Masters Degrees (Low Vision)

If you are intrigued by the acquisition, processing, analysis and understanding of computer vision, this Masters is for you.

The programme is offered by Surrey's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, recognised for world-leading research in multimedia signal processing and machine learning.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

This degree provides in-depth training for students interested in a career in industry or in research-oriented institutions focused on image and video analysis, and deep learning.

State-of-the-art computer-vision and machine-learning approaches for image and video analysis are covered in the course, as well as low-level image processing methods.

Students also have the chance to substantially expand their programming skills through projects they undertake.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

This programme is studied full-time over 12 months and part-time over 48 months. It consists of eight taught modules and a standard project.

The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
-Digital Signal Processing A
-Object Oriented Design and C++
-Image Processing and Vision
-Space Robotics and Autonomy
-Satellite Remote Sensing
-Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
-AI and AI Programming
-Advanced Signal Processing
-Image and Video Compression
-Standard Project

EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME

The taught postgraduate degree programmes of the Department of Electronic Engineering are intended both to assist with professional career development within the relevant industry and, for a small number of students, to serve as a precursor to academic research.

Our philosophy is to integrate the acquisition of core engineering and scientific knowledge with the development of key practical skills (where relevant). To fulfil these objectives, the programme aims to:
-Attract well-qualified entrants, with a background in Electronic Engineering, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Computing and Communications, from the UK, Europe and overseas.
-Provide participants with advanced knowledge, practical skills and understanding applicable to the MSc degree
-Develop participants' understanding of the underlying science, engineering, and technology, and enhance their ability to relate this to industrial practice
-Develop participants' critical and analytical powers so that they can effectively plan and execute individual research/design/development projects
-Provide a high level of flexibility in programme pattern and exit point
-Provide students with an extensive choice of taught modules, in subjects for which the Department has an international and UK research reputation

Intended capabilities for MSc graduates
-Know, understand and be able to apply the fundamental mathematical, scientific and engineering facts and principles that underpin computer vision, machine learning as well as how they can be related to robotics
-Be able to analyse problems within the field computer vision and more broadly in electronic engineering and find solutions
-Be able to use relevant workshop and laboratory tools and equipment, and have experience of using relevant task-specific software packages to perform engineering tasks
-Know, understand and be able to use the basic mathematical, scientific and engineering facts and principles associated with the topics within computer vision, machine learning
-Be aware of the societal and environmental context of his/her engineering activities
-Be aware of commercial, industrial and employment-related practices and issues likely to affect his/her engineering activities
-Be able to carry out research-and-development investigations
-Be able to design electronic circuits and electronic/software products and systems

Technical characteristics of the pathway
This programme in Computer Vision, Robotics and Machine Learning aims to provide a high-quality advanced training in aspects of computer vision for extracting information from image and video content or enhancing its visual quality using machine learning codes.

Computer vision technology uses sophisticated signal processing and data analysis methods to support access to visual information, whether it is for business, security, personal use or entertainment. The core modules cover the fundamentals of how to represent image and video information digitally, including processing, filtering and feature extraction techniques.

An important aspect of the programme is the software implementation of such processes. Students will be able to tailor their learning experience through selection of elective modules to suit their career aspirations.

Key to the programme is cross-linking between core methods and systems for image and video analysis applications. The programme has strong links to current research in the Department of Electronic Engineering’s Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing.

PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Department's taught postgraduate programmes are designed to enhance the student's technical knowledge in the topics within the field that he/she has chosen to study, and to contribute to the Specific Learning Outcomes set down by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) (which is the Professional Engineering body for electronic and electrical engineering) and to the General Learning Outcomes applicable to all university graduates.

General transferable skills
-Be able to use computers and basic IT tools effectively
-Be able to retrieve information from written and electronic sources
-Be able to apply critical but constructive thinking to received information
-Be able to study and learn effectively
-Be able to communicate effectively in writing and by oral presentations
-Be able to present quantitative data effectively, using appropriate methods

Time and resource management
-Be able to manage own time and resources
-Be able to develop, monitor and update a plan, in the light of changing circumstances
-Be able to reflect on own learning and performance, and plan its development/improvement, as a foundation for life-long learning

Underpinning learning
-Know and understand scientific principles necessary to underpin their education in electronic and electrical engineering, to enable appreciation of its scientific and engineering content, and to support their understanding of historical, current and future developments
-Know and understand the mathematical principles necessary to underpin their education in electronic and electrical engineering and to enable them to apply mathematical methods, tools and notations proficiently in the analysis and solution of engineering problems
-Be able to apply and integrate knowledge and understanding of other engineering disciplines to support study of electronic and electrical engineering

Engineering problem-solving
-Understand electronic and electrical engineering principles and be able to apply them to analyse key engineering processes
-Be able to identify, classify and describe the performance of systems and components through the use of analytical methods and modelling techniques
-Be able to apply mathematical and computer-based models to solve problems in electronic and electrical engineering, and be able to assess the limitations of particular cases
-Be able to apply quantitative methods relevant to electronic and electrical engineering, in order to solve engineering problems
-Understand and be able to apply a systems approach to electronic and electrical engineering problems

Engineering tools
-Have relevant workshop and laboratory skills
-Be able to write simple computer programs, be aware of the nature of microprocessor programming, and be aware of the nature of software design
-Be able to apply computer software packages relevant to electronic and electrical engineering, in order to solve engineering problems

Technical expertise
-Know and understand the facts, concepts, conventions, principles, mathematics and applications of the range of electronic and electrical engineering topics he/she has chosen to study
-Know the characteristics of particular materials, equipment, processes or products
-Have thorough understanding of current practice and limitations, and some appreciation of likely future developments
-Be aware of developing technologies related to electronic and electrical engineering
-Have comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of electronic engineering and related disciplines
-Have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of mathematical and computer models relevant to electronic and electrical engineering, and an appreciation of their limitations
-Know and understand, at Master's level, the facts, concepts, conventions, principles, mathematics and applications of a range of engineering topics that he/she has chosen to study
-Have extensive knowledge of a wide range of engineering materials and components
-Understand concepts from a range of areas including some from outside engineering, and be able to apply them effectively in engineering projects

Societal and environmental context
-Understand the requirement for engineering activities to promote sustainable development
-Relevant part of: Be aware of the framework of relevant legal requirements governing engineering activities, including personnel, health, safety and risk (including environmental risk issues
-Understand the need for a high level of professional and ethical conduct in engineering

Employment context
-Know and understand the commercial and economic context of electronic and electrical engineering processes
-Understand the contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology development, etc.)
-Be aware of the nature of intellectual property
-Understand appropriate codes of practice and industry standards
-Be aware of quality issues
-Be able to apply engineering techniques taking account of a range of commercial and industrial constraints
-Understand the basics of financial accounting procedures relevant to engineering project work
-Be able to make general evaluations of commercial risks through some understanding of the basis of such risks
-Be aware of the framework of relevant legal requirements governing engineering activities, including personnel, health, safety and risk (including environmental risk) issues

Research and development
-Understand the use of technical literature and other information sources
-Be aware of the need, in appropriate cases, for experimentation during scientific investigations and during engineering development
-Be able to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies
-Be able to extract data pertinent to an unfamiliar problem, and employ this data in solving the problem, using computer-based engineering tools when appropriate
-Be able to work with technical uncertainty

Design
-Understand the nature of the engineering design process
-Investigate and define a problem and identify constraints, including environmental and sustainability limitations, and health and safety and risk assessment issues
-Understand customer and user needs and the importance of considerations such as aesthetics
-Identify and manage cost drivers
-Use creativity to establish innovative solutions
-Ensure fitness for purpose and all aspects of the problem including production, operation, maintenance and disposal
-Manage the design process and evaluate outcomes
-Have wide knowledge and comprehensive understanding of design processes and methodologies and be able to apply and adapt them in unfamiliar situations
-Be able to generate an innovative design for products, systems, components or processes, to fulfil new needs

Project management
-Be able to work as a member of a team
-Be able to exercise leadership in a team
-Be able to work in a multidisciplinary environment
-Know about management techniques that may be used to achieve engineering objectives within the commercial and economic context of engineering processes
-Have extensive knowledge and understanding of management and business practices, and their limitations, and how these may be applied appropriately

FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT

To support your learning, we hold regular MSc group meetings where any aspect of the programme, technical or non-technical, can be discussed in an informal atmosphere. This allows you to raise any problems that you would like to have addressed and encourages peer-based learning and general group discussion.

