General Postgraduate Handbook 2017-18-V2

Department of Civil & Environmental
Engineering
General Postgraduate
Handbook
2017/2018
Please keep this handbook safe, as you will need to consult
it throughout the academic year.
The information provided is correct at date of publication but may be subject to revision.
Students are expected to be familiar with the content of the handbook (in particular with
issues related to academic dishonesty) and cannot claim later that they did not know
because they did not read the handbook.
A pdf version of this handbook can be found in Myplace resources for each programme:
http://classes.myplace.strath.ac.uk
Department Office:
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Strathclyde
Level 5, James Weir Building
75 Montrose Street
Glasgow G1 1XJ
MSc admin support & contact student-staff liaison committee:
beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk; Tel: 0141 548 3200
http://www.strath.ac.uk/engineering/civilenvironmentalengineering/
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER - University Security Control - extension 2222
September 2017
Contents
1. The Purpose of the Handbook
2. Welcome to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
3. Glasgow and its surroundings
4. Facilities – Civil & Environmental Eng and University of Strathclyde
4.1 Department Office, Access Hours and Contacting Academics
4.2 Student Zones, Places to Eat and Computer Facilities
4.3 Lockers
4.4 Coursework Collection Point
4.5 Coursework Submission Point
4.6 Email lists, Myplace communication and email protocol
4.7 General Etiquette
4.8 University IT and Email/Mobile Phone Contacts
4.9 Library Access
5. Qualifications
6. Regulations
7. Additional Programme Activities
7.1 Induction Days
7.2 Departmental Research Seminars and Annual Lecture
7.3 Study Day
7.4 Careers events
7.5 Personal Development Planning (PDP)
7.6 European Computer Driving License (ECDL)
7.7 Maths Skills Support Centre
8. Student Workloads, Attendance and Absence
8.1 Student Workloads
8.2 Student Attendance and Participation in Group Work
8.3 Extenuating Circumstances (plus Sickness or other Reasons for Absence)
8.4 Part-time jobs – benefits and the effect on study
9. Assessment, Progress and Transfer, and Appeals/Complaints
9.1 The Examinations Board
9.2 Examinations and Procedures
9.3 Submission Procedure, Managing Deadlines, Penalties for Unauthorized Late
Submissions & Feedback
9.3.1 Submission Procedure
9.3.2 Feedback
9.3.3 Managing Deadlines
9.3.4 Penalties for Unauthorized Late Submissions
9.4 Submission of assignments and dissertation/project via the Turnitin
9.5 University of Strathclyde’s Faculty of Engineering Operating Guidelines for
Boards of Examiners of Postgraduate Taught Courses
10. Programme Development
10.1 Class choices
10.2 Evaluation of Degree Course
10.3 PG Student-Staff Liaison Committee
10.4 Personal Tutors
10.5 Address Details
11. University & Departmental Safety Procedures (including site visits)
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 2
12. University & Departmental Ethics Policy
13. Graduation/ Degree Congregation
14. University of Strathclyde Facilities
14.1 Residence Service
14.2 Student Lifecycle
14.3 Cash Office
14.4 Students’ Association & Union
14.5 Student Advisory & Counseling Service
14.6 The Student Finance Office
14.7 Student Health Service
14.8 Mental Health
15. University Documents on Procedures and Guidelines
15.1 University Procedures and Guidelines (including General Responsibilities of the
Student)
15.2 University Academic Honesty Procedures and Guidelines
15.3 Equality and Diversity
15.4 Athena SWAN
15.5 Personal Harassment Policy
15.6 Students with disabilities
15.7 Student Complaints
15.8 University’s No Smoking Policy
15.9 Classroom Protocol
16. Campus Map

17. Self-tour of Level 5, James Weir Building
REMEMBER: There is a penalty for late

submission of coursework and only
course leaders can give extensions – see
Section 9.3
If permission for late submission has been granted, it is
crucial that the student includes a copy of a written
confirmation of an authorized late submission (e.g. email
communication) together with the (late) submitted piece of
work, clearly specifying the new deadline.

