Module Catalogue 2026/27

Pre Requisite Comment

Successful completion of all taught modules.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The aim of this module is to allow students to gain first hand experience of an academic or industrial or research environment and enable them to put their specialist skills, knowledge, and understanding into practice through the medium of a significant individual research project and written dissertation.

1. To develop research skills by undertaking original investigative work via experiments and/or modelling.
2. To develop scientific communication skills via writing a scientific journal paper.
3. To introduce students to research techniques.
4. To complete a literature review assignment, which will involve developing and improving skills in information gathering and analysis.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. The nature of research.
2. Resources for research.
3. Guidance on gathering information form literature, and using software such as Scopus for literature searching and analysis.
4. Writing a literature survey.
5. Writing a research paper: layout; key chapters; style; citing references; being critical; making arguments.


This provides an opportunity to deepen technical understanding through the application of theory to a project relevant to Chemical Engineering Practice. It also enables students to demonstrate their ability to focus on a solution in the context of often open ended problems.

Students carry out a unique project in a University environment which enables them to put into practice much of their theoretical and practical knowledge gained through the MSc programme. In addition it will enable additional skills acquired through first degree programmes to be extended into a sustainability.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module, students are expected to be able:

-to demonstrate knowledge of how to carry out research by working on an original project which has the potential to lead to publication of the findings (AHEP4 M2-4).

-to understand the nature of research: scientific method, testing hypotheses etc (AHEP4 M2-3).

- critically evaluate the relevant literature and assess its applicability to the given research task (AHEP4 M4).

Intended Skill Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:
-develop experience in scientific research on sustainable processes and/or materials (AHEP4 M2,7);
-develop awareness of the resources for carrying out research (AHEP4 M2-4);
-find, collate, structure and communicate information from source (AHEP4 M4,17);
-critically assess published work and results of their research work (AHEP4 M2,4);
-define objectives of a research project, including sustainability motivations and targets (AHEP4 M2,7);
-select and justify choice of research, experimental, modelling, and/or analytical methodologies and techniques (AHEP4 M2-5);
-plan and execute a research workplan including experimental and/or modelling components (AHEP4 M2-5);
-present data using the best scientific and professional practices (AHEP4 M3,17);
-explain, interpret and discuss scientific results (AHEP4 M2-M5,M7,M17);
-discuss the limitations of research data (AHEP4 M3);
-communicate and process errors in experimental and/or modelling data (AHEP4 M2-3,17);
-produce and present a piece of research work on sustainable processes and/or materials (AHEP4 M4,7,17);
-become familiar with the requirements of a scientific journal paper (AHEP4 M2,4,17);
-produce a scientific paper of publishable quality or equivalent (AHEP4 M2,4,17);
-communicate research work orally as a presentation (AHEP4 M17).

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The research project is worth 60 credits and allows students to build upon the skills and knowledge gained during the taught part of the programme.

The project may involve working within one of the School's established research groups, or students may work elsewhere in collaboration with industry typically through an industrial sponsor. The supervisor will provide advice on the approaches and methods that are best suited to the industrial or lab based research problem. They gain the skills and knowledge delivered by the module by “learning through doing” as they undertake the project.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The literature review and methodology report underpins the project allowing the student to develop sufficient knowledge in the area to plan and undertake the research project (AHEP4 M2-5,7,17).

The research project is written up as a scientific journal paper will allow students to undertake in depth research and communicate their findings in a succinct and focused manner and in the form in which research is usually communicated (AHEP4 M2-5, M17 ). Assessment of students understanding and communication skills is supplemented by oral presentations both of the literature review and methodology report and the overall Project (AHEP4, M2-5,17).

General Notes

Original Handbook text: