About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: H640
- Applications: UCAS
- Level: Undergraduate
- Department: Engineering, Design and Mathematics
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: The BEng(Hons) is a one year top up degree only.
- Delivery: Full-time only
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Helena Wildblood
- Key fact: This one year top up course is for international students only.
UWE has a thriving international community made up of students and staff from all over the world. We have formed close partnership arrangement with a range of institutions across Africa, South East Asia, China and even the USA!
Additional information for international students
Introduction
This programme has been specifically developed for international students who wish to study in the UK for one year in order to further their studies to BEng(Hons) level. Students will normally transfer from colleges and universities who have partnered with UWE. Their programmes will be recognised as meeting the pre-requisite learning outcomes for the modules contained in this course.
Electronic and communication engineers play a major role in the development of the existing and future technologies. We have to cope with the ever changing technology meeting the constant challenge of making things faster, better, cleaner and cheaper. Without them, you wouldn't be able to text your friends, play the latest computer game or even listen to your favourite CD. This top up degree will build on your earlier studies, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to design such systems.
We pride ourselves on the industrial relevance of our courses and the learning programme puts heavy emphasis on the blend of taught knowledge with student-centred problem solving exercises. The course is modular with a carefully balanced combination of modules aimed at producing graduates who can enter industry and make an immediate contribution.
Electronic and Communication engineers are involved in:
- Electronic systems used in a wide range of applications
- Aerospace systems, including for communication
- Robotics
- Communication systems
- Medical electronics
Structure
Content
You will study six modules during the year. These are:
- Telecommunication Systems
- Digital Signal Processing
- Computer Networks
- Embedded Co-Design
- Engineering Research Skills
- Individual Project (Electronics)
The structure of the course can be seen on our website where you will also be able to view module descriptions by selecting the module codes.
The course structures change from year to year. Therefore you might find some variation between that shown here and the final version of your course.
Teaching and learning
Learning methods include lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory work, case studies and mini-projects with a mixture of group and individual activities optimised for the particular subject area. The individual project is worth 25% of the course (30 credits).
Assessment
Assessment is generally by a mixture of coursework, assignments and examinations.
Special Features
Study facilities
The Department of Engineering Design and Mathematics is integrated across the major areas of Engineering. This provides you with access to many cross-disciplinary facilities that incorporate electronic, electrical or embedded computer systems as major components.
These include the Electronics Laboratory with facilities for investigation of electrical and electronic principles and circuit design, build and test; the Control and Telecommunications Laboratory with facilities for control system analysis and design; the Robotics and Microprocessors laboratory and the Unix laboratory for DSP and digital hardware analysis.
A System Support Helpdesk provides a range of support for learning to students including: support for a wide range of applications used by the students; help in the form of assistants who are trained to resolve many common student problems and help in the form of a large set of 'help-sheet documents', developed over a number of years, that cover a variety of common student requests for information.
University-wide services include a Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard), significant library facilities including dedicated services for international students, and a Global Student Support team.
Academic writing, Communication and English Skills (ACES) Programme
The ACES Programme offers a range of support activities for international students in academic writing, communication and English language skills. It provides courses, workshops, consultations and drop-in sessions to meet the individual language and communication needs of students. You will be expected to take advantage of the courses as offered by ACES, in particular the module on Academic Writing Skills.
Specially designed module
The module Engineering Research Skills has been written specifically for this programme to develop the learning approach of students who may have come from an institution with a different educational style. It is particularly designed to support the student who is unused to working in an unstructured environment, with minimal academic support/maximum self directed learning, which is expected of UWE students at level 3. The module is deliberately broad and generic, as it will attempt to meet the diverse learning needs of the individual students on the programme.
Careers/further study
Demand for graduates with expertise in electronic and communications engineering is high. You will be able to pursue a career as an electronic or communications systems designer to solve engineering problems for communications and electronics companies. You may also work for end-user companies in this high technology area. We would expect graduates to gain employment as Electronic Engineers, Communication Engineers and Systems Engineers in a wide range of industries.
Graduate destinations
Find out what our graduates are doing six months after graduating- includes examples of careers, employers and further study. Download a PDF from graduate destinations.
Key employer partnerships
Our degrees can lead to a wide variety of career choices. To ensure that our degrees make you as employable as possible we work closely with seven major partner employers in our engineering and computing consortium.
Creating employable students
UWE places strong emphasis on employability and skills development at every level. Through work placements, volunteering, study abroad and UWE initiatives which nurture talent and encourage innovation, students gain valuable real world experience and graduate with diverse career opportunities and a competitive place in the job market.
See great graduate prospects for further information.
Be inspired
Read about Kevin's work with EADS - the global leader in aerospace, defence and related services.
Useful links
UWE - careers in engineering
Engineering Council
The UWE careers service provides guidance and support throughout your studies in addition to useful resources, CV checks, career coaching and details of current job vacancies.
Entry
Typical offers
- GCSE: English and Maths grade C or above or equivalent
Entry requirements
You must have completed the equivalent to the first two years of a UK BEng degree in electrical, electronic or communications engineering. This would typically be a University degree, Diploma or other equivalent qualification.
The content of your existing qualification must meet the pre-requisites of the modules on this course, especically in Signal Processing and Programming in C/C++.
You must have achieved grade 6.5 or above in IELTS or the equivalent. For details on our accepted English language qualifications, please visit our website.
How to apply
Please see the general information about applications.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011