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Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

This Postgraduate Diploma offers you the opportunity to progress towards fulfilling the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. The Postgraduate Diploma programme will help you meet professional development needs as specified by the UK Engineering Council (ECUK) and relevant engineering institutions. In particular it will provide evidence of initial and continuing professional development. 

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this diploma are described in four areas:

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this diploma, you will:

  • use your knowledge and understanding, acquired and developed through study and through personal investigations as an individual and as part of a team, of relevant engineering principles, analytical methods, modelling techniques, quantitative methods and appropriate computer software to respond systematically to complex engineering challenges.
  • ​take into account appropriate social, commercial, ethical/legal and management practices in contemporary engineering in your present or future professional work.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

  • integrate your comprehensive knowledge and understanding of underpinning scientific principles, mathematical methods and engineering practice to analyse complex engineering problems and formulate solutions to them.
  • ​create designs where a user’s needs and preferences are transformed into cost-effective, innovatively engineered solutions that are demonstrably fit for purpose in terms of production, operation, maintenance and de-commissioning.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of the diploma, you will be able to:

  • propose reasoned solutions to engineering challenges (even where uncertain conditions exist) using a range of engineering analysis and evaluation skills applied to a working knowledge of particular materials, equipment, processes and products, workshop and laboratory methods, technical literature and other information, taking into account appropriate quality standards, codes of practice, industry standards, and intellectual property and contractual issues.
  • undertake and manage engineering projects responsibly, professionally and ethically, with regard to environmental risk and sustainability, and the framework of relevant legal requirements (covering issues such as personnel, health, safety, etc.)

Key skills

On completion of the diploma, you will be able to:

  • practise a range of transferable skills (including problem solving, communication, working with others – especially team-working – IT skills, information retrieval, planning self-learning and career development, and reflection), at a level appropriate to a senior professional engineer.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

Knowledge and understanding are acquired through studying distance-learning materials, including specially written study materials, study guides, assignments and project guides; through a range of computer-based activities; through web- and text-based resource materials; through personal research; and through tutor feedback on assignments. Online forums provide an environment where you can deepen your understanding through discussion with other students and tutors.

Cognitive skills are developed through a range of activities including self-assessment exercises and computer-based investigations. They are supported by tutor-led discussions and activities online and by tutor feedback on assignments.

Practical and/or professional skills and attributes relate to the vocational relevance of the diploma. All teaching and assessment strategies will help you to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to the workplace, whatever combination of modules you take.

Key skills are taught and developed within the learning materials. They are explicitly assessed throughout the diploma and are supported by tutor feedback on assignments. Key skills also have strong vocational relevance and can transfer directly to the workplace.

Assessment strategy

In all modules, one component of the assessment comprises tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), set at intervals through the module and submitted electronically. All modules have either an end-of-course examination or an end-of-module project. The final, compulsory module project involves assessment of your individual work and of the work of your project team collectively. You will also be required to attend two residential school weekends as part of the compulsory project module.

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