INDIVIDUAL PROJECT - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module is an opportunity for students to undertake, guided, individual research into a subject related to civil engineering.  It is an opportunity to use the skills and knowledge thus far accumulated. Students have independent ownership of their project and demonstrate this through for example; their management of the available resources, including meetings with project supervisor(s) and timely acquisition of relevant information/experimental results. They must prepare and submit a formal, written, report to a specific deadline and subsequently present and defend their work at an oral examination. 

Module provider

Sustainability, Civil & Env Engineering

Module Leader

BRISTOW Abigail (Sust & CEE)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Introductory material on what a project is and how to get started will be presented in Semester 1.  This will include the role of the literature review; how to develop aims and objectives and methodological approaches. 

The Individual project forms the basis for a concentrated study of a topic and may involve: a laboratory investigation; the design of a structure or scheme; a computer-based study such as a finite element study or hydrological predictions; a mathematical analysis; a comprehensive critical literature survey or any combination of these activities. Projects should usually include a critical review of published data and in ALL cases a certain amount of individual research is required that should discussed in relation to the relevant background literature.  

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate: that they learned to undertake a sizable research project and manage it from inception to completion; that they managed to study their topic of choice to a depth that allows an informed academic discussion; and that they are capable of defending their conclusions based on evidence and justifying their steps in arriving at these conclusions. 

Performance against module aims and learning outcomes. 

  Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of: 

• 
  Review a research paper (in Semester 1)  
  

• 
  Poster presentation (in Semester 1)
  


• 
  Project report (in Semester 2) 
  


• 
  Project Viva (in Semester 2)
  

  Formative assessment 

• 
  Feedback on project plan 
  


• 
  Feedback on draft literature review 
  


• 
  Feedback on another draft chapter. 
  

 

 Feedback 

Individual written feedback on all elements of summative assessment. 

Poster session questions and feedback from academics 

Group feedback on common elements of good and bad work. 

Feedback from supervisor throughout the process. 

Module aims

• To enable the student to undertake an in-depth study of a topic which interests him/her and that is relevant to their degree programme and future career.
• To allow scope for students to demonstrate initiative, sound judgement and critical thought
• To encourage students to develop a critical appreciation of a topic and its broader context.
• To give students the opportunity to write a detailed, concise, and professional report, that sets out the aims, objectives, method, results and conclusions of the work undertaken.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

  The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: 

• Deliver key material at the start of the module through captured content and seminars. This is intended to give guidance on project design and organisation 


• Enable students to work with guidance from their supervisor to develop and deliver their individual project. 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENG3135

Other information

Surrey's Curriculum Framework is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

Resourcefulness and resilience:  The nature of the module will utilize and further develop resourcefulness and resilience through development and management of a project in real time.

Employability: Employability will be enhanced through the development and demonstration of professional and transferable skills and the delivery of a project (which may be used as a calling card). All students are required to undertake the relevant health and safety risk assessments and ethical checklists for their projects.  Professionalism is a core aim and outcome. 

The individual projects vary in their nature and content and may therefore contribute to any one of the other pillars.

The project will build on knowledge and skills developed in earlier modules. The precise nature of this will  vary by project.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.