1 THE PURPOSE OF THE HANDBOOK
This Handbook outlines the background and requirements of the postgraduate courses (on-campus
and via Distance Learning) offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the
Faculty of Engineering Operating Guidelines for Boards of Examiners of Postgraduate Taught Courses.
It also gives a brief guide to the city of Glasgow.
Specific advice, requirements and regulations1 for progress through each course, is provided in a
separate Handbook for each postgraduate degree, which gives guidance as to the Department’s
expectations of the student and provides advice as to how to seek assistance with certain problems.
Another very important handbook is on advice on the dissertation/project (available in Myplace).
All three handbooks should be read carefully and used for reference purposes throughout the academic
year, as they will answer most queries as they arise. Also note that expectation is that students will
know, for example, how to reference correctly - as this is explained in “handbook on advice on
dissertation/project”. Therefore, students should not lose marks unnecessarily by making avoidable
errors. If there are any other questions with regard to the courses or about this handbook, please
contact Dr Elsa João, Director of Postgraduate Studies in the Department.
It may also be of interest to student to read the University’s Sustainability Policy available here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/policies/wellbeing/sustainabilitypolicy/
Key university dates of examination diets, holidays etc, can be found at:
https://www.strath.ac.uk/studying/currentstudent/keydates/keydates2017-18/
Main contacts for each course are as follows: Course Coordinators
MSc Civil Engineering Philippe Sentenac

Civil Engineering with Industrial Placement Philippe Sentenac
Environmental Engineering Charles Knapp
Environmental Entrepreneurship Elsa João
Environmental Health Sciences Iain Beverland
Hydrogeology Bob Kalin
Sustainability & Environmental Studies Elsa João
MRes Richard Lord
MPhil and PhD Joanna Renshaw
MSc admin support & contact student-staff liaison committee Beth Stewart
MRes, MPhil and PhD admin support Lisa Lyons
Contact emails:
Beth Stewart (beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk) Elsa João (elsa.joao@strath.ac.uk)
Charles Knapp (charles.knapp@strath.ac.uk) Iain Beverland (iain.beverland@strath.ac.uk)
Lisa Lyons (lisa.lyons@strath.ac.uk) Richard Lord (richard.lord@strath.ac.uk)
Joanna Renshaw (Joanna.renshaw@strath.ac.uk) Philippe Sentenac
Bob Kalin (robert.kalin@strath.ac.uk) (philippe.sentenac@strath.ac.uk)
1For the full details about “General Regulations for Postgraduate Awards by Instruction” check here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/ps/sees/ee/regulations/General_and_Course_Regulations_for_Graduate_and_Postgraduate
_Awards_and_Degrees_2014-15_-_V2.pdf

2 WELCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Strathclyde University has been one of the
first departments in the UK to fully embrace the importance of the environment in today’s world. This
has made it a strong and forward-looking department and the ideal choice for graduate students who
are interested in doing a post-graduate degree that is highly marketable. A feature of the department
is our strong link to industry and public bodies, which is an essential part of our approach to research
and education. It also provides our students with valuable contacts outside the world of academia.
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is a highly interdisciplinary department.

