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1. Admissions/ Management Information
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Title of the programme – including any lower awards
Please provide the titles used for all awards relating to this programme. Note: all programmes are required to have at least a Postgraduate Certificate exit award.

See guidance on programme titles in:
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Masters MSc Embedded Wireless Systems
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Postgraduate Diploma PGDip Embedded Wireless SystemsPlease indicate if the Postgraduate Diploma is available as an entry point, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, is an exit award, ie. is only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.Exit
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Postgraduate Certificate PGCert Embedded Wireless SystemsPlease indicate if the Postgraduate Certificate is available as an entry points, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, is an exit award, ie. is only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.Exit
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Level of qualificationLevel 7
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This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:2021
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Awarding institutionTeaching institution
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University of York University of York
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Department(s):
Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department		Board of Studies
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Lead Department Department of Electronic EngineeringDepartment of Electronic Engineering
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Other contributing Departments:
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Route code
(existing programmes only)		PMELESEWS1
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Admissions criteria
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Applicants are normally expected to hold (or expected to gain) the equivalent of a 2:1 honours degree or above from a university recognised by the University of York. This degree should have a significant electronics and/or computing content. We are willing to consider applications from students with lower qualifications, particularly when the student has high marks in relevant modules and/or appropriate industrial experience.
For applicants whose native language is not English, the minimum University English language requirements of IELTS 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each of the four language components) or the equivalent are required.
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Length and status of the programme(s) and mode(s) of study
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ProgrammeLength (years/ months) Status (full-time/ part-time)
Please select		Start dates/months
(if applicable – for programmes that have multiple intakes or start dates that differ from the usual academic year)		Mode
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Face-to-face, campus-basedDistance learningOther
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MSc in Embedded Wireless Systems1 yearFull-timeSeptemberPlease select Y/NYesPlease select Y/NNoN/A
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Language(s) of study
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English
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Language(s) of assessment
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English
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2. Programme accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)
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2.a. Is the programme recognised or accredited by a PSRB
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Please Select Y/N: Yesif No move to section 3
if Yes complete the following questions
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3. Additional Professional or Vocational Standards
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Are there any additional requirements of accrediting bodies or PSRB or pre-requisite professional experience needed to study this programme?
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Please Select Y/N: Yesif Yes, provide details
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Although the university allows 40 credits of compensation, for the degree to remain IET-accredited, students can only be compensated in 30 credits. If a student has over 30 credits of compensation but has met the university progression requirements of 40 credits of compensation, they may be given the opportunity to resit compensated modules in order to reduce the compensation to 30 credits and remain on an accredited degree.
Students who do not meet the IET criteria for accreditation will graduate with MSc Electronics
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4. Programme leadership and programme team
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4.a. Please name the programme leader for the year to which the programme design applies and any key members of staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.
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Dr Hamed Ahmadi
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5. Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
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5.a. Statement of purpose for applicants to the Masters programme
Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant facing statement for a prospectus or website. This should clarify to a prospective masters student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
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Wireless communication and mobile computing are currently the largest growth sectors in electronics and are expected to grow in the future, with applications ranging from mobile phones and self-driving cars to the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming pervasive in consumer electronics, society and industry. Wireless communication is now present in the majority of everyday objects including vehicles, phones, personal health and fitness, entertainment systems and even food. The MSc Embedded Wireless Systems provides you with all the tools and skills necessary to become a leader in engineering research, design and development across a range of industries. It covers theoretical and practical electronic design, sensors, instrumentation systems, communications and embedded computing from core principles to cutting-edge research. One of the major features of the MSc is the teaching of industry standard embedded systems using ARM processors, which are currently in over 90% of all mobile phones. The MSc culminates in a major group project involving the design and practical implementation of a wireless sensor network to solve a real-world problem such as distributed environmental monitoring. The project is closely linked with research in the department and often involves collaboration with other departments and industry. The modules are taught by leading academics specialising in wireless sensor networks, embedded systems, sensor and instrumentation, and the programme is fully accredited by the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology). The programme provides a route into industries which utilise wireless sensor network applications, ranging from smart buildings, warehouses, traffic monitoring, patient monitoring, industry 4.0 and the internet of things. After graduating from this MSc, students will be significantly more attractive to a wider range of employers due to a more comprehensive portfolio, experience from running and managing a team project and system integration skills.
