Description

Contents

Year one

In your first year you will study:

* Technology Context
* Electronic Design
* Engineering Analysis 1
* Engineering Analysis 2
* Principles of Digital Systems
* Introduction to Analogue Circuits
* Introduction to Computing
* Introduction to Data Communications
* Communications Engineering Principles

Year two

In your second year you will study:

* Professional Practice and Career Management
* Engineering Analysis 3
* Introduction to Feedback Control Systems
* Microcontrollers and Programmable Logic
* Analogue Analysis and Design
* Analogue and Digital Communications
* Group Design Project
* Engineering Analysis 4
* Control System Analysis

Sandwich year (optional year in industry)

It has become increasingly evident in recent years that industry places more and more emphasis on its employees planning their own career progression. This, in turn, means planning their own appropriate training. A sandwich placement provides such initial training and the advantages in terms of interview competitiveness and starting salary make it well worthwhile.

If you wish to enhance your CV, gain your industrial experience abroad and acquire some new and/or improved language skills, you might like to consider the Erasmus exchange programme as an option. The Erasmus programme enables all (UK, EU and international) students to study or work in over 30 participating countries. It also provides a grant for the period abroad to assist with any extra costs incurred. For more information, please visit the Study Abroad pages of the University of Portsmouth website.

Our regulations state that you must spend at least 36 weeks on industrial placement in order to satisfy the requirements of the sandwich degree. However, the companty may wish to keep you for a full year or longer. It is also quite usual for them also to specify and support your final-year project.

The School has an Industrial Liaison Officer who will help place you for your sandwich year and your personal tutor will visit you at least once to monitor your progress.

Year three

There are two pathways to choose from:

Electronics pathway
Core units
* Advanced Analogue Electronic Systems
* VHDL and Design for Testability
* Digital Signal Processing
* Management and the Technology Professional
* Design of Electronic Systems
* Advanced Processors
* Electronics Manufacturing
* Group Project

Option units
* Classical Control Systems Design
* Real Time Embedded Systems
* Digital Broadcasting

Control pathway
Core units
* Classical Control Systems Design
* Discrete and Modern Control Systems Design
* Digital Signal Processing
* Management and the Technology Professional
* Design of Electronic Systems
* Advanced Processors
* Electronic Manufacturing
* Group Project

Option units
* Real Time Embedded Systems
* Advanced Analogue Electronic Systems
* VHDL and Design for Testability

Final year

There are two pathways to choose from:

Electronics pathway
* Artificial Intelligence
* Directed Study Topic
* Analytical Management Techniques
* MEng Individual Project
* Advanced DSP Techniques
* Data Communications and Networking

Control pathway
* Artificial Intelligence
* Directed Study Topic
* Analytical Management Techniques
* MEng Individual Project
* Advanced DSP Techniques
* Data Communications and Networking

Teaching and assessment

You will be taught using a mixture of lectures, subject tutorials, laboratory sessions and project work. You will have about 12 hours of lectures and subject tutorials a week. In addition, there are about six hours of laboratory and computer-based work, usually in groups of about 16 students. A brief description of each teaching activity is given below:

Lectures
Lectures form one means by which course material is introduced and explained to on-campus students. They are also important in that they set the pace of a unit and ensure that you know what you should be studying at any given time. Because extensive note taking during lectures distracts students from what is being said, we also provide handouts, study packs and web-based support.

Subject tutorials
In addition to the lecture periods, students in large classes may be sub-divided into groups to enable a rostered programme of subject tutorials to take place. These provide the opportunity to consolidate material in a less formal way than is possible in lectures. As well as dealing with individual and small group problems, tutorials will often include working through previously distributed question sheets.

Laboratory work
Laboratory work is of great importance in the formation of professional engineers and technologists. Experimental laboratory work in electronic subjects has a strong element of project-based learning. This puts the work in a practical design context from the outset and encourages you to use instruments and read data sheets with clear goals in mind, plus awork in teams to build your understanding of electronic design. In other subjects, laboratory work follows a more prescribed pattern and you will be expected to take more responsibility for your work as the courses progress.

Computing and networking units have significant time scheduled in the appropriate computer suite. Practical computing work often consists of group assignments with a strong design emphasis. You are strongly encouraged to do as much preparatory analysis and design on paper before laboratory sessions, in order to make the best use of the resources. Units which make extensive use of computer aided design techniques also have significant amounts of computer time scheduled for assignment work.

Individual project
The project is rated at 40 credits and takes up the entire final year. You will use all the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired during the course to tackle and solve practical engineering problems in realistic situations, and with real time and cost constraints. You are expected to manage your time professionally and maintain a log of your activities.

A formal presentation is required about two thirds of the way through the project and a formal report is submitted at the end. In addition projects are exhibited at the School Open Day.

Assessment
You will be assessed by a mixture of coursework and exams. Coursework is spread over a teaching period, with exams usually occurring at the end of each period. During group projects you are judged both on your technical and organisational achievement. In the final year you will undertake an individual project that will contribute significantly to your final degree classification.

Requirements

300-340 points to include 200 points from a minimum of 3 A levels, or equivalent, including Mathematics plus Science or Technology subjects.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5, or equivalent.

English Language Requirements