International Year One in Civil Engineering

Academic English Skills aims to provide thorough training in the language and related academic skills which will enable international students to best achieve their academic potential at university. Our Academic English programme is validated by UK ENIC, the UK government agency responsible for providing information and expert opinion on qualifications and skills worldwide.

You will develop awareness and competency in a range of language-related academic skills, including the processes of academic writing, effective and extensive reading strategies, effective participation in seminars and delivery of presentations, and listening to and recording information effectively from lectures. You will also develop the accuracy and range of written and spoken language required to use language effectively and appropriately, with clarity and confidence in an academic context.

Alongside your classes, your studies will be supported by an online learning platform, providing you with a range of tasks and activities specifically designed to develop and extend your language and academic skills outside the classroom and to give you more control over your own learning.

This module introduces architectural theory and history, focusing on the interaction between technology, society, and architectural expression. The module also discusses the impact of improving the control of the internal environment on architectural aesthetics, as well as building construction materials and the roles and responsibilities of architects and designers. 

This module will enhance your competence in drawing, including CAD, information technology, and design skills. Drawing practice covers the drawing set, the importance of sketches and technical drawings as a means of communication, and an introduction to depiction, conventions and standard practice as used by practising architects and civil engineers.

This module introduces you to the fundamental principles that form the basis of Engineering Mathematics and Modelling. It consists of nine key topics: Calculus, Linear Equations and Matrix Algebra, Vector Algebra, Beam Mechanics, Numerical Methods, Ordinary Differential Equations, Fundamental principles of fluid flow, Modelling and Complex Numbers.

This module introduces you to the key principles of construction site management. Lectures on construction technology also provide you with an introduction to the principal professional roles and responsibilities that exist in the construction industry relating to design and construction. You will also be introduced to the legislation relating to the construction industry such as the Health and Safety at Work Act and many of the associated regulations including the Construction Design and Management Regulations (2015). This module includes an introduction to surveying techniques, setting out and construction technology.

In the second semester, the module explores sustainability issues in architecture through a hypothetical case study of a proposed building on the university campus. Lectures, workshops, and case studies delve into topics such as sustainability assessment methodologies, climate change, energy resources, waste management, water conservation, economic development, and society.

This module develops the fundamental principles of elastic stress and strain. These are the underpinning principles used to determine and describe the behaviour of a variety of structural and architectural forms, such as building frames, trusses, arches, cable structures and beams. The behaviour of a range of structural systems is examined with regard to load transfer. The mechanical and physical properties of different construction materials used in structural systems is also explored. The knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of building structure behaviour make a major contribution to the development and critical evaluation of alternative forms of construction and, as such, are fundamentally important aspects of building design.