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Department of Chemical and Process

Engineering

Distance Learning and Degree Apprenticeships

Student Handbook

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The contents of this Handbook are, as far as possible, up to date and accurate at the date of publication.

Changes and restrictions are made from time to time and the University reserves the right to add to, amend or withdraw classes, courses and facilities, to restrict student numbers and to make any other alterations as it may deem desirable and necessary. Revisions

A note of any changes made after rev 1 of this document will appear here

Rev2: Addition of University policy on extensions

Chemical Engineering

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Welcome – please read this first

Dear Student,

Welcome to the course if you are a new student and to the start of a new term if you are continuing! I hope you enjoy the course and benefit personally and professionally from the experience.

The origins of the University of Strathclyde began with the legacy of Glasgow born Professor John Anderson in 1796, who left the majority of his estate with the intention of creating a second University in Glasgow. His stated intention to establish an institution which was "for the good of mankind and the improvement of science, a place of useful learning", continues to be reflected in the industrial and technological focus of the University of Strathclyde today. Known first as Andersons college, before becoming the Royal Technical college in 1912, and finally being formally recognised as the University of Strathclyde in 1964, the university is considered to be the UK’s first technological University.

The Bachelor of Engineering (BEng honours) in Chemical Engineering by distance learning was created at the request of local industry in 1992 and was followed by the MSc Process Technology and Management in 1997. The original courses were correspondence based distance learning with students having to come into the campus for tutorial support, restricting our reach to within the UK. Since then the course has been developed into a fully online, and truly international distance learning course and we have had numerous graduates both locally in Scotland, the UK and throughout the world. More recently we have been at the forefront of the new industry based Degree level chemical engineering apprenticeships in the UK.

As I gained both my Undergraduate and Master’s degree via distance learning while working full time in industry, I understand the challenges that you will face as a student trying to juggle your time between work, personal and study. I also recognise the challenges of returning to academic study after some time away and the adjustment that this takes. However, having completed my own BSc, MEng and PhD at distance and while working full time, I also know how rewarding this experience can be, both in terms of personal satisfaction and career advancement.

This handbook is designed to outline key information relevant to the distance learning courses and it is very important that you read the whole document before you start your study, and if you have additional questions you can ask these on the course site forum. The handbook is designed to be read through consecutively from start to finish when you join the course or start a new year, and from then can be used as a reference document using the index or search. I cannot state how important it is to read this handbook at least once from cover to cover. There may be rules that you do not expect and it would be extremely upsetting for any student to do the study then fail a class or the degree because they were not aware of a rule. The main reason for this handbook is to make you aware of these rules in advance, so that this does not happen.

I hope you enjoy and benefit from the year ahead.

Yours Sincerely,

Kenneth Moffat PhD, CEng MIET, FHEA, MEng, BSc, Dip IT, PMP Course Director

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Contents Welcome – please read this first ............................................................................................................ 3

Contents .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Degree Accreditation .............................................................................................................................. 6

Getting started and key contacts ............................................................................................................ 7

Important contacts / Who to contact first .......................................................................................... 7

Technical requirements ...................................................................................................................... 8

Registration and finance ..................................................................................................................... 9

Getting started on Myplace and Pegasus ......................................................................................... 10

Assessment ........................................................................................................................................... 11

Assignment submission ..................................................................................................................... 11

Plagiarism .......................................................................................................................................... 12

A guide to referencing ...................................................................................................................... 12

Exam procedures .............................................................................................................................. 13

Receiving results ............................................................................................................................... 14

Curriculum and progression .................................................................................................................. 15

*Curriculum notes ............................................................................................................................. 15

3 year BEng honours Chemical Engineering curriculum ................................................................... 15

4 year BEng honours Chemical Engineering curriculum ................................................................... 16

MEng curriculum ............................................................................................................................... 17

Degree Apprenticeship Programme curriculum ............................................................................... 18

MSc Process Technology and Management curriculum ................................................................... 19

MSc Chemical Technology and Management curriculum ................................................................ 20

Progression and regulations ............................................................................................................. 22

Help with issues affecting your academic performance ....................................................................... 25

Voluntary Suspension ....................................................................................................................... 25

Absence and Personal Circumstances .............................................................................................. 25

Personal Circumstances form ........................................................................................................... 26

Feedback, appeals and complaints ....................................................................................................... 27

Feedback ........................................................................................................................................... 27

Academic Appeals ............................................................................................................................. 27

Complaints ........................................................................................................................................ 27

Graduation and next steps .................................................................................................................... 28

Award classifications ......................................................................................................................... 28

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Graduation ........................................................................................................................................ 29

What next after the BEng? ................................................................................................................ 29

What next after the MSc/MEng? ...................................................................................................... 29

Professional Registration .................................................................................................................. 29

Other ..................................................................................................................................................... 30

Refund policy .................................................................................................................................... 30

Campus maps and orientation .......................................................................................................... 31

Policy and Procedure on Extensions to Coursework Submission ......................................................... 32

Policy and Procedure on Late Submission of Coursework .................................................................... 32

Extensions ............................................................................................................................................. 33

Extension of less than seven calendar days ...................................................................................... 34

Extension of longer than seven days ................................................................................................ 34

Grounds for Extending the Deadline for Coursework Submission ....................................................... 34

Examples of Medical Circumstances ................................................................................................. 34

Examples of Personal Circumstances ................................................................................................ 34

Examples of Insufficient Grounds for an Extension .......................................................................... 36

Myplace Extension Request Process ..................................................................................................... 36

Support ................................................................................................................................................. 37

Penalties for the Late Submission of Coursework ................................................................................ 38

Requesting the application of the grace period ............................................................................... 40

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Degree Accreditation Some new applicants and students ask how they can validate the authenticity of our degree. This can be particularly concerning to international students who are not familiar with the University of Strathclyde, or the education system and the governance of University education in the UK.

The University of Strathclyde, and other recognised universities in the UK are said to hold a Royal Charter to operate as a university and issue degrees. This effectively means that all the degrees offered by the University of Strathclyde are authentic, legitimate and have UK government approval. The UK government website provides a service, which holds a list of all recognised Universities in the UK. Click on the link below and scroll down to “S” to find the University of Strathclyde.

https://www.gov.uk/check-a-university-is-officially-recognised/recognised-bodies

Additionally, in order to meet the requirements for professional registration, the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering submit all of our degree programmes for accreditation through the IChemE (Institution of Chemical Engineers) and the UK Engineering Council, who govern registrations for Chartered and Incorporated Engineer (CEng and IEng). If you go to the UK Engineering council site below, and search for University of Strathclyde and chemical engineering in the relevant search boxes, you will see a list of IChemE/Engineering Council accredited chemical engineering degrees at the University of Strathclyde, and you will see our distance learning BEng degree in this list. Don’t worry if you see an expiry year, this just indicates when the re-accreditation cycle is due to begin. The IChemE accreditation team visit the department to meet with staff and students every 5 years, and to complete the reaccreditation process. The Department and University are committed to meeting any requirements placed on us, in order to maintain our IChemE accreditation status.

https://www.engc.org.uk/acad

Our distance learning courses are therefore double accredited, firstly through the Universities Royal Charter. It is this recognition by government as an approved body, that makes the degree authentic. Additionally, it is the accreditation through the IChemE/Engineering Council that demonstrates the value of the degree within the UK and international engineering community. Our degree certificates do not mention distance learning as the mode of study, because all of our distance and online learning degrees, have equal status with our full time degrees, and there is no higher accreditation in the UK. Engineering Council accredited degrees also have international recognition through the Washington and Sydney accords (see below).

https://www.engc.org.uk/international-activity/international-engineering-education-accords/

One current exception to the above is the MSc Chemical Technology and Management. As this is a new degree it cannot be accredited until at least one cohort of students have completed. As it is also designed for chemists and is a collaboration with the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, we will be seeking join accreditation with the IChemE and the Royal Society of Chemistry. However, in the interim period while we seek accreditation for the MSc Chemical Technology and Management, and regardless of the outcome, like all of our degrees it remains a valid internationally recognised degree, backed by Royal Charter and UK government approval.

