch
201
7
13 M
arch
201
7
20 M
arch
201
7
27 M
arch
201
7
03 A
pril
2017
10 A
pril
2017
17 A
pril
2017
24 A
pril
2017
01 M
ay 2
017
08 M
ay 2
017
15 M
ay 2
017
22 M
ay 2
017
29 M
ay 2
017
05 J
une
2017
Module # Unit 1
Analytical Methods
for Engineers
(L4), 15 credits
1
2
3
4
Unit 2 Engineeri
ng Science (L4), 15 credits
1
2
3
4 Unit 3
Project Design,
Implementation and
Evaluation (L5) 20 credits
1
2
Unit 41 Fluid
Mechanics (L4), 15 credits
1
2
3
Week Commencing
12 S
epte
mbe
r 201
6
19 S
epte
mbe
r 201
6
26 S
epte
mbe
r 201
6
03 O
ctob
er 2
016
10 O
ctob
er 2
016
17 O
ctob
er 2
016
24 O
ctob
er 2
016
31 O
ctob
er 2
016
07 N
ovem
ber 2
016
14 N
ovem
ber 2
016
21 N
ovem
ber 2
016
28 N
ovem
ber 2
016
05 D
ecem
ber 2
016
12 D
ecem
ber 2
016
19 D
ecem
ber 2
016
26 D
ecem
ber 2
016
02 J
anua
ry 2
017
09 J
anua
ry 2
017
16 J
anua
ry 2
017
23 J
anua
ry 2
017
30 J
anua
ry 2
017
06 F
ebru
ary
2017
13 F
ebru
ary
2017
20 F
ebru
ary
2017
27 F
ebru
ary
2017
06 M
arch
201
7
13 M
arch
201
7
20 M
arch
201
7
27 M
arch
201
7
03 A
pril
2017
10 A
pril
2017
17 A
pril
2017
24 A
pril
2017
01 M
ay 2
017
08 M
ay 2
017
15 M
ay 2
017
22 M
ay 2
017
29 M
ay 2
017
05 J
une
2017
Module # Unit 60
Dynamics of
Machines (L4), 15 credits
1
2
3
Unit 69 Advanced Computer-
aided Design
Techniques (L4), 15 credits
1
2
3
Unit 63 Electrical
Power (L4), 15 credits
1
2
3
Unit 5 Electrical
and Electronic Principles
(L5), 15 credits
1
2
3
2
RADING OF ASSESSMENTS The grading of Edexcel BTEC Higher National qualifications is at both the unit and the qualification level. Grading at the Unit level Each successfully completed unit will be graded as a pass, merit or distinction. A pass is awarded for the achievement of all outcomes against the specified assessment criteria which will be indicated to you when attempting each assignment. Merit and distinction grades are awarded for achievement at a higher level than a pass. The generic merit and distinction grade descriptors listed below give you a general idea of what is expected of you to achieve the higher grades. They can be achieved in a flexible way, for example in a sequential or holistic mode, to reflect the nature of the sector concerned. Each of the generic merit and distinction “grade descriptors” will be further amplified by the use of use of “indicative characteristics”. The grade descriptors show what particular skill or attribute you are expected to demonstrate, whilst the indicative characteristics provide you with practical examples of what sort of evidence will be necessary to show you have met the grade descriptors. (Please see the merit and distinction tables below) Each individual assignment will show in detail what you will need to provide to achieve the pass merit and distinction grades. Pass grade A pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessment criteria for pass for each unit. Merit descriptors Exemplar indicative characteristics In order to achieve a merit you must: Your evidence will show for example:
identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions
• effective judgements have been made • complex problems with more than one variable have been explored • an effective approach to study and research has been applied
select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques
• relevant theories and techniques have been applied • a range of methods and techniques have been applied • a range of sources of information has been used • the selection of methods and techniques/sources has been justified • the design of methods/techniques has been justified • complex information/data has been synthesised and processed • appropriate learning methods/techniques have been applied
present and communicate appropriate findings
• the appropriate structure and approach has been used • coherent, logical development of principles/concepts for the
intended audience • a range of methods of presentation have been used and technical
language has been accurately used • communication has taken place in familiar and unfamiliar contexts • the communication is appropriate for familiar and unfamiliar
audiences and appropriate media have been used Distinction descriptors Exemplar indicative characteristics In order to achieve a distinction you must: Your evidence will show for example:
use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify
• conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified
• the validity of results has been evaluated using defined criteria
valid conclusions • self-criticism of approach has taken place • realistic improvements have been proposed against defined
characteristics for success
take responsibility for managing and organising activities
• autonomy/independence has been demonstrated • substantial activities, projects or investigations have been planned,
managed and organised • activities have been managed • the unforeseen has been accommodated • the importance of interdependence has been recognised and
achieved
demonstrate convergent/lateral/ creative thinking
• ideas have been generated and decisions taken • self-evaluation has taken place • convergent and lateral thinking have been applied • problems have been solved • innovation and creative thought have been applied • receptiveness to new ideas is evident • effective thinking has taken place in unfamiliar contexts
Summary of grades at the unit level In order to achieve a pass in a unit • All learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been met
In order to achieve a merit in a unit • Pass requirements achieved • All merit grade descriptors are achieved
In order to achieve a distinction in a unit
• Pass and Merit requirements achieved • All distinction grade descriptors achieved
THE RULES OF COMBINATION FOR OVERALL QUALIFICATION The Edexcel BTEC Level 4 HNC in General Engineering is a qualification with a minimum of 120 credits of which 50 are mandatory core. The Edexcel BTEC Level 4 HNC programme must contain a minimum of 65 credits at level 4. The rules of combination specify the:-
• total credit value of the qualification • minimum credit to be achieved at the level of the qualification • mandatory core unit credit • specialist unit credit • maximum credit that can be centre devised or imported from other QCF Edexcel BTEC Higher
National qualifications When combining units for an Edexcel BTEC Higher National qualification it is Blackpool and The Fylde College’s responsibility to ensure that the following rules of combination are adhered to: For the Edexcel BTEC Level 4 HNC in General Engineering
1. Qualification credit value: a minimum of 120 credits. (A maximum of 30 credits may be at level 3; a maximum of 55 credits may be at level 5.)
2. Minimum credit to be achieved at the level of the qualification (level 4): 65 credits. 3. Mandatory core unit credit: 50 credits. 4. Specialist unit credit: 70 credits. 5. A maximum of 30 credits can be centre devised or imported from other QCF Edexcel BTEC
Higher National qualifications to meet local needs. Level rules and mandatory core units must not be changed.