Academic and research staff, from 13 different countries, originate from a range of different fields
including civil engineering, environmental engineering, geology, microbiology, chemistry, mechanical
engineering, geography, economics and maths. Research is organised into three overlapping centres:
 Centre for Ground Engineering and Energy Geosciences -
https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/subjects/civilenvironmentalengineering/engineeringgeoscie
ncesgeomechanics/
 Centre for Intelligent Infrastructure -
https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/subjects/civilenvironmentalengineering/centreforintelligentin
frastructure/
 Centre for Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health –
https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/subjects/civilenvironmentalengineering/environment/
We have 45 members of academic (31) and research (14) staff, of whom 19 are women (42%). In
2013, we became the only engineering department in Scotland, and one of only three civil engineering
departments in the UK, with an Athena SWAN Silver Award, which is a recognition scheme for UK
universities working to advance and promote careers of women in science, engineering, and
technology.
3 GLASGOW AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
Glasgow is a dynamic and vibrant city, host to some of the world’s major arts and cultural activities,
festivals and venues. Renowned for its pub, club and music scene, with excellent opportunities nearby
for outdoor pursuits, and a shopping experience, second only to London, there is something for
everyone.
Loch Lomond is only 20 miles from the City Centre, with numerous activities to undertake, whilst the
mountain areas of the Cairngorms and Glencoe are all readily accessible for day trips. For weekends,
there are always the islands to explore, or if you feel very adventurous, there’s the West Highland Way
to walk, for days, and days….and days!
The Students’ Union is one of the largest in the UK – 10 floors in all, with 5 bars, a pool hall, a shop,
and many social clubs to join. Here is our indispensable list of A- Z information to help you enjoy your
time in our Department in the heart of Scotland’s largest city.
A… For ABC nightclub, sponsored by O2, to club the night away

B… Burrel Collection – award-winning collection of 8,000 art objects
C… for cinemas, the Odeon, UGC, GFT, IMAX to name but a few
D… Dancing, whether disco, country or ceilidh,
E… Environment…some of what you’ll be studying for the next year
F… Football, which we Glaswegians are passionate about
G… Galleries… the Modern Art, The Hunterian, The Lighthouse to name a few
H… Horseshoe Bar– Glasgow’s most famous pub/restaurant, and one of only 1000s to choose
from
I… Irn Bru – Scotland second national drink
J… Jogging, the annual Great Scottish Run through Glasgow City Centre
K… Kelvingrove Art Gallery – the most popular free visitor attraction in Scotland
L… Listening to one of your favourite bands, playing in one of the many music venues around
Glasgow – Carling Academy, SECC, Barrowlands, King Tut’s. See Ticketmaster for listings
M… Mackintosh, as in Charles Rennie, - who made Glasgow the Barcelona of Scotland. Visit the
Glasgow School of Art, the House of the Art Lover in Pollok Park, his famous Tea house, or
just stare at the buildings around you
N… November, when degrees are conferred and graduations held
O… Outdoor activities…pick from 100s of options. Nearby beaches in Ayrshire, walking in the
Highlands, or water sports on Loch Lomond
P… Parks – Glasgow Green, Victoria, Bellahouston, Pollok to name a few
Q… Qua, just one of the 100s of restaurants to choose from. Name your style, Italian, Spanish,
French, Japanese, Chinese, Cantonese, Russian, Turkish, Greek, Indian, etc…..
R… is for the River Clyde, the River that runs through Glasgow.
S… Shopping – Glasgow is the second best place in the UK, after London
T… The List (www.list.co.uk) – to find out what is happening in Glasgow
U… The Union, with clubs and societies galore
V… Variety, as our classes highlight
W… Whisky – Scotland’s first national drink – Visit one of the many distilleries dotted around
Scotland
X… marks the spot at the University of Strathclyde
Y… Yoga, just one of the many sports classes offered at the Sports Centre
Z… Zero - the number of times you will run out of things to do and see in Glasgow
We hope students explore a bit of Scotland while they are studying at Strathclyde. Here are some
suggestions nearby (just Google to find information):
 Sharmanka Kinetic Gallery  Edinburgh during the festivals in August
 Glasgow School of Art  Stirling Castle
 Burrel Collection  Climb Conic Hill close to Loch Lomond
 Kelvingrove Art Gallery  Go across to one of Islands (e.g. Arran)
 Listen to live music in the Ben Nevis Pub  Cycle along a Canal Path to the Falkirk Wheel
 Go to one shows at the Celtic Connections and the Kelpies
4 FACILITIES – CIVIL & ENV ENG and UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