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Getting started and key contacts

Important contacts / Who to contact first

The list below is intended to help you decide who to contact first in the event of an issue or to ask a question. Contacting the correct person/department in the first instance, rather than the course director or administrator, helps us all to be more efficient and is likely to help you get an answer quicker. Please realise that all of these people are busy and although we will make every effort to respond promptly, in non-urgent situations expect to wait up to one week for a reply to emails.

To telephone the University dial +44 (0)141 548 XXXX, where the last 4 digits will be the extension below. The extension for the department office reception is 5306.

Academic or class specific issues Any questions relating to a specific class you are following should be addressed first to the lecturer teaching that class, either through the forum on the class page, or if personal to their email which should also be displayed on the class page. This would include feedback, marking of assignments, and any questions related to the class content etc. The lecturer can be telephoned if necessary via the department office, but most communication should be via the class forum.

Registry/Student Experience/Student Business The above names all refer to what used to be known as the registry department and they hold the official student records, process applications, roll forward students to continuing sessions etc. Requests for official transcripts, Pegasus enquiries, registration issues etc contact studentbusiness-engineering@strath.ac.uk – ext. 3165

Finance Finance approval is required before a student is registered for the first and subsequent years and the finance department email contact for students is accrec@strath.ac.uk and telephone ext. 2217.

General IT Support For IT issues with Strathclyde systems including Myplace, software you download from Pegasus etc contact help@strath.ac.uk

Department IT support For issues that relate to chemical engineering specific IT issues such as software downloaded from a class page (Aspen/Mathcad/MATLAB) - chemeng-it-support@strath.ac.uk

Distance Learning Administrator chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk is the email to which you should send most enquiries not covered by above, including external exams. This inbox is monitored by course administrators who can also be contacted at ext. 2148 (department office).

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Technical requirements As this is a distance learning course, many aspects are delivered electronically and students are expected to have access to a modern computer with a reliable internet connection. This will preferably be a PC/Laptop with a Microsoft Windows operating system (O.S.) installed. If students are using other types of computers or O.S. we will try to help but cannot guarantee a solution as some of the required software may only work on a Windows based PC.

You may also need access to the Microsoft office suite of programs. Most of these you will be able to substitute with free programs, with the possible exception of Microsoft Excel, in particular should you take a class that requires the VBA components of Excel.

Note that while you should be able to access web based services like myplace or Pegasus from a work computer, it’s possible that these could be blocked by company firewalls. Third party software that is supplied by the University of Strathclyde should never be installed on work computers, and only on computers that are owned by the student. If you install software supplied by the University on a commercially owned computer, you will almost certainly be violating the terms of the licensing agreement that you have agreed to in order to use the software.

We do not give a minimum spec for computing as this can change frequently and there are many variables to take into account. However, we would expect the following configuration to be adequate.

• Modern mid-range PC able to effectively run Windows 8 or 10 operating systems. Minimum of 4GB of RAM recommended.

• Windows 10 O.S. preferred, or Windows 8. Note: Windows 7 is not recommended as Microsoft will cease support of Windows 7 on 01/14/2020 which means it will no longer receive security updates.

• The latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox • Stable Internet connection of at least 1 Mbps, preferably higher.

If you think that you may have issues meeting the computing requirements of the course or will not have access to a reliable internet connection you should contact the course manager before the start of the course. Students who are not able to access a personal PC of a similar spec to above may be advised to delay or cancel starting the course as inability to access a suitable computer or internet connection may make it difficult or impossible to complete the course.

Please note that while we will try to be reasonable and help wherever we can, computing issues such as erratic or slow internet connections, inability to access VPNs or install software or upload/download files due to country or company restrictions, issues relating to non ‘IBM PC type’ computers and outdated software/operating systems cannot be considered reasons for non-completion or submission of coursework. If in any doubt about this you should contact the course manager prior to beginning the course or as soon as possible after.

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Registration and finance All students have to register at the start of every academic year. Registration usually opens in August so you should ideally have your finance or company sponsorship letters ready before this as students can only register after they have been approved by finance. Registration

- All you need to do to be eligible for registration (provided you have been approved by the exam board to continue your studies) is to pay your annual fee, or the first instalment and a signed instalment plan, or supply a letter to finance from your company stating that they will pay the fees.

- Once you have been approved by finance there will be an online registration link in your Pegasus account which will allow you to register online for the academic year ahead.

Paying fees

- If your company is paying you just need to get them to send an official letter on saying that they will pay, preferably with a purchase order number, once finance have this they will approve you and you should be able to get on to Pegasus to register for the year ahead. (accrec@strath.ac.uk and telephone ext. 2217)

- If you are paying yourself refer to the link below where you can pay online, there should be options for instalments if you require this. Students with UK bank accounts can pay by direct debit but you may need to contact the finance office directly to set this up. See also the links below: Tuition fees How to pay

Any questions about finance should be directed to the Finance Department at accrec@strath.ac.uk or telephone ext. 2217.

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Getting started on Myplace and Pegasus

Myplace

Myplace is the Moodle-based Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) at the University of Strathclyde. Moodle is used globally by educational organisations as a platform to provide course materials, important information and other online learning and assessment resources. It is accessed at http://classes.myplace.strath.ac.uk/. There are two main types of sites that will concern you on myplace, class sites and your course site:

Class sites for classes you are taking this term will be available in your class list in myplace. Typically, class sites include video lectures, written course materials and assessment information. The only way to submit most assignments will be through the myplace class site. Furthermore, it will contain important class information, so it is crucial for students to check that they have access to their classes on myplace after registration. Please note that your classes will not appear on here until after registration (and your curriculum has been agreed in the case of courses which have class choice). If you do not see any of your classes listed in Myplace, you should first check that you are registered and that your classes are listed in Pegasus. If you have registered early, the class may not be open yet, and may instead appear greyed out on your class list. All classes will have a forum where you can ask questions that relate to that class. Lecturers should normally respond to forum posts within 2 working days. If you do not receive a response within this timeframe please remind the lecturer either through the forum or by email. If you still do not receive a response and one week has passed, please escalate to the course director through the course forum or by emailing chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk

The Course site (either BEng or MSc/MEng) contains information at the course/programme level, such as this handbook, information on exams and it hosts a forum that is monitored by the course director and administrators. On this course forum you can ask general questions about the course, give feedback or raise issues about classes that you feel have not been addressed by the class lecturer. The course director will welcome feedback and discussion on this course site.

Any technical issues with Myplace should be sent to helpdesk@strath.ac.uk .

Pegasus

Pegasus is where you will see your official student record. You will receive results through the myplace class site during the class, but when your final result is processed and approved by an exam board it will appear on Pegasus. You will also see annual progression decisions, and final degree classifications on Pegasus. This is the portal through which you view your official student record.

Postgraduate students who have a choice element in their degree will also choose their classes through Pegasus, although guidance on which classes are available will be on the MSc/MEng course site.

Strathclyde email address

Important updates will be given through Myplace and students will receive an email through their Strathclyde email addresses to let them know, for example, of a marked assignment or a posting on a class forum. Students are strongly encouraged to use their Strathclyde email address so that they receive these notifications, however if this is a problem for you it should be possible to redirect your email to a work or personal email address. It is absolutely critical that you monitor your email at least once per week, to ensure that you are receiving important notifications. Please see here for information on University email.

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Assessment Assignment submission As part of the distance learning courses, you will be required to submit assignments – reports, essays and projects – to MyPlace. These submissions will form part of your overall final grade and therefore it is important that you devote significant time to these assignments.