CALCULATION OF THE OVERALL QUALIFICATION GRADE
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Pass qualification grade Those of you who achieve the minimum eligible credit value specified by the rule of combination will achieve the qualification at pass grade. Qualification grades above pass grade You will be awarded a merit or distinction qualification grade by the aggregation of points gained through the successful achievement of individual units. The graded section of the HNC is based on your best performance in units at the level or above of the qualification to the value of 75 credits. The number of points available is dependent on the unit grade achieved and the credit size of the unit (as shown in the ‘Points available per credit at specified unit grades’ table below). Points available per credit at specified unit grades
Points per credit
Pass Merit Distinction 0 1 2 Qualification Grades Points range Grade 0 – 74 PASS P 75 – 149 MERIT M 150 DISTINCTION D
WHAT IF I EXPERIENCE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MEAN I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE AN ASSESSMENT?
The Personal Mitigating Circumstance (PMC) procedure gives you the opportunity to inform the College of serious medical or personal circumstances, which you believe, has affected your academic performance in an adverse way before the meeting of the Board of Examiners.
You may have had genuine and unavoidable circumstances that have affected your performance in coursework. These circumstances may have prevented you from being assessed or from submitting coursework on time.
A Personal Mitigating Circumstance Application Form must be completed by you and is available via the College website / Student Administration / Reception. It is your responsibility to complete and submit the form to the HE Student Administration Manager within 10 days of the assessment deadline.
You cannot request an extension to the assignment deadline date. Assignments must be handed in as soon as possible even if they are incomplete. For full details of this procedure please refer to http://www.blackpool.ac.uk/he-regulations
WHAT IF I MISS A DEADLINE?
Managing your time effectively is a key graduate skill and you are therefore encouraged to plan your programme workload alongside your other commitments. If you fail to meet an assessment deadline, it will be penalised.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF I FAIL AN ASSESSMENT?
Most students pass their work, but if your mark for an individual unit is less than the minimum pass grade you will be referred on that assessment. This means that you will have to be reassessed in the relevant work, however a second attempt will be subject to a penalty as specified within the B&FC regulations.
Where Personal Mitigating Circumstances are approved, this will typically prevent any penalties being applied through reassessment.
MODERATION
All work that you submit for assessment is marked by your tutor. A suitable sample is then selected to be moderated by another tutor. This is to ensure that the mark awarded is reliable and not just the judgement of one marker. All of the work you submit is retained by the College to assist our external examiners in the quality assurance of your programme. This may mean that the results you receive during the year may change and should therefore be considered provisional.
EXTERNAL EXAMINERS
Every higher national programme has its own Standards Verifier (sometimes referred to as an external examiner) whose role is to support the academic staff team in ensuring that the standard of your programme of study is comparable to other programmes in that subject discipline. The Standards Verifier will confirm that the work that you have produced is of a standard that is expected and identifies any issues that the academic staff team needs to take into account to continually improve the programme. The Standards Verifier also feeds back on the key strengths that make your programme a really effective and valuable learning experience.
You can view the Standards Verifier reports and contact details for your programme on the Wider Information Set Moodle page or details can be requested by email [email protected]
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Once a module is complete, the marks for all assessments are compiled together to create an overall module mark.
The module board of examiners sits at the end of semester 2 to consider semester 1 and 2 modules and then your overall marks for the year are considered by a programme board of examiners that will make recommendations regarding your progression between levels, reassessment and eventually the award of your qualification. The majority of programmes within the college run an academic year between September and June. Reassessment work will therefore normally be completed during the summer months and submitted by July 31st.
The board of examiners sits again prior to the start of the next academic year in September where the results of any summer reassessment work will be considered.
Where programmes fall outside of the standard academic year, the timing of the board identified above may vary, however the general process remains the same.
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PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS
The Partners for Success framework has been developed from our considerable achievements and successful review outcomes in supporting students and ensuring that they are provided with the best possible opportunities to engage fully with their learning experience and the full life of the college. It outlines how staff, students and the wider college community work to provide a seamless network of support to enable all students to achieve their potential.
Studying at University level can mean quite a life change, particularly if you have to move away from home, juggle study with work or have caring responsibilities while studying. You may also be returning to study after a period away and feel unsure exactly what to expect. Most students new to higher level study also comment on the fact that it can be quite different to their previous studies.
Our central aim is to enable all students to become confident and competent independent learners and achieve to the maximum of their potential through the development of their academic skills, personal well-being, literacies and professional employability attributes.
• We will work in partnership with all stakeholders, students, staff and others to ensure and assure personal change and development through mutual expectations, mutual agency and clear communications.
• We will provide students with a network of support to enable their development and achievement of their personal, academic and professional goals
Key partners in your success are: • Your Progress Tutor and the programme delivery team • Careers team • Student Support and Wellbeing including HE Learning Mentors (HELMS) • Learning Resource Centre teams • Student Union • You!
YOUR PROGRESS TUTOR AND THE PROGRAMME DELIVERY TEAM
Here at Blackpool and the Fylde College every student is entitled to receive tutorial support on their programme of study. Tutorials are an important learning activity; they give you the opportunity to engage in dialogue with your tutor on matters of academic progress as well as personal and pastoral issues which may impact on your learning experience.
The benefits of tutorials are that they help you to individualise your learning on programme and to receive constructive feedback on your work specifically and progress generally. Tutorials are an essential component of the B&FC Partners for Success framework which aims to enable your personal and academic development, and maximize your opportunities for success, through coordinating the range of support services available to you through your progress tutor. Tutorials can help you to critically engage with your subject in a way that you may not be able to do in lectures and other forms of learning. Your tutors will encourage creativity and originality of thought that will help you to gain a better understanding of the subject discipline helping you to achieve your potential and experience high levels of success.
You can ensure that you get the most out of tutorials by:- • Proactively seeking out information before the tutorial to prepare yourself for the discussion and
dialogue • Not being afraid to actively engage in discussion with your tutor. • Using the tutorial opportunity to ask questions of your tutor and engage in critical discussion.
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• Receiving feedback and using this to plan your next piece of work or setting personal and academic targets for future learning activities
CAREERS TEAM
STUDENT ADVISERS
Student Advisers provide you with confidential and impartial information on a range of areas, and work to matrix quality standard to ensure excellence of support, advice and guidance to all our Students and prospective Students. Quick-query interviews usually last approximately ten minutes. For example, you might want to ask about job vacancies, for help with preparing for an interview, or advice on financial assistance etc. If you have a more complex query the Student Adviser will make a mutually convenient appointment with you for a longer interview. Careers Information Advice and Guidance and financial Help Group sessions also take place throughout the academic year. Student Advisers are based at:
University Centre Central Blackpool Campus (the Foyer, ground floor of South Building) Monday - Thursday 8.45am to 5pm, Friday 10am to 4.30pm
Tel. 01253 504496 or 504474
Bispham Campus (opposite the main Reception area in the Hub) Monday - Thursday 8.45am - 5pm, Friday 10am - 4.30pm
Tel. 01253 504351 or 504298
Student Advisers also provide a drop-in service at all Blackpool and The Fylde College Campuses, so you don’t need to book an appointment to see an Adviser.