4.1 Department Office, Access Hours and Contacting Academics
The Department Office, which deal with any students’ enquiries, is located in the hub of Civil &
Environmental Engineering, at level 5, James Weir Building; Tel: 0141 548 3200, Email:
beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk
Access Hours - Academic and Senior Administrative Staff have a right of access at all times. Other
members of the Department who require access outwith normal hours must have a RED CARD
(authorized by the Head of Department). This card permits access outwith normal hours on production
to the Security Warden, along with your student card. Red Access Cards can be obtained from the
main reception.
 The Department Office hours in the James Weir Building are: Monday-Friday 9.00am–5.00pm
 James Weir Building open hours Monday-Friday 08.00am-6.00pm
Contacting Academics - All Academic offices are located behind secure entry doors, if you have a
meeting with an Academic you will find telephones in the level 5 corridor which have a telephone list
pinned up on the wall beside the phone, this will list the extension number of the Academic. You should
contact the Academic to let them know you have arrived and they can come and meet you at the door.
Students should always try to book an appointment in advance (e.g. by sending an email), unless the
staff in question instructs otherwise (see section 4.7 on General Etiquette). Please do not contact staff
via their mobile phones unless authorized to do so.
Distance Learning students are encouraged to contact Academics via email in the first instance.
Further telephone or Skype calls can then be arranged as required. Please be mindful of time zones.
4.2 Student zones in level 2 of the James Weir Building - There are two student zones in level 2 of
the James Weir Building that students can use – check them out in case they are useful: Student zone
1 (JW218) and Student zone 2 (JW220).
Places to Eat and Computer Facilities

Masters students have access to the Masters Student Project Space; this is located on Level 5, room
5.09b James Weir Building. This is a Department room which Master Level Students have access to
when the room is not in use by the Department. There are electronic booking screens located outside
the room, please ensure you look at this before entering the room, if the screen is red the room is
booked and cannot be used, if the screen is green you may access the room. This room is designed
for carrying out Project work; there are TV screens on the side walls into which you may plug laptops
for group working. This is not a Common Room, therefore no food or drink is permitted within this
room. The following University Facilities should be used to complement the Masters Student Project
Space:
Places to Eat around Campus - There are various places to eat on-campus – please see link below
for more details: http://www.strath.ac.uk/nourish-catering/wheretoeat/
Computer Facilities - Find Computer Labs around Campus for students to access here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/it/teachingsupport/hardwareandsoftware/.
There are also over 400 PCs are available in drop-in facilities spread throughout the campus. The
majority are located in the Andersonian Library. The remainder is situated in non-bookable PC labs.
There is also the Java Cafe in the Sir William Duncan building where you can enjoy a bite to eat
while surfing the Internet or reading email. Students can access drop in computers as follows:
1. The University union has a postgraduate area which is available upon signing up with the union
and gaining a fob for room access.
2. The Curran building (connected to the university library) has drop in macs on the 1st floor. This
suite has been refurbished and hosts a number of drop in machines with very good specs.
3. Chaplaincy Centre Cafe has some nice sofas and a few drop in machines to access, this cafe is
located on the 2nd floor of the Graham Hills building. This cafe has recently been refurbished.
5. The Lord Todd building also has a host of drop in machines to access, some with specialised
software as well.
6. The Business school has a collection of drop-in machines on the 2nd floor but this may have been
moved to another floor (you will need to ask at the reception or a business school student the
exact location of the computer cluster)
7. Computer laboratories in level 4 of the James Weir Building: JW410 and JW411
Check availability here: http://www.strath.ac.uk/it/teachingsupport/pcavailability/
4.3 Lockers
Lockers are available to our Master Students; these are located outside the Masters Project Room,
Level 5 James Weir Building. If you would like to use a locker you simply have to purchase a padlock,
which you can get from most convenience stores and choose which locker you would like. This locker
will remain yours during your time of study in Department, you will be asked to empty your locker and
remove your padlock at the end of your studies.
4.4 Coursework Collection Point

All marked coursework/feedback will be placed in the relevant slots at the Coursework Collection Point
on Level 5 of the James Weir. Work will be arranged by year of study and surname. If your submission
was part of a group, the work will be added to the bundle for the student whose name was written first
on the submission sheet. Any questions you have in relation to your mark or feedback should be
directed to the class registrar. Any work which is not collected by the end of the academic year will be
disposed of confidentially.