We provide computing support with any specialised software required during the programme, for example, Matlab. The Faculty’s student common room is also covered by the University’s open-access wireless network, which makes it a very popular location for individual and group work using laptops and mobile devices.

Specialist experimental and research facilities, for computationally demanding projects or those requiring specialist equipment, are provided by the Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP).

CAREER PROSPECTS

Computer vision specialists are be valuable in all industries that require intelligent processing and interpretation of image and video. This includes industries in directly related fields such as:
-Multimedia indexing and retrieval (Google, Microsoft, Apple)
-Motion capture (Foundry)
-Media production (BBC, Foundry)
-Medical Imaging (Siemens)
-Security and Defence (BAE, EADS, Qinetiq)
-Robotics (SSTL)

Studying for Msc degree in Computer Vision offers variety, challenge and stimulation. It is not just the introduction to a rewarding career, but also offers an intellectually demanding and exciting opportunity to break through boundaries in research.

Many of the most remarkable advancements in the past 60 years have only been possible through the curiosity and ingenuity of engineers. Our graduates have a consistently strong record of gaining employment with leading companies.

Employers value the skills and experience that enable our graduates to make a positive contribution in their jobs from day one.

Our graduates are employed by companies across the electronics, information technology and communications industries. Recent employers include:
-BAE Systems
-BT
-Philips
-Hewlett Packard
-Logica
-Lucent Technologies
-BBC
-Motorola
-NEC Technologies
-Nokia
-Nortel Networks
-Red Hat

INDUSTRIAL COLLABORATIONS

We draw on our industry experience to inform and enrich our teaching, bringing theoretical subjects to life. Our industrial collaborations include:
-Research and technology transfer projects with industrial partners such as the BBC, Foundry, LionHead and BAE
-A number of our academics offer MSc projects in collaboration with our industrial partners

RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

This course gives an excellent preparation for continuing onto PhD studies in computer vision related domains.

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES

We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.

In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.

Read less

The MSc in Clinical Optometry is designed to satisfy the rapidly changing academic, clinical and professional development needs of optometrists working in practice.

Who is it for?

The MSc in Clinical Optometry has an international reputation for quality and is at the forefront of continuing education in clinical optometry - you will acquire cutting-edge skills and knowledge form leading UK experts in a dynamic learning environment.

The programme will provide you with an opportunity to enhance your career prospects in this field through gaining both an academic qualification and a professional qualification with either the General Optical Council or the College of Optometrists (where appropriate).

Objectives

The MSc in Clinical Optometry has been designed to provide optometrists with up-to-date research-based and theoretical knowledge of a wide range of fields, particularly in primary care optometry. It is a flexible, taught postgraduate modular based programme, delivered on an intensive three-day modular programme design.

Emphasis is placed on 'shared-care' or 'co-management' of patients with other medical disciplines and the expansion of the optometrist's role in ocular therapeutics. The programme integrates clinical and theoretical knowledge, making extensive use of expert practitioners. It enables optometrists to continue development and accumulation of knowledge and expertise relating to ocular health care and vision science during their professional careers.

The programme provides a range of modules including 15 and 60 credit modules at Master’s level. There is a choice of exit routes a PG Cert and PG Dip level, modules can also be taken as stand-alone Continuing Professional Development courses.

Academic facilities

The Division of Optometry opened a brand-new, purpose-built ophthalmic clinic City Sight in 2015. These state-of-the-art facilities provide a comprehensive range of services and educational resources in vision sciences for our students, researchers and patients.

There will be extensive use of City's Virtual Learning Platform – Moodle for a more interactive learning experience.

Teaching and learning

A blended approach to learning and teaching is adopted including institution-based taught modules; e-learning and work-based learning. Modules are led by experienced practitioners and leading researchers, using a variety of direct and interactive teaching methods. You will learn in large and small multi-disciplinary groups and will be supported and encouraged to participate in independent learning.

The range of teaching methods is wide and includes lectures (face-to-face; on-line), tutorials, advanced clinical training, clinical demonstrations, videos and discussion of clinical scenarios and action learning sets. Discussion forums, interactive seminars, peer reviewing work-based examples and clinically focussed critical reflections via a case review process are also included.

Practical classes and clinical skills laboratories provide opportunities to develop practical skills and demonstrate techniques covered in lectures. Many lectures are delivered by external specialists, giving access to current issues, research and methods in the field.

A three-hour examination is taken 8-10 weeks after the module. Methods of assessment vary between modules, reflecting their differences in structure and content. The modular examinations include any combination of the following:
-A multiple choice question paper (normally including questions from each lecturer on the module)
-Visual recognition and interpretation of clinical signs tests (VRICS) (involving analysis of a series of slides/photographs)
-Patient management case scenarios
-An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)
-Professional practice portfolio
-Minilabs
-Peer-reviewed publication

Some modules have more than one assessment component and the weighting for each assessment component is outlined clearly within the module specification.

Modules

The programme provides a range of modules which include 15, 30 and 60 credit modules at Master’s level. The programme provides you with a choice of exit routes but modules can also be taken as stand-alone courses.

Each 15 PG credit module includes 150 hours (15 PG credits) in duration with approximately 30% of the study requires attendance at City for face-to-face learning in either lectures/tutorials or workshops.

Depending on the module, you should be aiming to study approximately:20 hours/week if full-time. 4 hours/week if part-time.

Core modules
-Research Methods and Applied Data Analysis (30 credits)
-Dissertation (60 credits) - You may begin carrying out your dissertation during the year but you are only able to submit it once you have completed all the taught modules successfully.

Elective modules - alternatively students can take modules from this Masters degree as standalone CPPD (Continuing Personal and Professional Development) courses. In this case, course costs might vary.
-Binocular Vision (15 credits)
-Professional Certificate in Glaucoma (15 credits)
-Professional Higher Certificate in Contact Lenses (30 credits)
-Professional Certificate in Medical Retina
-Critical Thinking in Ophthalmic Practice (15 credits)
-Paediatric Optometry (15 credits)
-Professional Certificate in Low Vision (15 credits)
-Principles of therapeutics (15 credits)
-Principles of prescribing (15 credits)
-Independent prescribing (15 credits)
-Refractive Surgery (15 credits)

Career prospects

Optometrists are equipped to provide enhanced clinical care to patients, particularly in the field of ocular therapeutics – they can choose to become an additional supply optometrist or an independent prescribing as part of your MSc training. Students opt to complete the College of Optometrists' Professional Certificate in Glaucoma, Medical Retina and Low Vision or the College of Optometrists’ Higher Professional Certificate in Contact Lenses all of which enhance career opportunities whether within the HES or in practice.

