University of St Andrews

Programme Specification for Master in Engineering (Honours) Microelectronics and Photonics

Awarding institution:	University of St Andrews
Teaching institution:	Universities of St Andrews and Dundee
Programme type:	Undergraduate (Collaborative)
Programme title:	Microelectronics and Photonics
Faculty:	Faculty of Science
Schools:	School of Physics and Astronomy
Language of study:	English
Programme length:	5 years
SCQF credit level:	Level 11
UCAS code:	HF6J
Contact details:	See the School of Physics & Astronomy website at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/ For further details about this programme contact physics@st-andrews.ac.uk
Admissions criteria:	AAAB Highers AAB A-levels 36 IB points MATHS + PHYSICS
Accreditation details:	Accredited by the UK Institute of Electrical Engineers
QAA benchmarks:	For general QAA information on academic infrastructure see http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/default.asp For subject specific benchmarking see http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/statements/Physics08.asp
Date(s) of production:	June 2009
Date(s) of revision:
Authorised by:	Dr Bruce Sinclair
Route code:	USEFMEPCMEP

Educational aims of programme

This programme will involve study of Physics and Microlectronics at an advanced, research-led level in which students will gain an understanding of how knowledge is created, used, advanced and renewed. The programme will encourage in all students a desire to pursue learning with curiosity, integrity, tolerance and intellectual rigour.

Programme outcomes / Graduate attributes

In the course of this programme students will develop programme-specific skills. On completing the programme students should be able to demonstrate the graduate attributes outlined below.

• To provide a systematic functional knowledge and understanding of core physical concepts, principles and theories, and some of their applications
• To provide specialist functional knowledge and understanding relevant to microelectronics and photonics
• To provide access to physics at the frontiers, capitalising on the strengths of the research undertaken in the School
• To develop proficiency in the analysis of complex physical problems and the use of mathematical and other appropriate techniques to solve them
• To provide the ability to plan, execute under supervision, analyse and report upon the results of an experiment or investigation
• To provide experience and expertise in experimental investigations for all students at the earlier stages of the programme, and for students on this degree programme to develop these skills further in the honours years
• To develop skills in the use of computers for control, data acquisition, and data analysis in experimental investigations
• To develop the professional skills of teamwork, independent learning, information retrieval, critical analysis, and the communication of scientific concepts in writing and orally
• To develop the ability to be a self-directed learner, including fostering a healthy intellectual curiosity in this and other disciplines, and the ability to determine one's own learning needs and to organise one's own learning
• To enthuse students about the discipline and its applications, and to develop their confidence in their work using the discipline
• To provide students in the School with an educational and social environment which encourages them to become informed, responsible, and respected members of society
• To provide opportunities and support for all students to reach their full potential during their studies

Teaching, Learning and Assessment strategies

The skills and graduate attributes listed above will be accomplished through delivery of the following teaching, learning and assessment strategies appropriate to the programme aims.

a) Teaching and Learning

Students will engage with independent and group study in a supportive framework of teaching and learning. The strategy is to use methods of teaching and assessment that will facilitate learning appropriate to the aims of the single honours degree programme. The following methods will be employed where appropriate to the level of study and the particular content of each module in the programme.

• Lectures
• Small group tutorials
• Problem solving workshops and whole class tutorials
• Group based problem solving
• Guided independent study and research
• Teaching laboratories
• Computer based analysis
• Research project
• Individual consultations with staff members

b) Material submitted for assessment

Assessment can be a blend of diagnostic work to determine student needs, formative work submitted for assessment and feedback (but not necessarily for academic credit) or summative work submitted for academic credit.

• Written examinations
• Laboratory notebook assessments
• Assessment of prepared solutions to tutorial problems
• Self and peer assessment of group work
• Reflective analysis
• Review articles
• Final year project report
• Oral presentations
• Oral examinations

c) Learning and Teaching support

Students will have access to specialist support units in the University (Student Services and the Central Learning and Teaching Support Unit called SALTIRE), their adviser of studies, and their year co-ordinator. Support in using the library and information technology resources is provided. Detailed information on the programme and individual modules is available in the School handbooks and the module synopses, all of which are accessible from the School's web pages at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/physics/Staff_Stud.shtml.

Programme structure

This is a five-year programme of study leading to the degree of Master of Engineering (Honours). As with all St Andrews programmes, it is made up of credit bearing modules. Students must earn 600 credits over the duration of the programme, with 120 credits normally earned each academic year. Typically, the first two years of study include core modules specific to the programme as well as other modules chosen from a range of options (in some cases, including modules from a different Faculty). The remaining years offer advanced research-led learning through modules that provide a programme-specific curriculum.

For information about core and optional modules for each programme, please consult the Course Catalogue, which can be found at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/admissions/ug/Choosingyourdegree/Coursecatalogue/. This catalogue describes the detailed structure of the course and the contents of all the modules that can be included in the programme. Teaching, learning and assessment are progressive, with both the content and methods of delivery changing to suit the increasing level of complexity in the material, and independence of students, as they work through the programme.

Distinctive programme features

Distinctive features of this programme include the involvement of the two institutions in the programme, bringing relevant expertise and contacts in microelectronics (primarily Dundee) and photonics (primarily St Andrews) to the programme. Students can expect to have the opportunity to engage with a number of specialist topics including for example laser physics, optoelectronics, nonlinear optics, displays.