Programme Title

MSci Chemical Technology

Final Award
(exit route if applicable for Postgraduate Taught Programmes)

Master in Science

Programme Code

ECH-MSCI

UCAS Code

HH80

HECoS Code

100143

ATAS Clearance Required

No

Mode of Study

Full Time

Type of Programme

Undergraduate Master

Length of Programme

4 Academic Year(s)

Total Credits for Programme

480

Exit Awards available

Teaching Institution

Queen's University Belfast

School/Department

Chemistry & Chemical Engineering

Framework for Higher Education Qualification Level 
www.qaa.ac.uk

Level 7

QAA Benchmark Group
www.qaa.ac.uk/quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements

Chemistry

Accreditations (PSRB)

Does the Programme have any approved exemptions from the University General Regulations
(Please see General Regulations)

Programme Specific Regulations

Progression from Stage 3 to Stage 4 of the degree is dependent on the achievement of a minimum of 55% average at Stage 3 and a minimum weighted average of 55% across Stages 1-3.

Students failing to meet this requirement after Stage 3 will be transferred to the BSc in Chemical Technology programme for graduation.

Weightings: Stage 1: 5%; Stage 2: 15%; Stage 3: 30%; Stage 4: 50%.

(Weightings for BSc exit route: Stage 1: 10%, Stage 2: 20%, Stage 3: 60%)

Students with protected characteristics

Are students subject to Fitness to Practise Regulations

(Please see General Regulations)

No

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Solve previously 'unseen' scientific problems using a range of analytical and deductive techniques

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; extended experimental project; research project and guided independent study. Unseen problems are introduced with tutorial and post-laboratory questions in all topics at Stages 1 and 2 and increase in complexity into Stages 3 and 4 where they are applied in design problems and to the design of experiments and data acquisition to solve research questions.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project and extended experimental work dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Make value judgements on information in the public domain.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Essays; literature searching for research project and extended experimental work dissertation; data for engineering design project. Retrieval of subject-specific material from primary literature and public domain sources are developed through essays and particularly through the group problem solving exercises which rely on critical analysis of published material.

Methods of Assessment

Group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations.

Critically review and reflect upon their work

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project and extended experimental work; engineering design project; group problem solving exercises. Reflective practices are developed through feedback from experimental reports, tutorial work, formative/summative class tests and design projects. By Stages 3 and 4, students routinely apply reflective experimental design principles to their research project, extended practical programmes and to design projects.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; class tests; tutorials; group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Analyse and interpret data correctly.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; group engineering design project; research project and guided independent study. The complexity of the tasks and data analysis increases through the programme by building on worked examples provided in lectures and interpretation of results from structured practicals in Stages 1 and 2 through to more independent and open-ended research data in Stages 3 and 4.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; research and design projects dissertation; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Develop and use reflective practices to provide practical solutions to problems by experimentation and obtain relevant data.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project and extended experimental work; group problem solving exercises; design projects; guided independent study. The same principles of developing these critical analyses and review techniques as described in Outcome 1.3 apply here. The design of new experiments and processes builds on the practical and analytical skills in the previous Outcome.

Methods of Assessment

Group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Evaluate design of processes and products; make improvements to solve chemistry problems, often on the basis of limited and possibly contradictory information and apply to real industrial problems.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem classes and seminars; group design projects; research project. Feedback from formative assessments and draft dissertations enables students to build and develop these problem solving skills. The evaluation of new experiments and processes builds on the practical and analytical skills in the previous Outcomes.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; project dissertations; oral presentations;

Explain the theory behind the introduction of new and advancing technology.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem classes and seminars particularly though the elective courses in the options module at level 3; research and design projects; industrial visits. New advances in technology are maintained and refreshed in the programme through research-led teaching and through the independent research project.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; class tests; project dissertations, oral presentations.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Read, understand and assimilate new information and subsume acquired knowledge into a concise manner and within various settings.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and tutorials; structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project and extended experimental work; engineering design project; essays and dissertations. The ability to extract, process, understand and critically analyse published material is a core key skill in this degree programme and the techniques are embedded into the course from Stage 1 to 4 using the methods listed above.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; class tests; project and extended experimental work; dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Apply generic and subject specific IT skills.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

IT and computer skills workshops; experimental reports; research project and extended experimental work; engineering design project; essays and dissertations; guided independent study. Basic IT skills for the production of professional reports using subject specific software, such as chemical structure drawing, data analysis and engineering software, are introduced through workshops and computer-based classes and then developed through experimental reports and essays and dissertations.

Methods of Assessment

Project and extended experimental work dissertations; computer-based workshop or online assessment; experimental reports.

Be proficient in database and literature searching techniques.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Essays; literature searching and research project and extended experimental work dissertation; group problem solving exercises; guided independent study. Awareness of the body of published scientific work and the tools to interrogate and access that information begins in Stage 1 and is developed to the point where students use the available search techniques routinely for their research project in Stage 4.