IT issues

The university is not liable for IT failures or restrictions at student’s home or places of work such as a company IT system blocking access to the University systems. The assignment deadline is the last possible date for submission, so if you envisage issues such as this it may be wise to have a backup plan such as a relative or friend with who can upload your assignment on your behalf or have an alternative location you can use such as an internet café or library. The best advice is to set a personal deadline to submit one week before the official deadline to avoid loss of marks for any last minute issues.

Extensions

Strict deadlines for assignment submission are in place for all courses. This is partly due to logistical reasons, such as meeting internal deadlines for mark submission and exam boards, but is primarily to help the student remain on schedule. The vast majority of coursework and assignments are available early to aid flexibility for industry based students, and you should make use of this flexibility to submit early and retain slack in your schedule for unexpected events.

Extensions may be considered for extreme circumstances such as medical issues but this is likely to require that you provide documentation such as a doctor’s letter. These requests would wherever possible be made at least 1 week in advance of the deadline, and should be made using the Personal Circumstances procedure described in this handbook. It is highly unlikely that we will consider extension requests that come in after the deadline. If an extension is granted without approved Personal Circumstances, there will always be a late penalty and the deduction will be agreed through discussion between the class lecturer and course director. Penalties for late submission are motivated only through a requirement for fairness to students who have submitted on time, and reflect the possible advantage gained through receiving additional time for submission.

Non-submission and non-attendance at exams

All assignments should be submitted to Myplace by the published deadline which will normally be a Sunday evening at midnight for most assignments. Except in exceptional circumstances where documentary evidence is provided, nonattendance at an exam or non-submission of an assignment will result in a zero mark being awarded, even in if this results in a fail for the class concerned. The rules for late assignments also apply to project submissions and presentations, including the final project. Note that for major projects there are also strict University guidelines about on time submission. If you cannot attend an exam or miss a submission due to extenuating circumstances beyond your control, please refer to the Personal Circumstances section of this handbook.

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Plagiarism Plagiarism is essentially the act of representing another person’s work as your own. Sometimes this is a deliberate act such as copying another student’s assignment and other times it can be due to a failure to reference work that you are citing as an example. Unfortunately, it is impossible for a tutor to differentiate between deliberate and accidental plagiarism and the University will penalise students who submit work that is not their own, and/or has not been properly referenced. It is common for an entire assignment or project report to be given a zero mark when significant plagiarism has been detected. Experienced educators can spot plagiarised documents very quickly and the University also makes use of software – Turnitin – to detect plagiarism.

As members of the academic community, you are responsible for ensuring that your work abides by the conventions and rules of that community. That includes ensuring that the correct citation and referencing conventions are applied in your work, when you use or quote the work of other people. This ensures that everyone receives the credit due to them for their work and helps to demonstrate your intellectual integrity.

Please note also that if writing a report that references quotes other sources, you are also expected to find a reasonable balance between explaining things in your own words, and using the words of others. As an example, a report where 50% of the submission consisted of quotes from other sources, which were properly contained with quotation marks and referenced correctly, would not be considered plagiarism. However, it would also be likely to attract a very low mark, because copying another person’s words does not demonstrate personal understanding, and demonstration of understanding and the ability to synthesise information from multiple sources, becomes increasingly critical to assessment in the higher levels of University study.

You are strongly advised to read and understand the University guidelines on Plagiarism at the following link Plagiarism Policy

A guide to referencing There are a variety of referencing styles that are accepted at Strathclyde, including Vancouver, Harvard and APA. It is important to reference all sources used in work that is submitted. This includes the citation and the reference list at the end of the document. The requirement for referencing will range from less relevant in classes that are primarily assessed in a mathematical format or exam based format, to critical importance in major project reports. If in doubt about whether referencing is required, ask the class lecturer.

All documents submitted to MyPlace will be assessed by Turnitin - an online plagiarism detection package. Papers submitted are compared against billions of documents and any matching text is detailed in an Originality Report available to the marker.

Most lecturers in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering will not be overly concerned which referencing system you use, as long as you use one when appropriate. For more information, please visit Strathclyde’s referencing guide.

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Exam procedures

Exams are held at the university campus in Glasgow on dates and times specified for each semester. Students based within the UK are expected to attend exams on campus. Students based outside of the UK can apply to sit their exam in a local exam centre, and some exceptions may also be made for UK based students working offshore. This would normally be a British Council office, although other venues may be considered. A list of other approved centres can be found on Myplace under Exams information. Note that the right to an external centre is not presumed, and relies on the student taking responsibility for arranging an appropriate exam centre that is acceptable to the University of Strathclyde.

All students must bring their student ID to the exam centre, if you do not have this you may use a passport, but you must know your registration number as this needs to be written on the exam booklet. Students will be advised whether an exam is open or closed book and any other information specific to the exam. However, for all exams there should be no communication devices such as mobile phones, pagers and laptop computers etc. present on the desk. If the student does bring these into the examination room they should be removed to an area in the room allocated for bags etc., and be turned off or silent.

Procedure for external exams

Whether you have been approved to sit an external exam, or are using a pre-approved centre, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange the venue, and upload the details to the external exam centre submission tool on the course Myplace page before the given deadline (go to the specific Assignment on the Myplace course page: Semester 1, Semester 2 or August resit external exam location). The exam centre details must be added for every exam diet; for example, we won’t presume that because you used an external exam centre in December that you will use the same one in May. If it is the first time using an exam centre the student must send the details to the course administrator at chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk who will seek approval and respond to the student (please attach the completed form on the myplace course page). Note that in order to meet the deadline to submit exam centre details you will need to seek approval for new centres at least 2 months before an exam takes place. All British Council offices worldwide are pre-approved so you do not need to seek approval to use these but you will of course need to upload the details to Myplace of which centre you are sitting at.

Please ensure that the exam is booked to take place at the equivalent local time to the UK time stated on the exam paper, as in order to protect the integrity of the exam contents all students must sit the exam simultaneously. A student found to be sitting an exam on a different day or time, without permission from the University, will have their paper made ineligible for marking and the student will be recorded as absent. In some exceptional cases, a student can make an advance request for a change of the external examination time, if it appears that it will be impossible to take the exam at the equivalent UK time in their country or residence. To request this please fill out the details in the external exam request form on the course myplace page. If you believe this might apply to you it is advisable to seek an indication of whether this will be approved by emailing the submission form to chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk in advance of the submission deadline, so that you have time to make alternative arrangements should the change of time proposal be rejected.

All costs associated with the external exam are the responsibility of the student, this includes venue and courier costs charged by the centre for returning exams (the University will not charge for courier costs to ship the exams to the centre). Payment should be made to the exam centre directly as the Department will not enter into a financial agreement with the exam centre. Some exam centres will not accept payments direct from students, so you should check this in advance. Note that the Department does not take responsibility for any issues encountered with external exam centres, but will try to assist where possible with any problems or issues that may arise.

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Students who do not submit external exam centre details by the deadline will need to sit their exams at the University campus. Non-attendance will result in a fail and a zero mark recorded for the exam. If there are extenuating circumstances, please refer to the Personal Circumstances section of this handbook.

Receiving results Your continuous assessment results will be posted on myplace by the lecturer during the academic year, but your final and official result is recorded in your student record in Pegasus. Semester 1 final results will typically appear on Pegasus by around the 3rd week of semester 2. Semester 2 marks are usually not available in Pegasus until after the exam boards, which usually take place in June, and due to a limitation of the system this means that all marks typically temporarily disappear from Pegasus for a period before the exam board. All marks are considered ‘unapproved’ when they are first submitted to Pegasus, and are only ‘approved’ and final, once they have been ratified by an exam board.

Within a few days of the exam board you should receive a notification that your marks are now available on Pegasus. There will also be an exam board 'decision'. This decision can be anything from a straightforward pass, an indication that you need to resit, or if at the end of the course it will indicate your degree classification. More information on progression and exam board decisions is available at the end of the next section.

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Curriculum and progression *Curriculum notes

- The number after ‘CP’ indicates the year of the full time degree where the equivalent class appears, and therefore the academic ‘level’.

- Semester 1 normally runs from September to December or January for distance learning classes. Semester 2 begins in January, and usually ends in May, although some project classes such as the Masters final project run into summer.

- Resits are normally in August - Classes or the order of classes can be subject to change or a different order. You can check

your actual curriculum for this academic year in http://pegasus.strath.ac.uk - Please also see notes on progression and assessment in subsequent sections

3 year BEng honours Chemical Engineering curriculum Code Title Credits Semester

Year 1

CP318 Professional Engineering and Project Management 10 1

CP209 Process Analysis and Statistics 20 1

CP211 Chemical Principles and Thermodynamics 20 2

CP319 Chemical Engineering Safety 10 2

Year 2

CP208 Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer 20 1

CP321 Reactors 10 1

CP314 Mass transfer and separation processes 20 2

CP320 Biochemical Engineering 10 2

CP310 Process Design and Simulation 20 Both

Year 3

CP411 Process Control and Environmental Technology 20 1

CP412 Advanced Separations and Problem Solving 20 1

CP423 Chemical Engineering Design part 1 20 2

CP424 Chemical Engineering Design part 2 40 2

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4 year BEng honours Chemical Engineering curriculum Code Title Credits Semester

Year 1

CP318 Professional Engineering and Project Management 10 1

CP209 Process Analysis and Statistics 20 1

CP211 Chemical Principles and Thermodynamics 20 2

CP319 Chemical Engineering Safety 10 2

Year 2

CP208 Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer 20 1

CP321 Reactors 10 1

CP314 Mass transfer and separation processes 20 2

CP320 Biochemical Engineering 10 2

Year 3

CP310 Process Design and Simulation 20 Both

CP411 Process Control and Environmental Technology 20 1

CP423 Chemical Engineering Design part 1 20 2

Year 4

CP412 Advanced Separations and Problem Solving 20 1

CP424 Chemical Engineering Design part 2 40 2

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MEng curriculum

The MEng curriculum is identical to the BEng curriculum up until level 4. Once level 4 classes are complete (at the end of the final year of the BEng programmes) a student may be eligible to graduate with a BEng honours or to transfer their BEng credits into the MEng and continue with the MEng. If a student transfers to MEng they do not receive a BEng honours as the MEng is an integrated degree that requires all the credits you have completed during the BEng programme, any credits transferred in from prior learning, and the credits you will complete at level 5 in the MEng portion of the curriculum.

To be eligible to transfer to the MEng a student must have achieved either:

- 60% or greater weighted average in level 4 classes - Be eligible for a BEng first or upper second class honours degree

To ‘top up’ the BEng curriculum already completed and gain enough credits for an MEng chemical engineering, a student must complete:

- 60 credits of taught classes in a curriculum agreed with the course director. - 60 credit CP936 Project

The 60 taught classes will typically be drawn from the MSc Process Technology and Management curriculum outlined below (CP917 and CP964 excluded). This curriculum will be agreed with the course director to ensure that it meets IChemE accreditation guidelines for breadth and depth, and has sufficient advanced chemical engineering content. Beyond these requirements, students have free choice to propose a curriculum that meets these requirements.

The CP936 Project will be completed in the student’s own workplace, in an area of your own expertise, with an academic supervisor from the University of Strathclyde guiding the academic aspects of the project. Before electing to continue to the MEng you should check with your employer that it will be possible to complete a suitable work based project, as the department is unlikely to be able to offer an alternative.

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Degree Apprenticeship Programme curriculum

Code Title Credits Semester

Year 1

CP107 Chemistry for Chemical Engineering 10 1

CP108 Mathematics for Chemical Engineering 30 1

CP109 Basic Principles of Chemical Engineering 20 1

CP105 Process Engineering Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours 1

60 Both

Year 2

CP209 Process Analysis and Statistics 20 1

CP211 Chemical Principles and Thermodynamics 20 2

CP319 Chemical Engineering Safety 10 2

CP216 Process Engineering Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours 2 40 Both

Year 3

CP208 Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer 20 1

CP321 Reactors 10 1

CP314 Mass transfer and separation processes 20 2

CP320 Biochemical Engineering 10 2

CP324 Process Engineering Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours 3 50 Both

Year 4

CP310 Process Design and Simulation 20 Both

CP411 Process Control and Environmental Technology 20 1

CP423 Chemical Engineering Design part 1 20 2

CP426 Process Engineering Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours 4 40 Both

Year 5

CP412 Advanced Separations and Problem Solving 20 1

CP424 Chemical Engineering Design part 2 40 2

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MSc Process Technology and Management curriculum

Code Title Credits Semester

Year 1

CP917 Process Design Principles 10 1

CP964 Process Analysis in Chemical Engineering 20 1

CP931 Understanding Financial Information 10 2

CP933 Project Management 10 2

CP959 Advanced Process Design 10 2

Year 2 options (choose 3 from below in semester 1)

CP918 Safety Management Practices 10 1

CP919 Programming and Optimisation 10 1

CP971 Petroleum Engineering 10 1

CP955 Molecular Simulation in Chemical Engineering 10 1

CP972 Electrochemical energy devices (not running in 19/20) 10 1

CP970 Molecular and interfacial science 10 1

CP969 Clean combustion technologies 10 1

Year 2 core in semester 2

CP932 Managing People* 10 2

CP934 Business Technology Strategy 10 2

CP968 Ethics, Sustainability and Environmental Engineering 10 2

Year 3

CP936 Project

*May be replaced with CP935: IT Strategy

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MSc Chemical Technology and Management curriculum

Code Title Credits Semester

Year 1

CH917 Analytical techniques for industry 30 1

CH918 Multivariate Analysis and Process Analysis for Industry 10 2

CP931 Understanding Financial Information 10 2

CP933 Project Management 10 2

Year 2 core and options (CP917 is core and choose 2 from below options in semester 1)

CP917 Process Design Principles (core) 10 1

CP918 Safety Management Practices 10 1

CP919 Programming and Optimisation 10 1

CP971 Petroleum Engineering 10 1

CP955 Molecular Simulation in Chemical Engineering 10 1

CP972 Electrochemical energy devices 10 1

CP970 Molecular and interfacial science 10 1

CP969 Clean combustion technologies 10 1

Year 2 core in semester 2

CP932 Managing People* 10 2

CP934 Business Technology Strategy 10 2

CP968 Ethics, Sustainability and Environmental Engineering 10 2

Year 3

CP936 Project

*May be replaced with CP935: IT Strategy

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Selecting classes for the year ahead (MSc only)

The optional classes available for selection are normally announced on the course Myplace page by the end of semester 2 of the previous academic session. Students may be asked to pre-select classes at this point for the next academic session, which allows the department to focus the summer development work on classes that have sufficient demand to allow those classes to run. The department may withdraw classes that do not have sufficient interest, as it would be impractical to waste limited development resources on a class that is not likely to have more than a few students, or potentially none.

Once students are registered for the new academic session, they should be able to register for their class choices from their Pegasus account, but should ensure that they only select classes that have been advertised as available for that year, and that the classes selected meet the regulations for the MSc stream that they are following. Note that once you have selected a class in Pegasus and it has been approved by the course advisor, you cannot reverse that decision or change to another class, so it is your responsibility to consult the Class Descriptor to ensure that you have the prerequisite background knowledge to successfully complete the class, prior to selecting it.

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Progression and regulations

Progression and resits

Each year in June, after the semester 2 exams, a general exam board meets to discuss student results and make decisions on progression to the next year of the course. If you have passed all of your classes from semester 1 and 2 then the board decision will be a very straightforward 'pass' and there will likely be nothing more that you need to do until registration opens in August for the next year of the course.

