BSc (Hons) Railway Engineering (Electro-Mechanical System Engineering and Electronics)
01 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2028
| Course Leader | Ben Mehenni |
|---|---|
| Course Team | Stuart Bunston, Meinwen Taylor, Blessing Adeleke, Ian Fitzell, Luan Al-Haddad, Emmajane Mantle |
| Awarding Body | University of South Wales |
| Teaching Institutions | University of South Wales |
| Modes of Study | Part Time |
Document Version
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2023 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2028 |
QAA Benchmarks
higher-education-in-apprenticeships-characteristics-statement.pdf (qaa.ac.uk) QAA Subject benchmark Statement -Subject Benchmark Statement: Engineering (qaa.ac.uk)3 x individual pathways not available - only generic Engineering statement
Educational Aim
The overall aim of this award is to produce an engineer with a specialist education related to railway engineering in the 21st century. Therefore, it will have the versatility and depth of understanding necessary to deal with new and unusual problems of the railway industry. The Graduates from this course should be imaginative, creative, and able to implement change as well as providing management and technical leadership. This award should produce high calibre railway engineering graduates.
The aim is achieved by providing a sound educational base in the theoretical and practical aspects of Railway Engineering, and other complimentary topics, which are in-line with the current practice and research developments. This is supported by a broadening of both their technical and non-technical knowledge and skills, with a focus on those relating to Commercial Awareness, Communication, Leadership, Innovation & Enterprise, Project Management and Digital Literacy.
The BSc (Hons) Railway Engineer Degree Apprenticeship has the following generic aims:
Develop academic skills and knowledge through technical and non-technical understanding of theory and practice in the subject area of Railway Engineering sector, reflecting on industry standards, current practice and recent research.
Provide a coherent programme of study in Railway Engineering which is academically challenging and encourages undergraduates to develop the capacity for independent thought and judgement and the development of transferable skills, with an understanding of how their learning applies to the workplace.
Develop the acumen and critical awareness necessary for effective analysis, problem solving and decision making to address a wide variety of real-world problems, relating to Railway Engineering.
Provide opportunities for DA students to engage with employers, industry and professional bodies, through problem and challenge-based learning using live project case studies, guest lecturers and professional body events.
Reflect the needs of professional practice and enable DA graduates to secure employment in their chosen career and to progress to the relevant professional route to professional registration as Incorporated Engineer (IEng).
In line with the existing USW Apprenticeship and 2030 strategy the development of the Rail DA will support growth in numbers, further embed collaborative work with existing partners in industry and provide a clear response to Welsh Gov Transport Strategy.
Learning Outcomes
| A1 | Demonstrate an understanding of the general science, mathematics and technology principles that are relevant to Railway Engineering at a level commensurate to BSc (Hons) degree qualification. |
| A2 | Exhibit understanding of the defining elements of Railway Engineering; tackle problems by collecting, analysing and evaluating appropriate qualitative and quantitative information and using it creatively and imaginatively to solve problems; introduce and develop innovations; and make decisions and follow them through. |
| A3 | Operate within the Rail industry regulatory frameworks, including codes of practice, to ensure quality and safety standards are maintained whilst investigating any future opportunities to develop and improve upon existing systems and processes. |
| A4 | Railway Engineering specific professional skills and demonstrate the ability to acquire new competencies required for career progression, assessing the ethical, equality and inclusion consequences of human activities to optimise community and environmental sustainability. |
| B1 | Select and apply appropriate mathematical and computer-based methods for modelling and analysing engineering problems from a range of subjects relevant to Railway Engineering. |
| B2 | Collect and integrate several lines of evidence relating to Railway Engineering to develop balanced arguments that demonstrate critical thinking and synthesis, plan and design an experiment, investigation, survey or other means to test a hypothesis or proposition. |
| B3 | Assess risks and take appropriate actions to minimise those risks to address multidisciplinary problems found in Railway Engineering, demonstrating creativity and innovation. |
| B4 | Demonstrate the knowledge required to evaluate various engineering systems, recognising the unique design technologies used in their production, and apply the appropriate maintenance techniques. |
| C1 | Develop the skills necessary for self-managed lifelong learning and engagement, including, for example, working independently, effective time management and organisational skills, appreciate the need for professional codes of conduct as applicable to Railway Sector. |
| C2 | Recognise the moral, ethical, social and equality and inclusion issues related to Railway Engineering, and assume responsibility for your own actions, identify and work towards targets for personal, academic and career development, develop an adaptable and flexible approach to study and work. |
