Module | Credits | Compulsory/optional |
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Professional Practice (Year 1) | 0 Credits | Compulsory |
This module is the first in a series of Professional Practice modules. Apprentices will be encouraged and guided to maintain records of their work experience and gather documentary evidence of their knowledge, skills and behaviours acquired in relation to those listed in the relevant degree apprenticeship standard.
These achievements will be recorded using the Individual Learning Plan facility with copies of documentary supporting evidence kept electronically through the University of Hertfordshire's Virtual Learning Environment.
The Virtual Learning Environment will also be used to provide guidance and support for the apprentices in developing their study skills, e.g. tips for time management, information searching, note taking and report writing and other communication methods, future planning and how to prepare for exams. This will include some formative assignments.
The apprentice will be assigned an industrial mentor and employer liaison tutor who will meet regularly with the apprentice to review progress and create a schedule of work to develop a broad portfolio of industrial experiences. |
Engineering Fundamentals | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
This introductory module provides level 4 engineering students with the practical opportunity to become familiar with the basic elements and practices associated with mechanical and manufacturing engineering, providing a foundation upon which subsequent engineering modules will build. |
Engineering Mathematics | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
This module aims to enable students to explore mathematical techniques commonly used in engineering. Topics covered include functions frequently occurring in engineering applications, their manipulation and application, complex numbers, integration techniques, differentiation of functions of one or more variables, ordinary differential equations, determinants, matrices and vectors.
A range of applications will support the mathematical content of the module. |
Applied Design | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
This module introduces students to the engineering design process, from brief through to manufacture, to devise a solution to a posed engineering problem. Design activities are accomplished in small teams, thereby developing skills in teamwork, communication and leadership. Project management techniques are addressed and employed with the purpose of effective time and resource management. Students are exposed to the workshop environment, with the aim of constructing their solution. Students will be required to test their build to ensure performance meets the specified design brief. |
Electrical Science | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
Many mechanical systems rely on electrical circuits for power, sensing and actuation. This module introduces the principles of electrical circuits and introduces the fundamental concepts of electrical units and relationships, basic AC and DC circuit theory, digital systems, A/D and D/A conversion, and electro-mechanical principles and devices.
You will gain a secure foundation in the fundamental concepts of circuits, devices and systems that underpin all branches of engineering. This will include study of the mathematical operations of AC quantities, including phasors, vectors and complex numbers, some key semiconductor devices and circuits involving diodes and transistors and a fundamental knowledge of the principles and construction of DC and AC machines, transformers and linear actuators. |
Engineering Professionalism | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
Students will be introduced to their individual responsibilities and development to becoming professional engineers. Through relevant application of professionalism as students, they will develop skills and knowledge that will be transferable to industry practice or continued study. Using relevant academic research and industry examples students will learn about codes of conduct, relevant legislation, compliance and ethics as well as working in teams, leadership and management.
The learning and assessment will be in conjunction with aligned and concurrent modules to allow this module to support and develop their skills for use in present application.
The aim is to develop personal responsibility for their learning and professional development. Through industrial speakers and real case study examples students will be faced with real professional discussions and dilemmas. |
Introduction to Mechatronic Systems | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
The intended learning outcomes are facilitated through a combination of approaches to learning and teaching mainly based on active experiential learning methods. These activities will be supported by the module team and by encouraging the students to access a variety of resources including available equipment and appropriate software packages. Students will be assessed, in groups as well as individually, by their ability to conceive, design, implement and operate a low-budget autonomous electromechanical device.
Content breakdown by units:
1. Introduction to safety and hazardous substance legislation;
2. Solid body modelling for design implementation (Physical models);
3. Parameter analysis as a conceptual design methodology;
4. Introduction to mathematical modelling and optimisation;
5. CAD tools and prototypes;
6. Detail design;
7. Introduction to design for assembly and manufacture;
8. Sensors and actuators: information processing;
9. Design validation process (Technical Performance Measure);
10. Introduction to the mechanical and physical properties of polymers;
11. Introduction to manufacturing process determination.
Alongside the above-mentioned topics, topics relating to project management and employability will be developed. |
Statics and Dynamics (Apprenticeship) | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
This module encompasses: Statics (fundamental concept of units, forces, free body diagrams, moments, normal stresses, shear stresses, shear force-bending moment relationships). Dynamics (dynamics concepts, velocity and acceleration, linear & angular motion, moment of inertia, application of free-body diagrams, work and energy principles, impulse-momentum principles). Vibration (simple harmonic motion, vibrational motion in a single degree of freedom system). |
Programming for Engineers (Apprenticeship) | 15 Credits | Compulsory |
This course will enable the student to understand and appreciate the role of basic programming within engineering disciplines. This will be accomplished through applications of programming language with practical demonstrations to allow students gain insights into the application of their work. Topics for the lectures are given below, and will be accompanied by practical classes where students will write scripts and execute them to control a programmable circuit board. Introduction Computers, Software, Hardware and microcontrollers including UART Communications Problem solving, structure and pseudocode Variables Operators Conditionals Functions Loops Strings Files Debugging Future Research and Developments |