4.5 Coursework Submission Point
Your class lecturer will give you details of all coursework submissions. All pieces of coursework must
be submitted either online, via Myplace, and/or in hardcopy to the Coursework Submission Point which
is located on the 5th floor of the James Weir Building (near to the Department Office). Your lecturer will
explain which method of submission should be used. A coursework submission sheet must be
completed and attached to every piece of coursework before submission; these can be found online,
on Myplace. For hardcopy submissions, you should sign and date the class list which is displayed at
the Coursework Submission Point. Unless stated otherwise, all coursework must be submitted to the
Submission Point by 5pm. Any work submitted after this time will be marked with the date of the next
working day. It is your responsibility to ensure submission sheets are attached to your report before
submission - staples/paperclips will not be provided at Reception.
Please note that when completing coursework/any University work students are expected to back up
there work. We advised students that this should not only be done on a memory stick/hard drive as
these can very easily be lost or stolen. We strongly advise students to use an online storage system
that provides appropriate protection of data.
The University provides an online storage service called One Drive which is available to students; this
cloud-based storage allows users to store up to 1 terabyte of content online. Full details of how to
access this can be found at: http://www.strath.ac.uk/ithelpdesk/helptopics/email/office365/
4.6 Email lists, Myplace communication and email protocol

The main way of communication for all students will be via email (either via email lists or direct email)
or communication via Myplace posts (linked to email). All students are expected to use the University
email system as the primary means of communications and not their work or personal email addresses.
All students are part of mailing lists – both per degree and for all PG – and staff will frequently use
these email lists to communicate with students.
For Myplace support please check here: http://support.Myplace.strath.ac.uk/
It is highly recommended that students add an email signature that includes their full name, course
title, Department name, University name, email (make sure you use the University one rather than
gmail) and (optional but helpful) the mobile number. Later, when working on the dissertation, the topic
of the dissertation could be added. This looks professional and it is helpful for staff to know which
course student belongs to. The subject title of the email is extremely important. Always include a clear
subject title related to the topic of the email – e.g. don’t just reply to a conference announcement and
ask something about an assignment. Avoid using fancy graphics in email signatures as they often don’t
render properly in all email clients.
Here is an example of a good email signature:
Regards,
Forename, Surname
MSc XXXXXXXXX (adjust as appropriate)
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of Strathclyde
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mobile: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dissertation title: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [to add later]
4.7 General Etiquette

It is important to avoid inappropriate expectations and demands from staff time. This section offers
suggestions on how to make arrangements for appointments. These etiquette recommendations are
not just for academia, rather please consider it as training for the professional world.