If the June exam board issues a 'resit' decision, then you will need to attend a resit exam (or submit a resit assignment if the class was assignment based) in the August diet of exams. This exam diet is followed by a resit exam board which again will make a decision on your progress. If you have now passed everything then it is likely that it will be a straightforward 'pass' decision and you can then register for the next year of the course.

In some cases, you may be given a ‘proceed’ decision, which allows you to proceed to the next year ‘carrying’ a resit. The department would seek to limit these decisions, as it can be very onerous on a student to complete the next year of academic study, alongside a resit for a class from the previous year. If you still have a significant number of fails then you may be placed into academic suspension which means that you do not progress to the next year of the course and instead you will complete any outstanding resits at the next available opportunity, with a view to proceeding in the subsequent academic session. If you believe you may have failed one or more classes in the August resit diet, and you have a preference between academic suspension and proceed decisions, please advise the course director before the exam board so that your preference can be considered by the board.

Unless a student has completely disengaged from the course, they will always be offered at least one resit in order to pass and gain the credits for a class. For classes at levels 1 to 3 an absolute maximum of four attempts may be granted, and classes at level 4 and above, including all postgraduate classes, a maximum of two attempts are allowed. However, students requiring multiple resits in multiple classes, are likely to be scrutinised by exam boards with regards to their overall academic performance and suitability for progression, and in extreme cases students may be withdrawn from the course.

First attempts, credits and the importance of maintaining a good average mark

When you have completed the assessment for a class there are two important parameters on your student record, the class mark and the credit value. If you have scored above the pass mark, which is 40% for BEng (levels 1-4) or 50% for level 5 (MSc/MEng), then the exam board will record a pass and award the credits allocated to that class. Your first attempt mark is also used to calculate your year average and while you must resit the class to gain the credits for the class, you cannot improve that first attempt mark. The only exception to this is when the board have agreed to discount your first attempt due to personal circumstances and in this case your next attempt would be considered the first attempt. As your first attempt is permanent and is used to calculate your average, it is very important that you try to get the best mark possible. Even if you think you are going to fail a class, submitting something and getting for example 30% can have a significant impact overall, in contrast to submitting nothing and getting zero. Some of the reasons for this and why maintaining a good average is important are outlined below.

Compensated passes

If you fail a class but the mark is less than 10% below the pass mark, then sometimes a ‘compensated pass’ can be awarded. A compensated pass simply means that although you did not reach the pass mark for that particular class, the exam board has decided to award the class credits because your overall performance justifies compensation in that one class where you did less well. The rules for this are complex, and currently under review by the UK Engineering Council who are seeking to reduce

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compensation in accredited engineering courses, but if a class is eligible for compensation it will be awarded at the board and you will not be required to resit. You do not need to do anything, as the course director and the members of the exam board will review all fails and award compensated passes where appropriate, but if you have a question about this please ask on the forum.

BEng 1st year progression

At the end of 1st year, only students who have passed all of the classes (60 credits) and have a year average of at least 50%, will be likely to be allowed to remain on the 3-year programme. All other students will be transferred to the 4-year programme. This is based on our reasonable assumption that if a student cannot achieve a clear pass in all 60 credits at the first attempt in the 1st year, they are likely to struggle with 80 credits at a higher level in the second year, and 100 credits in the 3rd year. Students may also voluntarily transfer to the 4-year programme at the end of the 1st year by simply informing the course director that they wish to do so. 60 credits per year is the typical maximum for part time study on any programme, and many of the classes from year 2 can be extremely challenging, so for the majority of students the 4-year programme will be the best option. However, for students who wish to complete in 3-years, and can allocate the additional time required, the 3-year programme remains an option. Overall the 3 and 4-year programmes have the same number of credits, and therefore have an identical curriculum and cost to the student, notwithstanding any incremental increases in annual fees that may arise during the extra year as a student.

BEng (progression to final honours year)

Students who wish to progress to the final year of the programme and gain an honours degree need to demonstrate to the exam board that they have a reasonable chance of achieving the requirements for an honours classification. As the student can exit the course prior to the final year with a BEng pass degree, and the same award would be made if a student did not achieve an honours classification at the end of the final year, we do not wish students to waste their time and money progressing to a final year in which we do not believe that you can be successful. A number of factors are taken into account by the exam board, but in general you should aim to maintain your year averages to greater than 50% if you wish to be allowed to progress to the final year. An average of at least 50% in the early years of the course will show the exam board that even if the students' performance drops a little in the more difficult honours level classes, that they should still achieve an honours degree. We do advise all students to aim to complete an honours degree, rather than exit with a degree without honours. Equivalencies to international engineering degree standards, entry to MSc programmes, and engineering career opportunities, are often linked to an honours degree as a minimum, and a good honours classification indicates to an employer or admissions selector the level of understanding you have demonstrated during the course.

Progression from BEng honours to MEng

Students who wish to continue to the MEng at the end of the BEng honours year must achieve either a weighted average of at least 60% in their level 4 classes, or have an overall course weighted average that would have resulted in an upper second class honours or above.

MSc/MEng progression

Students are only allowed a maximum of 2 attempts at any class in an MSc programme or any level 5 class in an MEng programme. If you fail the second attempt at any class then you can no longer gain the credits for that class and as both the postgraduate Diploma and MSc require 120 class credits, the

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highest award you are likely to be able to achieve is a postgraduate certificate. For MEng students failure to achieve the additional 120 credits required for the MEng, is likely to result in a BEng honours award.

Note that for this course the above rules apply to all classes including optional classes. For example, once you have chosen an optional class and the class has started, you cannot then change your mind and swap this class for another that you think you may do better in - once you have selected an optional class you must complete it and accept the mark. The message for postgraduate students is that the safest route is to try and always pass at the first attempt, and this will in itself maintain an average above the required 50%.

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Help with issues affecting your academic performance Voluntary Suspension

Voluntary Suspension (VS) is normally intended as a method for students to apply in advance for a complete suspension of study of an entire semester or year. At time of writing the regulations state that VS cannot be applied retrospectively by more than 8 weeks. This means that if more than 8 weeks have passed since the start of a semester then VS is unlikely to be approved. There may be some reasons for exceptions but there would have to be a compelling reason such as a sudden debilitating illness.

The most common reasons distance learning students give for applying for VS is work, personal or family health issues and bereavement. Note that in most circumstances there is a requirement for evidence to be provided along with the form. When VS is applied for in advance of the start of a semester the need for evidence may in some cases be waived, but it will almost certainly be required for successful retrospective applications. In the case of health issues, the evidence might be a medical letter, or for bereavement a death certificate. We do not like to ask for these personal items but it would be unethical of us to make personal judgements on which students we believe and which we do not, so we can only act on verifiable evidence. If there have been changes in your workplace that make it impossible for you to keep up with your studies, you should supply a letter from your employer or other evidence that confirms the changes. There will always be occasional issues that fall outside of these categories and if you are unsure about that evidence to provide please seek advice by emailing chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk

Use the form at the link below to apply for a voluntary suspension of studies, attaching any relevant evidence, and return to course administrator at chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk who will seek approval from the course director and the vice dean academic. This process could take up to 4 weeks and the student will be notified of the outcome by student business. Note that the normal maximum for VS is one year in any degree programme. In exceptional circumstances a VS may be extended but this will require resubmission of the form and up to date evidence. Click here for more information

Note that Voluntary Suspension means that your registration as a student is essentially paused, and is the equivalent to a full time student being absent long term from campus. This means that while in Voluntary Suspension you cannot participate in classes, submit assessments or take resit exams. The time in Voluntary Suspension therefore does not affect the maximum allowed duration for your course.