FINANCIAL HELP AND SUPPORT
Our Careers Student Advisers can also provide you with expert up to date professional assistance for student finance, including any additional bursaries and grants that might be available to support you. Advisers can also provide you with information on funding for equipment, how to access help with transport, childcare while you study and can link you with specialist support staff and services appropriate to your individual need. Our trained Advisers also provide personalised, independent and confidential support on a wide range of financial issues. These include:
• Links to support networks and services - internal and external. • Information on fees. • Government student loans and grants. • Previous study and how it will affect your funding entitlement. • Debt counselling and advice
ACCOMMODATION
If you are aged 18 years or over, our Student Advisers can help you find suitable accommodation and provide advice on costs, legalities and other expenditure i.e. rent bond, gas, electric, TV, phone, travel etc. They can also support you with any problems you may have with your accommodation during your course of study.
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CAREERS INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE
The Careers Team are all highly qualified in careers information, advice and guidance and can help you with UCAS applications for entry to Higher Education, with making decisions about progression to other courses, job application, CV preparation and interview techniques alongside career and further training pathways and opportunities. Our team of professional Student Advisers are available to help you with all aspects of your career planning and decision-making, such as:
• Making decisions about your future career • Planning your job search strategy • Curriculum Vitae (CV) writing • Getting relevant work experience - including volunteering • Making applications and preparing for interviews • Researching postgraduate study options
At Blackpool and The Fylde, our careers service extends far beyond helping you to pinpoint your ideal career. The emphasis is on tailoring a ‘careers package’ to your particular aims and aspirations that gives you the skills and experience needed to make you highly employable from the moment you graduate.
That’s why all our degrees have a strong employment focus, with opportunities to try out your chosen career area, learn skills that employers are specifically looking for and practice interview and assessment techniques with representatives from industry. We also run an online job shop, backed up by a highly trained team of staff dedicated to making your career goals a reality.
You may be starting your course already clear about what you want to do when you graduate or you may not be sure at this stage. Our experienced and professional team of careers student advisers offer careers and progression advice to guide you towards making the right decisions about your future. Choose from e-guidance, telephone and face-to-face interviews within a small and supportive environment. We also offer pre-course advice and guidance. Underpinning all of this is a vast range of careers library resources together with access to internet-based resources, video resources and computer-aided guidance packages.
ENHANCING YOUR EMPLOYABILITY
Employability skills are built into all our courses to ensure you graduate not just with subject knowledge but with the ability to embark on your chosen career and hit the ground running. Our programmes also provide an opportunity to discover more about your chosen career area through visits from external speakers and trips to local employers and industry. Some programmes even contain a workplace learning unit, where you’ll get to spend time with an employer, putting your knowledge into practice and gaining valuable employability skills at the same time.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
In today’s employment world both jobs and organisations are often temporary in structure and constantly evolving and so it is now necessary for graduates to actively plan their own educational, academic and career progression rather than rely upon organisations to provide established progression routes.
With this in mind higher education programmes at Blackpool and The Fylde College encourage you to undertake Personal Development Planning, whereby you are expected to reflect upon your own learning and achievement whilst on the programme, and draw up a plan for short term and long term personal educational and career progression.
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Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a process that is undertaken by an individual learner to reflect upon their own learning and achievement and to plan for their own educational, academic and career development.
PDP is a feature of all HE courses and it consists of a number of actions that are important in achieving success at University Level education. These are:-
• planning (how to achieve objectives or general change) • doing (learning through the experience of doing with greater awareness) • recording (thoughts, ideas, experiences, evidence of learning through writing, audio video,
visual or other means) • reviewing (reflections on what has happened, making sense of it all) • evaluating (making judgments about self and own work and determining what needs to be
done to develop/improve/move on)
These actions enable you to move forward with confidence to achieve your own personal educational goals and to realise your potential.
GETTING READY FOR LIFE AFTER YOU GRADUATE
About a year before you’re due to graduate we will invite you to take part in our graduate employability workshops, covering topics such as making the right career move, effective applications and successful interviews. In addition, local employers run mock interviews and facilitate role-play scenarios for students, which replicate the assessment centre experience for newly qualified graduates. These experiences are vital for developing an awareness of your strengths (and playing to them) and gaining an understanding of what graduate recruiters are looking for. Some of our students have even been offered a permanent position on the strength of them.
STUDENT SUPPORT AND WELLBEING TEAM
The Student Support and Wellbeing team aim to enable you to gain different approaches and techniques to reach your full potential independently through a range of study support and wellbeing strategies. Support offered includes face-to-face on a one-to-one basis, in a workshop / drop in writing clinic or remotely via telephone and online. The team is based at the University Centre and provides support across all campuses Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Appointments can be made outside these times by arrangement. Further information is available through the virtual learning environment, Moodle. Higher Education Student Support and Wellbeing Services include:
• Higher Education Learning Mentors (HELMs) email: [email protected] telephone 01253504494
• Disability Support: email [email protected] telephone 01253504494 • Counselling Support: email referral only [email protected] • Wellbeing Support: email referral only [email protected] • Care-leaver: email [email protected] telephone 01253504494 • Carer Support: email [email protected] telephone 01253504494 • Safeguarding College Hotline 01253 504444 (9am to 5pm)
For more information about choosing the right career please get in touch:
Tel: 01253 504 351/474 Email: [email protected] W: www.blackpool.ac.uk/support/careers
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HE LEARNING MENTORS (HELMS)
The HELM team can support with aspects of student academic life, from settling into university life, helping you gain and enhance study and digital skills as well as to create your own health and wellbeing strategies to work as independent learners. Examples of some of the study skills development and enhancement that we can offer you include:
• Support in settling into Higher Education study, learn how to study effectively and improve your academic writing style.
• Academic literacy skills from grammar, sentence structure through to developing and enhancing expression, the use of language critical and reflective writing.
• Information skills development, such as research, applying theory to your practice / study and referencing.
• Other support includes effective study techniques, planning, structuring and polishing assignments, time management and organisation skills to work smarter not harder, in addition to revision and examination techniques.
• Digital literacy skills support for study • Providing feedback on your writing style • Support with Personal Mitigating Circumstances to help you get back on track and complete • Keeping in touch support for Care Leavers and Carers • Signposting to other Partner for Success services
In addition to individual support, HELMs deliver a range of study and wellbeing skills through workshops including the ‘Flying Start’ and ‘Flying Further’ programmes. These are designed to help you make the most of their course and complement the knowledge and information gained from your course. If you wish for the HE Learning Mentors to deliver a workshop for you and maybe some friends or your tutorial group, liaise with your tutor or direct with the HE Learning Mentors team.
For help, advice and information: • Phone: 01253 504494 • Email: [email protected] • Drop in: to the University Centre South Building Entrance
DISABILITY SUPPORT
Disability services are for students with disabilities, such as an on-going, long term or progressive medical condition; a mental-health condition such as depression, anxiety, bi-polar; Autistic Spectrum disorder (ASD) such as Asperger’s Syndrome; or Specific Learning Difficulty such as dyslexia; a sensory impairment or mobility difficulty or any other condition which has a “significant, long-term and adverse effect” on your ability to carry out your day to day activities and study.
The Disability Support Service provides specialist guidance and support for prospective and current students, enabling students to access their studies and College services. Examples of some of the support that we can offer you include:
• Advice and support to gain diagnostic evidence for medical, disability and mental health conditions where required for exam arrangements and to access external funding.
• Advice and support with applications for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) and other funding.
• Advice for learning and support, accessibility software on campus. • Duty of Care Plans, are for any student disclosing a medical condition where there is likelihood
that first aid intervention may be required in College, so we know how best to respond to your needs.
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• Guidance and advice on accessibility. If you wish to check the accessibility of our facilities please visit http://www.disabledgo.com/en/org-results/blackpool-and-the-fylde-college/college-view-all-venues
For help, advice and information: • Phone: 01253 504494 • Email: [email protected] • Drop in: to the University Centre South Building Entrance
DISABLED STUDENTS' ALLOWANCE (DSA) FOR UK STUDENTS
Disability Services provides support in applying for an extra grant through the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) this allowance provides extra financial help to Higher Education Students to meet the extra costs of studying as a direct result of a disability and may include some equipment and support if required. It is important you apply early as the Disabled Students’ Allowance process can take up to 13 weeks.
Further information on Disabled Students Allowance including eligibility criteria is available here: https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas/overview
Once you have received confirmation of your eligibility for the Disabled Students Allowance from your funding body to go for an Assessment of Need you can use the Disabled Students Allowances Quality Assurance Group (DSA-QAG) website post code finder to locate the nearest Assessment Centre. http://www.dsa-qag.org.uk/
After the Assessment of Need your funding body will confirm your Disabled Students Allowance entitlement, once you have this please contact the Disability Coordinator. If you have difficulty funding the £200 computer contribution please see the Careers and Welfare team. Visit http://www.blackpool.ac.uk/support/funding/bursary
If you are an International student with a disability please contact the Disability Team.
For help, advice and information: • Phone: 01253 504494 • Email: [email protected] • Drop in: to the University Centre South Building Entrance
EXAM ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS
Exam Access Arrangements allow students who are unable to sit formal examinations under usual examination conditions as a result of an evidenced disability or other conditions. Reasonable adjustments can also be made through liaison with your Tutors, Disability Services and the Examinations Office known as ‘Achievements’.
Examples of access arrangements depending on your assessed needs may include: Use of a reader, a scribe, laptop, small group or separate room, assistive technologies and ergonomic devices such as an ergonomic mouse, supervised rest breaks, additional time allowance, and signed communication.
If you feel you need more help in putting forward requests for individual arrangements in examinations, you should contact:
• HE Disability Support - [email protected] • Achievements Team - [email protected]
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WELLBEING SUPPORT
Have a go at HeartMath - this is a computer programme where you can learn different ways to quieten the mind and relax the body through different breathing techniques. You can borrow designated laptops with the HeartMath programme uploaded from the Loop at Bispham, University Centre and Fleetwood campuses.
Explore the power of Mindfulness / resilience and life coaching and get techniques and tips to stay calm and focused by joining workshops and drop in sessions.
Our Equality, Diversity and Wellbeing Coordinator can offer you support 1:1 or in groups with positive wellbeing and support through difficult times including bereavement, bullying and harassment, faith and belief signposting and equality and diversity issues.
For further information go to the Wellbeing area on Moodle for appointments please email [email protected]
Visit the Contemplation rooms for a place to practice HeartMath, for quiet meditation, prayer or just ‘time out’.
The Contemplation rooms can be found at: • Bispham Campus - C307 - Third Floor Room - Cleveleys Building • University Centre - SB130 - Second floor Room - South Building • Fleetwood Campus- Room A33 Ground Floor- Halls of Residence
To use the contemplation rooms, visit the main campus reception and sign for the room key and HeartMath sensor. (We are unable to offer the HeartMath facility in the Fleetwood Contemplation room).
Wellbeing Support: email referral only [email protected]
COUNSELLING SUPPORT
B&FC Counsellors offer short term non-emergency support and the opportunity to talk over something that may be causing you concern, is upsetting or distressing you and having a negative effect on your academic work, as well as your enjoyment of College life. If you require a specialist or long-term approach we will direct you to more appropriate services in the community, including the NHS.
Counselling appointments give you the opportunity to think, talk and explore positive steps to address difficulties by helping you to explore different personal resources, choices and coping mechanisms. Please e-mail [email protected] for an appointment. The Counselling email is accessed by the Counsellors on a daily basis during working hours we endeavour to respond to your email within 2 days. So you need to check your email/phone for details of your Counselling support.
Be aware there is often a waiting list for counselling appointments. We aim to book you an initial consultation within 10 working days and may be longer at peak busy times. A Counsellor will contact you to arrange an appointment (during term time Monday to Friday) as soon as an appointment becomes available or with alternative or interim support suggestions. In the meantime it is important you contact your GP for immediate appropriate support.
• The University Centre Counselling room is PA036B Palatine Building (By the entrance to the Gallery)
• The Bispham Counselling room is G002 Garstang Building (Within the Employability Coach area)
For other campuses the room will be indicated in the appointment correspondence.
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Counselling Services: email referral only [email protected]
Need help now?
B&FC Safeguarding - If you feel unsafe or at risk at College contact your tutor or the Student Direct Safeguarding College Hotline: 01253 504444 9am to 5pm. If you require advice or assistance about disclosing a safeguarding concern you should discuss this with your Progress Tutor or any member of staff.
If you feel you are at risk of harm to yourself or others and need immediate help, contact the National Health Services (NHS) such as your GP or alternatively ring 111 as soon as possible, if you are in an emergency situation ring 999 or go to Accident and Emergency (24 hour) Victoria Hospital Whinney Heys Rd, Blackpool, FY3 8NR and request a mental health assessment.
Alternatively go to your nearest Walk in Medical Centre: • Whitegate Health Centre,Blackpool,FY3 9ES • Fleetwood Health & Wellbeing Centre, FY7 6HP
Need to Talk?