Email etiquette: There is a litany of rules about sending emails to professionals on the internet. See
Box 1 by Soares from University of Delaware that summarises them well.
Box 1 - How to Use Proper Email Etiquette (the advice bellow mentions a “professor” but this
applies to everybody really)
[With thanks to Soares from the University of Delaware]
Simple steps to send a respectful email that won't get you on your professor's bad side.
1. Use your college or university email. This marks the message as legitimate and not spam. It
also gives the professor an idea of who's sending the message. It also saves you from looking
uncouth to your professor because of your off-color personal email username. (Using an email
address like 'bootiephantum1985@mail.com' is not a way to make a positive impression on your
professor or anyone else for that matter.)
2. Always use subject lines. When filling the subject line, make sure that you mention what the
email is for or in regards to. You don't want it to seem like a randomly generated subject and end
up in your professor's spam folder.
3. Address your professor directly; don't just launch straight into a request. Examples: 'Dear Dr.
Smith', 'Hi, Dr. Jones', 'Dr. Zimmerman, I hope all's well with you...'
4. If your college or university email address doesn't use your full last name (in other words, it uses
your initials or some other abbreviation of your name), then make sure your first sentence
identifies who you are by name. If your class is large, or taught in multiple sections, you may
want to include your class and meeting time as well. Example: 'This is John Jacob Jingleheimer
Schmidt from your American Literature class.'
5. Be polite: Don't make demands, don't accuse, remember to write please and thank you.
6. Be succinct: Keep your message short and to the point. Your professor is going to have
probably hundreds of email messages to wade through each day. Just get to the point and
politely, respectfully, ask your request.
7. Be specific: This may seem to conflict with the previous step, but it needn't be. Make sure you
are as clear as possible about what it is you need to ask of your professor without writing a
novel.
8. Do not use your email to argue and never send an email when angry. You want to be sure that
you maintain a professional demeanor.
9. If you're going to have to miss class, offer to bring written proof up front, don't make your
professor have to ask.
10. Close your email with something polite like 'Thanks', 'Thanks for your time', 'See you in class
Wednesday', 'regards', etc. Then re-type your first name
11. Grammar and Spell check. Prior to sending your email, be sure that you proofread your
message. You shouldn't write your email as though you are texting your friend. Make sure it's got
full sentences, proper grammar, and real spelling. DON'T USE TEXTING ABBREVIATIONS OR
JARGON.
12. Do not write in all capital letters. This is generally interpreted as SHOUTING.
Expectations: Please consider the following as general principles for interacting with staff:
1. Courtesy is an expectation. Your panic about upcoming proposal deadlines does not justify
inconsiderate behaviour towards any member of staff.
2. Many staff in the Department are very busy. We have to manage many competing interests,
not limited to: undergraduate and postgraduate teaching; developing curricula; supervising
undergraduate dissertation projects; supervising PhD students and postdocs; carrying out
research; serving on committees; participating in external activities; and others. These things
are part of our normal jobs and we normally juggle them very well.
3. We expect you to respect that we have a lot on and conduct yourselves accordingly.
4. We are interested to work with students and support you in pursuing topics that interest you.
We are interested to hear from students who have their own ideas about projects. If the topic
is feasible and interesting but we do not feel qualified to support you, we will recommend that
you speak to someone else who is better suited to advise on the topic.
5. We may decline to supervise a potential dissertation topic for any number of reasons.
Treating us disrespectfully is essentially inviting us to decline.
Recommendations:
If you want to discuss something (e.g., potential dissertation topics or questions about a particular
class) with a member of staff:
1. Be as brief and clear as possible about what you are asking.

2. If you are requesting a face-to-face meeting, you need to make it as easy as possible to
schedule that meeting. If emailing on a Monday to request a meeting, include a brief
statement of your availability for the rest of the week. If emailing on a Friday, your email
should cover the following week. You cannot expect short-notice meetings with us.
3. Inappropriate (especially rude) emails are less likely to be considered urgently.
Some examples of inappropriate and appropriate conduct:
(a) INAPPROPRIATE: "I don't understand <topic>. Help."
(b) INAPPROPRIATE: "I am interested in <topic>. Please advise."
(c) INAPPROPRIATE: "Can we meet? How about 3pm?"
(d) INAPPROPRIATE: "I NEED TO MEET WITH YOU TODAY."
4. Examples of APPROPRIATE FIRST EMAIL or CONVERSATION:
(a) "I am very interested in <topic> for my dissertation. My background is BSc/BEng/MEng/etc
in <subject> and/or experience in <industry>. I am very interested in a career in <field> after I
complete my studies and I see developing this <focus> or <focus 2> as particularly
interesting. Would you be interested to work with me on this topic? My availability this week is
Tuesday after 3pm, Wednesday before 1pm, and Friday after 12pm. Would any of these
times suit you?"
(b) "I am very interested in <broad subject> for my dissertation but I am uncertain about a
specific focus. I noticed from your staff profile that you work in <subject>. Would you be free
to discuss potential projects with me? My availability this week is Tuesday after 3pm,
Wednesday before 1pm, and Friday after 12pm. Would any of these times suit you?"
Many staff members only check emails once a day. Despite popular belief, the expected response-
rate for professional/industry email is ... three days.
4.8 University IT and Email/Mobile Phone Contacts