Absence and Personal Circumstances Unlike Voluntary Suspension, the Personal Circumstances policy is intended to address issues that arise while you are actively following the course. Examples of personal circumstances could be for example where there has been a bereavement, or illness or any other issues that is outside of your control, that has prevented you attending for a short period of time, or affected your performance in an exam or other form of assessment.

Approval of Personal Circumstances will require evidence. We recognise that obtaining and providing such documentation can be difficult and in some cases uncomfortable, but it is necessary because we have in the past had dishonest submissions. Bear in mind that if submitting due to a work issue then it would have to be something significant and that has come up since you started the session. For example, being ‘busy at work’ is normally not significant enough as all distance learning students are busy at work, neither is any scenario that you were aware of prior to registering for the year, or is due to a personal choice that was within your control. The official policy is available here and the form to submit Personal Circumstances is below and can be copied into a document or email and should be submitted to chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk.

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Personal Circumstances form

Before completing this form you should first familiarise yourself with the previous sections on Personal Circumstances and Voluntary Suspension, and the University Voluntary Suspension and Personal Circumstances policies. If you wish to apply for Voluntary Suspension you should use the Voluntary Suspension form from the Voluntary Suspension page, and email this along with any scanned evidence, to chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk.

If you believe that your issue/request is covered by the Personal Circumstances policy, please complete this form and send to chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk. If unsure of how to proceed please contact chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk for advice. For your convenience the below form can be copied into a word document or email.

Name: Registration number: Please summarise the issue/reason you are applying for Personal Circumstances below (Some examples include but are not limited to; a period of illness, work issue or relocation, birth of a child or someone in your care, natural disaster or incident preventing travel to an exam. Please ensure you clearly explain the situation here)

Please clearly indicate below the outcome sought (For example, request to discount the exam result and resit the exam as a first attempt, extension to an assignment etc)

Please indicate below the evidence being submitted and any supporting or explanatory notes. (for example, medical certificate, letter from employer etc – please also attached scanned copies to the email as appropriate. For certain incidents, such as civil unrest or natural disasters, you may wish to paste links to news agency reports in this box.

Department decision The department decision will be entered here and notified to the student and class lecturer.

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Feedback, appeals and complaints

Feedback We welcome student feedback in the department and you should give feedback about individual classes to the lecturer who teaches that class, ideally through the course forum or by email. You can also give general feedback to the course director via the course forum or by email to Kenneth.moffat@strath.ac.uk, or feedback about individual classes if you feel the class tutor is not responding or you wish to remain anonymous to the tutor. If you give us feedback and don’t think that we are dealing with it appropriately then you retain the right to later lodge an appeal or a complaint, but we will always try to resolve issues informally at the feedback stage, wherever possible and appropriate. You will also receive various feedback surveys during your time as a student.

Academic Appeals Appeals can only be made after you have been officially informed of a result in Pegasus and there will be a link in Pegasus to indicate when and how to make an appeal, and when the deadlines are. Appeals go to the Faculty of Engineering, rather than the department, although the department will be asked for a response to any appeal and this will be considered, alongside the student submission, by the appeals board. Note that any appeal must have formal grounds, rather than for example a feeling that you should have received a better mark. You may wish to discuss an issue with the course director before making a formal appeal, and the course director may be able to offer an informed opinion on what might be considered sufficient grounds, or advise on how to structure a formal appeal. More information on appeals can be found at Appeals

Complaints When students complain, they are sometimes just giving feedback or letting off steam about something that they didn’t like, and do not want to formally record this or take it any further. However, in some cases you may wish to make a formal complaint that is recorded and covered by the official complaints procedure. In this case you should read the Complaints Handling Procedure then send use the form here to submit your complaint to the course director at Kenneth.moffat@strath.ac.uk or the department manager, Caroline Rashid caroline.rashid@strath.ac.uk. The department will deal with the stage 1 complaint and if the student is not satisfied with the outcome they will have the option to proceed to the next stage which is the Faculty of Engineering.

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Graduation and next steps Award classifications For the award of BEng honours 480 credits from the programme curriculum are required and a minimum of 40% weighted average. The credit total includes any credits that you were awarded on entry to the course as Recognised Prior Learning (RPL). A student may choose to leave the course early and accept the award of BEng pass degree if they have accrued at least 360 credits, or may be made this award by an exam board if their results do not meet the requirements for an honours degree.

BEng honours calculation

Credit weighted average of all Level 3 classes (e.g. CP3xx) = 30%

Credit eighted average of all level 4 classes (e.g. CP4xx) = 70%

Honours classifications

>40% 3rd Class Honours

>50% Lower 2nd Class Honours

>60% Upper 2nd Class Honours

>70% First Class Honours

For the award of MEng 600 credits are required (480 credits as described for the BEng honours above, and 120 at level 5) and a weighted average of 50% or greater.

MEng calculation

Credit weighted average of Level 3 classes (e.g. CP3xx) = 20%

Credit weighted average of level 4 classes (e.g. CP4xx) = 40%

Credit weighted average of level 5 classes (e.g. CP4xx) = 40%

For the award of MSc 180 credits from the programme curriculum are required and a credit weighted average of 50% or greater is required for an award.

Postgraduate classifications

Final MSc/MEng awards are classified as follows. Please note that below is a guide and the final decision is made by the exam/awards board.

Overall class average:

>50% Pass

>60% Merit

>70% Distinction

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Graduation It may seem counter intuitive to register for graduation before you know that you have passed, but due to the short timelines between results being known and the ceremony, that’s exactly what you need to do. If you wait until your results are known, you will probably have missed the deadline to register for the ceremony! Graduation is run centrally by student services so any questions should go to studentbusiness-engineering@strath.ac.uk and more information can be found at http://www.strath.ac.uk/graduation/

What next after the BEng? For students who wish to continue after completing the BEng honours degree there are a number of options. The University offers full time postgraduate courses which may be of interest and details of these can be found on the University website. This department offers two courses which offer a natural progression from the BEng honours and these are outlined below:

MEng (Master of Engineering) Chemical Engineering

This course is a direct continuation from BEng honours study and students who choose to continue on this course cannot graduate with a BEng honours as the MEng is considered to be an integrated degree. A 2 year, fully online learning version of this course is now available to students who wish to top up from the BEng honours. Please contact the course director before the end of your final BEng honours year if you wish to progress and you expect to meet the progression criteria outlined in this handbook.

MSc (Master of Science) Process Technology and Management

This course combines advanced chemical engineering classes, with Business/Management and IT, and is intended for students who intend to work in a senior or technical management position. Students may accept the BEng honours award and then continue on to this course as they are not connected, or they can take a break from study and return to this course.

What next after the MSc/MEng? If you have completed an MSc or MEng with us you have completed the highest level of taught study. You may of course choose to complete classes in continuing professional development as required for your career or personal interest, either with the University of Strathclyde, or another provider. Some students begin to take an interest in completing a PhD (Doctorate) after completing their Master degree, but as this is research rather than taught study, you would need to either attend the University full time, or be working in a role that would allow the depth and narrowed scope of research required for a PhD. If you are interested in a PhD or any other courses we offer, please contact chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk and you will be put in contact with the correct person to discuss this with.