Read less

What if your smartphone could recognise that it was you before switching on, and could sense your mood by recognising your facial expressions? What if you could use a real thumbs-up for 'liking' things on Facebook? How can you play games on an Xbox using only your body gestures? How can you equip cars with in-vehicle technology that could automatically read road signs? These are just some of the fascinating questions that you will strive to answer on this programme.

This programme is intended to respond to a growing skills shortage in research and industry for engineers with a high level of training in the analysis and interpretation of images and video. It covers both low-level image processing and high-level interpretation using state-of-the-art machine learning methodologies. In addition, it offers high-level training in programming languages, tools and methods that are necessary for the design and implementation of practical computer vision systems.

Modules Can Include:
Advanced Transform Methods
Machine Learning
Introduction to Computer Vision
Computer Graphics
Artificial Intelligence
Techniques for Computer Vision
High Performance Computing
C++ for Image Processing
Project

Read less

About the course

Lead academic 2016: Dr Charlotte Codina

This is a part-time distance learning course for practising Orthoptists and other eye care professionals. It’s taught online so you can study for a higher degree without having to leave your current post.

Our study environment

You’ll be based in teaching hospitals that serve a population of over half a million people and refer a further two million. We also have close links with the University’s other health-related departments.

Our research funding comes from many sources including the NIHR, MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, the Department of Health, EU, and prominent charities such as the Wellcome Trust, ARC, YCR, Cancer Research UK and BHF. Our partners and sponsors include Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca and Eli Lilly.

You’ll also benefit from our collaboration with the Department of Biomedical Sciences.

How we teach

Classes are kept small (15–20 students) to make sure you get the best possible experience in laboratories and in clinical settings.

Our resources

We have a state-of-the-art biorepository and a £30m stem cell laboratory. The Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) opened in November 2010. We also have microarray, genetics, histology, flow cytometry and high-throughput screening technology, and the latest equipment for bone and oncology research.

At our Clinical Research Facility, you’ll be able to conduct studies with adult patients and volunteers. The Sheffield Children’s Hospital houses a complementary facility for paediatric experimental medical research.

Hepatitis B policy

If your course involves a significant risk of exposure to human blood or other body fluids and tissue, you’ll need to complete a course of Hepatitis B immunisation before starting. We conform to national guidelines that are in place to protect patients, health care workers and students.

Course content

Concomitance and Incomitance in Depth or Stroke; Insight into Disease or Low Vision; Eye to Vision; Research Methods (option for Postgraduate Diploma); Dissertation (Postgraduate Diploma only); Research Project (MMedSci only).

Teaching

Teaching is by distance learning, supported 
by four weekend residentials.

Read less

This course has been designed to fulfil the learning needs of the postgraduate eye care professional in practice; to provide advanced knowledge and facilitate understanding in this rapidly expanding field of healthcare.

The flexibility of the programme allows you to simply enrol for a module that interests you (what we refer to as non-degree), or aim for a specific Cardiff University Award

The MSc/PgDip/PgCert provides the opportunity for you to learn with one of the leading Optometry Schools in the UK, rated excellent for teaching and research, and amongst the highest ranked for overall undergraduate student satisfaction.  In 2015-16 we had 100% satisfaction in the Postgraduate Taught Education Survey.

We have designed this programme with you in mind - a busy professional who needs postgraduate studies to be flexible, to fit in with work, home and family life, to fulfil CET requirements and to achieve something worthwhile.  Many of the modules available are accredited by the College of Optometrists to provide Professional Certificates, Higher Certificates and Diplomas.

WOPEC (the Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre) based at Cardiff University, already has an excellent reputation for delivering quality continuing education in an accessible format. If you have already completed a WOPEC course you may find you have already achieved some credits towards a University Award on this programme.

A deliberately wide portfolio of modules is offered in order to recognise the increasing desire for specialist training within optometry, including glaucoma, visual impairment, acute eye care, paediatrics, dry eye, medical retina, clinical teaching and leadership, amongst others. Specific programme pathways are suggested for optometrists wishing to focus on certain areas of practice, and there is a recommended programme pathway for those returning to work after a career break.

The programme is primarily aimed at eye care professionals in practice, studying part-time, at a distance from the University, with internet access to our virtual learning environment (VLE). Two thirds of the modules available on this programme also contain advanced practical training, which will normally be provided over a 1-2 day period.

Successful students on this programme will have an advanced standing both clinically and academically, taking them to the forefront of the profession, and enhancing their personal and professional development.

Several modules are aligned with nationally agreed competency standards – for example, the Low Vision Service Wales and the MECS scheme among others.

Students who have evidence of achieving such standards within the last three years can present this to the Director of the programme for consideration for approved prior learning (APL) accreditation, where module credits would be given to the student in recognition of their prior achievements.

Structure

The majority of the course will be delivered via Learning Central, the University's e-Learning system. You will have access to multimedia lecture presentations, supporting resources and discussions led by course tutors. On many of the modules leading educators in the field also provide practical skills workshops and tutorials directly relevant to everyday practice. These workshops are delivered by our staff within our custom-designed building. These sessions are an integral part of the course so attendance is compulsory.

Formative and summative assessment is via online multiple choice questions, submitted written coursework and assignments (including group wikis and blogs) plus practical exams where appropriate.

The course is designed to be flexible and so you pick and mix the modules you want to take from over twenty five 10 or 20 credit modules. All modules are optional, but some modules have pre-requisite partner modules. You can choose the modules you want to take to fit in with your home and work or we can suggest bundles that would work for your professional or personal circumstances.

Each 10 credits at postgraduate level equates to typically 25-30 hours of guided learning from your tutor(s), for example, lectures, discussions, practical workshops, tutorials, etc. You are expected to spend approximately 3-4 hours on self-directed study and reading to accompany each hour of guided learning, as directed by your tutor(s).

Please see the website for more details about the structure and content of each course:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/group/clinical-optometry

Teaching

Modules may differ, but you can expect to be taught online (via lectures and webinars), and by attending workshops for clinical modules.

Lectures are supported by the appropriate references and resources, and accompanied by assessment exercises. Participation in moderated online discussions is a feature in almost all modules.  Practical workshops for skills training will be held at locations convenient to either the module content or the student cohort enrolled at that time, and instructed by educational leaders in that discipline.

Assessment

The assessment activities have been specifically designed to facilitate participants’ learning and achievement. All assessment elements are compulsory.

Assessment varies across the modules, but includes:

Written reports.
Coursework assessment.
Multiple choice questions (MCQ).
Practical examinations.
Key Features Scenarios (used in medical education to test clinical reasoning, problem-solving ability and the ability to apply given knowledge).
OSCEs – Objective Structured Clinical Examinations.
Group wikis.
Blogs.
Written research project report.

Feedback from assessments will be provided in written format for written reports and coursework, and written and/or oral for practical examinations and presentations. Scientific discussion via online forums will be moderated by module leaders, allowing them immediate input and opportunity to offer feedback. Students will need to pass each individual component in order to pass the module.

The pass mark for the course is 50%, and a distinction is awarded for marks >70%.

Career Prospects

Successful students on this programme will have an advanced standing both clinically and academically, taking them to the forefront of the profession, and enhancing their personal and professional development.

Read less

The MSc Clinical Optometry (Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care) provides optometrists working in specialist practice with evidence-based knowledge and practice of advanced level primary eye care.

