Admission Criteria

Candidates must be able to satisfy the general admission requirements of the University of the West of Scotland as specified in Chapter 2 of the University Regulatory Framework together with the following programme requirements:

SQA National Qualifications

Grades A, B, B, B @ Higher including Mathematics and Physics

or GCE

Grades B, B, B @ A level, including Mathematics and Physics.

or SQA National Qualifications/Edexcel Foundation

HNC in Chemical Engineering or closely related subject with "B" in the graded unit provides entry to the BEng stream at Level 8. Transfer to the MEng programme is subject to performance at the end of the academic session.
HND in Chemical Engineering or closely related subject with "A" in the graded unit provides entry to the BEng stream at Level 9. Transfer to the MEng programme is subject to performance at the end of the academic session.

Other Required Qualifications/Experience

Applicants may also be considered with other academic, vocational or professional qualifications deemed to be equivalent.

Further desirable skills pre-application

General Overview

The MEng in Chemical Engineering is a unique UK integrated masters taught programme that draws upon the industrial experience and research strengths of the University of The West of Scotland in Chemical Engineering and other engineering disciplines. It offers an advanced qualification for engineering students wishing to progress their career and develop an in-depth and practical understanding of Chemical Engineering in the chemical process industries such as food, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy, electronics, cosmetics, fine chemicals, etc. The content of the programme is both timely and is desired by industry both locally and globally.

The MEng is intended to be completed in a minimum of 5 years period synchronised with the main undergraduate intake in September.

Student learning is through an arrangement of lectures, tutorials, case studies, laboratory work, research and independent learning. The units are continuously assessed (reports, projects, oral presentations, seminars), examined by a written exam, or a combination of these assessment methods.

The programme is designed to provide a sound fundamental knowledge of engineering and related enabling sciences, and the practical skills to operate successfully in the chemical industry in areas such as the pharmaceutical industry, energy industry, environmental sector, food industry, electronic industry, nuclear industry, as well as in academic research and teaching. Chemical engineering degrees at the university are recognised by employers as having a strong applied focus which is a good preparation for work in many industries. Professional skills are developed throughout the programme through practical and project work, problem solving activities with the aid of computer technology, group working, together with the analytical, numerical, management and communication skills which are expected of the modern engineer.

The programme combines a strong academic content with the opportunity for direct, hands-on experience in the laboratory and during industrial placement with modern processing equipment and process design and analysis software.

The programme includes an optional industrial placement which allows the development of additional skills and can enhance employability.

Chemical Engineering covers a wide variety of theoretical, conceptual and practical areas, and requires its practitioners to display and exercise a range of knowledge and skills. Delivery of the programme therefore involves a diversity of teaching and assessment methods appropriate to the learning outcomes of the modules and of the overall programme, as indicated below: Lectures are used to present, discuss and evaluate subject matter and content. Tutorial work is closely integrated with the lecture material, and generally requires students to solve problems or otherwise to develop understanding of the materials presented. Investigations and case studies require students to gather, organise and evaluate numerical or non-numerical information, either individually or on a group basis (the latter specifically designed to develop team work skills). Most modules involve an element of practical work, to develop laboratory skills, to familiarise students with modern process equipment and experimental techniques and to enhance practical, analytical, investigative, evaluative and presentational skills. Assignments, investigations, laboratory results and other coursework require presentation in a variety of forms, developing skills in oral and written presentation and in the application of various forms of IT.

The syllabus is designed to encourage enquiry and several modules use open ended problems to develop students’ skills.

The level and intensity of the programme is developed throughout the programme in line with SCQF criteria for each level, while the content is closely aligned with QAA subject benchmark statements at all stages. Student autonomy and individual responsibility for learning is encouraged at all levels and PDP is developed throughout the programme.

The programme and programme specification has been reviewed and updated taking cognisance of the University’s Curriculum Framework principles as discussed below.

Student Centred

Reflection on learning is inherent and credit bearing in all years of the programme.

Advanced entry to the programme is available where RPL/CPD/informal learning is evidenced.

