Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton

Knowledge and understanding
Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the tasks and responsibilities involved in managing and contributing to a large engineering project. Depending on the topic of your project and your role in the team, you will also have the opportunity to learn more on specific technical topics.

Cognitive (thinking) skills
Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to:
Define the technical specifications of an engineering system and the associated targets in terms of costs and time scales
Explore and develop different designs to achieve the objectives
Apply scientific knowledge to model an acoustical problem.
Assess the relative merit of different designs against a variety of criteria (e.g. technical quality, costs, complexity, risks, environmental impact, etc).
Choose a solution to a complex engineering problem guided by sometimes competing objectives.

Practical, subject specific skills
Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to: Implement a design to a stage where it can be commissioned and used (e.g. by providing drawings, programs, etc). Commission and control the delivery and assembly of an equipment. Test and validate an engineering system.

Key transferable skills
Synthesise and critically review technical information from different sources and on different topics. Work and communicate efficiently in a team. Provide clear and informative reports and presentations. Define, plan and monitor the conduct of a group project. Identify and acquire the additional skills and knowledge required to complete a new task/project.

The specific aim of this module is to train you to design an original solution to a realistic problem in acoustical engineering. The focus is also on defining, managing and implementing an open-ended group project.

To improve team working and communication skill
To consolidate project management skills seen in other taught module
To develop the ability to work on open-ended group project in a context similar to what you cou experience in industry.
To develop the skills and experience for designing a solution to a complex engineering problem.

• Engineering design
• Project management
• Acoustical engineering (including acoustics, vibrations, signal processing, human factors...)

The main element will be regular meetings (preferably weekly) between the project supervisors and the students. Initially, these meetings will be used to define the details of the projects and then to review the progress of the group. An initial meeting with the students and the project coordinator will help clarify the objectives and methods of assessment of the projects.

Depending on the project and her/his role in the team, each student could be involved in a wide range of learning activities. The following elements will be common:

Self-directed study: given the size of the projects, you will be responsible for several sub-tasks. This could include consulting relevant textbooks and researching papers, consulting members of academic staff for technical support, writing computer programs, and liaising with technicians, external companies or ‘clients’.

Group-led work: you will have to synthesise and report your work to the other group members to contribute to the discussions and decision making within the group. Team work will also include organising the project, distributing the tasks between the students and coordinating these tasks.

Reporting: During the regular meetings with the supervisors the students will present their current work. At the end of the first semester a presentation describing the project plan and progress of the group will be delivered by each group to the supervisors, project coordinator and external examiner. At the end of the year each group will deliver a report and a final presentation.

Core text

Relevant textbooks will be selected by the students and suggested by the supervisors., ,