About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: K290
- Applications: University. Part-time students please see 'How to Apply' section below for an application form.
- Level: Undergraduate
- Tariff points: 260
- Department: Construction and Property
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: Five years day release
- Delivery: Part-time day release
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Martin Longhurst BSc, Cert Ed, CEng, MCIBSE, MIOA
- Key fact: This course is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) as meeting the academic standard required to attain Incorporated Engineer registration with the The Engineering Council.
Introduction
Most modern buildings rely on building services for the quality of the internal environment, and building services account for a large proportion of the cost of many of today's major building projects. Achieving quality involves not only excellent design but also an understanding of the integration of building services into the building process, and their contribution to the energy and running costs of the facilities.
The course has been developed to integrate building services design and facilities management into the overall building concept. It also considers the implications for production and installation processes.
Structure
Content
The course considers a broad spectrum of building services from both the mechanical and electrical specialist fields. You will be introduced to environmental science and materials, mathematics, services engineering, business administration and economics. You will apply these to a range of contexts including mechanical and electrical system design, acoustics, and energy, project and facilities management. CAD methods will be integral to a significant part of the design and analysis of building and engineering systems performance.
Final stage modules include a major project and the chance to undertake some individual research for a dissertation thesis, or to examine detailed aspects of a building development project.
Part-time students will complete modules involving work-based learning, where tasks undertaken in the workplace form the basis of their studies, providing tangible connections between academic study and practical engineering activities .
What will I study?
In the early modules, foundation mathematics, and engineering science subjects are common to a number of other programmes, and will encourage you to develop your academic skills. Subsequent modules, such as Energy Systems, Analysing Buildings, and Systems Performance are designed to extend your understanding of the application of theory into practice within the context of a commercial environment. Project work will develop specific skills, such as the application of IT and CAD to design, and help you understand the process of development of the built environment. Sustainability, particularly in energy-related issues, is a theme common to many of the modules studied.
Teaching and learning
The course is delivered through a range of formal lectures, tutorials, workshops, projects, and presentations. Laboratory work is important to the development of practical investigative skills, and are a requirement of several of the 'technology' modules. A number of modules include external site visits to engage students in real-world engineering experiences. Some learning objectives will be achieved through group activities designed to encourage attributes of interpersonal co-operation and leadership, and case studies will be used to examine and emphasise current good practice. Inputs to the course from external practitioners will ensure that pragmatic insights relating to contemporary issues are included in the studies.
The teaching staff provide a friendly, enabling environment for learning. They are also actively engaged in research or professional practice, ensuring that you learn directly from the latest academic and business developments.
Study time
This course is offered part-time through day release and is designed to take five years, but may be extended if necessary. Many employers will pay fees and give time off for part-time students.
Assessment
Assessment varies between modules, but will include formal examinations, technical and laboratory reports, essays, presentations and vivas.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
This degree has been accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council. Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). An accredited degree will provide you with some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as an Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
The course has been accredited by CIBSE which gives graduates full exemption from further academic obligations for Incorporated Engineer registration.
Study facilities
A range of specialist facilities is provided by the Department. A suite of computer rooms supports software for wood processing, data analysis and spatial enquiry. They provide access to e-mail and internet, including Faculty and University websites which enable you to use a vast number of specialist electronic journals and publications, and resources provided by lecturers to support their modules. A Project Room provides space for you to work on individual and group assignments, together with a range of materials and equipment. An audio-visual group provides support for photography, digital imaging, filming and sound recording.
There are well equipped laboratories for concrete and environmental services, environmental physics, earth sciences, and surveying technology, each with specialist technicians supporting both teaching and research.
The Department is based in a large modern building, to which a new set of studios and teaching rooms (designed by a member of the Department) have recently been added.
Student representatives sit on a wide range of committees from University to course level, where they influence discussions and decisions which affect your learning experience.
Careers/further study
Graduates from this course fulfil roles in design consultancy, specialist contracting, and facilities management. Demand for well-qualified graduate engineers has traditionally been very strong in this field.
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 construction 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 some of the key jobs in construction and property.
Useful links
UWE - careers in engineering
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
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
- Tariff points: 260
- GCSE: Maths, English
- Specific subjects: Maths A level grade C or above. IB Maths (Higher level) grade 5. Acceptable BTEC National Level 3 Maths units are Further Maths for Technicians (PASS); Maths for Technicians (MERIT); Further Maths for Construction and Built Environment (PASS); Maths for Construction and Built Environment (MERIT)
- Access: Achievement of an Access to HE Diploma; achievement of a level 3 credit in Maths - please contact us to discuss the Maths you need to cover. This
course is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) which sets the national minimum entry requirements for all the programmes it accredits which may limit the numbers of Access learners who can study this programme in any one year. The Department of Construction and Property can advise and guide students who wish to study this programme. Please contact us regarding the Maths requirement.
Advice on typical offers
In addition to the 'typical offer' given here, please read the general information about entry requirements.
Fees
Full-time
For more information on fees please visit our money matters page.
Part-time
The fees for the academic year starting in September 2012 for part-time students are £750 for each 10 credits. Credits are the measure of an amount of study, and part-time students will normally study around 60 credits in the first and second years, 75 credits in the third and fourth years and 90 credits in the fifth year.
You pay the fees one year at a time. You can pay all the fees at the start of the year or you can pay in instalments over the first three to six months each year. For more information on payment of fees please visit our money matters page. You can also now take advantage of the fees loan from the Government.
You or your employer can, if you wish, pay some of the fees with the rest coming from the Government fees loan. If you decide to do this, we recommend that you apply for the maximum fees loan as early as possible, because it can take a while to be processed and it is easier to reduce the fees loan later (when you know how much you or your employer wish to pay) than it is to increase the fees loan.
How to apply
Please see the general information about applications.
The course is also open to all those in relevant employment who have a BTEC Higher National Diploma or Certificate, a Continuing Education Diploma (CED), or Professional Development Diploma (PDD), preferably in Building Services Engineering.
Direct entry to years 3/4 of the part-time course is possible for those holding HNC/HND qualifications. If you have CED or PDD qualifications you will be exempt from all but one part-time Year 3 modules.
Applicants for the part-time day release course should not apply through UCAS but apply direct to UWE Bristol instead. Application forms are available from Admissions and International Development.
We welcome applications from students without the conventional entrance requirements but who do have substantial relevant work or other experience and whose motivation and skills would enable them to succeed on the course.
Students with disabilities
We welcome applications from people with disabilities.
We are committed to supporting students with disabilities, and wherever possible we will make reasonable adjustments to these activities to enable students with disabilities to successfully complete the course. We encourage applicants to disclose any disabilities or support needs in their application forms, so that we can offer information, advice and support. There is a Disability Service at UWE Bristol and a Disability Support Co-ordinator in the Department. Following is a list of the types of activities that the course normally involves.
- Use a computer
- Read and produce drawings, plans and maps
- Visually inspect buildings and locations, including physical movement around and through buildings and locations
- Team working and negotiation
- Laboratory work involving observations and physical manipulation
- Take part in discussions and presentations
Open days
We run open days throughout the year, when you can meet lecturers and current students, see the facilities and resources that we offer, and visit the student accommodation. Please ask for details. For further information regarding the course you are welcome to contact: Martin Longhurst (Programme Leader) Martin.Longhurst@uwe.ac.uk or Julian Spicer (Admissions) admissions@uwe.ac.uk, +44 (0)117 32 83333.
Other courses that might be of interest
BENg (Hons) Building Services Engineering
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011