Methods of Assessment

Project and extended experimental work dissertations; group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations.

Have a sound grasp of chemistry, physics and mathematics as applied to the technological base of chemistry and chemical engineering.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; independent laboratory experiments. There is a heavy emphasis on these core areas in Stage 1 and 2 of the programme to underpin the application of these skills in the design and research projects in Stages 3 and 4.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; project dissertations; experimental reports

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles and theories within chemistry and chemical engineering and apply these to chemistry and chemical engineering problems.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; design project; research project; independent laboratory experiments; guided independent study. Feedback through marked laboratory reports and from formative and summative interim tests enables students to build and develop their essential core knowledge. Application of this in extended experimental work and design and research projects allows development of problem solving skills and appreciation of issues arising when solving real world problems.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; project dissertations; experimental reports.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of the fundamental aspects of chemistry and chemical engineering.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; group engineering design project; research project and guided independent study. These subject-specific skills are developed from fundamental concepts in Stages 1 and 2 to the application of the concepts in industrially and commercially relevant contexts in Stages 3 and 4 where a degree of specialisation is available.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project and extended experimental work dissertations; design projects, oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Describe the characteristic chemistry and properties of the elements demonstrating a knowledge of chemical bonding, shape and structure and their influence on materials’ properties and characterisation using a range of spectroscopic techniques.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; research and extended experimental projects and guided independent study. The same strategy as described in Outcome 3.1 is applied here.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project and extended experimental work dissertations; experimental reports.

Understand the chemistry of functional groups and major synthetic pathways in organic chemistry and apply these to synthesis problems.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; research and guided independent study. The same strategy as described in Outcome 3.1 is applied here.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project dissertations; experimental reports.

Demonstrate an understanding of the main principles of heat, mass and momentum transfer and apply these to the design of unit operations.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; engineering design project and guided independent study. The same strategy as described in Outcome 3.1 is applied here.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project dissertation; experimental reports.

Demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical theory and practical application of process control systems and apply these to industrial process safety.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; engineering design project and guided independent study. The same strategy as described in Outcome 3.1 is applied here.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project dissertation; experimental reports.

Demonstrate an appreciation of the importance, ethical responsibility and legislation behind reaction and process safety.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project; engineering design project and guided independent study. Safety is a core skill in Applied Chemistry and is a central theme both explicitly in laboratory experiments and some dedicated modules as well as implicitly in all process design projects and theory-based modules. The same strategy as described in Outcome 3.1 is applied here.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project and extended experimental work dissertations; experimental reports.

Describe the ethical and environmental issues involved in process design and implement sustainable practices using principles of green chemistry and engineering to solve design problems from a range of chemical industries.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and tutorials; group problem solving exercises; guided independent study. Environmental issues are considered in Stage 1 through laboratory classes, lectures and tutorials and are then delivered through group process design exercises using experiential problem solving and scientific literature critical analysis in Stages 2 and 3 as a more effective method to teach these concepts than solely the traditional lecture model of delivery.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project dissertation; experimental reports.

Demonstrate safe and proficient practical laboratory skills, including use of analytical instrumentation, to generate experimental data.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project. Chemistry is essentially an experimental, laboratory-based subject and developing the skills to safely handle potentially dangerous materials and processes is central to all laboratory-based activities. Safety briefing by school safety officer before working in a lab.

Methods of Assessment

Project and extended experimental work dissertations; group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports. Completion of pre-lab reports including a question on the provided risk assessment for each experiment in Stages 1 and 2 is advanced to students completing their own risk assessment in Stages 3 and 4.

Use scientific principles, appropriate mathematical methods and software to model and analyse chemistry and chemical engineering problems and develop solutions to practical problems.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and seminars, group design projects; research project independent laboratory experiments; guided independent study. Structured engineering design and laboratory based practicals at Stages 1 and 2 provide the core skill set for application of scientific methodology in experimental and design work in the group and research projects in Stages 3 and 4.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; class tests; essays and dissertations; oral presentations

Demonstrate advanced knowledge of an area of new or emerging chemical research.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Specialisation is achieved through options modules and the research project. Students can choose up to three areas of specialisation in Stage 3 to support and complement their chosen research project. Core material is delivered by lecturers but students make extensive use of guided independent study to acquire knowledge from peer reviewed literature.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; class tests; essays and dissertations; poster and oral presentations.

Incorporate new and emerging technology to integrated process design by using a wide variety of tools, techniques and equipment, including chemical engineering software.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; lectures and workshops with invited industrial lecturers; design projects; computer work-shops and problem classes.

Methods of Assessment

Design project dissertation; computer-based examinations and tests.

Demonstrate an understanding of the economic, legal, business and professional aspects of engineering industry.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; group design projects. Delivered primarily through process design projects in Stages 2 and 3 and is further developed in the specialist technology management and entrepreneurship module in Stage 4.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations, group project work, oral presentations.