The Samaritans offer a 24 hour all year confidential external support service for well-being, stress, debt, loneliness, work, family and personal issues.
• Freephone 116 123 • Texting facility: 07725 90 90 90 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritans-blackpool-fylde-and-wyre-branch • Drop in 16 Edward Street, Blackpool, FY1 1BA (usually until 9.00pm)
Other support network outside college hours includes the Mental Health Helpline telephone: 0800 616171
CARE LEAVER SUPPORT
If you're a Care Leaver there are extra funding options to help you to pay for your studies. All Care Leavers are guaranteed a B&FC Access Scholarship http://www.blackpool.ac.uk/support/funding/bursary
You have access to the dedicated HE Coordinator who offers support to determine Care Leaver eligibility, to complete the required assessment forms and provide a link with other support services such as Someone to listen - offer of regular catch ups with the HELM team or you can simply come to see us for a chat when you like; Moral support - at every stage of your journey through B&FC; Finance - support with budgeting and accessing and applying for financial support and Where to go - help accessing internal and external services to make the most of your time at College.
We've been awarded the Buttle UK Quality Mark in recognition of the ‘exemplary level of support’ we provide to all our students to raise aspirations and improve student success.
The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 defines a Care Leaver as someone who has been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday and is under the age of 25 years at the start of a HE study programme.
For help, advice and information: • Phone: 01253 504494 • Email: [email protected]
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• Drop in: to the Careers areas around College
CARER SUPPORT
If you're a Young Adult Carer there are extra funding options to help you to pay for your studies. Carers are guaranteed a B&FC Access Scholarship. This is a cash payment for students who are Young Adult Carers and have caring responsibilities. http://www.blackpool.ac.uk/support/funding/bursary
You have access to the dedicated HE Coordinator who offers support to determine Carer eligibility, to complete the required assessment forms and provide a link with other support services such as Someone to listen - offer of regular catch ups with the HELM team or you can simply come to see us for a chat when you like; Moral support - at every stage of your journey through B&FC; Finance - support with budgeting and accessing and applying for financial support and Where to go - help accessing internal and external services to make the most of your time at College.
A Young Adult Carer is defined as carers between the ages of 18 and 25 who care, unpaid, for a family member who, due to disability, chronic/terminal illness, mental health problem or an alcohol or drug addiction/dependency cannot cope without their support.
For help, advice and information • Phone: 01253 504494 • Email: [email protected] • Drop in: to the University Centre South Building Entrance
LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE TEAMS
Whichever campus you study on, the Learning Resource Centres (The Loops) will play an important part in your studies. Our flexible learning spaces can provide you with a mixture of computer, group work and quiet study areas. You should make maximum use of this facility to log-on to a PC, access printing and copying facilities or ask the Resource Advisers for help and advice.
You will have access to a wealth of information through a wide range of physical and online resources such as e-books and full text journal databases giving 24/7 support for your academic work. Our search tool, Discovery, is linked to every course page of the college’s VLE, Moodle. Our online catalogue - https://libcat.blackpool.ac.uk - is also available 24/7 allowing you to check reading lists, reserve titles, renew borrowed items and provide direct links to the titles in our extensive e-book library. We can also provide material from other libraries through our Interlibrary Lending scheme.
Our teams are always happy to offer help and advice. They have in-depth knowledge of your subject area and can support you in finding good quality research material, as well as developing your IT and research skills through one-to-one sessions. Interactive support materials are available through the Learning Resources area on the virtual learning environment, Moodle. More information about The Loops, including the opening hours for each centre, contact e-mails and phone numbers can also be found on the college website.
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Term time opening hours
The Loop at UC Monday – Thursday 8.30 – 21.00 Friday 8.30 – 17.00 Saturday 10.00 – 15.45 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01253 504414
The Loop at Bispham Monday& Thursday 8.30 – 17.00 Tuesday & Wednesday 8.30 – 20.00 Friday 8.30 – 17.00 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01253 504290
The Loop at Fleetwood Monday – Thursday 8.30 – 20.00 Friday 8.30 – 17.00 Saturday 10.00 – 3.50 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01253 504714
Self-issue / return facilities are available in the Bispham, Fleetwood and University Centre Loops. There are drop-in IT-based facilities with networked computers (including Macs in the Loop at UC) and wireless laptops, colour printing and scanning facilities and the Loop teams can help you get connected to the Wi-Fi and other college systems. Help with IT issues is available through an online HelpDesk.
You can access computing and copying facilities at any campus, if this is more convenient for you when engaged in independent study, but the majority of course specific materials will be located in the Loop on the campus where your course is based.
You will find the essential texts for your course available in the Library stock and regularly updated. Relevant journals and online resources are purchased on an annual basis.
Following an initial Welcome Tour of your local Loop, your tutor will arrange for us to work with you in follow-up in-depth sessions on key skills such as effective searching of online resources and referencing. Induction sessions are also provided at the start of your programme to help you find your way around technology in the college. Additional one-to-one tutorials are available to all students. LRC support is supplemented by a range of interactive resources on Moodle.
The services provided by the Learning Resources Centre will be an integral part of the Induction Programme for this course.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES
Being able to access resources and materials to help you on your course when you need them is very important. MOODLE is our virtual learning environment, and contains lots of key information about your course accessible 24:7. As part of your induction we will make sure you are able to make the most of this resource.
As a student at Blackpool & The Fylde College you will be provided with a web-based Microsoft Office 365 account. This account provides anytime, anywhere access to a suite of Microsoft programmes including Outlook email and web-based versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You also get access to your own online storage area so you can download, edit and save your college work wherever you are.
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Included in your Microsoft Office 365 account is access to our MyDay portal. The portal provides you with access to your calendar (including timetables), email and links to Moodle and eTracker. Timetable data is updated every hour so you can see all room changes. It is accessible from a web browser and as a mobile device app on Apple and Android devices. MyDay will be launched automatically whenever you login into a College desktop computer.
To find your course materials, log-on to Moodle, the College’s virtual learning environment. Moodle contains lesson notes, multimedia materials, quizzes, forums and lots of different tools to help you achieve your academic goals. You may submit your assignments through Moodle and receive online feedback from your tutors. Moodle also provides easy ways for you to communicate with your tutors and fellow students using messaging, chat rooms and forums. You can access your Office 365 and Moodle accounts by logging into one simple webpage MyHub which also contains useful college information, news and links:
http://myhub.blackpool.ac.uk
Induction sessions are provided to all students at the start of their course to help you find your way around technology in the college. ‘The Loop’ LRC’s are located on each campus. You can pop into The Loop and log-on to a PC, access printing and copying facilities or ask the Resource Advisers for help and advice.
STUDENT UNION
The Students’ Union (SU) at B&FC is your union. It’s made up of students that you elect each year, who listen to the student voice and respond to your wants and needs. The SU represents students on a range of issues, including equality and diversity, education and social activities, with the aim of ensuring your time here is as interesting and enjoyable as possible.
As a student at Blackpool and The Fylde College, you are automatically free members of the Students’ Union and you are encouraged to play an active role. Our Students’ Union is actively engaged in student affairs at local and regional levels so there are opportunities for you to become involved in various campaigns and fund-raising activities. Our aim is to work for the good of the student community and to take an active interest in the development of all students. As such the Union represents the students on a number of academic and College committees where student involvement and comment is welcomed.
The Union provides the framework and financial backing for students to organise trips and events, which can be a great way to broaden your interests and meet new people. With a wealth of information, our Students’ Union can also advise you on places to go and things to see and do.
The Students’ Union has offices at the University Centre and at our Bispham Campus. If you need to get in touch, you can visit them in person or contact them by phone or email.
University Centre Office Wednesday and Thursday 9.00am - 5.00pm Tel: 01253 504 517 Email: [email protected]
Bispham Campus Office Tuesday and Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm Tel: 01253 504 374 Email: [email protected]
Contact the Student Enrichment Officer, Steve Stroud • Mobile: 07908 509 209 • Email: [email protected]
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BEING A PARTNER IN YOUR OWN SUCCESS
Higher education is as much about personal change and development as it is about subject knowledge and skills development. By facilitating your development we enable you to take responsibility for your own learning. Students who are fully informed about the opportunities available to them, but who are also aware of their responsibility to engage with those opportunities, are more likely to make effective use of services and resources (QAA Quality Code Chapter B4). It is important that you take advantage of every opportunity to facilitate your success, and to creatively engage with the knowledge you encounter, constructing and reconstructing your own understanding. We will support you to set clear goals, reflect on your progress and develop key graduate skills.
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THE STUDENT CHARTER
At Blackpool and the Fylde College we believe that effective learning is always based upon a strong mutual respect and co-operative partnership between those teaching and those being taught. In consultation with students we have a five-point student charter which indicates what you can expect from us during your programme and what we expect from you. The charter is also available on Moodle.
ABSENCE REPORTING
If for whatever reason, including ill health, you are going to be absent from College then you will need to ensure that you make contact with us to discuss how we can support you. This is particularly important if your absence could have a significant effect on your assessment requirements. Should this be the case then you will need to consider the College Personal Mitigating Circumstances procedure the full version of which is available at the link below.
http://moodle.blackpool.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=30688
Any personal mitigating circumstances, such as ill health, which may have affected your studies or performance in assessments and examinations, would need to be submitted to the HE Student Administration Manager [email protected] formally by you with supporting evidence, e.g. a medical certificate, following the procedures and in accordance with the deadlines laid down in the College’s Personal Mitigating Circumstances Policy.
In the event that you are unable to attend an examination because of illness or other unforeseen circumstances, you must immediately inform your programme leader before the start of the
examination. If you are absent from the whole or part of an examination because of illness, a Personal Mitigating Circumstances application form together with a valid medical certificate or other appropriate independent documentary evidence must be forwarded to the HE Student Administration Manager normally within ten working days of the examination.
STAYING IN TOUCH
If you are unable to attend your scheduled sessions for a sustained period of time, there are a number of ways that you can continue to engage with your programme. It is vital that you discuss your situation with your course tutor at the earliest possibility to allow us to put a revised study plan in place to support your individual circumstances. This may include distance support via e-mail, virtual learning (Moodle or Illuminate), or alternative modes of attendance. Additionally, the HE Learning Mentor service is available to support all students at any point of their studies regardless of their circumstances. Each situation is different and we endeavour to provide a personalised plan to support you in any way we can, therefore your engagement with your course tutor as soon as you are aware of any challenges you face in your attendance is vital.
SAFEGUARDING
Safeguarding supports students in ‘Being Safe and Feeling Safe’. If you feel unsafe, in danger of harming yourself or at risk whilst at College contact the Student Direct Safeguarding College Emergency Hotline: 01253 504444 9am to 5pm. Alternatively at any time visit your GP or local Walk in Medical Centre or Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit at the Hospital.
Other support networks also available outside College hours include the NHS crisis telephone: 0300 365 0300, the Mental Health Helpline telephone: 0800 616171 or the Samaritans 24 hours a day on the local contact number of 01253 622218 or on the national number 0845 790 9090.
If you require advice or assistance about disclosing a safeguarding concern you should discuss this with your Progress Tutor or any member of staff.
STUDENT IDENTITY CARD
You must wear your ID badge at all times whilst on College premises. Access to College facilities is dependent on Students having their ID badge. You will also be asked to show your ID badge when sitting exams. You will be challenged if you are not wearing your badge when on College premises. This is to help students and staff feel safe in College.
FOOD ON CAMPUS
When you want to take a break for refereshments on campus, you’re well catered for. At the University Centre’s Central Hub refectory, Café Grads, you can sit down and tuck into a proper meal or just grab a bite and relax in one of the chill-out areas. A Starbucks outlet has also just opened in South Building. A similar-style refectory, Retreat, is available at our Bispham Campus or if you fancy a little treat there is also a range of freshly made sandwiches and smoothies in the Grab and Go and a Starbucks. At the Fleetwood campus the Refectory offers traditional breakfast, a wide range of hot food, sandwiches, snacks and beverages. Visit http://www.blackpool.ac.uk/facilities/shops for more information. At all our campuses, there are also plenty of vending points providing snacks on the go.
Get off to a great start every morning! All Blackpool and The Fylde College students are entitled to a free healthy breakfast.
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SPORTS FACILITIES AND COLLEGE TEAMS
Sports facilities are mainly based at the Bispham Campus where there is a sports hall, an all-weather floodlit sports pitch and a well-equipped gym, Inspirations, with Fleetwood also having some facilities. We have numerous College teams, both men’s and women’s, with other available sports ranging from volleyball and five-a-side football to table tennis and canoeing. To find out more ask your progress tutor.
ENRICHMENT
Enrichment is about providing you with opportunities to bring your learning to life, developing your range of interests, meeting new friends and growing as a person. Some activities will be related to your area of study whilst others may not be directly linked.
Curriculum-based activities
Whilst studying your chosen subject at College, you will have the chance to see how your subject works in real life and apply that insight to your studies. We also aim, during your programme of study, to develop your employability skills and interview techniques. To provide this valuable enrichment, your programme may feature such activities as guest speakers, trips into industry and overseas visits, ‘real life’ assignments, competitions, work experience and work placements (some of which can lead to permanent positions).
