A response the concerns of Curriculum Sub-Committee on the proposals for the taught component of the EngD in Systesm Engineering.
06/26
EngD Systems Engineering: New Programme Proposals
CSC06-P30
26.1 The
Sub-Committee considered proposals from Electronic and Electrical Engineering
for a new full-time programme with effect from October 2006. A tabled paper was
received presenting the responses to some queries posed to the proposer. It was
noted that the programme was being developed in conjunction with four other
collaborating institutions. The Sub-Committee was concerned that two elements
of the proposal, namely the intention for the MSc to be an exit award only
rather than a dual award with the EngD and the submission of a thesis for the
research element rather than publications, were at variance with the general
regulations for the EngD as contained in para 17 of RHDR and the existing EngD
programme in Civil & Building Engineering. These were matters that were the
remit of Research Committee and the Sub-Committee therefore felt that it could
not approve the proposals in their current form until such time as any
agreement had been made to change the general regulations and the existing EngD
programme as appropriate.
The proposal did not include the dual award of MSc and EngD because neither the Department nor the collaborating Universities wanted the provision or think it is appropriate. The Department feels it akin to the award of a BEng degree on completion of the third year of an undergraduate MEng programme; a situation that it expressly forbidden by general regulations. In addition, we do not feel that the dual award complies with EPSRC guidelines for Engineering Doctorates which state that “… This taught component is assessed and forms an integral part of the degree.” This says as far as we are concerned that the taught component of the programme does not represent additional work but is a direct requirement for the award of EngD; additional implies that the EngD could be achieved without having completed the taught component. Similarly, the two awards cannot be taken concurrently since the taught material is a integral part of the EngD programme.
We do not, however, feel that the provision of an MSc as an exit award only is in contravention of the existing Paragraph 17 of the Regulation for Higher Degrees by Research.
Paragraph 17.10 says;
There shall be a Programme Board for the curriculum-based element of
the EngD programme which shall meet for the purposes of awarding the Degree of
Master or the Postgraduate Diploma or the Postgraduate Certificate and which
shall exercise the other powers of a Programme Board described in Regulation
XXI.
This does not differentiate between the award of MSc as an exit route or as a dual award, merely that the award is made.
Paragraph 17.12 says;
Candidates who have accumulated sufficient credit in accordance with
the requirements of Regulation XXI and the appropriate Programme Regulations
shall also be eligible for the award of MSc.
This says that a student is eligible for the award but does not say that the award has to be made.
Paragraph 17.19 says;
… At the end of year 2 the Programme Board shall consider the
progress of candidates on the basis of their performance in the curriculum
based element and the research element of the programme and the candidates
shall either:
be permitted to continue with the EngD programme;
OR
be permitted to proceed with the EngD programme AND be award an
appropriate MSc/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate as defined in
programme regulations; …
This says that students can be allowed to continue with the EngD programme without being awarded an MSc.
The submission of a thesis rather than published papers is more problematic. The Department considers that the requirement to submit a minimum of 3 published (peer reviewed) papers or papers accepted for publication, of which at least one should be in an appropriate engineering journal (implying a rate of publication close to that expected of a research active academic ) runs the risk of producing students who have satisfied all of the requirements of the programme but are unable to graduate because they cannot get their work published. It can be notoriously difficult to get papers published in the Electronic, Electrical and Mechanical disciplines and there is every likelihood that this is where a significant amount of the material is likely to be. In addition, many of the companies associated with the scheme are not likely to be supportive of or amenable to the publication of their research material. There is also the problem of what an appropriate engineering journal would be for Systems Engineering. As a consequence the Department would prefer the requirement that the research should be assessed on the basis of a conventional thesis or a collection of research reports bound in a suitable manner. This will require a change to Paragraph 17 of the Regulation for Higher Degrees by Research.
