FdSc Civil Engineering and Construction Management

Program Overview

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This is a practical, industry-led course, which is suitable for anyone already working in the construction industry, as well as for new students.

This qualification is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) comprising the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers,  the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Permanent Way Institution on behalf of the Engineering Council as fully satisfying the educational base for an Engineering Technician (EngTech).

See

www.jbm.org.uk

for further information.

You'll have the opportunity to follow one of two routes, depending on what direction you want your career to take - civil engineering or construction management.

Once you've completed the course successfully, you'll be able to progress onto the final year of one of our honours degrees to obtain a BSc degree if you wish. These degrees are in either civil engineering or construction management.

If you're already in employment, you'll spend four days a week in industry, while full-time students will undertake a compulsory work placement of up to four days a week in their final year. Whatever path you take, you'll gain the knowledge and skills to become a first-class construction manager or civil engineer.

Although we cannot guarantee a placement we will support you in providing opportunities to secure one.  If you do not secure a placement you will still be allowed to progress directly on to the BSc (Hons) degree course.

Program Outline

This sector of industry needs people with the knowledge, practical skills and personal qualities to make a difference where it counts - on site, working with other professionals.

On this highly practical course, you'll learn about the nature and environment of the construction industry as well as the regulatory framework around health and safety, planning, procurement and contracts.

You'll also explore the importance of sustainable design and the factors that influence the efficient management of a construction project in terms of time, cost and quality.

Key areas you will study include the planning and financing of projects, required contract law, and of course health and safety knowledge - both for yourself and others. Time planning and logistics, cost control and management, and quality control are vital skills for a construction manager, and they are skills we will help you to gain through problem solving, digital collaborative working as well as traditional team work activities.

In practical terms, you'll learn tools and techniques that will help you succeed in your career, including the use of industry standard software such as AutoCAD and Microsoft Project. We'll also prepare you to achieve the Construction Safety Certification Scheme (CSCS).

We'll help you to secure a competitive work placement during the final year of the course, so you can see how your learning relates to industry practice.

You can study this course on a part-time basis. If you take this option, you'll be studying the same modules over three years instead of two.

We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up to date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.

This is a practical course for a practical profession, so if you're on the full-time course you'll have regular site visits to put the theory you learn into practice. East London is one of the biggest regeneration areas in Western Europe, and you'll have access to prestigious projects such as the Canary Wharf Crossrail Station - right on your doorstep.

You'll be encouraged to take part in group work to mirror real-life working practices and you'll benefit from using our purpose-built labs with industry-standard hardware and software and modern surveying equipment.

Our construction science lab includes an environmental chamber, plus measuring devices, building service equipment installations and monitoring devices. Our dedicated drawing and design office provides networked PCs with specialist software to support Computer Aided Design (CAD).

As well as lab-based, practical work, you'll learn through formal lectures, tutorials and workshops, including talks from leading companies and industrialists. We also provide programme notes and digital resources to support your own independent study.

As one of our students, you'll be offered the chance to take part in a week-long residential 'Constructionarium' project at the National CITB Training Centre in Norfolk, where you'll work alongside contractors and design engineers.

Each year we're visited by around 20 local industry professionals - known as the Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) – who update us on the changing requirements for graduates. They also supervise final-year projects, when they'll be looking out for likely candidates to recruit for jobs.

We'll assess you with a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework includes essays, research reports, group and seminar presentations and a final-year project. Most of the assessment in your first year is by coursework and we'll give you as much feedback as possible so that you can develop and improve your written assessment submissions.

The assessment methods are varied, including coursework, group and individual presentations, time-controlled assessments and exams. The balance between exams and coursework is approximately 30 per cent exams, 10 per cent presentations and 60 per cent coursework.  The work placement is assessed by a combination of the production of a work based portfolio and employer assessment.