Structural Engineering (MSc)

Learning and assessment

How will I be taught?

A wide range of teaching styles will be used to deliver the diverse material forming the curriculum of the programme. You will attend lectures and participate in examples classes. All students must complete 120 credits in Stage 1 in order to progress to the dissertation, for which they are allocated a supervisor from among the teaching staff.  Dissertation topics are normally chosen from a range of project titles proposed by academic staff, usually in areas of current research interest, although you are encouraged to put forward your own project ideas.

How will I be assessed?

Achievement of learning outcomes in the majority of modules is assessed by a combination of coursework assignments, plus University examinations set in January or May. Examinations count for 60%–70% of assessment in Stage 1 of the programme, depending on the options chosen, the remainder being largely project work and pieces of coursework.

Award of an MSc requires successful completion of Stage 2, the Dissertation, with a mark of 50% or higher. Candidates achieving a 70% average may be awarded a Distinction. Candidates achieving a 60% average may be awarded a Merit. Candidates failing to qualify for an MSc may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma for 120 credits in Stage 1. Candidates failing to complete the 120 credits required for Stage 1 may still be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate for the achievement of at least 60 credits.

How will I be supported?

You will be allocated a personal tutor to assist you with both academic progress and pastoral support when required. The personal tutor will see you early on in the programme, and then as required. For the dissertation stage, you will be allocated a supervisor in the relevant research area whom you should expect to meet with regularly.

In addition to the broad range of support services provided centrally by Cardiff University, students with specific needs will be supported as required.

Learning Central, the Cardiff University virtual learning environment (VLE), will be used extensively to communicate with students, support lectures and provide general programme materials such as reading lists and module descriptions. It may also be used to provide self-testing assessment and give feedback. 

Feedback

You will receive written feedback for written coursework assignments and oral feedback for assessed presentations.

What skills will I practise and develop?

As a student on this MSc programme, the skills that you will practise and develop are as follows:

         Knowledge and understanding

• Understand the multi-disciplinary nature of structural engineering and the need for the integration of knowledge from a range of engineering disciplines in the management of structural engineering challenges.
• Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the principles of steel and timber behaviour and their application in design codes.
• Critically compare the engineering and mathematical approach to elasticity.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of several cement-based composites and the use of fracture mechanics in concrete design.
• Understand the causes and techniques for analysing structural motion and relate these to the design of buildings.
• Understand the basis of the finite element finite difference methods and apply the methods to 2D structural problems.
• Demonstrate knowledge which is at the forefront of a range of disciplines selected from structural, geotechnical, environmental and highway engineering and the management of engineering.

         Intellectual skills

• Use knowledge and scientific, evidence-based methods in the assessment and solution of structural engineering challenges, often on the basis of limited and possibly contradictory information.
• Deal with complex structural engineering issues both systematically and creatively.
• Show originality in tackling both familiar and unfamiliar problems.
• Critically review the background to a structural engineering problem and to formulate a programme of works to address the issue.
• Systematically undertake a significant research project in structural engineering which includes originality in the application of knowledge and the exercise of critical engineering judgement.
• Collect, evaluate, synthesise and interpret qualitative and quantitative data in a variety of ways, and identify means to gain new data where needed.
• Conceive, plan, execute, and communicate the results of an extended in-depth piece of individual project work.
• Sustain a critical argument, both in writing and through presentations.

         Practical skills

•  Use appropriate mathematical and experimental methods for the modelling and analysis of structural engineering problems.

        Transferable skills

• Manipulate, present and report data in a variety of ways.
• Manage resources and time.
• Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written, and physical or practical means.