Who is it for?

The course is for optometrists working in specialist practice (in the hospital or community setting) who wish to build up a portfolio of training in evidence-based knowledge and practice of advanced level primary eye care.

Students are usually UK-registered optometrists who must satisfy all legal requirements to be eligible to practise as optometrists in the UK, and should be registered with the General Optical Council. Overseas candidates will be accepted on an ad hoc basis providing the individual's undergraduate syllabus and clinical responsibilities are similar to those of a UK Optometrist.

All entrants to the Programme must be in possession of a relevant first degree.

Objectives

The MSc in Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care (Clinical Optometry) has an international reputation for quality and is at the forefront of continuing education in clinical optometry - you will acquire cutting-edge skills and knowledge from leading UK experts in a dynamic learning environment.

The key purpose of the programme is the management of patients (with other medical disciplines if appropriate) and the expansion of the optometrist's role in ocular therapeutics within the hospital and community specialist practice setting.

The programme integrates clinical and theoretical knowledge, making extensive use of expert practitioners. It enables optometrists to continue development and accumulation of knowledge and expertise relating to ocular health care and vision science during their professional career. For some modules, you will learn alongside other health care practitioners enriching the learning experience.

By completing the MSc in APHSC (Clinical Optometry) optometrists will have demonstrated original application of knowledge to the field of clinical optometry and clinical decision-making in relation to practice. There is a choice of exit routes at PG Certificate and PG Diploma level and modules can also be taken as stand-alone Continuing Professional Development courses.

Academic facilities

The Division of Optometry opened brand-new, purpose-built clinic, City Sight in 2015. These state-of-the-art facilities provide a comprehensive range of services and educational resources in vision sciences for our students, researchers and patients.

There will be extensive use of City’s Virtual Learning Platform – Moodle – for a more interactive learning experience.

Teaching and learning

Postgraduate taught and distance learning modules offered by the School are designed to satisfy the rapidly changing academic, clinical and professional development needs of hospital and community optometrists working in specialist practice. Teaching and assessment methods are tailored to the learning objectives of each module component. The range of teaching methods is wide and includes lectures (face-to-face and online), tutorials, advanced clinical training, clinical demonstrations, videos and discussion of clinical scenarios. Discussion forums, interactive seminars, peer reviewing work-based examples and clinically focussed critical reflections via a case review process are also included.

Purely didactic modules are examined by means of multiple-choice question papers, whereas modules with a significant practical element may also have an objective structured clinical examination or a test of visual recognition of clinical signs and/or patient case scenarios. A professional practice portfolio / assignment may also be part of the assessment criteria.

Modules

Modules within the programme will include decision-making, resolving conflict, resource allocation and ethical issues. You will also be able to develop your theoretical, methodological and research skills to enhance your ability to critically evaluate research and the clinical evidence base.

The programme provides a range of modules which include 15, 30 and 60-credit modules at Master’s level. The programme provides you with a choice of exit routes and most modules can also be taken as stand-alone courses.

Each 15 PG credit module includes 150 hours (15 PG credits) in duration with approximately 30% of the study requires attendance at City for face-to-face learning in either lectures/tutorials or workshops.

You will study two core modules, and can choose a further five modules from a choice of five discipline-specific modules and two elective modules. If you are part-time, you should aim to take two modules per term over two years. If you are full-time, you take four modules per term over one year.

Depending on the module, you should be aiming to study approximately:
-20 hours perweek if full-time
-Four hours per week if part-time

Core modules
-Research Methods and Applied Data Analysis (online) (30 credits)
-Critical approaches to advanced practice (15 credits)
-Dissertation (60 credits)

Elective modules - you will choose a further five elective modules. Elective modules available include:
-Principles of Therapeutics (15 credits)
-Principles of Prescribing (15 credits)
-Independent Prescribing (15 credits)
-Professional Certificate in Glaucoma (15 credits)
-Professional Certificate in Low Vision (15 credits)
-Leadership for practice and service delivery (15 credits)
-Management and leadership in Health care (15 credits)
-Contact Lens Practice (15 credits)

Career prospects

The course is for hospital optometrists or community optometrists working in specialist practice. It provides an opportunity to enhance career prospects in the context of hospital or specialist community optometry through gaining both an academic qualification and a professional qualification with the College of Optometrists and the General Optical Council.

Read less

The Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Optometry in Eye Care Governance is a 60 credit Level 7 qualification, which seeks to provide those involved in the governing of eye care in the UK with a professional qualification. Whilst we also run highly successful qualifications for those involved in clinical practice, this qualification is aimed at those who undertake clinical governance and advisory roles in the sector.

Starting in September, this course consists of three core modules – leadership skills, evidence-based eye care and audit, and legal aspects of UK optometry – as well as a free choice of 20 credits to allow students to follow their interests and increase their knowledge and understanding of a specific area. The aim of the course is to provide eye care professionals with the skills required to successfully oversee ophthalmic services, with the opportunity to become effective leaders within the sector, and with a comprehensive overview of their legal obligations in optometric practice in the UK.

Several modules are aligned with nationally agreed competency standards – for example, the Low Vision Service Wales and the MECS scheme among others.

Students who have evidence of achieving such standards within the last three years can present this to the Director of the programme for consideration for approved prior learning (APL) accreditation, where module credits would be given to the student in recognition of their prior achievements.

Distinctive features

• The opportunity to learn with one of the leading Optometry Schools in Europe, rated excellent for teaching and research.
• The involvement of research-active staff in course design and delivery.
• The variety of modules on offer.
• The flexibility of open learning.
• The only eye care governance course available in the UK.

Structure

The majority of the course will be delivered via Learning Central, the University's e-Learning system. You will have access to multimedia lecture presentations, supporting resources and discussions led by course tutors. On many of the modules leading educators in the field also provide practical skills workshops and tutorials. Formative and summative assessment is via online multiple choice questions, submitted written coursework and assignments (including group wikis and blogs) plus practical exams where appropriate.

Three of the modules are compulsory, and the further twenty credits can be taken from the wide variety available.

Some modules have pre-requisite partner modules.

Modules start at varying points throughout the year and the PGT team can advise students on the best order in which to study them according to personal circumstances.

The remaining 20 credits can be made up of any of our other modules.

Please visit the website to see which modules are available on this course:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/eye-care-governance-sept-pgcert

Teaching

Modules may differ, but you can expect to be taught online (via lectures and webinars), and by attending workshops for clinical modules.

Lectures are supported by the appropriate references and resources, and accompanied by assessment exercises. Participation in moderated online discussions is a feature in almost all modules. Practical workshops for skills training will be held at locations convenient to either the module content or the student cohort enrolled at that time, and instructed by educational leaders in that discipline.

Assessment

The assessment activities have been specifically designed to facilitate participants’ learning and achievement. All assessment elements are compulsory.

Assessment varies across the modules, but includes:

Written reports
Coursework assessment
Multiple choice questions (MCQ)
Practical examinations
Key Features Scenarios (used in medical education to test clinical reasoning, problem-solving ability and the ability to apply given knowledge)
OSCE's – Objective Structured Clinical Examinations
Group wikis
Blogs.

Feedback from assessments will be provided in written format for written reports and coursework, and written and/or oral for practical examinations and presentations. Scientific discussion via online forums will be moderated by module leaders, allowing them immediate input and opportunity to offer feedback. Students will need to pass each individual component in order to pass the module.

