UDELCMEN - BEng Electronic and Communications Engineering

The course is designed to equip its graduates to work at a professional level in areas of Electronics, Communications and Telecommunications industries or for entering postgraduate studies such as master degree programmes or Mphil/PhD.

The course is supported by a number of specialised laboratories in general electronics, Microwave and Satellite communications, Computer Aided Design, Embedded Systems and Digital Systems, Opto-electronics and Audio. Students in each of the specialized modules spend a considerable part of the module in these laboratories providing an opportunity to practice what they learn in the formal lecture/seminar session in investigating (using an industry’s standard simulation package), design and implement, test and document a variety of real-world examples of Electronics and Communications systems. These sessions are performed individually or as part of a group.

The Course is IET Accredited (CEng Status). All students joining the BEng programme may apply to become Student Member of the Institute of Engineering & Technology (the IET). This enables students to be automatically transferred to the class of Member of the IET, once they are graduated from the course. Being a member of the IET has significant merits both in academia and in the industry. It provides students with the opportunity to become eligible for the Charted Engineering (CEng) Status after a few years of work experience.

The BEng (Hons) has been designed with close collaboration with our Industrial Liaison Committee (ILC) and in accordance with the Engineering Benchmark Statement, the Output Standards for Accredited Engineering Programmes defined in the UKSPEC and also by the requirements of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). The aims of the course are:

• To ensure that students are appropriately prepared to develop into professional engineers by meeting the Engineering Professors’ Council’s Output Standard;

• To produce graduates who are numerate, literate, analytical, articulate, practical, adaptive, creative, confident and inquisitive;

• To apply analytical and mathematical modelling techniques used to solve problems in electronic circuit design, digital signal processing and communications systems;

• To develop analytical, practical and ICT skills appropriate for the specification, design, implementation and testing of electronic and communications systems;

• To promote awareness of commercial and economic context, social and business factors that influence the choice of solution to engineering problems including health, safety and risk (including environmental risk) issues;

• To prepare students for employment by developing their transferable skills and problem based learning skills;

• To develop organisational, teamwork and practical management approaches required by professional engineers;

• To develop critical and reflective capacities in students so that they are equipped to assess and plan their continuing developmental needs;

• To provide students with sound knowledge and skills, confidence to solve multidisciplinary problems in the context of electronic engineering;

• To promote awareness in students of ethical issues concerning their work, their potential roles to operate within the appropriate code of professional conduct, recognising their responsibilities and obligations to society, the profession and the environment;

• To provide a broad educational base with an emphasis on project-oriented activities where students will gain appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding to prepare them for a professional career in the field of Electronics and communications systems.

Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and understanding will be developed in a number of modules. The emphasis will be on the design and implementation of various Electronics and Communications systems. On completing the course, students should be able to:

• Apply scientific, mathematical and ITC principles and methods relevant to electronic and communications engineering;
• Master the characteristics and classifications of electronic and communications systems and of the components used in them;
• Apply digital signal processing techniques to electronics and communication systems;
• Apply analytical and mathematical modelling techniques used to solve problems in electronic circuit design;
• Master the practical skills necessary for the specification, design implementation and testing of electronic and communications systems;
• Recognize the commercial and economic context, social and business factors that influence the choice of solution to engineering problems;
• Recognize the management and operational practices, including risk assessment, social and environmental impacts, and professional, ethical and legislative issues;
• Apply the sequence of design processes which make up the product life cycle.

Cognitive/intellectual skills

The preliminary modules has been designed to provide students with the fundamental tools and techniques, which will prepare them in later stages of the course.

On completing the course, students should be able to:

• Define real-world problems and express them in engineering terms;
• Select and apply appropriate scientific, mathematical and technical methods to model, analyse and solve problems;
• Apply the concepts and principles of electronic and communications science to the solution of engineering systems in a number of commonly encountered engineering contexts;
• Evaluate electronic components, products, processes and systems; expose the strengths and weaknesses and critically assess results to select the most appropriate design solution, recognising that inadequate or invalid results may require further design iterations;
• Present results verbally and in writing in a way that is understood in the wider community;
• Consider the problem and the proposed solution in the relevant social, environmental, ethical and legislative context including health, safety and risks issues;

Transferable skills

On completing the course, students should be able to:

• Use ICT for data manipulation and presentation;
• Work with and relate effectively as a member of a team;
• Managing time and prioritising workload;

• Identify and acquire the information needed to achieve an objective and make appropriate use of relevant numerical and statistical information;

• Identify problems and create solutions using appropriate professional simulation and design tools;

• Recognise the need for continuous personal development and plan to achieve this showing confidence and self-awareness, reflect on own learning, and be self-reliant and constructively self-critical;

• Communicate to various audiences using appropriate presentation methods and styles.

