You will study two core modules:
Research Methods: Application and Evaluation
This module will advise, guide and develop you in the various elements that constitute the skills required for identifying and applying appropriate research methods and developing an overall research plan. Your learning will include how to identify, evaluate and apply different research philosophies, research approaches, research strategies, research methods, and methods of data collection and analysis.
Environmental Risk and Responsibility
You will evaluate how professional actions, decisions and leadership of others interact with the society in which you are working, and how this affects environmental risk and the sustainable future of the planet. Starting with a global view of how environmental stresses are generated by developing technologies, the module takes a systemic approach to how responsibility for sustainability challenges does not always lie with the decision maker. This module will be delivered online for students joining the course in January.
You will study two of the optional modules:
Transport and Infrastructure Engineering and Sustainable Design
The aim of the module is to gain detailed understanding of the management and design of transport infrastructure in the 21st century using design standards and working with the environment to deliver cost effective, safe and sustainable projects. You will review design practice across a spectrum of transport and infrastructure disciplines including, highways, permanent way and service provision.
Flood Risk Engineering Management
Approaches to limiting disruption and damage from flooding have changed significantly in recent times. Worldwide, there has been a significant move from a strategy of flood defence to one of flood risk management. This includes the use of flood defences, while recognising that managed flooding is essential to a sustainable flood strategy. You will learn how to critically analyse flood risk assessments and suggest appropriate structural and non-structural methods to reduce the impact of flooding.
BIM and Integrated Project Collaboration
The emergence and adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as the industry standard approach for design, analysis, and management of building life cycle has significantly changed the way that designs are procured and transformed into reality. The aim of this module is to develop in-depth knowledge and skills in application and evaluation of BIM enabled design in true collaborative environments, critically reflecting upon the current BIM procedures, protocols and standards required to implement efficient integrated project collaboration within the multidisciplinary built environment team.
Continuing Professional Development and Strategic Management
This module is designed to develop your managerial skills in preparation for work in a global industry environment. You will study strategic concepts and be able to transfer them into your own industry/specialism through a structured approach. Emphasis is placed on managing the global future by analysis rather than by instinct. You will become adept at forecasting, financial analysis but still operate with regard to business ethics. The CPD (Continuing Professional Development) element allows you to contextualise and concentrate your studies in your own discipline adding to your employability in the work place.
Project Planning, Value Engineering and Risk Management
The aim of the module is to gain an understanding of the philosophies and techniques involved in construction project planning, risk management, value engineering and financial management. There are significant risks involved in undertaking construction projects, whether they are financial or operational, and one of the roles of the civil / construction manager is to succeed in removing, reducing or mitigating such risk.
The nature and size of construction and civil engineering projects varies widely, as do the risks involved, and it is through effective project planning that decisions may be found and actions taken to enable successful project completion both on time and within budget. The module will examine the principles and techniques involved in value engineering, which aims to provide the best value for money for the client over the whole life cycle of a project. You will evaluate industry practice relating to cost control and the financial management of projects, linking this also to the monitoring and control of time related progress.
Sustainable Construction Methods and Materials
The aim of the module is to expand on your undergraduate knowledge and critically evaluate principles, methodologies and techniques involved in the selection and specification of sustainable construction methods and materials. The necessarily site specific context for the specification of materials for a sustainable architecture varies widely. Considering both the energy in use and the embodied energy of materials, one of the important remits of sustainable construction is to mitigate the use of fossil fuel-based energy consumption.
You will be encouraged to explore, critically analyse and evaluate comparative approaches in the effective specification of environmentally sustainable materials that the successful implementation of sustainable architecture requires. As practitioners within the construction industry you must be able to choose the right material for applications with due regard to the life cycle of building materials, the environmental cost and embodied energy in the manufacturing method.
Geomatic Monitoring and Asset Engineering
Engineering Professionals need to ensure that Infrastructure assets are regularly monitored to ensure that embankments remain stable and that reactive measurements can be made to assess structural elements after incidents, such as bridge strikes. The module will consider modes of failure of structures and ancillary elements including embankment. Modelling of these will be done in 3D to allow detailed analysis, methods of data capture using both remote and traditional topographical methods.
You'll establish ground control models to optimise field time and ensure high-density 3D monitoring using industry software packages. The role of asset management will be considered against BIM and ISO 55000 and how engineers can manage risk with proactive intervention.