Career Prospects

The aim of the course is to provide eye care professionals with the skills required to successfully oversee ophthalmic services, with the opportunity to become effective leaders within the sector, and with a comprehensive overview of their legal obligations in optometric practice in the UK.

Read less

A unique and innovative MSc with a three-month professional placement.

The MSc Modern Building Design provides students with the knowledge of modern building design practice, methodologies and processes that are increasingly sought after by major engineering and design consultancies. It places emphasis on the key engineering and modelling challenges faced during the building design process and prepares students for industry, providing them with the practical and interpersonal skills to stand out to potential employers in a highly competitive market.

This unique and innovative 15-month full-time programme has three core components:
- a taught element, consisting of eight units
- a professional practice placement, where students apply low-carbon building strategies and methodologies from their taught component to establish the industrial impact of their dissertation ideas
- a research dissertation based on a real consultancy project and informed by their industrial placement experience.

We are dedicated to helping you find a placement in industry. We will support and guide you in your applications but cannot guarantee you a position. If you are unable to secure a placement, you will transfer on to our 12-month alternative programme and graduate with an MSc in Low-Carbon Building Design.

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/engineering/graduate-school/taught-programmes/modern-building-design/index.html

Learning outcomes

You will develop the hard and soft skills required by professionals working in key carbon-dominated built environment sectors, with the ability to demonstrate an understanding of carbon management of the built environment in practice. The taught element of the programme focuses on student professional development through the design process that is mapped to the 2013 RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) plan of work for multidisciplinary working. In particular, you will gain:

- trans-sector skills required by the construction industry, with a focus on employability
- a detailed knowledge of the design tools and strategies that comprise modern design processes
- the capability to demonstrate initiative and originality within the scope of low-carbon modern design strategies, planning and management
- the skills to formulate research projects in real carbon management and low-carbon buildings, independently and in professional multidisciplinary design teams.

Structure

A full list of units and descriptions can be found on the programme catalogue (http://www.bath.ac.uk/catalogues/2015-2016/ar/ar-proglist-pg.html).

Semesters 1 & 2 (October – June)
The first two semesters consist of eight taught units, co-designed and co-taught with employers. They provide a foundation in the most significant issues related to working in key carbon-dominated built environment sectors and professional development. Each unit comprises lectures, tutorials, practical classes and workshops alongside time for personal study. Assessment is by a combination of coursework and oral examination.

Semester 3 (July – September)
The third semester consists of a three-month professional practice placement. Workshops during the first two semesters will help you improve your employability and prepare you to undertake a placement at one of our partner companies. Assessment is by report and presentation to your placement employer.

Or, if you pass all taught units with an overall average of at least 50% but are unable to go on placement for any reason, you will transfer on to our 12-month programme. You will spend the third semester undertaking your research dissertation and, on successful completion, will graduate with the award of MSc in Low Carbon Building Design.

Semester 4 (October – December)
The final semester consists of a research dissertation. This provides a start-to-finish research experience to embed the research and professional knowledge gained throughout the programme. It builts on the skills acquired in the taught component and is informed by the needs of your industrial placement provider.

Placement

A three-month professional placement is an opportunity for you to learn from our industrial partners. We guarantee to find enough suitable vacancies for all our students but cannot promise that you will be placed as this also depends on your performance at interview. With this in mind, our dedicated Placements Team runs workshops on CV-writing and interview techniques to support you during the application and interview process.

We have links with a large number and variety of organisations offering placements both in the UK and further afield.

- Labox:

“We are a design led multidisciplinary architectural practice specialising in individual site and client specific projects with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency as a means of improving quality of life. We strongly believe that everyone involved in the project is vital, and for a successful end result the technical information that we provide has to be accurate and very well considered. This means, that must be produced by well informed, interested and capable people who understand what they are trying to achieve and why. I would hope that someone who has completed this MSc would have the global vision that we are looking for.”

Career Opportunities

Engineering consultancies and multidisciplinary design consultancies are seeking graduates with knowledge of modern building design. This programme has been developed in conjunction with employers to ensure it provides the range of skills and experience they are looking for when they recruit and, as a result, graduates of this programme should be highly employable.

The Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering has an excellent reputation for employability, and has a strong link with local, national and international employers.

The Department also has links with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) through the BRE Centre of Innovative Construction Materials (http://www.bath.ac.uk/ace/research/cicm/index.html). PhD and other research students conduct research into innovative construction materials, and it is anticipated that the top graduates of MSc Modern Building Design will have the opportunity to further their studies through the PhD programme at Bath should they want to.

Industrial Partners

The programme is co-developed and co-delivered with a number of employers and partners in Architecture & Civil Engineering, including:

ADP
AECOM
AFL Architects
ARUP
Atkins
Balfour Beatty
BDP
Buro Happold
Digital Node
Expedition
Foster & Partners
Keep Architecture
Mott MacDonald
OPS Structures
Pozzoni Architecture
Skanska
WSP
Wiltshire Council

Apply online here - https://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/applications.pl#ace

If you're interested in this course, why not sign up for our Modern Building Design MOOC. Our free online course runs for three weeks from 27 February: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/modern-building-design

Read less

This leading-edge programme, established before many in the built environment field were aware of greenhouse gases, has produced a stream of high-achieving graduates sought after by the biggest names in building design and the construction industry. We attract students from across the globe eager to find positions throughout the globe or to take relevant, cutting-edge thinking about sustainable building design back to their own part of the world.

Degree information

The programme aims to develop students' knowledge and expertise in problem solving in the area of the built environment, and provide a framework for developing innovative thinking in the design and operation of buildings, placing associated environmental issues in a global, national and personal context.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of six core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a built environment dissertation (60 credits). A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits, full-time nine months) is offered.

Core modules
-The Built Environment: The Energy Context
-Health, Comfort and Wellbeing in Buildings
-Building Solar Design
-Natural and Mechanical Ventilation of Buildings
-Efficient Building Service Systems
-Methods of Environmental Analysis

Optional modules
-Building Acoustics
-Advanced Building Simulation
-Light, Lighting and Vision in Buildings
-Energy Systems Modelling
-Environmental Masterplanning
-Industrial Symbiosis
-Low Energy Housing Retrofit
-Low Carbon, Energy Supply Systems
-Smart Energy Systems Implementation
-Post Occupancy Evaluation of Buildings
-Multi-objective Design Optimisation
-Introduction to System Dynamics Modelling
-Indoor Air Quality in Buildings

The availability of all optional modules is subject to demand.

Dissertation/report
All MSc students submit a 10,000-word report on a topic related to the main themes of the programme. The topic can be chosen to enhance career development or for its inherent interest.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of interactive seminars, individual and group tutorials, site visits and a residential field trip. Assessment is through unseen examination, coursework, and the built environment report. Joint coursework, including two major low-energy architectural design projects, is carried out by students in multi-disciplinary teams.

Fieldwork
Students will have the opportunity to participate in field trips and site visits including a residential trip to the Centre for Alternative Technology in north Wales. There are no additional cost to students for the field trip to the Centre for Alternative Technology.