Subject-specific practical, research and independently learning skills

On completing the course, students should be able to:

• Use project planning methods to identify required resources and timescales (work to deadlines) and accept accountability for learning decisions;
• Use current and new information to produce a practical implementation of a design solution;
• Select and use appropriate hardware and software to test systems and components;
• Interpret experimental results, taking account of errors and accuracy constraints and recognising the limitations imposed by incomplete or imperfect information;
• Use appropriate laboratory and workshop equipment to execute safely a series of applied experiments and to generate transferable data;
• Identify personal strengths and weaknesses in the context of a professional career.

Students are encouraged to plan their own work schedules and are required to meet strict deadlines. Diaries / logbooks are required to be kept in some modules. Learners undertake a major individual practical / research project and complete a related dissertation.

Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and understanding will be developed in a number of modules. The emphasis will be on the design and implementation of various Electronics and Communications systems. On completing the course, students should be able to:

MA4010 : C&LA (LO1)

CT4001: CE (LO1, LO2,LO5, LO6 to LO9)
CT4002: ES (LO5, LO6)
CT4003: EP (LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5 to LO7)
CT5001: S&S (LO1 to LO5)
CT5002: MCS (LO1, LO2, LO4 to LO9)
CT5003: M&ES (LO3, LO6 to LO9)
CT5051: AES (LO1, LO2,LO5, LO6, LO9)
FC5W51: WRL (LO3, LO5 to LO9)
FC6P01: Project (LO1 to LO9)
CT6001: M & OFC (LO3, LO4, LO6)
CT6003: DSP&C (LO1 to LO8)
CT6053: DSA (LO2, LO3, LO6 to LO9)

Optional Modules also cover a combination of the Learning Outcomes: e.g. CS6051: MM
LO1. Apply scientific, mathematical and ITC principles and methods relevant to electronic and communications engineering;
LO2. Apply scientific, mathematical and ITC principles and methods relevant to electronic and communications engineering;
LO3. Master the characteristics and classifications of electronic and communications systems and of the components used in them;
LO4. Apply Digital signal processing techniques to electronics and communication systems;
LO5. Apply analytical and mathematical modelling techniques used to solve problems in electronic circuit design;
LO6. Master the practical skills necessary for the specification, design implementation and testing of electronic and communications systems;
LO7. Recognize the commercial and economic context, social and business factors that influence the choice of solution to engineering problems;
LO8. Recognize the management and operational practices, including risk assessment, social and environmental impacts, and professional, ethical and legislative issues;
LO9. Apply the sequence of design processes which make up the product life cycle.

Cognitive/intellectual skills
The preliminary modules have been designed to provide students with the fundamental tools and techniques, which will prepare them in later stages of the course. On completing the course, students should be able to: CT4001: CE (LO1 to LO6)
CT4002: ES (LO1 to LO6)
CT4003: EP (LO1 to LO6)
CT5001: S&S (LO1 to LO6)
CT5002: MCS (LO1 to LO6)
CT5003: M&ES (LO1, LO3 to LO6)
CT5051: AES (LO1 to LO6)
FC5W51: WRL (LO1 to LO6)
FC6P01: Project (LO1 to LO6)
CT6001: M & OFC (LO1 to LO6)
CT6003: DSP&C (LO1, LO3 to LO6)
CT6053: DSA (LO1, LO3 to LO6)

Optional Modules also cover a combination of the Learning Outcomes: e.g. CS6051: MM
LO1. Define real-world problems and express them in engineering terms;
LO2. Select and apply appropriate scientific, mathematical and technical methods to model, analyse and solve problems;
LO3. Apply the concepts and principles of electronic and communications science to the solution of engineering systems in a number of commonly encountered engineering contexts;
LO4. Evaluate electronic components, products, processes and systems; expose the strengths and weaknesses and critically assess results to select the most appropriate design solution, recognising that inadequate or invalid results may require further design iterations;
LO5. Present results verbally and in writing in a way that is understood in the wider community;
LO6. Consider the problem and the proposed solution in the relevant social, environmental, ethical and legislative context including health, safety and risks issues;

Transferable skills
On completing the course, students should be able to: MA4010 : C&LA (LO1, LO7)
CT4001: CE (LO1 to LO7)
CT4002: ES (LO1 to LO7)
CT4003: EP (LO1 to LO7)
CT5001: S&S (LO1 to LO7)
CT5002: MCS (LO1 to LO7)
CT5003: M&ES (LO1 to LO7)
CT5051: AES (LO1 to LO7)
FC5W51: WRL (LO1 to LO7)
FC6P01: Project (LO1 to LO7)
CT6001: M & OFC (LO1 to LO7)
CT6003: DSP&C (LO1 to LO7)
CT6053: DSA (LO1 to LO7)

Optional Modules also cover a combination of the Learning Outcomes: e.g. CS6051: MM

LO1. Use ICT for data manipulation and presentation;
LO2. Work with and relate effectively as a member of a team;
LO3. Managing time and prioritising workload;
LO4. Identify and acquire the information needed to achieve an objective and make appropriate use of relevant numerical and statistical information;
LO5. Identify problems and create solutions using appropriate professional simulation and design tools;
LO6. Recognise the need for continuous personal development and plan to achieve this showing confidence and self-awareness, reflect on own learning, and be self-reliant and constructively self-critical;
LO7. Communicate to various audiences using appropriate presentation methods and styles.