Professional Registration The BEng honours chemical engineering is accredited by the IChemE towards Incorporated Engineer (IEng), the MEng chemical engineering towards Chartered Engineer (CEng) and the MSc Process Technology and Management is accredited towards CEng (provided you also have an accredited undergraduate education). Please see the IChemE website for information on membership and professional registration: https://www.icheme.org/membership/professional-registrations/

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Other Refund policy Note that when you register for this course annually you agree to pay the fees for the entire year. If you have made an instalment agreement with the university you are still liable for the full annual fee and if you simply withdraw from the course or stop paying the instalments you will be pursued by the University, and subsequently debt collection agencies for the outstanding amount. The reason that we implement this policy is that we have a limited number of places on this course, and if a student withdraws after the course has begun it is too late for us to bring in another student and the expected income to the course over the next three years is not recoverable, so we at least expect the student to pay for the year that they have committed to. Another reason that we seek the full years fee is that with a distance learning course, the moment a student registers they have access to the entire semesters teaching material. As a compromise to the above and in recognition of the fact that student’s circumstances can change we may offer partial refunds to the annual fee in the following circumstances

1. You must have informed the course director by email that you wish to formally withdraw from the course.

2. The date of withdrawal must be prior to the final instalment date given at http://www.strath.ac.uk/finance/student/tuitionfees/

As an example, based on the 2014/15 instalment agreement: • A student formally withdrawing from the course before the second instalment date of the 1st

December would only be liable for 1/3rd of the annual fee • A student formally withdrawing from the course before the third instalment date of the 2nd

February would only be liable for 2/3rd of the annual fee • A student formally withdrawing from the course after the third instalment date of the 2nd February

would be liable for the full annual fee Note: If you withdraw from the course and intend to seek a partial refund you should ensure that you receive a response from the University confirming your withdrawal date. If we do not have a record of your withdrawal and you cannot provide evidence of your withdrawal, then we will not be able to agree to a partial refund after the fact.

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Campus maps and orientation The University of Strathclyde is based in Glasgow city centre and the campus is spread across a large area to the East side of the city centre. As there are multiple buildings, if you are visiting the University campus for exams or any other reason, you may find this link to the University campus map useful. The below map also shows the location of the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, which is based in the James Weir building on Montrose street.

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Late Submissions and Extensions: wording for student handbooks Significant work has been undertaken in 2018-19 to review the University’s Assessment and Feedback policies and procedures. The work was carried out by the Assessment and Feedback Working Group, which comprised student representatives, academic staff from all four faculties, and representatives from Professional Services. This document contains text that has been drafted for inclusion in student handbooks and covers the new Policy and Procedure on Extensions to Coursework Submission and the revised Policy and Procedure on Late Submission of Coursework.

Policy and Procedure on Extensions to Coursework Submission From the start of the academic year 2019/20, a new Policy and Procedure on Extensions to Coursework Submission will be in place, and students will be able to request an extension to the deadline for a piece of coursework using Myplace. The extension request and approval tool will automatically be present in all Myplace assignments where they have not been opted out of the University Assessment and Feedback policy in the assignment settings (see image below). Assignments are opted in by default. More information about this can be found in the Myplace Support pages [link] and within online guidance due to be released for the start of September 2019.

Policy and Procedure on Late Submission of Coursework From the start of the academic year 2019/20, Myplace will automatically deduct the appropriate penalty, in accordance with the schedule set out in the Policy and Procedure on Late Submission of Coursework, for an assignment submitted late through Myplace. In appropriate circumstances (for example, where a student submits relevant personal circumstances), this penalty can be removed or reduced by the retrospective granting of an extension. The tool will automatically be present in all Myplace assignments where they have not been opted out of the University Assessment and Feedback policy in the assignment settings, as shown in the Myplace screenshot below. More information about this can be found in the Myplace Support pages [link] and within online training due to be released for the start of September 2019.

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Staff may wish to use the text in the section ‘Text for Student Handbooks’ to communicate these policies and procedures to students. Parts of the text will need to be tailored by staff in order for it to be accurate for each Programme/ Department/School; these parts are indicated via highlighting and comments. For example, the correct email addresses will need to be added for the submission of personal circumstances forms, as will the procedure for the request of an extension where the assessment is not available in Myplace. However, it should be noted that, in line with the Assessment and Feedback Policy and the Procedures for the Recording of Marks and Dissemination of Results, effective for the 2019-20 academic year, all assessments should be represented in Myplace.

Text for Student Handbooks Extensions Before requesting an extension, it is advised that students read this section fully. The extension request requirements vary depending on the length of extension requested and the method by which the request is submitted. There is also some guidance on what might constitute grounds for an extension request to be granted. Students requesting an extension to the deadline for a piece of coursework must apply via the extensions tool in Myplace. Further guidance about using this tool is contained under the heading ‘Myplace Extension Request’ below. If the extension tool is not available for your coursework, please follow the instructions contained under the heading ‘Offline Process for Submitting an Extension Request’ below. NOTE: where the extension tool in Myplace is available, it should be used. Please pay attention to the examples found under the Section 3 heading ‘Grounds for Extending the Deadline for Coursework Submission’ below. These are taken from the Policy and Procedure on Extensions to Coursework Submission The policy intends to be supportive of students, and staff will monitor students’ use of extensions in order to identify students who may require support. The policy provides examples of what might be grounds for granting an extension and what is unlikely to be grounds for the granting of an extension. The list does not try to cover every possible scenario so students should discuss with staff any circumstances that are negatively impacting their studies.

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Extension requests will normally be made in advance of a coursework submission deadline. In exceptional cases, students may apply for an extension retrospectively.

Extension of less than seven calendar days Requests for an extension of less than seven calendar days do not require formal supporting evidence (e.g., a doctor’s letter). However, students are encouraged to communicate to staff any circumstances that are negatively impacting their studies as early as possible, especially where other assessments or aspects of their studies are also impacted. This can be done by submitting a Self-Certificate form on Pegasus.

Extension of longer than seven days For extensions that are longer than seven days, it is essential that students complete a ‘Personal Circumstances Form’ and submit it chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk within five working days of the agreed extension date. There is information about the Personal Circumstances Procedure on the website.

Failure to submit evidence of medical or personal circumstances for extension requests of seven days or more could result in the extension request being

rejected or revoked and/or any subsequent academic appeal being regarded as inadmissible.

Students should note that certified cases of medical and/or personal circumstances will be considered sympathetically and the rules will be applied in a caring manner. Where there are sensitivities or difficulties in obtaining evidence (for example, a death certificate), a compassionate approach will be taken. The rules are designed to be as clear as possible, to help students plan their work sensibly and ensure parity in the service provided to all students.

Grounds for Extending the Deadline for Coursework Submission The list below does not try to cover every possible scenario but provides examples of what might be grounds for granting an extension and what is unlikely to be grounds for the granting of an extension. Students should not be discouraged from submitting a request if they do not see their situation described below.

Examples of Medical Circumstances Medical conditions or illness, including physical and/or mental health problems that negatively impact a student’s preparation for an assessment.

Examples of Personal Circumstances • serious illness or death of a person

close to the student • family break-up

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• being a victim of crime • being in a serious car accident • jury service • significant relationship breakdown • unexpected caring commitments • homelessness • Home Office requirements • fire • flood • adverse weather conditions • exceptional travel circumstances

outwith a student’s control which prevented them from meeting the published submission date

• other exceptional circumstances that can be reasonably considered to negatively impact a student’s ability to submit coursework on time

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Examples of Insufficient Grounds for an Extension The following circumstances would not be acceptable grounds for granting an extension:

• poor planning and time management • error made in understanding the published dates of assessment submissions • having another assessment due on or around the same date • minor IT issues such as computer failure • failure of third parties to deliver the assessment • holidays, social events, moving house, or any event planned in advance of the submission

deadline • failure to make alternative travel plans when disruptions were advised in advance

Myplace Extension Request Process Instructions for the submission of an extension request via Myplace are below. A version of these instructions with images of the screen to support the explanation is also available.