Access to student support (programme team, peers and wider University student services) is promoted at induction, through personal tutoring/year/programme leader, group activity in all levels of the programme, SCQF Level appropriate employability and careers sessions and within modules evident in entry level of the programme.

Engagement and progress is monitored by module coordinators, this takes the form of VLE analytics, assessment engagement, on-campus activity engagement and formative and summative assessment engagement. Monthly meetings with year leads and programme leads allows the programme teams to respond appropriately and quickly both from a student and programme learning, teaching and assessment perspective.

Co-creation of curriculum is challenging due to the need to demonstrate that Engineering Council learning outcomes are met by all students. However, within a number of modules students can determine the direction of their learning with boundaries set to ensure the assessment is fit for purpose[1].

Flexible and Hybrid

Hybrid delivery of the programme is demonstrated through the recording of accessible lecture content and on-campus tutorial, laboratory or group work activity. The timetables are produced to ensure on-campus learning time is efficiently maximised.

Simple and Coherent

The programme has multiple exit award points as demonstrated in the programme specification and students are supported/counselled appropriately by the programme leader after examiners’ panels.

Programme teams are aware of the programme learning outcomes through ongoing programme development meetings. The importance of the modular outcomes and assessment approaches on the overall programme outcomes and Engineering Council’s learning outcomes, student feedback and sustainability are core to the discussions at these meetings. Students are made aware of the programme learning outcomes at induction, module introductions and programme development workshops. A capstone module is present at L11- MEng Research Project, although students also participate in the L10 capstone for BEng(Hons) Chemical Engineering - Chemical Engineerring Design Study.

Assessment, wherever possible, follows real-world activities examination is required as part of the accreditation requirements however this follows an open-book approach providing time-bound, individually assessed, unfamiliar problems- assessing content and developing a number of important meta-skills. All modules have inherent tutorial activity with formative assessment providing concurrent feedback allowing implementable feed-forward.

Academic accreditation is the mark of assurance that individual engineering programmes within higher education meet the required overall standards set by the engineering profession and defined by the Engineering Council (EngC). The programme prepares students for a career in engineering and the content is guided and evaluated by the Engineering Councils Standard for Professional Engineering Competence and Commitment.

Meta-skills are embedded in the programme as is required by the Engineering Council and these include digital skills, creativity, critical thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurship and social enterprise.

Students are assessed in a variety of ways and settings including, practical, written, oral, time-bound, group, real-world environment, creative, critical thinking and this broad approach to assessment provides a number of transferrable skills to be developed whilst assessing.

Inclusivity

The programme team have reviewed the content of the AdvanceHE Anti-Racist Curriculum Project[2] and are aware that in this regard ‘curricular reform is a continual process rather than a final destination’. With this in mind further institutional guidance is welcomed to ensure that every effort has been made to ensure the curriculum is and continues to be anti-racist and inclusive for all. 

Sustainability

Wherever possible modules are shared with other engineering programmes to maximise efficiency with specific programme contextualised components of learning, teaching and assessment. All modules have been reviewed to ensure they meet the norms around contact hours.

[1] https://www.uws.ac.uk/media/8142/assessment-handbook-2021-22.pdf

[2] https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/anti-racist-curriculum-project

Graduate Attributes, Employability & Personal Development Planning

UWS’ Graduate Attributes focus on academic, personal and professional skills and throughout the programmes that these skills develop competent and innovative graduates who are universally prepared, work-ready and successful (https://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/your-graduate-attributes/).

Upon completing this programme the students will be equipped with tools that will help them in their journey to be work-ready, successful and universal.

The programme develops critical thinking and analytical skills that enhance the students’ ability to deal with complicated issues and make them problem solvers. It encourages them to become motivated, innovative, autonomous, inquisitive, creative and imaginative.

The programme and the teaching approaches encourage collaborative working, effective communications, resilience and perseverance, and development of research and inquiry skills.

The aim is to produce graduates who are knowledgeable with excellent digital skills fit for the 21st century and aware of the global context in which they operate and the challenges that face humanity in the 21st century in the areas of water, food, energy, environment and well-being, who strive to lead, influence and dare to make transformational changes while being ethically-minded, socially responsible, critically aware of the environmental and social impacts of their decisions and actions, and culturally sensitive.

The chemical and process engineering knowledge is developed throughout the programme using a variety of means including direct contact, projects, research, simulation and other productivity software utilisation wherever possible. This allows the development of graduates who are continuous learners, adaptive, innovative and leaders with the requirements of the 21st century chemical and process industries.

Particularly, but not exclusively, in later years of the programme, critical analytical and inquiry skills are developed and used to solve industry related problems. Many of these are set in and constrained by consideration of engineering, safety, environmental protection, economics, and the over-arching regulatory frameworks for the chemical industry.

Projects and research activities are used to prepare designs and analyse problems where incisive and innovative solutions are required to be effectively presented as part of collaborative groups or as individual autonomous learning activities.

The programme promotes cultural awareness and emotional intelligence with a variety of group exercises developing resilient, ambitious and enterprising leadership qualities whilst ensuring that group members are emotionally and culturally aware and respectful communication and behaviours are the norm.

Commercial awareness is linked to process design activities throughout the programme ensuring that costs associated with any process including capital costs, operating costs and/or decommissioning costs are evaluated and compared to other possible alternatives.

Ethical awareness and social responsibility are developed throughout as integral part of the programme. A total approach that considers impact on human, biota and the environment is followed.

Links to current University and programme research are promoted through the programme with opportunities for students to become involved in aspects of the research from the earliest opportunity either discretely or as part of an assessment.

The existing arragements for PDP (Personal Development Planning) are being phased out as the UWS replace them with a university-wide approach.  The timetabled PDP sessions will be associated with the following core modules for the Chemical Engineering programme:

Level 8:

Term 1: Chemical Engineering Fundamentals

Term 2: Process Modelling and Simulation

Level 9:

Term 1: Chemical Process Principles

Term 2: Process Design, Control and Safety

Level 10:

Term 1 & 2: Chem Eng Design Study

Term 2: Process Dynamics and Control

Level 11:

Term 1 & 2: MEng Chem Eng Research Project

Work Based Learning/Placement Details

The programme includes a thick based approach to Workplace learning which involves an optional year placement between third and fourth year. If a student completes at least 36 weeks of work placed learning the student is eligible for the ‘sandwich award’ title.

The programme offers a 40 credit, Workplace Learning module which must be agreed and documented according to the module descriptor before the module can be undertaken. The module is ENGG00001.

Engagement

In line with the Academic Engagement Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on the relevant learning platform, and complete assessments and submit these on time.

Where a programme has Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body requirements these will be listed here:

Students are expected to attend all timetabled sessions and to engage with all formative and summative assessment elements of all the modules that are included in the programme specification as core modules as well as any optional module when applicable.

Equality and Diversity

The University's Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Procedure can be accessed at the following link: UWS Equality and Diversity Policy

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Knowledge and Understanding

Practice - Applied Knowledge and Understanding

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills

Generic Cognitive Skills - Problem Solving, Analysis, Evaluation

Autonomy, Accountability and Working With Others

Regulations of Assessment

Candidates will be bound by the general assessment regulations of the University as specified in the University Regulatory Framework.

An overview of the assessment details is provided in the Student Handbook and the assessment criteria for each module is provided in the module descriptor which forms part of the module pack issued to students. For further details on assessment please refer to Chapter 3 of the Regulatory Framework.

To qualify for an award of the University, students must complete all the programme requirements and must meet the credit minima detailed in Chapter 1 of the Regulatory Framework.

Combined Studies

There may be instances where a student has been unsuccessful in meeting the award criteria for the named award and for other more generic named awards existing within the School. Provided that they have met the credit requirements in line with the SCQF credit minima (please see Regulation 1.21), they will be eligible for an exit award of CertHE / DipHE or BA / BSc in Combined Studies.

For students studying BA, BAcc, or BD awards the award will be BA Combined Studies.

For students studying BEng or BSc awards, the award will be BSc Combined Studies.