Upon matriculation, each student is automatically given an email account with the university (plus a DS
username and password to login throughout the campus). Details of this can be obtained from IT
Services (see University Student Handbook).
The University Computer Centre is located in the Curran Building and the Helpline is internally available
on extension 4000. The University operates an Intranet Service (Pegasus) that all students can
access. It provides information on class lists, class requirements, examination details etc. PLEASE
USE IT. It can be accessed via your DS password (see University Student Handbook).
Please make sure mobile phone number and any other key contact numbers and addresses
(including non-University email address) are logged in to Pegasus to ensure that the
department (and the University) has a quick and effective communication link with you.
Our primary wireless network is called ‘eduroam’, which provides the highest levels of performance
and security, and should be used by all staff and students. Once your device is configured to use
eduroam, Strathclyde staff and students can also access eduroam networks at most UK universities,
and in 69 countries worldwide. Users can log in with their Strathclyde username and password, while
visitors from other eduroam institutions can use the service on our campus.
Please note that all staff and students should use eduroam, rather than ‘_The Cloud’, as it has higher
performance and security. To streamline the services, the older ‘BTOpenzone’ and ‘Strathclyde’
networks will be withdrawn.

4.9 Library Access
All research, MSc and diploma registered students have full access privileges to the Resource Library
and the University of Strathclyde Andersonian Library in the Curran Building. The library catalogue is
available online; with all information obtainable at http://www.strath.ac.uk/library The library provide
email facilities, internet access, Powerpoint, Word and Excel. They have wheelchair access, Brailling
and photocopying facilities, and study space.
During term-time, students may also have permitted access, upon showing their matriculation cards,
to the library facilities of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian and West of Scotland Universities. Please ask
the Strathclyde library desk for information.
Inter-library loan is available in exceptional circumstances but its use is limited and you must gain
approval from your Course Leader or supervisor to make use of any inter-library loan.
5 QUALIFICATIONS
There are seven routes of qualification all of which recognise successful performance:
1. Open Access (CPD) Class Certificate
2. Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)
3. Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)
4. MSc
5. MRes
6. MPhil
7. PhD
Classes taken and assessed successfully at degree standard will earn a class certificate, and the
credits assigned to that particular class. These may be accumulated towards the full degree, should a
candidate wish to transfer to this option at a later stage. Attendance only at a class, with no formal
assessment undertaken, will earn a Record of Attendance. The Department also offers separate
registration processes for MPhil and PhD research degrees. The MRes may be used as a progress
pathway to a PhD course.
6 REGULATIONS
The regulations for each course (see degree Handbooks) are to be read in conjunction with the
University Calendar. Part 3 (Postgraduate and Certificate Regulations) in available here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/educationstrategy/gmpt/qualityenhancement/universityregulations/
The importance of academic integrity throughout the course is paramount. It is essential that all
assignments submitted belong wholly to the student, and where appropriate acknowledge other
authors’ work and/or involvement. Examples of academic dishonesty are highlighted in this Handbook
(section 15.2). If students have any queries concerning what constitutes academic dishonesty, they
should approach their Course Leader for further advice.
The Duration of Study is important as students can hand-in the dissertation up to the Maximum
Duration of Study but only if there are unless there are mitigating circumstances approved by the
Faculty Personal Circumstances Board (normally serious medical issues). Unless there are personal
circumstances (see section 8.3), all full-time students must finish within 1 year and we hope all part-
time students to finish within 2 years (part-time must do all taught classes in year 1 and 2 but can
choose to do the dissertation in year 3). Part-time Distance Learning student courses are arranged
over 3 years of study.
Duration of Study (see Regulations 19.1.4 and 19.1.5 & 20.4.5 and 20.4.6)
Full-time Part-time (including Distance Learning
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
MSc degree 12 months 36 months 36 months 60 months
MRes degree 12 months 24 months 24 months 48 months
PG Diploma 8 months 24 months 21 months 48 months
PC Cert 4 months 12 months 8 months 24 months
We hope all on-campus part-time students will submit the dissertation on 4pm on the third Friday in
August of year 2 of their studies (for graduation in November of year 2). Part-time students however
do have extra time to carry out the dissertation if needed. The minimum MSc part-time study in CEE is
36 months. Therefore, the deadline for submission of dissertation for part-time students is 4pm on
the third Friday in August of year 3 of your studies (for graduation in November of year 3). However,
if students want to graduate earlier in July, the deadline for submission of the dissertation is 4pm, last
Friday in April of the third year. These conditions apply to Distance Learning students.
Note that, unless there are personal circumstances approved by the Personal Circumstances Board,
part-time students are expected to complete the taught modules in two years - completing 60 credits
in each academic year (See schedule of Teaching below). It is not possible for a student to do taught
modules in year 3. Year 3 is dedicated to the dissertation (effectively meaning that a student would do
60 credits per year over 3 years). Note also that if your work commitments change and you are unable
to take any modules for several months or longer, you MUST contact your department immediately
about applying for Voluntary Suspension. This pauses the period of study so that you do not run out
of time to complete your programme.
Schedule of Teaching
Our on-campus classes are taught over two Semesters: Semester 1 from September to December
and Semester 2 from January to April. The Summer period is from May to August and this time is used
for MSc dissertation work and any resit examinations.
Our part-time distance learning classes are taught over the same two Semesters above, Semester 1
from September to December and Semester 2 from January to April and a further period of Distance
Learning classes is also run during the Summer period from May to August. All Distance Learning
classes run for the same duration as the on-campus class, i.e. 11-13 weeks including exams. You are
expected to complete the class within this time period.
7 ADDITIONAL PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES
7.1 Induction Days