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5.b.i. Programme Learning Outcomes - Masters
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PLOOn successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
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1Subject Knowledge: Conduct research into the theory and operation of wireless systems (communications, embedded systems, sensors) and apply specialist knowledge in their design and implementation.
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2Engineering Analysis: Extract and critically evaluate literature and other data about complex systems through analytical and computational methods, and modelling.
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3Engineering Design: Create innovative and optimised designs to address real-world and industry-relevant problems involving wireless and embedded systems by synthesising novel ideas into engineering specifications.
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4Practical Skills: Apply professional skills of programming, circuit design and construction, and system integration to independently solve technically challenging real-world research-based problems.
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5Technical Communication: Debate, defend and contextualise information in a succinct, professional and technically accurate manner for engineers and non-technical audiences, and write and interpret technical documentation to international industry standards.
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6Management & Personal Development: Proficiently manage themselves, teams and complex projects in preparation for technical careers as leaders in applied electronic engineering.
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5.c. Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning Outcomes
Please explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
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i) ... in what way will these PLOs result in an ambitious, challenging programme which stretches the students?
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The PLOs for this programme have been developed by the programme team as the best way of capturing the skills and competencies that graduates of the programme will be able to demonstrate. PLO1 indicates that the specialist wireless and embedded systems knowledge gained will be actively applied in individual research, working at the cutting edge of applied electronics research. PLOs 2-4 represent the main skillset that engineers are expected to have - that of analysing complex problems in today's world, designing innovative solutions, and having the practical technical ability to bring novel ideas into being. This programme specifically develops an engineering skillset that is applicable in the world of connected and embedded electronics and devices. PLO5 emphasises the importance of an engineer being able to communicate their questions, analysis, findings and solutions to a variety of audiences via a variety of media. PLO6 crystalises the need in the modern world for engineers to be effective team-players, adaptable to working alone or in different sized teams for a variety of different purposes. Together these PLOs bring together up-to-date knowledge, cutting-edge engineering skills, with the abiility to work effectively with others and communicate with the wider world.
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ii) ... in what way will these PLOs produce a programme which is distinctive and advantageous to the student?
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York has been developing programmes in this area for many years and staff have a wide range of experience in the core subject knowledge, working on related research projects, and guiding students through the process of learning and practically experiencing the subject. The PLOs form a series of learning ladders that ensure that the different strands of learning receive full coverage across the programme. Whilst students need to learn a good deal of information about their subject, the job of a university in today's knowledge-rich world, is to provide context, guidance and experience of applying that knowledge in practice. For this programme in Embedded Wireless Systems, students will gain knowledge, experience and confidence in a combination of areas that are of direct applicability to today's major research topics in wireless communication, mobile computing and pervasive and connected networks of embedded devices.
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iii) ... how the design of the programme enables students from diverse entry routes to transition successfully into the programme? For example, how does the organisation of the programme ensure solid foundations in disciplinary knowledge and understanding of conventions, language skills, mathematics and statistics skills, writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity
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Prior to arrival: Students receive newsletters with information about the programme. Students can top up their knowledge, or gain an introduction, to a variety of material to be used in the programme by visiting the programme website ahead of starting their course, where they will find extensive pre-learning material.
Upon arrival: 3 afternoon intensive induction specifically designed to introduce students to the way we do things here at York, to level the understanding playing field; to give students the chance to get to know each other and work together in groups; to lay down a foundation of generic skills training and UK conventions, especially in teaching and learning; to get them started in writing and speaking skills, working in teams, some tools for creative problem solving, thinking, etc. We generally mix students in supervision groups by gender and country of origin - with the intention of helping them integrate.
During the year: A specially developed module in C Programming provides workshops to help people with limited experience of engineering coding to make rapid progress. Each module is designed to introduce key topic material, but also to allow students to apply this in practice in labs, tutorials, and via supported self-study.
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iv) ... how the programme is designed to enable students to progress successfully - in a limited time frame - through to the end of the award? For example, the development of higher level research skills; enabling students to complete an independent study module; developing competence and confidence in practical skills/ professional skills. See QAA masters characteristics doument http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Masters-Degree-Characteristics-15.pdf
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The module structure of the programme is designed in such a way that the Autumn term provides fundamental technical knowledge and skills for the three main areas required to successfully accomplish this MSc:
(i) C-programming, providing the fundamental skills to program and operate embedded systems. These skills will then feed directly into the spring term module Systems Programming for Embedded Devices.
(ii) Sensors & Instrumentation, providing an overview of different types of sensors, how they work and the knowledge to operate them in embedded systems context. This knowledge will then be put into practice in Spring (Embedded Systems Programming) and provides the foundation for the final project.
(iii) Introduction to Communications and Data Communication Techniques provide the knowledge and skills required for wireless networks and networking communication protocols. Both modules cover all foundations necessary for the final project. In this MSc skills to apply communication techniques are required. This covers all three aspects (E)mbedded (W)ireless (S)ystems.