Careers

Most students who complete the programme move into, or continue in, a building-related profession, such as architecture, low-energy design consultancy, or building services engineering. As the awareness of global environmental issues increases, the demand for people with expertise in the health and energy performance of buildings is expanding rapidly. A number of students have used the MSc as a foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

First destinations of recent graduates include: Neapoli, XC02, Max Fordham, Arup, WSP, Atkns, Buro Happold, PassivSystems, EnergyExcel, local authorities, Foster and Partners, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Environmental Design Engineer, Neapoli
-Energy Consultant, XCO2 Energy
-Graduate Engineer, Arup
-Environmental Engineer, XCO2 Energy
-Sustainability Consultant, Arup and studying Environment Facility Management, University College London (UCL)

Employability
This programme is very "close to market" with many students finding jobs even before their studies have finished: the skills students gain are those that employers need. For example, we teach several tools used by commercial companies including the thermal analysis software IESVE and SAP. Students can walk straight into jobs where these are used and be useful immediately. Students sometimes take placement positions while working on their dissertations; in recent years this has included overseas options, for example, with Neapoli in Malaysia. Graduates often contact us through our strong alumni network to recruit for new positions, listening to their feedback ensures we keep the programme relevant to industry needs.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The UCL Bartlett is the UK's largest multidisciplinary Faculty of the Built Environment, bringing together scientific and professional specialisms required to research, understand, design, construct and operate the buildings and urban environments of the future.

Located in London, the UCL Bartlett is at the heart of a large cluster of creative architects and engineering firms, next to the UK's seat of government and finance and has all the resources of a world city to hand. It offers unrivalled networking opportunities, with alumni in the majority of the major firms in London, who often give lectures to students and appear at networking events.

The multidisciplinary faculty contains the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture, which has been ranked first for Architecture in the UK for many years, and is characterised by a high level of invention and creativity. The school is internationally known as a centre for innovative design.

Read less

The construction industry is a large employer, with over 100 million people worldwide believed to depend on it. The resulting built environment accounts for nearly 50% of carbon emissions as it consumes an equal percentage of extracted, natural materials generating large quantities of landfill waste and using vast amount of water, all valuable and increasingly scarce resources.

Course Overview

UK construction is well-placed to benefit from the opportunities presented by the global shift to a low carbon economy and green construction, but there is a continuing need to ensure investment in innovation and technology alongside increased collaboration between businesses and research institutions to enable the UK to realise this potential. There is also scope for further progress, particularly with regard to addressing evident skills shortages. The global green and sustainable building industry is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 22.8% between now and 2017 as a result of increasing low carbon regulatory requirements and greater societal demand for greener products. It seems that the market is recognising these opportunities.

According to recent research by McGraw-Hill Construction (2013), around half the architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and building consultants around the world anticipate that at least 60% of their work will be green by 2015, up from 28% of firms in 2012 and only 13% in 2009.

The UK’s existing housing stock, which accounts for over half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment, presents growth and development opportunities for the UK’s low carbon and sustainable construction market.

The programme will draw upon subject expertise within the School of Architecture, Built and Natural Environments, which has been commended by Externals for its commitment to innovative teaching and learning. The programme enhances a number of advanced transferable skills and equips the student with a range of skills appropriate for a broad variety of future opportunities as well as providing skills and competencies for those students who are progressing to MPhil / PhD. Regularly, our MSc students have progressed to our PhD provision. Sustainability is seen as a priority in construction circles; the very nature of its operation places a heavy burden on the environment. The programme holds firm the sustainability concept and provides students with ‘real’ examples of established practices.

Key Features

The School of Built and Natural Environment prides itself on providing a supportive learning environment, with personal attention afforded to all students. Delivering a successful and enjoyable learning experience is at the very core of our vision to produce first class professionals.

We are situated in an urban maritime environment very close to Britain’s first designated ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and with many interesting buildings and cultural assets nearby. We are in close proximity to magnificent natural and physical resources of south, mid and west Wales and the University and its staff play a major role within the conservation and heritage management of these and other similar national assets.

As class sizes are generally less than 25, this engenders a culture and environment that listens to and supports individual student needs. Our teaching is informed by research in subject’s that extend right across our portfolio, suitably supplemented by external experts from around the world. We believe in engaging with employers to develop, deliver and review courses that enhance our graduate’s employability credentials in a manner that is central to our vision for students, the city and region. This is further reflected by recent graduate success stories that include employment in international organisations, entrepreneurship and community engagement. Our commitment is demonstrated by recent investment in facilities, staff and engagement, which means the future for our graduates, is stronger than ever. We truly look forward to meeting you in person and helping you achieve your personal goals and ambitions.

Assessment

Assessments used within this Programme are normally formative or summative. In the former assessment is designed to ensure students become aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Typically, such assessment will take the form of practical exercises where a more hands-on approach shows student’s ability on a range of activities. Traditional formal time-constrained assessment is by means of tests and examinations, normally of two-hour duration. Examinations are a traditional method of verifying that the work produced is the students’ own work.

To help authenticate student coursework, some modules require that the student and lecturer negotiate the topic for assessment on an individual basis, allowing the lecturer to monitor progress. Some modules where the assessment is research-based require students to verbally/visually present the research results to the lecturer and peers, followed by a question and answer session. Such assessment strategies are in accord with the learning and teaching strategies employed by the team, that is, where the aim is to generate work that is mainly student-driven, individual, reflective and where appropriate, vocationally-orientated. Feedback to students will occur early in the study period and continue over the whole study session thereby allowing for greater value added to the student’s learning.

Career Opportunities

The MSc is widely recognised as a valuable postgraduate qualification. It demonstrates the student’s ability to commit to a programme of study and develop their knowledge within that area of academic study. The programme will help develop skills which are valuable to a wide range of employers, such as the ability to analyse complex information critically, the ability to present clear and coherent arguments and the ability to present complex information in a clear manner.

Such an education will develop an awareness of the interconnectedness of the built environment, and equip the student with a qualification relevant to a number of different vocational situations. The flexibility of the modular programme enables students to develop packages of study which satisfy specialist interests and career aspirations in the built environment.

In business many large organisations have established management systems and auditing procedures, and our former students’ career paths demonstrate opportunities at all levels of management. This degree, which was developed in consultation with the BRE and major Companies/Consultants, will help students develop a career in these areas. In fact, the integral link with the BRE is a fundamental ‘kitemark’ for students and associated employers of this programme.

The School has a long history of industrial liaison. Since the 1990s programmes have had annual industrial liaison meetings. Feedback on new policies, initiatives and issues informed the curriculum, teaching and practice, especially when providing valuable input prior to validation (in particular BRE). The links will also provide experience for students to work on ‘live’ projects.

Recommendations by BRE on the content of the proposed programme(s) include:
-Providing students with the opportunity to work on interdisciplinary projects with students pursuing other construction-related qualifications, for example, architects, surveyors, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, planners and tradespeople; this approach would simulate real-life construction projects
-Enabling students to gain practical experience, thus applying the theory they have learnt

These types of industrially-centred learning provide the opportunity to inform teaching, learning and assessment adding much value to employability.

Professional Accreditations

In progress with CIOB, RICS and CABE.

Read less

Discover the real-world career opportunities in the energy sector with this MSc in Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics.

Who is it for?

Wherever you are, energy has an implication. This course is for students who want to engage with different types of settings to research and establish the energy, environmental and technological implications that exist within them. Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics students will care for the environment as a sustainable system and ultimately have a desire to improve conditions for the wider population.

Students come from a range of backgrounds including engineering, finance and economics – and from within the energy industry itself.

Objectives

This Masters degree has been designed to give you a wide perspective when it comes to analysing and forecasting the future for energy, environmental technology and economics. We engage with the industry so you gain a real-world understanding of the problems that exist, and we consider our own ethical responsibilities in relation to energy use.

