Module overview
This module will provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to:
- Plan, cost and manage an engineering project in the presence of risk and uncertainty
- Understand the role of stochastic & statistical modelling approaches in quantifying uncertainty and its impact
- Commercialise their ideas and plan for and manage the continuity of their business
- Act ethically and inclusively throughout their careers
- Understand the aspects of law, intellectual property rights and export control relevant to an engineering career
A combination of lectures including real-world case studies will be used to provide students with experience of these topics and illustrate their importance in modern engineering.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Full CEng Programme Level Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Design solutions for complex problems that evidence some originality and meet a combination of societal, user, business and customer needs as appropriate. This will involve consideration of applicable health & safety, diversity, inclusion, cultural, societal, environmental and commercial matters, codes of practice and industry standards. (assessed via coursework & exam)
- Evaluate the environmental and societal impact of solutions to complex problems (to include the entire life-cycle of a product or process) and minimise adverse impacts. (assessed via coursework & exam)
- Plan and record self-learning and development as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD. (assessed via coursework)
- Formulate and analyse complex problems to reach substantiated conclusions. This will involve evaluating available data using first principles of mathematics, statistics, natural science and engineering principles, and using engineering judgment to work with information that may be uncertain or incomplete, discussing the limitations of the techniques employed. (assessed via coursework & exam)
- Apply knowledge of engineering management principles, commercial context, project and change management, and relevant legal matters including intellectual property rights. (assessed via exam)
- Discuss the role of quality management systems and continuous improvement in the context of complex problems. (assessed via coursework & exam)
- Identify and analyse ethical concerns and make reasoned ethical choices informed by professional codes of conduct. (assessed via exam)
- Apply a comprehensive knowledge of mathematics, statistics, natural science and engineering principles to the solution of complex problems. Much of the knowledge will be at the forefront of the particular subject of study and informed by a critical awareness of new developments and the wider context of engineering. (assessed via coursework & exam)
- Adopt an inclusive approach to engineering practice and recognise the responsibilities, benefits and importance of supporting equality, diversity and inclusion. (assessed via exam)
- Select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques to model complex problems, discussing the limitations of the techniques employed. (assessed via coursework & exam)
- Adopt a holistic and proportionate approach to the mitigation of security risks. (assessed via exam)
- Use a risk management process to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks (the effects of uncertainty) associated with a particular project or activity. (assessed via coursework & exam)
Syllabus
A summary of the syllabus content for this module is as follows:
Project Management:
- Understanding stakeholder
- Costing
- The product/Work breakdown structure
- Task scheduling & resource planning (inc. the supply chain)
- Project risk modelling & management
- Crashing
- Aerospace management case studies
Management Analysis Tools:
- Definitions – success, risk, failure, hazard etc.
- Network analysis (including interfaces)
- Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), -- Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD)
- Modelling risk & uncertainty
- Statistical modelling & elicitation
- Design for safety & uncertainty (inc. testing)
Business & Entrepreneurship:
- Commercialisation
- Business continuity planning
- Guest lecture
Law:
- English legal system
- Contract law
- Tort law
- Employment law
- Intellectual property law & export control
- Business organisations & White collar crime
- Aerospace legal case studies
Engineering Ethics & Inclusivity:
- Diversity & inclusion
- Ethical practice including case studies
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
The module features a series of lectures covering the above syllabus in addition to real-world case studies and guest lectures. Background reading, pre-recorded material and self-study complement the face-to-face elements of the module.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 36 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 114 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Module teaching notes.
Engineering ethics in practice: a guide for engineers.
Textbooks
C.B. Chapman. How to Manage Project Opportunity and Risk - Why Uncertainty Management can be a Much Better Approach than Risk Management.
J.K. Pinto. Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage.
Elsayed A. Elsayed. Reliability Engineering.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
The above learning outcomes will be assessed through a combination of coursework and a written examination. Written feedback on the coursework will be provided via e-assignments.Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Coursework | 40% |
| Examination | 60% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External