Course description
We offer modules in the following areas:
-Building Surveying
-Community Renewal
-Community Safety and Crime Prevention
-Construction Management
-Countryside Conservation and Management
-Facilities Management
-Housing
-Project Management
-Real Estate
-Tourism and Sustainability
-Town and Country Planning
-Transport Planning
-Urban Design
-Urban and Rural Regeneration
You can choose modules from across the full range of these areas, giving a more holistic understanding of issues relating to the environment, or concentrate on as few as two areas which may meet topical or personal agendas, or else from a large number of programmes.
The only restriction on your choice is that you must include the 'Research for Policy and Practice' module if you wish to be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma, and you must include 'Research for Policy and Practice' and write a dissertation for the MA. The timetable may prevent you from studying particular modules at the same time, but many modules are available by distance or open learning, which can add to the flexibility of the course.
The freedom of being able to choose modules from across the postgraduate scheme in the Faculty means that you may find that there are no other students doing exactly the same course as you. This course may therefore appeal to students who are happy to be more independent than those on courses where there are a group of students following the same route.
For students combining two areas of study, the following named awards are available:
Real Estate and European Planning
Transport and Urban Design (see separate course description)
Assessment
Assessment largely depends on the modules which the student chooses to study, but the emphasis is generally on coursework, with a wide range of methods used, involving both individual and team work.
Modules are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain up to date and relevant, so some of them may change before the course starts or whilst you are on it, but the overall aims and broad content of the course will remain the same.
Teaching and learning
Teaching methods are varied depending on the module; lectures, project work and tutorials all have a part. Assessment is achieved through a balance of coursework and examinations. Examinations are held in either January or May/June. Coursework will be a variety of essays, reports, surveys, design projects, teamwork or progress tests.
You are encouraged to do 'formative work' to prepare for assessments: this does not count towards your marks but the feedback which you receive will help you to improve your performance. Support is available for students who have difficulties with numeracy, IT, literacy and study skills.
The teaching staff provide a friendly, enabling environment for learning. They are also actively engaged in research or professional practice, ensuring that you learn directly from the latest academic and business developments. The modules are underpinned by the research and consultancy carried out in the Faculty's research centres.
The Graduate School
The Faculty's Graduate School was established in 2005. Its main purpose is to foster an active graduate community, encompassing students on postgraduate taught courses and students undertaking research degrees. There are currently around 700 postgraduate students (400 attending and 300 distance learning) on taught courses, and about 40 postgraduate research students. The Graduate School has dedicated space in the Faculty's building on the main campus, with teaching accommodation, a kitchen and informal areas. The work of the Graduate School is based on the Faculty's extensive research programmes, and on the innovativeness and high quality of its teaching. Student advisers for all postgraduate courses are located in the Graduate School Office, and they are your first point of contact if you have any problems or need information. The Student Handbook is also an essential source of information.
You may also use the well equipped laboratories for concrete and environmental services, environmental physics, earth sciences, spatial analysis (including mapping and Geographical Information Systems) and surveying technology, each with specialist technicians supporting both teaching and research. An audio-visual group provides support for photography, digital imaging, filming and sound recording.
The Faculty has invested in online and offline computer-based resources to support modules, and especially those offered by distance learning. You also have access to a vast number of journals and databases online through the Bristol UWE library. The library and some computer labs on campus are open 24 hours, and the Faculty's suite of computer rooms supports software for word processing, data analysis, spatial analysis, computer aided design and other specialist software required by our students.
