Overview
This course is aimed specifically at those students who are working as technicians and managers in roles relating to the legislative control of building work and the management of the existing national building stock. It provides students with a sound general understanding of the construction industry in support of their specialist study. Typically, students will come from a variety of employment backgrounds including architects, property development companies, and facilities management organisations.
The content of the course has been designed to meet the recommendations of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT).
This programme of study will help to satisfy the increasing demand for trained technicians in the construction and civil engineering industry.
Entry requirements
Those without traditional qualifications and those with work experience will also be given consideration. In addition candidates that are aged over 21 but without any of the above qualifications would be admitted onto the programme by demonstrating the capacity and attainments needed to complete the course successfully.
Mature candidates with experience of the Construction industry are encouraged to apply for discretionary entry through the process of Accreditation at Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
Course aims
This course aims to provide a programme of study that will meet students’ vocational and academic requirements. In order to advance their professional and academic needs and career pathways, the course will aim to:
a. Enable students to achieve a nationally recognised qualification appropriate to the requirements of employers and to widen participation in Foundation Degree level study
b. Enable students to gain subject skills and knowledge appropriate to their chosen profession
c. Provide students with a range of key transferable skills appropriate to the workplace and for further study
Core skills
At level 4 the emphasis is on the application of knowledge, skills and understanding, the use of conventions in the field of study, the use of analytical skills, and the selection and organisation of information. A supportive learning environment will be provided to encourage the learner to explore and develop their own learning style and develop skills relating to research and methods of presenting work.
At level 5 the emphasis is on application and evaluation of contrasting ideas, principles, theories and practices; greater specialism in the field by study; and an increasing independence in systematic enquiry and analysis. You will develop your study skills by taking more responsibility for your own learning through personal reading and research.
Upon successful completion of Level Four it is intended that students will have achieved the following:
Knowledge and understanding: They will have gained a solid grounding in the well-established principles and practices of building construction methods and in the processes used in the interpretation and application of legislation.
Cognitive skills: They will have developed their cognitive skills to enable them to process technical information, to be able to relate this to a broader context and will have begun to understand the relationships between the individual modules.
Subject specific skills: They will have developed skills in construction technology, land surveying, building legislation, ICT & CAD, materials testing, and be able to apply these in a work context.
Transferable skills: Including the Graduate Head Start Skills, and supported by the Personal Development module, they will have developed the ability to assess their own personal and professional learning needs, be able to exploit a wide range of information sources, have improved their communication skills and have a level of IT ability sufficient to carry out and present their work. The students will have begun to more effectively and habitually recognise and utilise opportunities for lifelong learning.
Upon successful completion of Level Five the students will have achieved the following:
Knowledge and understanding: They will have developed the subject matter in level one and deepened their knowledge and understanding of building construction and control methods in the context of specific, specialist construction situations.
Cognitive skills: They will have developed their ability to evaluate alternative theories and techniques both in the broad context of construction issues and in relation to specific, specialist construction situations.
Subject specific skills: They will have developed their skills in support of the level two subject content and built on those developed at level one. These will focus on the established knowledge, skills and techniques needed to successfully manage the building process and the assessment of existing property construction and condition.
Transferable skills: Including the Graduate Head Start Skills and they will have developed their ability to identify, analyse and solve a wide variety of theoretical and practical problems, to plan and execute a research programme, critically use a wide variety of paper-based and electronic information sources, evaluate alternative routes to the solution of their needs and to be able to communicate their understanding clearly in a variety of ways in both academic and work contexts.
Timetabling
The Foundation Degree (FdSc) is for three years and is attended on a day-release basis. Each academic year is split into two semesters, with semester one running from September to January and Semester two running from January to May. As a general rule, the specialist modules run for one semester each, whilst the work-based modules tend to cover two semesters and run throughout a full academic year.
A typical timetable will generally consist of a mixture of specialist and work-based modules and will usually contain four different modules plus tutorials at any one time. On attendance days, the timetable usually runs from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Students should expect to spend, on average, between ten and fifteen hours a week studying in addition to the timetabled hours.
Module framework
Students undertake Level Four modules in the first year, Level Five modules in the third year and a mixture of both in the second year.
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Level Four
Construction Technology A
Design Technology & Principles
Professional Practices A
IT for Construction Professionals
Surveying Practices
Sustainable Practices
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Level Five
Materials & Structures
Construction Technology B
Building Services
Conversion & Adaptation of Buildings
Contractual & Procurement Procedures
Professional Practices B
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Teaching, learning and assessment:
The course team will employ a balanced range of teaching strategies in delivering the programme. This will include practical assignments, tutorials, student presentations, discussion groups and lectures.
Subjects and modules are assessed in a number of ways including, coursework assignments, time controlled assignments, phase tests, group projects, simulations, practical tests and end tests. The method of assessment will depend on the module and should follow the assessment schedule in the Course Handbook.
The assessments are graded against a set of general grading criterion. These are general statements and will be applied in context to fit each assessment. These statements are clear descriptions of what needs to be demonstrated in the submission of an assessment in order to attain the grades.
Work experience
Most students will already be in employment within an area of the construction industry. All students must complete at least 80 hours of work placements each year in order to satisfy the requirements of the course.
Tutorial and study support
Tutorial sessions will form part of the course programme. The tutorial sessions will give the student an opportunity to discuss any issues regarding the course and the student’s performance. Each student will get the opportunity to have a personal tutorial session with the tutor at least once every semester. Graduate Head Start skills will also be monitored during this time.
Tutorials will be important in ensuring that all students attain their full potential. The strengths and weaknesses of individuals will be discussed and the student and tutor will agree on the action needed to overcome particular problems.
Opportunities on completion of the course
The provision in Architectural Technology is broad based and targeted to meet the needs of employers and their employees. This qualification will allow you to undertake work at the level of an associate professional and work in support of professionally qualified persons.
The structure of the Foundation Degree is designed to enable access to an Honours degree programme by providing a route into the second or third year of a related degree course such as Construction Management or Architectural Studies.
Students may progress onto related Honours degree-level programme at UCS such as the BSc (Hons) Construction Management (Progression Route).