Imagine a Grade 1-listed building such as the Guildhall in London. As an energy consultant your task is to analyse the site to make it more efficient. But there is a caveat: you cannot make any structural changes to the walls or the windows. The MSc Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics course gives you the tools to examine and address these kinds of challenges.

The MSc Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics course is not about learning academic theories. Instead we focus on the breadth of the subject in the real world. By engaging with practising businesses and trade associations we identify a range of perspectives, and look at the influence of a myriad of other forces at play, from regulation and government funding, to behavioural psychology and emerging technologies. Here are some of the questions the course poses:
-Does this new form of technology operate as it should?
-How does the UK relate to other European countries when it comes to energy efficiency?
-How does organisational psychology affect energy use within a company?
-How do you decide which energy contract to choose?
-What is the impact of a consumer society on personal energy use?

Placements

There is no formal requirement to do an industry-based placement as part of the programme. However, some students arrange to undertake their dissertation research within a company or within their part of the world. A recent student investigated the future of coal-fired generation in Turkey, and another student is combining a work placement at The World Energy Council with their dissertation.

Academic facilities

As part of the University of London you can become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.

Teaching and learning

Teaching is organised into modules comprising four consecutive day courses taken at a rate of one a month or so. This format makes the programme accessible for students who want to study part time while working.

Full-time students are also welcome. Whether you choose to take the course as a part-time or full-time student, we will offer a great deal of support when it comes to helping you prepare for the modules and project work. You will be expected to devote a significant part of your non-taught hours to project work as well as private study.

Our course is led by an exceptional group of experts in energy, supply, demand management and policies. As an example, one of our module leaders leads the UK contribution to writing international energy management standards and informing policy through the European Sector Forum for Energy Management. This forum looks at methodologies across the continent. There is also input to global standards development through the International Standards Organisation (ISO). At City we bring on board people with well-established academic careers as well as leaders from the energy industry. The programme has strong links with industry and commerce and involves many visiting lecturers who hold senior positions in their fields.

The Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics MSc gives you the opportunity to consider the role of International Energy Management Standards. You will explore the opportunities these standards provide for global service users and providers in relation to reducing energy costs and the environmental impact of energy use.

You will discover the range of current European and International Standards, explore why they are needed and how they are developed, and examine the benefits they deliver through case studies.

The UK has had a leading role in developing these standards in terms of both their writing and implementation. For example the Energy Audit standard, which forms part of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, Article 8, mandates audits for private sector, non-SME organisations. In the UK this has been implemented as the Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme (ESOS).

Modules

Each course module is taught over four consecutive days of teaching with one module each month. Alongside the teaching you will have coursework to complete for each module. The modules run from October to April, and in the remaining time, you will concentrate on your dissertation, which forms a significant part of the programme.

The dissertation gives you the opportunity to create your own questions and to decide on your own area of interest. It should be a detailed investigation into a subject on energy supply and/or demand, with your own analysis and conclusions outlining the way forward. You may see the focus of your dissertation as a future career path, but whatever your area of study, these final few months of the degree should embody your vision of the future.

You will take four core modules and have six elective modules from which you can choose four topics from diverse subjects relating to energy supply and demand. These include energy in industry and the built environment, renewables, energy markets from the purchaser’s perspective and water supply and management. The latter has close parallels, and directly engages, with energy. You start the course with an introduction to energy and environmental issues and energy policies and economic dimensions in the first term, but you do not need to follow the course in any particular order from this point onwards.

If you are interested in sustainability, you have the option of taking up to two elective modules from the MSc in Environmental Strategy offered by the University of Surrey.

Completing eight modules and four examinations and four modular assessments will lead to a Postgraduate Diploma. Completing four core and four elective modules and a dissertation will lead to a Masters degree. If you are interested in this course may also be interested in the MSc Renewable Energy and Power Systems Management.

Core modules
-Introduction to energy and environmental issues (15 credits)
-Energy policies and economic dimensions (15 credits)
-The energy market from the purchaser's perspective (15 credits)
-Corporate energy management (15 credits)

Elective modules
-Energy, consumer goods and the home (15 credits)
-Transport energy and emissions (15 credits)
-Energy in industry and the built environment (15 credits)
-Renewable energy and sustainability (15 credits)
-Risk management (15 credits)
-Water supply and management (15 credits)

Career prospects

The story of energy is now part of public debate and climate change drives the international agenda. In the UK, there are additional energy supply issues, through the decline of existing nuclear capacity, growing imports of fossil fuels and challenging medium-term targets for renewables and low carbon supply.

Our priority is to make you employable in a range of sectors in which effective energy supply and demand side management has become an important consideration.

You will graduate with economic and market-based skills relevant to complying with relevant legislation and technical and engineering skills related to energy generation and management.

With strong industry links and working level experience from our exceptional team of expert lecturers, as well as the diverse modules on offer, you will be equipped to become a leader and entrepreneur in your chosen area of specialisation within the realm of energy management, supply or policy making.

Our graduates have gone on to hold high-ranking positions as energy consultants, data analysts and directors of corporate sustainability working within organisations including:
-AK Home Energy
-Enelco Environmental Technology
-Energy Institute
-Equinoxe Services Ltd
-Log Tech Consultancy
-Ofgem
-Peckham Power
-RWE NPower Renewables
-SCFG

Read less

NOTE

This programme will not have a 2016 intake as the content is being extensively improved.

OVERVIEW

The programme aims to offer a rational, flexibly structured
and coherent postgraduate study in Automatic Control. While
providing advanced general knowledge in Electronic Engineering, the programme is specifically focussed on nonlinear control principles, measurement instrumentation, simulations and implementation of feedback control.
The programme is designed to provide specific skills for individuals who wish to become a control engineer in manufacturing or research and development in industry sectors, or to pursue a PhD in control engineering.

With a track record of 20 years, the research group Control & Intelligent Control Systems Engineering at the University of Hull has an international reputation for its initiatives in the field of fault diagnostics of dynamic systems. This expertise along with its staff’s teaching experience in control engineering supports the masters programme.

OBJECTIVES

The course will provide students with:
• advanced knowledge of control principles including
multivariable feedback control and nonlinear control
systems,
• essential knowledge of control systems configuration,
algorithm design and evaluation,
• a general knowledge of advanced computer simulation
and measurement instrumentation,
• skills in the software and hardware implementation of
control the latest computer modelling and simulation
techniques,
• research experience in control applications in the
engineering field,
• experience of undertaking a significant relevant
research project

SUBJECTS COVERED

• Multivariable feedback control
• Robotic manipulator control
• Machine vision
• Applied Optoelectronics
• Time Signal Processing and Integrated Circuit Design
• Low Power/Voltage Design and VHDL
• Advanced Digital Systems Design
• Microwave Devices, Techniques and Measurements
• Communication Systems
• Intellectual property rights
• Research skills and project planning

Read less

Why this course?

This full time course will cover the practical, theoretical and technological aspects of 5G Communications Systems as they evolve over the coming years.

You’ll gain expert knowledge of the latest technologies that will drive the next mobile, wireless and communications revolution, and evolve our current 4G environment to 5G communications enabled systems. Applications will cover robotics & autonomous systems, UAVs, immersive systems and augmented realities, health monitoring, cyber-integrated systems, and smart grids. Data handling of the expected 50 billion IoT (internet of things) devices coming on-line to monitor traffic, weather, environment, smart agriculture, and even when your fridge runs out of milk, will also be explored.

5G will provide greater capacity, improved reliability, support at higher rates of mobility, and wider geographical coverage, at even higher data speeds and throughput and many new services and facilities.