| C3 | Demonstrate the competence, behaviour and attitude required in academic and professional working life within Railway Engineering, including initiative, reflection, leadership, resilience and team skills. |
| C4 | Demonstrate ethical and responsible behaviour to ensure the rights of others and the wider environment are respected and protected, understand the importance of academic, professional and research integrity as a Railway Engineering Professional. |
Course Structure
Level 4 Modules
| Module Code | Module Id | Module Title | Module Status | Credit Value | Module Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM1S40 | MOD000070 | Engineering Mathematics 1 | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG1S125 | MOD013415 | Introduction to Railway Technologies | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG1S126 | MOD013416 | Introduction to Railway Engineering Practice | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG1S207 | MOD001274 | Mechanical Science 1 | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG1S217 | MOD008969 | Engineering Computing Applications | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG1S851 | MOD005750 | Electrical Technology | Running | 20 | specified |
Level 5 Modules
| Module Code | Module Id | Module Title | Module Status | Credit Value | Module Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG2S119 | MOD013417 | Work Based Learning and Health and Safety | Running | 20 | core |
| NG2S120 | MOD013403 | Technology Skills and Knowledge | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG2S211 | MOD001292 | Instrumentation and Control Systems | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG2S213 | MOD001293 | Sustainable Engineering Design | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG2S214 | MOD001294 | Mechanical Science 2 | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG2S856 | MOD009773 | Power, Machines and Power Electronic Devices | Running | 20 | specified |
Level 6 Modules
| Module Code | Module Id | Module Title | Module Status | Credit Value | Module Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NG3D903 | MOD013014 | Major Engineering Project | Running | 40 | core |
| NG3S219 | MOD009813 | Materials and Manufacture | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG3S221 | MOD009815 | Operations Management | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG3S861 | MOD012805 | Power Electronic Applications | Running | 20 | specified |
| NG3S862 | MOD012806 | Modern Power Systems | Running | 20 | specified |
Teaching and Assessment
Learning and Teaching Methods
Employer Engagement
Visiting Speakers - This is a strength of our courses in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Science. We engage with a wide range of professionals from industry who are invited to deliver guest lectures as part of our suite of courses in the subject area. Many of these guest lectures are alumni. We envisage a series of guest lecturers across a variety of modules over the course of the students’ academic journey, bringing informed and industry specific case studies into the classroom.
Industry Projects - Employer related project.
Industry Visits - Employer related project.
Volunteering - Opportunities exist for our students to volunteer through our Students’ Union, Careers Service, employer network and the student’s own personal network and independent research.
Fieldtrips - An integral part of the course is that the students will participate in site visits to various Rail-industry related locations. Site visits provide students with first-hand experience of practical skills from industry practitioners.
Work-based Learning - Apprenticeship framework will stipulate competencies and necessary skills to achieve through the course which will employer led and assessed in partnership with professional bodies.
Employer Forums - USW runs an Opportunities Fair every autumn where a large number of employers are present, providing students exposure to many opportunities. Course Leaders also engage with employers and run individual sessions to suit employer demand and student interest.
Other - We engage with our PSRBs and facilitate on campus visits and talks on the benefits of professional body membership.
Means of Assessment
Tutorials - These sessions allow students to more practically engage with a topic and apply/develop/practise their learning through group and class discussions, problem solving, undertaking short exercises, working through set tasks, demonstrating their work, all with the support of a lecturer. The more personal nature of these sessions facilitates personal and tailored student academic support.
Seminars - There are serval annual seminars and conferences which students will have access to, such as the Apprenticeships Conference and the NCE Rail and Transit.
Formative Assessment - Each module has an element of formative assessment designed into its delivery program. This is to enable students and staff to understand how the students are progressing through the course and to relieve assessment pressure by allowing students to become acclimatised to the level of study expected of them.
Progress Meetings - These will be tripartite involving termly reviews with Student/Employer/Course Leaders to monitor the academic and work-based learning experience.
Research Supervision - The dissertation process begins at the start of Level 6 and students are informed of the research process and guided towards their proposal through a series of lectures on the dissertation module. Research supervisors are allocated at the start of the module and students would typically be expected to meet their primary supervisor regularly over the duration of their project, either face to face or electronically (MS Teams/phone/email), depending on circumstance.
