This module provides you with the opportunity to showcase the skills you have developed in previous modules by carrying out an independent research project.

You will collect, analyse (using previously acquired data and/or data collected as part of the project), interpret and discuss mining, geology or related environmental data, and come up with definitive conclusions.

Your project should be of research value within an industrial or academic setting. The dissertation must also show an in-depth understanding of the background to the research topic.

The project will require you to put in at least 12 weeks of individual work, followed by a writing up period to make a minimum of 60 days work in total.

This module covers Specific Learning Outcomes in Engineering, which apply to accredited programmes at Bachelors/MEng/Masters level. These contribute to the educational requirements for CEng registration (as defined under the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence – UK-SPEC).

We will provide you with a handbook on planning and executing the research project and writing the dissertation. You must prepare a dissertation whose length is +/- 40 pages, plus relevant figures, maps and other illustrations for submission by the end of term.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 Explain in depth the rationale and specification for your chosen project;

2 Use project management software, to plan and manage the progress of the project, from generation of the idea to finished product;

3 Apply practical solutions to mining engineering problems to investigate new and emerging technologies;

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

4 Gain a wide knowledge and comprehensive understanding of methodologies and the ability to adapt them in unfamiliar situations also identifying constraints including environmental and sustainability limitation;

5 Assess and manage risk, demonstrating wide knowledge and comprehensive understanding of codes of practice, health and safety requirements and other professional practices;

6 Critically analyse and present data to support decision making;

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:

7 Demonstrate self-management skills, identifying and meeting targets within time constraints (with limited guidance required from project supervisor);

8 Critically analyse and implement problem-solving approaches including costings;

9 Produce a written report conforming to a specified format and to a professional standard.

By individual negotiation with Supervisor.

If a module is normally assessed entirely by coursework, all referred/deferred assessments will normally be by assignment.

Basic reading:

ELE - http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Web based and electronic resources - As per project

Reading list for this module: