REPORT ON PROGRAMME REVIEW Part 1 Programme details

Summary Q 3

Existing codes and titles

Nature and duration of programme

DIT awards sought

Classifications of awards

DT010 BEng Tech in Electrical Services Engineering DT083 BEng Tech in Electrical Services Engineering DT078 Higher Certificate in Electrical Services Engineering BEng Tech 3 years full-time Higher Certificate 3 years part-time BEng Tech (advanced entry 2 years part-time) Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Electrical Services Engineering Higher Certificate in Electrical Services Engineering Higher Certificate in Technology (Electrical Services Engineering) - without classification (exit award from full-time BEngTech programme) BEng Tech and Higher Certificate: with classifications of Distinction; Merit Upper Division; Merit Lower Division; Pass

Parallel award sought from other award body None Professional/external accrediting body The programmes are Engineering Ireland. accredited by

Part 2 Programme background/structure Background: A programme in electrical services engineering has been running successfully in the DIT since September 2000, first as a two-year Higher Certificate and then as a three-year Diploma. In common with all Faculty of Engineering Diplomas, it was converted to a Level 7 Ordinary Degree in 2004. The demand from students has been increasing steadily since the programme was introduced. The programmes are in great demand from qualified electricians who wish to progress in line with the provisions of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI). Special bridging modules are provided to facilitate advanced level entry to year two of the programme. The programmes reside in the School of Electrical Engineering Systems which is responsible for the administration of the programmes. Modules are provided by the schools of Physics, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Civil and Building Services Engineering and Mathematics. In March 2006, the programme received five-year accreditation from the Engineers Ireland. Programme structure: The Bachelor of Engineering Technology is a modular programme which is delivered full-time over three academic years. The Higher Certificate programme is a three year part-time programme. Graduates of the Higher Certificate are then eligible for entry to the two-year advanced entry part-time BEngTech. Entry Requirements The minimum requirements for entry to the full-time BEng Tech and to the part-time Higher Certificate programmes are the Irish Leaving Certificate with passes in five subjects including at least two ordinary level C3s, a pass in English or Irish and an Ordinary level D3 grade in Mathematics. Non-standard applicants: The applicant must hold a qualification or combination of qualifications deemed by the Institute as being of equivalent standard to the above, when taken in conjunction with relevant work experience and Recognised Prior Learning.

Advanced Entry Consideration will be given to candidates applying for exemption from year 1 and/or year 2. They must satisfy the Admissions Board of their suitability. Bridging modules may be offered to facilitate entry and progression. The entry requirement for the part-time BEng Tech is the Higher Certificate in Electrical Services Engineering, or equivalent. Student assessment In accordance with DITs General Assessment Regulations. A minimum threshold mark of 30% must be achieved in both the continuous assessment and written examination elements of each module. Derogations from General Assessment Regulations None sought. Part 3 Review details and membership of panel Dates of Review Event 16 March 2010 Review Panel Membership Internal members Dr John Doran (Chair); Head of School of Physics, DIT Kevin Street; Dr Nicola Timoney, School of Accounting and Finance, DIT Aungier Street; Mark McGrath, School of Manufacturing and Design Engineering, DIT Bolton Street External members Dr John Hession, Lecturer, School of Engineering, Institute of Technology Sligo; Andrew Coffey, Director, Synergy Engineering Ltd Jan Cairns Quality Assurance Officer Part 4 Recommendations of Panel in relation to awards sought The Panel is pleased to recommend to Academic Council continuing approval of the BEng Tech in Electrical Services Engineering, both full-time and part-time, at level 7 within the National Framework of Qualifications, the Higher Certificate in Electrical Services Engineering at level 6 within the National Framework of Qualifications, and the exit award of Higher Certificate in Technology (Electrical Services Engineering) at level 6 within the National Framework of Qualifications, subject to four conditions with two strong recommendations and a number of recommendations. The Panel congratulates the Programme Teams and the initiative they have shown in the changes proposed which the Panel considers very responsive to industry. The incorporation of CISCO CCNA certification into the programme is also a very positive development that will be helpful to students, and overall the technical content of modules is impressive. The Panel is also impressed with the enthusiasm and obvious team spirit of the staff associated with the programmes, and by the enthusiasm and satisfaction of the students that it met. Conditions i) The Programme Documents should be revised to ensure accuracy and consistency throughout, in particular to ensure module codes are accurate, learning outcomes are appropriate and that modules have not been incorrectly duplicated, to remove references to obsolete software and references to old General Assessment Regulations and DIT centres, and to ensure that all reading lists are up-to-date. ii) Where minimum thresholds of performance are essential in modules, this threshold should be raised to 30-35%. Where this threshold is not essential it should be removed. iii) The programme aims should reflect the new emphasis in the revised programmes on energy. iv) The Programme Documents should include the Schools/Colleges Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) policy. In relation to prerequisite modules, the words or equivalent should be included beside the name of the prerequisite module. Strong recommendations v) The Panel strongly recommends that all lecturers review modules together to ensure that there is coherence in the syllabi from year one through the latter years particularly in energy and automation modules, to ensure that there is an appropriate foundation and progression in learning. vi) The Panel strongly recommends that the Programme Teams should consider the provision of a bridging module in mathematics for those returning to education after a significant period in the workplace. Recommendations

The Department and/or Programme Teams should formalise the monitoring of graduate placements, so that this informs the development of the programmes, to ensure that they continue to meet needs of students as they move into the workplace. viii) The Panel welcomes the diversity of the student body in the full-time programme. However, the school leaver (CAO) students feel at a disadvantage compared to the more mature electrician students, particularly at the outset of the programme. The Panel recommends that the Programme Team should consider the provision of a bridging module or some other way to assist these students, for example, a glossary of industry terminology, or a plant visit. ix) The Panel considers that to some extent the problem referred to above results from the school leavers being a minority in classes. It agrees with the Team that classes should be mixed but recommends that there should be a greater effort to ensure a more equal mix of school leavers and electrician students in class groups. x) Field trips should be more formalised in the programme structures, particularly in the newer areas, ie renewable energy. xi) The Year one module in Industrial Automation should be revised to include sensors, transducers and pneumatics and the modules in the latter years should be coordinated with the first year module to ensure better progression from year to year. xii) The prerequisite module for Networking Fundamentals (NETW1101), Applied Data Networking (COMM2110) includes very little material on data communications which is essential for Networking Fundamentals. COMM2110, or another module as appropriate, should be amended to facilitate NETW1101. xiii) The provision of material in digital technology in first year of the programmes should be enhanced. xiv) The Programme Team should explore a tie-in with NSAI certification, along the lines of the CISCO CCNA certification, for example in the area of emergency lighting. xv) The module Building Automation 1 does not include material on automation. The Panel recommends that the Team examine the content of both Building Automation 1 and 2 in order to integrate the content of these modules more effectively. xvi) The module Electrical Services Plant 2 should be revised to include motor drive systems and control of motors. xvii) The Panel recommends that students should be made aware of energy storage issues particularly in relation to renewable energy, in the modules Renewable Energy Plant 1 and 2. xviii) The Programme Teams should make use of IES Building Performance Evaluation Package which is available in DIT. xix) The Panel recommends that in the delivery of the mathematics modules throughout the programmes more emphasis should be given to how mathematics content is particularly relevant to electrical services engineering and to the modules that students would be taking concurrently. xx) Because of a significant advanced intake to year two of the full-time programme, the year two cohort is particularly large and students have reported problems with access to labs for project work. The Panel recommends that the Department consider and address this issue. xxi) The Panel recommends that the Department should explore further opportunities that might arise from further collaboration with Department of Building Services in Bolton Street. Other observation The Panel believes there is a strong demand for the Maths Learning Centre and that the Institute should resource the Centre appropriately to enable it to cope with this demand.

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