Individual Research Project module (CE40001)

You will perform an in-depth investigation on a topic of your choosing, working closely with an academic supervisor.

This dissertation is a key part of your honours degree and you will be matched to a supervisor who will guide you through the project activities.

As an engineer, you will often need to research a topic. For example, you may need to research a specific issue encountered onsite, or you may be finding information for your continued professional development.

As an engineer, you will need to explain technical material to a range of audiences, using a range of techniques. You will need to define objectives and schedule work. And you will certainly need to undertake risk assessment or a range of activities.

This module will give you the freedom to develop those skills in the context of a project on a topic of particular interest to you.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• learn how to research available information on a specialist topic
• understand how, and why, to carry out a risk assessment of a range of activities
• learn to define aims and objectives, and identify smaller tasks that will contribute to the completion of these
• learn how to plan and schedule these activities

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• present work at various stages of completion, to a range of audiences
• understand how to obtain data, and how to interpret that data to derive a more general meaning from it
• have confidence in your ability to undertake a wide range of roles and activities when you enter the workplace
• complete a significant piece of writing with confidence

Assignments / assessment

• Presentation (10%)
• Dissertation (90%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

Much of the learning is

• self-directed study in conjunction with your dissertation supervisor.
  • common for students to meet their supervisors once a week and set small, manageable goals.
• compulsory lectures on the health and safety aspects.
  • more general guidance is available through a series of guidance videos available online.