Extra-curricular activities
College is also as much about the social side as it is about learning. At Blackpool and the Fylde College we offer a vast range of activities, from discounted theatre trips to lunchtime sports activities and book club. Activities are free to everyone enrolled on a course and in most cases, there’s no need to book. For more information about what’s on, view our enrichment booklet online or available in hard copy from the Careers team.
Fee-based activities
For those of you who wish to engage in a further range of activities there are fee-based sports activities. For full details please see our online Sports Facilities page.
The Sports Team can also organise one-off fitness activities, such as trips to Manchester’s Chill Factor for skiing or outings to Grizedale Forest for mountain biking. For more information please contact the Sports Centre staff on 01253 590829. Don’t forget, that the Students’ Union may be able to help with funding too.
GETTING INVOLVED IN THE QUALITY OF YOUR PROGRAMME
At Blackpool and the Fylde College we believe that you are a member of our higher education and College community and as such your views and experiences are extremely important to us. We want to work in partnership with you to ensure that your experience is the best that it can be both for you and others who study with you. To this end we work hard to engage all students in dialogue about the quality of their learning experiences. You can engage by providing useful feedback on your experiences of units through Module Evaluation Questionnaires, through being an elected course representative attending student forums and college meetings and through surveys such as the Student Perception on Course (SPOC) surveys and the National Student Survey (NSS).
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ACADEMIC APPEALS
An academic appeal is a procedure which allows you in certain circumstances to ask for a review of a decision relating to your academic progress or award. You can ask for a review of a decision by one of the following:
• A Board of Examiners, both Module and Programme Boards. • A Personal Mitigating Circumstances Panel • An application to the College • An Academic Malpractice Panel
It should be noted that students may only appeal against a decision if they can show that they satisfy one or more of the grounds detailed in the academic regulations. The appeal process cannot be used to challenge academic judgement or appeal simply because you disagree with the marks you have been given.
An academic appeal is different from a complaint so appeals and complaints are looked at under different procedures. A complaint is dissatisfaction about the provision of a programme or academic service or facility or any other service provided by the College.
Students studying either a: • Lancaster University Validated Programme • Liverpool John Moores Validated Programme • Scottish Qualifications Authority Programme (SQA Higher National) • Edexcel Higher National Programme
To lodge an academic appeal, you must do so by submitting your appeal within 10 working days of the publication of your results or decision of a panel either by writing to the HE Academic Registrar, Bennett Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom, FY1 4EE or by email to: [email protected].
The Academic Appeals regulations and application pro-forma can be found on The Blackpool & The Fylde College website http://www.blackpool.ac.uk/apply/university
Students studying a: • University of Salford Validated Programme
To lodge an academic appeal (other than an appeal against an application to the College), you must do so through the University of Salford by submitting your appeal in writing, within 10 working days of the publication of your results or decision of a panel to the Senior Assistant Secretary, Governance Services Unit, Ground Floor, Crescent House, The University of Salford, M5 4WT.
The Academic Appeals Procedure and pro-forma can be found on The University of Salford website http://www.governance.salford.ac.uk/page/student_policies
In all cases students are advised to consult their Programme Leader or Progress Tutor for advice and guidance in the first instance.
GRADUATION
Our annual higher education awards event is a spectacular occasion, representing the culmination of masses of dedication and hard work, and the gateway to an exciting and rewarding future.
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The graduation ceremonies will take place at the Winter Gardens and Opera House, 97 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, England FY1 1HL.
Your graduation day may seem a long way off now, but you will be there quicker than you think! Blackpool and the Fylde College’s Awards Ceremonies are a part of the celebration of your achievement and we hope you will be able to attend. You will need to budget for the cost of guest tickets, academic dress and photography. Awards Ceremonies are held each year at the Winter Gardens. If you attend the Awards Ceremonies we publish the names and awards of all graduates in the Awards Ceremony booklet and in a graduation supplement in the local press. If you do not wish your name to appear, you must contact Student Administration to inform us. We will print the name we have recorded for you on your degree certificate, so it’s important that you tell us in advance of any spelling or other changes. After we have printed the certificate we will not be able to change it for you.
This is a very special day for all our graduates and their friends and families and is a marvellous opportunity to share and celebrate your academic achievement and accomplishments.
UNIT OUTLINES
The following unit outlines provide you with a brief overview of the units and their contents, together with the intended learning outcomes and the recommended reading lists.
The following module outlines provide you with a brief overview of the modules and their contents, together with the intended learning outcomes.
UNIT 1 ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR ENGINEERS
This unit will provide the analytical knowledge and techniques needed to carry out a range of engineering tasks and will provide a base for further study of engineering mathematics.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
This unit enables students to develop previous mathematical knowledge obtained at school or college and use fundamental algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics and probability for the analysis, modelling and solution of realistic engineering problems.
Learning outcome 1 looks at algebraic methods, including polynomial division, exponential, trigonometric and hyperbolic functions, arithmetic and geometric progressions in an engineering context and expressing variables as power series.
The second learning outcome will develop students’ understanding of sinusoidal functions in an engineering concept such as AC waveforms, together with the use of trigonometric identities.
The calculus is introduced in learning outcome 3, both differentiation and integration with rules and various applications.
Finally, learning outcome 4 should extend students’ knowledge of statistics and probability by looking at tabular and graphical representation of data; measures of mean, median, mode and standard deviation; the use of linear regression in engineering situations, probability and the Normal distribution.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using algebraic methods 2 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using trigonometric
methods 3 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using calculus 4 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using statistics and
probability.
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UNIT 2 ENGINEERING SCIENCE
This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the mechanical and electrical principles that underpin mechanical and electrically focused engineering systems.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Engineers, no matter from what discipline, need to acquire a fundamental understanding of the mechanical and electrical principles that underpin the design and operation of a large range of engineering equipment and systems.
This unit will develop students’ understanding of the key mechanical and electrical concepts that relate to all aspects of engineering.
In particular, students will study elements of engineering statics including the analysis of beams, columns and shafts. They will then be introduced to elements of engineering dynamics, including the behavioural analysis of mechanical systems subject to uniform acceleration, the effects of energy transfer in systems and to natural and forced oscillatory motion.
The electrical system principles in learning outcome 3 begin by refreshing students’ understanding of resistors connected in series/parallel and then developing the use of Ohm’s law and Kirchhoff’s law to solve problems involving at least two power sources. Circuit theorems are also considered for resistive networks only together with a study of the characteristics of growth and decay of current/voltage in series C-R and L-R circuits.