Paragraph 17.20 currently says;
For the degree of EngD the basis of assessment, following satisfactory
completion of the curriculum based element, shall be a collection of published
papers and a discourse of no more than 20,000 words setting out the aims,
objectives, findings and industrial relevance/impact of the research work
undertaken. The submission shall include a minimum of 3 published (peer
reviewed) papers or papers accepted for publication, of which at least one
should be in an appropriate engineering journal. Where the research programme
is subject to a confidentiality agreement entered into by the participating
company at the outset of the programme, technical reports should be included in
lieu of published papers. Such technical reports shall have been subject to
external assessment.
We would suggest a modification of the form:
For the degree of EngD the basis of assessment, following satisfactory
completion of the curriculum based element, shall be either:
a collection of published papers and a discourse of no more than 20,000
words setting out the aims, objectives, findings and industrial relevance/impact
of the research work undertaken. The submission shall include a minimum of 3
published (peer reviewed) papers or papers accepted for publication, of which
at least one should be in an appropriate engineering journal. Where the
research programme is subject to a confidentiality agreement entered into by
the participating company at the outset of the programme, technical reports
should be included in lieu of published papers.
OR
a collection of technical reports suitably bound in thesis form.
OR
a research thesis.
Papers, technical reports and thesis shall have been subject to
external assessment.
In support of the Department’s position regarding these two points is should be mentioned that at least twelve of the existing EngD centres do not permit a dual award of MSc and EngD and require the submission of a thesis rather than published papers. A brief summary of the known current position is attached.
26.2.1 Until
such time as the new generic MSc in Systems Engineering had been approved, the
title of the MSc proposed as the exit award should be revised so that it was
not the same as the existing but different MSc in Advanced Systems Engineering.
It was believed at the time of the original submission that the MSc award had to be related to an extant MSc programme. If this is not the case then the MSc can be awarded in Systems Engineering.
26.2.2 Clarification
of how the general competences outlined in para 17.22 of RHDR would be met.
The competences outlined are satisfied in the material available in the two taught semesters as detailed in the original proposal and accepted by the EPSRC and in the additional requirement to produce a masters equivalent project and a thesis or collection of research reports.
26.2.3 Clarification
of whether all students would receive their EngD award from Loughborough, or
just those registered here.
The EngD award will be made by the University at which the student is registered as an EngD student, i.e. only those registered here will be awarded a Loughborough degree.
26.2.4 Clarification
in the Programme Regulations that the Semester 1 & 2 modules would be
undertaken in different years, and clarification of the years in which the
specialist modules would be undertaken.
The regulations for the taught component of the proposed EngD say:
Normally the two core training semesters will be undertaken in
successive years so that the research activities can be initiated early in the
EngD programme, but the possibility exists to take both in the same academic
year.
The following text has been added:
Specialist modules can be undertaken at any preferred time during the
first two years subject to local prerequisite requirements.
In addition the programme specification has been revised to reflect this addition.
26.2.5 Clarification
of what each group of students would be doing, where and in which study mode
(eg block v semester).
Each research engineer will be considered on an individual basis in terms of their core and specialist training modules overseen and agreed by the Systems Engineering Doctorate Centre (SEDC) Research and Training Panel.
26.3 It
was commented that it might in the future be sensible to remove from the
regulations for the curriculum element of the EngD any text relating generally
to the EngD which could be found in RHDR para 17. In addition to shortening the
programme regulations this would help to ensure consistency between all EngD
regulations and the general EngD regulations.
The point is noted and modifications will be considered for the final regulations.
Keith Gregory, May 15th 2006
Other UK
Dual Award
The awarding of both an MSc and Engineering Doctorate to
Research Engineers (REs) that successfully complete the Engineering Doctorate
programme has been identified as unique to
In one instance, at the
Published
thesis/project
It has been established that at all of the EngD Centres, it is not necessary for REs to have their project or thesis published or peer reviewed to be eligible to receive an award. All of the Centres advised that REs are strongly encouraged to publish but it was not essential. One Centre expressed that a number of their REs produced commercially sensitive research which they would not be able to publish, at least within an agreed time-frame.
|
EngD Centre |
Dual Award? |
Peer-reviewed / published papers? |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
Cranfield |
No |
No |
|
Heriot-Watt |
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
Diploma in Management after completing Management modules Sciences + EngD |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
No |
No |
|
|
|
|