Subject-specific practical, research and independently learning skills: On completing the course, students should be able to:

MA4010 : C&LA (LO1, LO7)
CT4001: CE (LO1 to LO7)
CT4002: ES (LO1 to LO7)
CT4003: EP (LO1 to LO7)
CT5001: S&S (LO1 to LO6)
CT5002: MCS (LO1 to LO6)
CT5003: M&ES (LO1 to LO6)
CT5051: AES (LO1 to LO6)
FC5W51: WRL
FC6P01: Project (LO1 to LO7)
CT6001: M & OFC (LO1 to LO6)
CT6003: DSP&C (LO1 to LO6)
CT6053: DSA (LO1 to LO6)

Optional Modules also cover a combination of the Learning Outcomes: e.g. CS6051: MM

LO1. Use project planning methods to identify required resources and timescales (work to deadlines) and accept accountability for learning decisions;
LO2. Use current and new information to produce a practical implementation of a design solution;
LO3. Select and use appropriate hardware and software to test systems and components;
LO4. Interpret experimental results, taking account of errors and accuracy constraints and recognising the limitations imposed by incomplete or imperfect information;
LO5. Use appropriate laboratory and workshop equipment to execute safely a series of applied experiments and to generate transferable data;
LO6. Apply and use various project management techniques;
LO7. Identify personal strengths and weaknesses in the context of a professional career.

Engineering

A range of assessment methods is employed throughout the course. The method of assessment for each module in each level is clearly described in the individual ‘Module Guide’ which is made available to the students at the start of the semester. Every module (core as well as options) have a dedicated Web site providing students with comprehensive learning/teaching material including Workshops exercises. Module leaders use this site regularly to communicate with their students including providing general feedback, guidelines on how to write technical report/ effective presentations and keeping logbooks. Modules employ a combination of the following forms of assessments:

• Case study reports and presentations
• Laboratory workbooks
• Laboratory logbooks
• Unseen examinations
• Part seen examinations
• Individual vivas

Students have the opportunity to apply for a one year work-experience at the end of level 5. The university provides full support in securing relevant employers.

"IET accreditation and the BEng (Hons) degree is awarded according to the following additional course regulations. Failing to achieve this will result in a lesser award, such as the BSc (Hons) degree, according to the normal regulations. Although the student will be enrolled on the BEng, the final award will be determined at the end of the course."

Course specific regulations for all accredited programmes:

1. The proportion of failed modules deemed to be completed will be less than or equal to 20 credits in each year; and

2. The minimum acceptable progression marks will be greater than or equal to 30 %; and

3. Degree classifications will include all modules in the final 2 years (total of 240 credits at levels 5 and 6) using the standard university weightings; and

4. Re-assessment and re-takes will be capped at 40% for UG and 50% for PG;

Direct entry and exit qualification

Direct entry students will ONLY be accepted to the final year if and only if their prior learning has been from an accredited institute by the IET. Direct entry applicants who do not meet this requirement will only be accepted to the second year of the course provided there is strong evidence that the first year (Level 4) modules/program have been fully covered and passed in their previous studies. All direct entry students are required to attend an interview with the course leader and deputy prior to being made an offer.

If attendance falls below 75% on a module, reassessment opportunities will not be available and instead the module will have to be retaken the following year with attendance and payment of fees. Mitigating circumstances cannot be claimed for missed classes; however Module Leaders will take account of absences that are a consequence of recorded disability or otherwise recorded as 'Authorised Absence' when applying the 75% threshold.

Completing all modules at level 4 & 5 and 6 and meeting the ‘Course Specific Regs’ – BEng (Hons)

Completion of all modules at level 4 - Cert HE,

Completion of all modules at level 5 - Dip HE

Completing all modules at level 4 & 5 and 6 BUT Failing to meet the ‘Course Specific Regs’, BSc (Hons)

The course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). You’ll be able to apply for student membership while undertaking your degree. Your fees will be covered by the University and you’ll have access to resources such as a digital library, jobs boards and networking events.

The recent advances in technology mean that electronic and communications engineers are in high demand right now. This course will help you develop the necessary skills to work in data, fibre optic, mobile and satellite communications as part of multinational companies.

You’ll learn to design, develop, install and maintain electronic and communications systems – skills that will be vital when pursuing a career as a hardware designer or tester, or a process engineer or developer. You could also work as a telecommunications architect, a consultant or a team manager.

This programme is also excellent preparation for further research or study.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades CCD in three A levels, one of which must be from a relevant subject (or a minimum of 88 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma/Diploma; or Advanced Diploma; or Progression Diploma; or Access to HE Diploma of 60 credits).
• English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)

If you do not have traditional qualifications or cannot meet the entry requirements for this undergraduate degree, you may still be able to gain entry by completing the Computer Network Engineering Extended Degree.

Applicants with relevant professional qualifications or extensive professional experience will also be considered on a case by case basis.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.