In addition, Personal Effectiveness and Skills Masterclasses take place in both Autumn and Spring terms. These provide both opportunities to gain knowledge of cutting-edge/advanced technologies and also a platform for discussion and integration of different backgrounds of students. This allows us to identify and react to possible skills gaps early and throughout the programme.

There are two additional threads building up knowledge and skills in Management and Marketing as well as Research Methods. Management and Marketing methods are taught early on in the programme in the Autumn term to enable the students to put these skills into practice when they start planning their final project and working as a group in the Spring term and then undertake the project in Summer. Research methods are taught close to the start of the final project, to maximise the students' awareness of data acquisition, data analysis techniques and statistical methods.

There are a total of four threads (as outlined above): (1) EWS technical skills, (2) Personal skills, (3) Management skills, and (4) Research skills, flowing together and culminating in the final group project.
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v) ... how this programme (as outlined in these PLOs) will develop students’ digital literacy skills and how technology-enhanced learning will be used to support active student learning through peer/tutor interaction, collaboration and formative (self) assessment opportunities (reference could be made to such as blogging, flipped classroooms, response 'clickers' in lectures, simulations, etc).
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The entire programme is imbued with developing digital literacy. A variety of programming languages are encountered and applied by students (PLOs 1-4) as a key part of the modules. The field of Embedded Wireless Systems can only exist with a deep understanding of the design and use of hardware and software systems, and so this is built in deeply to the module and programme structure. Students not only learn how to use digital tools, but how to design and build them. PLO1 enhances personal research by developing students' skills to independently find, evaluate and use sources. Students also need to develop their personal communication skills (PLO5) and the programme and its assignments provide multiple opportunities for this; from keeping technical logbooks, to portraying information to the public via poster preparation, and by doing public presentations. PLO6 is developed not only in the module assignments (managing themselves, teams and complex projects) which use collaborative tools such as Google Apps, but in the final teamworking project, and by involvement in the Professional Development Framework (see below in 5.c. vi).
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vi) ... how this programme (as outlined in these PLOs) will support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)?
The programme's employablity objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
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All our MSc programmes incorporate a carefully designed Professional Development Framework. In consultation with our Departmental Advisory Board, with key contributors from Industry, Research and Academia, this ensures that all students gain awareness of the essential skills that employers need and opportunities to develop their personal and team-based effectiveness. This begins with an Induction Week including an introduction to masters-level learning, and student team activities. Throughout the Autumn and Spring Terms students develop their personal effectiveness in a series of workshops (covering such issues as literature, research, referencing, teamwork, leadership, reflective learning, ethics, and business skills). These lead on to Interdisciplinary Masterclasses which cover key research and development cross-curricular topics in emerging technology. In the Summer Term students are prepared for research methodology and digital literacy, and undertake regular developmental training in project management. This all leads to a major group project (60 credit units) which is designed to give research and industry-relevant experience to individuals and teams as a major component of each programme.
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viii) ... how learning and teaching on the programme are informed and led by research in the department/ Centre/ University?
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York’s world-leading Intelligent Systems and Communication Technologies Research Groups in the Department of Electronic Engineering are involved in research and development of next-generation bio-inspired computing and world-leading modern communications systems, with an emphasis on wireless communications.The modules are taught by leading academics specialising in wireless sensor networks, embedded systems, sensor and instrumentation, and the programme is fully accredited by the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology). Modules are informed by this research and development and are kept up to date with the latest research, equipping them with state-of-the-art knowledge in this rapidly evolving area. Students have multiple opportunities to work with and be guided by staff who are actively working in these developing subject fields.
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5.d. Progression
For masters programmes where students do not incrementally 'progress' on the completion of a discrete Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma, please summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of the PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of the set of modules or part thereof. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules and in circumstances where students registered on a higher award will exit early with a lower one.

Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each masters PLO, but this can be done if preferred.
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On completion of modules sufficient to obtain a Postgraduate Certificate students will be able to:
If the PG Cert is an exit award only please provide information about how students will have progressed towards the diploma/masters PLOs. Please include detail of the module diet that students will have to have completed to gain this qualification as an exit award.
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Students can receive a postgraduate certificate by achieving a minimum of 60 credits in taught modules. This could occur for instance by failing a pass/fail module, or by not being able to progress onto the project for other reasons such as failing the Research Methods modules. Up to this point in the programme all PLOs are covered, but PLO1 will be lacking the literature review contextualisation, and PLO6 will be under-practiced as the major project is not experienced.
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On completion of modules sufficient to obtain a Postgraduate Diploma students will be able to:
If the PG Diploma is an exit award only please provide information about how students will have progressed towards the masters PLOs. Please include detail of the module diet that students will have to have completed to gain this qualification as an exit award.
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Students can receive a Diploma by passing everything except the project (due to leaving early or by failing the project). Thus they will have covered the majority of PLOs 1-5. Their completion of PLO6 will be limited compared to a Masters graduate, but it is not entirely missing as they will have still have completed the Research Methods modules and attended support sessions on Project Management.
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6. Reference points and programme regulations
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6.a. Relevant Quality Assurance Agency benchmark statement(s) and other relevant external reference points
Please state relevant reference points consulted (e.g. Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, National Occupational Standards, Subject Benchmark Statements or the requirements of PSRBs): See also Taught Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Framework for Programme Design:
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Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – August 2008 http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/FHEQ08.pdf
IET Accreditation – October 2014: http://www.theiet.org/academics/accreditation/policy-guidance/
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6.b. University award regulations
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The University’s award and assessment regulations apply to all programmes: any exceptions that relate to this programme are approved by University Teaching Committee and are recorded at the end of this document.
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7. Programme Structure
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7.a. Module Structure and Summative Assessment Map
Please complete the summary table below which shows the module structure and the pattern of summative assessment through the programme.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
If the structure of your programme does not fit the usual academic year (for instance students start at the beginning of September or in January) please contact your Academic Quality Team contact in the Academic Support Office for guidance on how to represent the structure in an alternative format.