Design a range of chemical processes for industrial application to an advanced level.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Group design project is structured and inter-disciplinary in Stage 2 and for those on the MSci programme will concentrate on designing the chemistry for scale-up. More advanced chemical transformations will be studied at Stages 3 and 4. In stage 3 students complete the inorganic and physical extended experimental work projects similar to the BSc Chemistry students and in Stage 4 study most aspects of the organic and inorganic material taken by the MSci Chemistry students.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations, group project work, oral presentations.

Learning Outcomes: Transferable Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Demonstrate advanced numeracy and literacy skills.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures, tutorials and workshops; structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project and extended experimental work; group problem solving exercises. Students may enter the degree pathway with different backgrounds in mathematics and the emphasis in Stage 1 is to bring all students to a core threshold of mathematical skills through lectures and workshops. Scientific literacy is developed through increasingly challenging and rigorous experimental and design reports as students’ progress from Stage 1 to their design and research project dissertations.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; project and extended experimental work dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Work within a team based environment and employ interpersonal skills.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Research project and extended experimental work; group problem solving exercises. Team work starts in Stage 1 where students work in small groups in some of the laboratory classes and learn the importance of division of tasks and reliance on shared data. A centrepiece of the group exercise strategy is the extended group process design problem solving exercise at Stage 2 leading to the design and research projects in Stages 3 and 4 which require students to work effectively in existing post-graduate research groups.

Methods of Assessment

Experimental reports, project and extended experimental work dissertations; group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations.

Effectively exert generic problem-solving skills.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and tutorials; class tests and problem solving sessions; group problem solving exercises; guided independent study. Problem solving skills are central to this degree programme and are incorporated to a greater or lesser extent in all activities at all Stages.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; project and extended experimental work dissertations; oral and poster presentations; experimental reports.

Manage time effectively and prioritise workloads.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Group design projects; research project and extended experimental work; coursework deadlines, project goals, milestones and submission targets provide a framework for developing these skills.

Methods of Assessment

Timely submission of project and extended experimental work dissertations; group and individual coursework and dissertations.

Communicate effectively with colleagues and others using both written and oral methods.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Research project and extended experimental work; group problem solving exercises; oral and poster presentations. Written and oral presentation skills are introduced at Stage 1 through regular tutorials. These are developed further through Stages 2 to 4 with several modules requiring oral or poster presentations, written essays or dissertations. The importance of scientific rigour in the defence of arguments is developed through these exercises.
Group design projects. The group design projects are at the core of the strategy for building and enhancing written and oral communication skills and are present in two levels of the programme.


Group design projects. The group design projects are at the core of the strategy for building and enhancing written and oral communication skills and are present in all three levels of the programme

Methods of Assessment

Tutorials, project and extended experimental work and dissertations; group design and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations.

Demonstrate data analysis and processing techniques

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Structured group and independent laboratory classes; research project or extended experimental work and dissertation; design projects; class tests and problem-solving sessions; guided independent study. The processing of complex sets of information and data is developed from simple experimental results interpretation in Stage 1 through to unknown data processing in the research project in Stage 4.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations and tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; computer workshops and exams. Project and extended experimental work and dissertations; group and individual dissertations; oral and poster presentations.

Make effective use of IT and databases.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Computer-based workshops and problem classes; group design projects; research and extended experimental projects. Computing and IT plays a central role in many of the design and experimental activities at all levels of the programme.

Methods of Assessment

Project and design work; experimental reports; dissertations; oral presentations; computer-based examinations and tests.

Work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Group design projects; research project. The group design and research projects are at the core of the strategy for multi-disciplinary team work which is implicit to this programme by its nature.

Methods of Assessment

Project work and dissertations; oral and poster presentations.

Learning Outcomes: Cognitive Skills

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Design and produce a substantial piece of independent experimental or theoretical research.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Research project. The central aim of Stage 4 of the MSci/MEng programmes is for the student to develop the ability for independent research through the application of the knowledge and experimental skills acquired during the earlier Stages.

Methods of Assessment

Project dissertation; face to face viva voce; poster and oral presentations.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge & Understanding

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of business and management techniques within an industrial chemistry and engineering context.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; group design projects. Teaching of these non-subject specific but essential skills is delivered primarily through process design projects in Stages 2 and 3 and is further developed in the specialist technology and entrepreneurship module in Stage 4.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; project dissertations; oral presentations.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific

On the completion of this course successful students will be able to:

Explain the principles of thermodynamics and kinetics, including the mechanistic interpretation of chemical reactions and apply these to reactor design problems.

Teaching/Learning Methods and Strategies

Lectures and small group tutorials; problem solving classes and seminars; structured group and independent laboratory classes; research and extended experimental projects; engineering design project and guided independent study. The same strategy as described in Outcome 3.1 is applied here.

Methods of Assessment

Written examinations; tutorials; class tests; project and extended experimental work dissertations; experimental reports.