1. Go to the Myplace site for the class in which you wish to request an extension to the deadline of a piece of coursework

2. Click on the assignment link for the piece of coursework. This will open a page containing information about the assignment, the status of your submission and the deadline

3. Click on the Extensions section and select ‘Request Extension’ 4. You will be required to fill in three parts of a form:

i. Select a reason from the dropdown list ii. Propose a new deadline (date and time)

iii. Describe in more detail your reason for requesting an extension 5. Submit your extension request

You will receive a Myplace notice and an email to confirm that your request has been submitted. If you have downloaded the University’s Mobile App and have logged in using your DS username, you will also receive a push notification on your device. Your request will be considered, resulting in one of the following two outcomes:

1. Your extension request will be granted – either based on the date and time you proposed or based on an alternative date and time specified by the appropriate member of staff

2. Your extension request will not be granted* The outcome of your extension request will be communicated to you via a Myplace notice and an email. If you have downloaded the University’s Mobile App and have logged in using your DS username, you will also receive a push notification on your device. If you submit an extension request and decide that you no longer require it, you can cancel the request up until the point at which it is approved. After it has been approved, you cannot cancel the request but you can, of course, submit the work in time for the original deadline.

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*If your extension request is not granted and you would like to access support please contact chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk. For details of central University support services, please see the ‘Support’ section below.

Support Disability and Wellbeing Service (including Student Counselling Service and Student Health) Phone: 0141 548 3402 Email: disability-wellbeing@strath.ac.uk Disability & Wellbeing Service Room 4.36, Level 4, Graham Hills Building 50 George Street Glasgow G1 1QE For more information visit the Disability and Wellbeing Service webpage. Study Skills Service Phone: 0141 548 4064/4062 Email: studyskills@strath.ac.uk Level 6, Livingstone Tower, 26 Richmond Street, G1 1XH For more information visit the Study Skills Service webpage. Maths Skills Support Centre Phone: 0141 548 3343 Room LT308, Livingstone Tower, 26 Richmond Street, G1 1XH For more information visit the Maths Skills Support Centre webpage. International Student Support Phone: 0141 548 4273 Email: infoandadvice@strath.ac.uk For more information visit the International Student Support webpage. Strathclyde Students’ Union’s The Advice Hub Phone: 0141 567 5040 Email: strathunion.advice@strath.ac.uk For location see Strath Union’s Advice Hub webpage.

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Penalties for the Late Submission of Coursework Coursework is deemed to be late when it is submitted after the published deadline without an agreed extension, and in the absence of personal circumstances. The Policy and Procedure on Late Submission of Coursework provides a detailed account of the policy and procedures for the late submission of coursework. You should read this document carefully, noting that there may be exceptions to the policy outlined for specific types of coursework, such as (but not limited to) group work or presentations. Staff will communicate any such instances to students. However, in all instances, the range and timing of penalties will be applied according to a commitment to fairness and supporting all students in their studies alongside agreed procedures. Staff will monitor the late submission of assessments in order to identify any students who may require support. For regular coursework, the Policy and Procedure on Late Submission of Coursework outlines the penalties to be applied, and these are summarised below. Coursework that is submitted late, but within seven calendar days of the published deadline date and time, will be subject to penalties, as shown in the table below. The table demonstrates the application of a sliding scale of penalties, where a late submission within 24 hours of the deadline will incur a penalty of 10% applied to the original mark, and for each subsequent 24 hour period, an additional 5% penalty will be applied to the original mark. The table also shows that the application of penalties will be capped for coursework that is of a Pass standard. Coursework submitted after seven calendar days of the published deadline date and time will receive a mark of zero. Students who can demonstrate that they faced exceptional circumstances on the deadline day, and who submit their coursework within 4 hours of the published date and time, will not have their coursework subject to penalties. This 4 hour period is called the ‘grace period’ – see below the table for further information.

Example Day of submission Penalties applied 1. Coursework submitted after the deadline,

student has an approved extension and submits within the approved extension period.

No penalty to be applied.

2. Late submission on the day of the deadline (or approved extended deadline), student has communicated exceptional circumstances and is granted a grace period of up until four hours after the deadline.

No penalty to be applied.

3. Late submission within one calendar day (less than 24 hours) of the deadline, student has no approved extension.

10 percentage point penalty applied to original mark, unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG).

4. Late submission more than one calendar day (more than 24 hours) after the deadline but less

15 percentage point penalty (10 points for first day, 5 points for

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than two full calendar days (less than 48 hours) after the deadline has expired, student has no approved extension.

second day or part day), unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG).

6. Late submission more than two full calendar days (longer than 48 hours) after the deadline but less than three calendar days (72 hours), student has no approved extension.

20 percentage point penalty (10 for first day, 5 for second day, 5 for third day or part day), applied to original mark, unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG)

7. Late submission more than three full calendar days (longer than 72 hours) after the deadline but less than four full calendar days (less than 96 hours), student has no approved extension.

25 percentage point penalty (10 for first day, 5 for second day, 5 for third day, 5 for fourth day or part day), applied to original mark, unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG)

8. Late submission more than four full calendar days (more than 96 hours) after the deadline but less than five full calendar days (less than 120 hours), student has no approved extension.

30 percentage point penalty (10 for first day, 5 for second day, 5 for third day, 5 for fourth day, 5 for fifth day or part day), applied to original mark, unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG)

9. Late submission more than five full calendar days (more than 120 hours) after the deadline but less than six full calendar days (less than 144 hours), student has no approved extension.

35 percentage point penalty (10 for first day, 5 for second day, 5 for third day, 5 for fourth day, 5 for fifth day, and 5 for sixth day or part day), applied to original mark, unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG).

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10. Late submission more than six full calendar days (more than 144 hours) after the deadline but less than seven full calendar days (less than 168 hours), student has no approved extension.

40 percentage point penalty (10 for first day, 5 for second day, 5 for third day, 5 for fourth day, 5 for fifth day, 5 for 6th day and 5 for the 7th part day), applied to original mark, unless the penalty reduces the student’s mark to below 40% (UG) or 50% (PG), in which case the mark is capped at 40% (UG) and 50% (PG).

11. Late submission more than seven full calendar days after the deadline. For example, a deadline was set for Midday on a Wednesday and a student submits an assessment after midday the following Wednesday

A mark of zero will be applied to the work.

Requesting the application of the grace period If you experience unexpected circumstances before the time set on the day of the deadline and it results in a delay to your submission of less than four hours, you can request that the grace period is applied to your coursework submission via the late submissions tool in Myplace. If the reason provided is acceptable for use of the grace period, this will mean that a penalty is not applied to your mark. Requests for the grace period to be applied must be submitted within 4 hours of the published date and time and no longer – we strongly suggest that you submit your request as soon as you have submitted your coursework. To request that the grace period is applied:

1. Submit your coursework 2. In the assignment page containing information about the status of your submission and the

deadline, click on the Late Submissions section to expand it 3. From the ‘Reason for grace period’ dropdown list, select the reason that best describes why

you are requesting the grace period 4. Submit your request

The grace period will be automatically applied to your submission. However, if it becomes apparent that the grace period has been misused, a member of staff may revoke it and apply the appropriate late penalty. Instructions with images of the screen to support this explanation is also available. If the late submissions tool is not available for your coursework, first contact the class lecturer, and if you are not satisfied with the response, contact the course director via chemeng-dl-admissions@strath.ac.uk. NOTE: where the late submissions tool in Myplace is available, it should be used. Where a penalty is applied in Myplace, you can view the grade awarded to your work, the late penalty deducted and the final grade received after the deduction of the penalty. You can do this by

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expanding the ‘late submissions’ section on the assignment page, once the grades have been released. Instructions with images of the screen to support this explanation is also available.

Penalty for late submission The penalty applied as a percentage

Performant grade The mark you would have received if there was no penalty

Pass mark The mark required to pass the assignment

Marks deducted The number of marks deducted (not the percentage deducted)

Effective percentage point penalty How many percentage points were deducted

Grade The mark returned to you shows you your Performant Grade minus the Marks Deducted

In the case of coursework to be submitted through Myplace, issues with Myplace which prevent students from submitting their coursework before the deadline will not result in late penalties. In this situation, staff will amend the deadline to allow enough time for students to successfully upload and submit their coursework after the issue has been resolved.

If you think you are unlikely to meet a coursework deadline due to medical issues or personal circumstances, please apply for an extension as early as possible.