To clearly present the overall programme structure, include the name and details of each invidual CORE module in the rows below. For OPTION modules, ‘Option module’ or 'Option from list x' should be used in place of specifically including all named options. If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists by term of delivery or subject theme these lists should be provided in the next section (7.b).

From the drop-down select 'S' to indicate the start of the module, 'A' to indicate the timing of each distinct summative assessment point (eg. essay submission/ exam), and 'E' to indicate the end of teaching delivery for the module (if the end of the module coincides with the summative assessment select 'EA'). It is not expected that each summative task will be listed where an overall module might be assessed cumulatively (for example weekly problem sheets).

Summative assessment by exams should normally be scheduled in the spring week 1 and summer Common Assessment period (weeks 5-7). Where the summer CAP is used, a single ‘A’ can be used within the shaded cells as it is understood that you will not know in which week of the CAP the examination will take place. (NB: An additional resit assessment week is provided in week 10 of the summer term for postgraduate students. See Guide to Assessment, 5.4.a)
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Full time structure
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CreditsModuleAutumn TermSpring Term Summer Term Summer Vacation
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CodeTitle12345678910123456789101234567891012345678910111213
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10ELE00059MSensors and InstrumentationSEA
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10ELE000129MManagement and Marketing of Technology for MScSEA
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10ELE00107MC Programming for MScSEA
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10ELE00113MIntroduction to CommunicationsSEA
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10ELE00008MEnterpriseSAEAA
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10ELE00131MDigital Communications System for MScSEA
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10ELE00115MNeural Networks and Neural ComputingSEA
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10ELE00063MSystems Programming for Embedded DevicesSEA
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20ELE00111MMSc Personal Effectiveness and MasterclassesSAAAEA
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10ELE00123MResearch Methods TheorySEA
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10ELE00124MResearch Methods: Data AnalysisSEA
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60ELE00108MMSc Embedded Wireless Systems ProjectSAEAA
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Full-time Route: Please indicate when the Progression Board and Final Exam board will be held and when any reassessments will be submitted.
NB: You are required to provide at least three weeks notice to students of the need for them to resubmit any required assessments, in accordance with the Guide to Assessment section 4.9
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Progression BoardWeek 2 Summer Vacation
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ReassessmentWeek 7 Summer Vacation
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Exam BoardAutumn Term Week 3
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Part time structures
Please indicate the modules undertaken in each year of the part-time version of the programme. Please use the text box below should any further explanation be required regarding structure of part-time study routes.
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Year 1 (if you offer the programme part-time over either 2 or 3 years, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
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Year 2
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Year 3
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7.b. Optional module lists

If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists these lists should be provided below. If you need more space, use the toggles on the left to reveal ten further hidden rows.
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Option List AOption List BOption List COption List D
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7.c. Explanation of the programme and assessment design
The statements should be in a form that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). It should make clear to students why they are doing the key activities of the programme, in terms of reaching the PLOs.
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i) Students’ independent study and formative work Please outline how independent study and student work has been designed to support the progressive achievement of the programme learning outcomes (for example, the use of online resources which incorporate formative feedback; opportunities for further learning from work-based placements).
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The programme has been designed to guide the students from hands-on to hands-off, i.e. to become independently working and critically thinking engineers. This is reflected through the transition from teaching new skills and knowledge in Autumn term towards components requiring more independent study (Masterclasses, Research Methods), culminating in the final project independent study module, where the supervisor acts as knowledge base and provides guidance, but the topics are student-driven. All modules incorporate a major component of independent study. Key texts are given to read, as well as information about, for example, the programming language being taught, or the embedded systems principles being described. As the programme progresses, increasing amounts of the students' time is spent working on more specialised material, culminating in a major project. Throughout this whole process the Professional Development Framework provides an opportunity to work with all Masters students in the Department to develop key skills and competencies that have been developed with our consultations with industry.