See the website https://www.strath.ac.uk/courses/postgraduatetaught/5gadvancedcommunications/

What you’ll study

There are two semesters of compulsory and optional taught classes, followed by a three month summer research project working in a core area of 5G Communications system design, either in the Department or with an industry partner via an internship.

Facilities for research projects are extensive and these will allow you to choose to work on projects in a wide variety of areas such as physical and MAC layers (e.g. Advanced LTE) from IoT, cybersecurity, dynamic spectrum, massive-MIMO, low latency communications, or in applications such as smart agriculture, environment monitoring, computer vision, communicating radar, satellite systems, automotive, driver-less cars and of course some application domains yet to be established with the advent of 5G!

Facilities

We have an extensive set of teaching spaces and learning environments alongside a dedicated Masters Project and Study Environment for self-study and group working.

Pre-Masters preparation course

The Pre-Masters Programme is a preparation course for international students (non EU/UK) who do not meet the entry requirements for a Masters degree at University of Strathclyde. The Pre-Masters programme provides progression to a number of degree options.

To find out more about the courses and opportunities on offer visit isc.strath.ac.uk or call today on +44 (0) 1273 339333 and discuss your education future. You can also complete the online application form. To ask a question please fill in the enquiry form and talk to one of our multi-lingual Student Enrolment Advisers today.

Learning & teaching

We use a blend of teaching and learning methods including interactive lectures, problem-solving tutorials and practical project-based laboratories. Our technical and experimental officers are available to support and guide you on individual subject material.

Each module comprises approximately five hours of direct teaching per week. To enhance your understanding of the technical and theoretical topics covered in these, you're expected to undertake a further five to six hours of self-study, using our web-based virtual learning environment (MyPlace), research journals and library facilities.

The teaching and learning methods used ensure you'll develop not only technical engineering expertise but also communications, project management and leadership skills.

- Industry engagement
Interaction with industry is provided through our internships, teaching seminars and networking events. The department delivers monthly seminars to support students’ learning and career development. Xilinx, Texas Instruments, MathWorks, and Agilent are just a few examples of the industry partners you can engage with during your course.

Assessment

A variety of assessment techniques are used throughout the course. You'll complete at least six modules. Each module has a combination of written assignments, individual and group reports, oral presentations, practical lab work and, where appropriate, an end-of-term exam.

Assessment of the summer research project/internship consists of four elements, with individual criteria:
1. Interim report (10%, 1,500 to 3,000 words) – the purpose of this report is to provide a mechanism for supervisors to provide valuable feedback on the project’s objectives and direction.

2. Poster Presentation (15%) – a vital skill of an engineer is the ability to describe their work to others and respond to requests for information. The poster presentation is designed to give you an opportunity to practise that.

3. Final report (55%) – this assesses the communication of project objectives and context, accuracy and relevant of background material, description of practical work and results, depth and soundness of discussion and conclusions, level of engineering achievement and the quality of the report’s presentation.

4. Conduct (20%) - independent study, project and time management are key features of university learning. The level of your initiative & independent thinking and technical understanding are assessed through project meetings with your supervisor and your written logbooks.

Careers

As communications now impacts on virtually all areas of society, commerce and business, job opportunities are excellent, and you will be equipped for employment across a range of sectors including mobile/wireless, IT, defence, and big data.

Professional and technical occupations with international companies such as Samsung, Xilinx, British Telecom, MathsWorks, Nokia and Texas Instruments, as well as local companies such as Cirrus Logic, Leonardo, and Stream, are available.

Globalisation of the communications sector and the evolution of many countries to 5G means if graduates wish to work abroad, this course provides an ideal passport to anywhere in the world.

Find information on Scholarships here http://www.strath.ac.uk/engineering/electronicelectricalengineering/ourscholarships/.

Read less

Introduction

MA Material Futures explores the intersection of craft, science and technology encouraging students to look beyond existing boundaries to anticipate future needs, desires, and challenges. Taking materiality as the starting point of the design process we integrate high and low technological materials and processes, pursuing relevant applications across fashion, architecture, product design, and communication & critical design.

Observing and analysing how we live today allows us to consider how we can live better tomorrow. Considering the current and future context of design decisions is core to our ethos, combining social, political and economic inquiry to inform future, sustainable design applications.

Content

The 21st century marks the beginning of a new textile revolution - one we believe is smart, invisible, sustainable, ethical and poetic.

MA Material Futures is part of the Jewellery and Textiles programme. The MA Material Futures ethos is to approach textile design as a form of industrial design but with a focus on the language and codes inherent to textiles. By exploring key contextual questions to interrogate, critique and propose new design concepts, we invite our designers to engage fully with the challenges of designing for the 21st century. How do we reconcile ecology and smart technology? With current progress in nanotechnologies, how do we engineer invisible functions with new aesthetics? How can biomimicry principles inform the design of resilient textiles? Will scientists become designers? With digital fabrications becoming mainstream, what future for craft? How can textiles lead to the development of smart interactive interface? Can textiles inform a new way to imagine architecture? These are examples of questions MA Material Futures will consider over the two year postgraduate programme.

Smart textiles, invisible performance, sustainable and ethical issues as much as poetics and aesthetics call for new design perspectives. Crossover with other design disciplines as well as with science and socio-economics are more pertinent than ever. Rapid changes in culture, economics and technology need dynamic designers who can propose and realise intelligent, responsible innovations with strategic thought, leadership and personal vision. The MA Material Futures course aims at equipping designers with critical skills to design for our future selves and provides a 'think-tank' in which to cultivate ideas, reflect on individual practice, and challenge the boundaries of textile design.

Structure

MA Material Futures lasts 60 weeks structured as two consecutive periods of 30 weeks each (i.e. two academic years) in its 'extended full-time mode'.

MA Material Futures is credit rated at 180 credits, and comprises 2 units:

Unit 1 (60 credits) lasts 20 weeks
Unit 2 (120 credits) runs for 10 weeks in the first year and 30 weeks in the second year.

Both units must be passed in order to achieve the MA, but the classification of the award of MA derives from your mark for Unit 2 only.

Read less

About this course

Subject to validation from January 2016 entry.

Throughout this course, you will study the theory and practice of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as the emerging industry standard approach to the design, analysis and management of building life cycle. This course incorporates an innovative blend of design management, sustainable design analysis and advanced modelling, customisation and visualisation, at the cutting edge of technology. You’ll research novel approaches and technologies for an efficient design integration and project collaboration, understanding BIM impact on the design process and workflow requirements.

In February 2015 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills unveiled Digital Built Britain, the government’s strategic plan for Level 3 BIM. This new programme is of direct relevance to anyone guided by the vision of greater efficiency and profitability.

During your study you will be exposed to and get involved in cutting edge BIM enabled integrated design and construction via research projects and consultancy conducted by your lecturers, such as Dr Boris Ceranic’s projects, SmartPoD, Hierons
Wood and Retro-Tek. The University of Derby has been granted Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists CIAT Centre of Excellence status, one of only four in the country.

You’ll study modules such as:

Research Methods, Application and Evaluation
BIM and Integrated Project Collaboration
nD BIM – Costing, Project Planning and Design Management
BIM and Sustainable Design Analysis
Advanced Parametric Design and Specification
Project Planning, Value Engineering and Risk Management
Construction Contracts and Dispute Resolution
Sustainable Architecture and Low Energy Design
Negotiated Module
Independent Scholarship (Technology)

Read less