Online Resources - Teaching and coursework assessment materials are made available on-line through the University’s virtual learning environment (Unilearn).Modern computing laboratories provide access to specialist resources. The University also has centrally managed open-access laboratories for more general work. Each student has an academic e-mail account that is particularly useful when requesting support from teaching staff. Staff email students via Unilearn to announce course and module related information.
Advice Zone - The University operates advice zones located in the libraries of each campus. The Advice Zone supports students with anything that might affect their ability to study and achieve their goals. They help with both personal and academic issues. If they cannot help directly, they guide students towards the specialist support they need.
Disability - USW?has a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments in relation to education and services as required by disabled students.?It does this using individual support plans. The Disability Service provides information, advice and guidance to and co-ordinates support for?USW students who have disabilities, including physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia) and autism. The Disability Service also has a key role in ensuring?the University meets its commitment to providing an inclusive environment for disabled students.
IT/Library - IT Services provide students with their online student account (giving them access to email, printing and payments and more),?Unilearn, open access to computers on each campus, printing services, and media equipment. The faculty has dedicated Student Resource Rooms that provides further PCs with relevant software.Library Services provides a wide range of high-quality library and information services to USW students, academics and researchers. They also provide a dedicated Subject Librarian Sharon Latham, who produces subject specific guides and in class library research sessions.
Learning Support
Induction - 2 x Induction would be required at Coleg Y Cymoedd and USW where students will attend induction sessions and activities in the first week of their course. The University’s Unilearn is used together with ICIS to provide access to the course handbook, module information, an assessment schedule and their timetable. There is a refresher delivered 4 weeks into term and induction information is uploaded to course pages on Blackboard.
Personal Academic Coach - Through the Personal Academic Coaching (PAC) system students will be assigned a personal tutor who will formally meet students on a termly basis. The student can then request meetings outside of these formal windows when the need arises. In essence the students can meet with their PAC as often as they need.
Learner Analytics - This course utilises learner analytics to support our students by identifying non-engagement and taking corrective steps to re-engage our students. This data relates to attendance as recorded in Jisc’s Study Goal app, engagement with Blackboard our virtual learning environment (VLE), access to our library services and assessment submissions.
The course uses ‘Steam’ which is a USW project which acts as a dashboard in collecting the various streams of data and presents course leaders with an alert on non-engagement to take further action.
Office Hours - Typically, staff are available when not teaching. The Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Science embraces an Open-Door Policy. This is facilitated through face to face or online communications, allowing students access to staff, when either on campus or when working from home. In addition to this, students can make formal appointments to meet with staff.
Course Exit Points
| Award | Criteria | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Higher Education | 120 credits of which at least 100 must be at Level 4 or above and no more than 20 at Level 3. | Intermediate |
| Diploma of Higher Education | 240 credits of which at least 100 must be at Level 5 or above, 120 credits at Level 4 or above and no more than 20 credits at Level 3. | Intermediate |
| Bachelor of Science (with Honours) | 360 credits of which at least 100 must be at Level 6 or above, 120 at Level 5 or above, 120 at Level 4 or above and no more than 20 at Level 3. | Final |
Progression Route
At USW the options are as follows:MSc Civil EngineeringMSc Electrical EngineeringMSc Mechanical EngineeringMSc Professional EngineeringAlternatively, graduates could progress onto a variety of Engineering related Master programmes at other Universities.
Entry Requirements
Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:
The qualification seeks to actively promote University policies on equal opportunities and widening access and will seek to recruit as wide a range of students as the current modes of attendance and admission requirements permit.
General Entry Requirements for a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship – Mechanical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship/ Electrical / Electronic Engineering Degree Apprenticeship/Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Degree Apprenticeship/Chemical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship/Integrated Engineering Degree Apprenticeship/Renewable Energy Engineering Degree Apprenticeship/Rail Engineering
The Railway Engineering Degree Apprenticeship pathway at Level 6 is primarily suitable for applicants who have either completed A levels appropriate for university entrance, or who may have already completed a related apprenticeship at Levels 3, 4 or 5.
Please note: Applicants for this apprenticeship pathway are likely to be 18+ years and normally, evidence will be sought for a minimum average IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5.
It is likely that applicants may be asked to undertake a variety of tests which will include English, maths and problem solving, supported by an employer interview.
These are not meant as a barrier to entry, but more to gauge the ability of the applicant to achieve the programme outcomes and to tailor the individual learning plan to meet their needs and those of the employer.
Inclusive Curriculum Statement
The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/
Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution
N/A
Methods Of Quality Standards
The aim is to create a balance of assessments across the whole course allowing students to generate the best work they can and having some degree of control over the output they create.
\\rDriven by robust learning outcomes, the assessment regime for this course has been structured in conjunction with the apprenticeship framework. Within the parameters of the USW Assessment for Learning Principles and the USW Enabling Active Learning Principles this new method of assessment will challenge students but will allow them to take ownership of their learning and assessment.
\\rStudents will be afforded many opportunities to complete early formative and summative assessments with feedback and feedforward that will help them reflect and learn ready for future pieces of work.
\\rIt is important to note that time is set aside in some modules to ensure that students are familiar with the assessment methods for their module be they formative or summative. This will assist in particular with those returning to academia.
\\rFor Example: if a ‘poster presentation’ is used – it is recognised that many joining the course from industry may not be familiar with such assessment types and therefore guidance and reassurance will be needed. Every effort will be made to demonstrate to the students ‘what good looks like’. Sessions around the step change from AS/A Level/HNC/HND to DA will also be included through guest speakers.
\\rAlso recognised is the variety of academic experience students on the course will have as we welcome students from traditional academic backgrounds, but also from vocational backgrounds with no formal academic experience. Identifying and supporting individual students is key to ensure success. This has been addressed with the inclusion of the Engineering Maths module across all three pathways to bring all students to the required level of understanding to immerse themselves in the subsequent following modules.
\\rTo ensure support is available, study skills guidance for students will be included in Blackboard modules as well as further support from the module leaders, PACs and Advice Zone.
Quality Of Standards Indicators
All activities on this course are commensurate with requirements for delivery of this level of qualification. These contribute to the development of knowledge and application of professional competencies in addition to providing the ability to tackle a range of authentic challenge-based learning of unsolved problems which stem from collaborations with stakeholders that include the students, staff, PSRB, and industry (various employers). Each one of these problems is presented to challenge the ability and skills of the students.
\\rLectures provide a guide to relevant content, methodologies, techniques and associated issues.
\\rTutor-supported seminars allow flexible classroom time for students to learn by doing, to practice, to discuss and to demonstrate their work. These help to clarify and reflect on lecture content and frequently use problem solving scenarios and case studies.
\\rProject Supervision meetings provide an opportunity for students to receive personal advice and encouragement on their project work.
\\rPractical supervised laboratory periods provide hands-on experience of a variety of ICT tools, Industry software and techniques.
\\rWork based learning: Providing students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and technical skills in the workplace. All students are required to keep a logbook throughout the duration of the course.
\\rDirected Study (including Online Learning): Directed study is time specifically devoted to completing assessments and preparing for examinations.
\\rIndependent study broadens learning through reference to flexible learning materials available via the
\\rVirtual Learning Environment, set Library texts, journal papers and electronic sources.
\\rAt Level 4, there is some commonality across the wider engineering disciplines, such as Engineering Mathematics and Thermo-fluid Mechanics modules. These and other modules in the first year provide a solid basis of understanding of the relevant topics for students to progress in their specific pathway of Engineering at level 5.
\\rAt Level 5, the thematic pillars of the engineering are introduced into the specific pathways. These themes relate to Geo-technics for the Civil Engineering Pathway, Advanced Electronic Systems and Applications for Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Sciences for Mechanical Engineering. The block mode delivery allows for students to focus on a module in an immersive way and provides students with an introduction to both the professional and academic skills required to be successful on the course. These combine to further the knowledge and application requires by students as they progress into their Level 6.
\\rBy Level 6, students are focused on fine tuning the professional competencies required and enhancing their graduate attributes. A number of the thematic pillars reach an advanced level with application of knowledge. This level concludes with the core module of Rail Engineering Project and further specified modules that facilitate real-world applications of the knowledge gained on the course, and from tacit knowledge within their apprenticeship framework. The core module will include a dissertation for independent research, whilst their logbook/portfolio for the apprenticeship framework acts as the vehicle for developing their employability skills as per the USW Academic Blueprint.