The final learning outcome develops students’ understanding of the characteristics of various AC circuits and finishes by considering an important application – the transformer.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to determine the behavioural characteristics of elements of static engineering systems 2 Be able to determine the behavioural characteristics of elements of dynamic engineering systems 3 Be able to apply DC theory to solve electrical and electronic engineering problems 4 Be able to apply single phase AC theory to solve electrical and electronic engineering problems.
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UNIT 3 PROJECT DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
To develop students’ skills of independent enquiry by undertaking a sustained investigation of direct relevance to their vocational, academic and professional development.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
This unit provides opportunities for students to develop skills in decision making, problem solving and communication, integrated with the skills and knowledge developed in many of the other units within the programme to complete a realistic project.
It requires students to select, plan, implement and evaluate a project and finally present the outcomes, in terms of the process and the product of the project. It also allows students to develop the ability to work individually and/or with others, within a defined timescale and given constraints, to produce an acceptable and viable solution to an agreed brief.
If this is a group project, each member of the team must be clear about their responsibilities at the start of the project and supervisors must ensure that everyone is accountable for each aspect of the work and makes a contribution to the end result. Students must work under the supervision of programme tutors or work-based managers.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to formulate a project 2 Be able to implement the project within agreed procedures and to specification 3 Be able to evaluate the project outcomes 4 Be able to present the project outcomes.
UNIT 35 FURTHER ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR ENGINEERS
This unit aims to further develop the analytical knowledge and techniques necessary to analyse and solve a variety of engineering situations and problems.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
This unit has been designed to enable students to use number systems, graphical and numerical methods, vectors, matrices and ordinary differential equations to analyse, model and solve realistic engineering problems.
Students will use estimation techniques and error arithmetic to establish realistic results from experiments and general laboratory work. They will then consider the conversion of number systems from one base to another and the application of the binary number system to logic circuits. Complex numbers and their application to the solution of engineering problems are also studied.
Students will look at the use of graphical techniques together with various methods of numerical integration (for example Simpson’s rules) and estimation (for example Newton-Raphson). They will then go on to analyse and model engineering situations using vector geometry and matrix methods.
Finally, students will study both first and second order differential equations and their application to a variety of engineering situations dependent upon the student’s chosen discipline
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using number systems 2 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using graphical and numerical
methods 3 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using vector geometry
and matrix methods
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4 Be able to analyse and model engineering situations and solve problems using ordinary differential equations.
UNIT 41 FLUID MECHANICS
The aim of this unit is to extend students’ knowledge of the principles of fluid mechanics and the techniques used to predict the behaviour of fluids in engineering applications.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
This unit will begin by looking at the forces exerted by a static fluid on immersed surfaces and the concept of centre of pressure. It also examines a range of hydraulic devices and systems that incorporate the transmission of hydraulic pressure. Students will then examine viscosity in fluids, its measurement and the characteristics of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids.
The unit then examines fluid flow phenomena. These include the estimation of head loss in pipes, viscous drag around streamlined and bluff bodies and the concept of Reynolds’ number. It also introduces students to the techniques and applications of dimensional analysis. Finally, students will examine the operational characteristics of hydraulic machines, in particular the operating principles of water turbines and pumps.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to determine the behavioural characteristics and parameters of static fluid systems
2 Understand the effects of viscosity in fluids
3 Be able to determine the behavioural characteristics and parameters of real fluid flow
4 Understand the operating principles of hydraulic machines.
UNIT 60 DYNAMICS OF MACHINES
This unit will deepen students’ knowledge of the principles and techniques used in the design of machine elements.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
This unit will develop students’ understanding of the parameters and characteristics of mechanical systems. Learning outcome 1 is concerned with the characteristics of a wider range of power transmission elements. Learning outcome 2 will introduce students to an in-depth analysis of some common mechanical systems using both analytical and graphical techniques. Learning outcome 3 is concerned with mechanical vibrations and in particular the transient and steady-state response of mass-spring systems to disturbing forces.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to determine the kinetic and dynamic parameters of power transmission system elements 2 Be able to determine the kinetic and dynamic parameters of mechanical systems 3 Be able to determine the behavioural characteristics of translational and rotational mass- spring systems.
UNIT 63 ELECTRICAL POWER
This unit will develop students’ understanding of electrical power systems and power distribution and the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy sources.
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INDICATIVE CONTENT
Our modern world increasingly relies upon electrical power to supply our industries, commercial centres and homes with a convenient, flexible and reliable source of energy.
To meet the client’s expectations, electrical energy must be provided at a reasonable cost and transmitted to the point of need, at the appropriate voltage and current levels. The client’s utilisation of the energy source needs to be appropriate, without undue complexity, to facilitate energy generation and transmission.
This unit takes the student through the complex process of analysing three-phase systems with consideration being given to harmonics and their effects. The methods of power distribution through the National Grid are then discussed with final economic considerations taken into account to enhance generation, transmission and distribution, with acceptable costs to clients.
Throughout their working careers, modern engineers will have to consider new technologies and be able to evaluate the options available to make appropriate selections. With our global resources of fossil energy reserves decreasing and concerns over protecting the environment growing, alternative sources of energy are considered. Evaluative considerations will be made to inform the engineer of the issues associated with this topic, which may need to be considered far more at local and regional levels. Additionally, self-generation of electrical energy is now possible for a broad range of users throughout the world, utilising local environmental facilities.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to analyse three-phase systems 2 Understand the sources and effects of harmonics in power systems 3 Understand methods of power distribution 4 Understand the economics of components, power systems and alternative energy
UNIT 5 ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRINCIPLES
This unit provides an understanding of electrical and electronic principles used in a range of engineering careers and provides the basis for further study of more specialist areas of electrical/electronic engineering.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Circuits and their characteristics are fundamental to any study of electrical and electronic engineering and therefore a good understanding is important to any engineer.
The engineer must be able to take complex electrical circuit problems, break them down into acceptable elements and apply techniques to solve or analyse the characteristics. Additionally, fine tuning of the circuits can be performed to obtain required output dynamics.
This unit draws together a logical appreciation of the topic and offers a structured approach to the development of the broad learning required at this level. Students will begin by investigating circuit theory and the related theorems to develop solutions to electrical networks.
In learning outcome 2 the concept of an attenuator is introduced by considering a symmetrical two-port network and its characteristics. The design and testing of both T and π networks is also covered.
Learning outcome 3 considers the properties of complex waveforms and Fourier analysis is used to evaluate the Fourier coefficients of a complex periodic waveform.
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Finally, learning outcome 4 introduces the use of Laplace transforms as a means of solving first order differential equations used to model RL and RC networks, together with the evaluation of circuit responses to a step input in practical situations.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
You will be expected to:-
1 Be able to apply electrical and electronic circuit theory 2 Be able to apply two-port network models 3 Understand the use of complex waves 4 Be able to apply transients in R-L-C circuits.
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