These take place normally just before the start of the academic year. Attendance is compulsory for
full time students. Part time students are recommended to attend where possible, but we
acknowledge that work/personal commitments may not permit this. These sessions will be recorded
and made available to Part time students where possible. Please note that all all on-campus and
visiting part-time students must carry out the Departmental Health & Safety Induction. Therefore,
students who miss the induction day need to discuss H&S training with Mara Knapp
(mara.knapp@strath.ac.uk) urgently.
It is compulsory for all students to take this course in Myplace: “Occupational Health and Safety
Induction – Part 1”.
7.2 Departmental Research seminars and Annual Lecture

Civil & Environmental Engineering organises research seminars. Drawing upon expertise from
academia, government and commerce, the seminar series aims to enhance inter-disciplinary
environmental debate and practice. It is highly recommended that students attend these. Students are
also encouraged to attend research seminars from other departments or other outside events if
relevant. They offer insight into the day-to-day practical application of theories and concepts discussed
throughout the degree courses and offer potential employment opportunities. Find events here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/events/campuscalendar/.
The annual lecture of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is the yearly event
when the whole department comes together to listen to a high profile speaker. All postgraduate
students are expected to attend.

Dates for your diary are the Faculty of Engineering Research Presentation Day (normally in June –
check last year’s here http://www.strath.ac.uk/engineering/getinvolved/researchpresentationday/), the
University Research Day (normally in June) and the Engage with Strathclyde (see
http://www.strath.ac.uk/engage/).
7.3 Study Day

On occasions the various courses may offer a study day or research day. This will take the form of
either a think-tank (at an off-campus location) structured around a particular issue or a fieldtrip. Further
details will be distributed throughout the year. Attendance is compulsory for full time students. For
part-time students, who may be subject to time constraints arising from other commitments, attendance
is strongly encouraged.
7.4 Careers Events

Careers events will be organized specifically for PG students in the Department in Semester 1.
Students are required to register for these departmental careers events (Beth Stewart will provide
further details.) Students are also encouraged to attend events and use the services available from the
Careers Service (http://www.strath.ac.uk/careers/) such as information on occupations, further study,
voluntary work and self-employment; guidance on CVs and presentation giving; and information on
employers offering work experience via internships, placements, and Part Time work. Note that the
Strathclyde Worldwide Graduate Jobsearch Online allows to search by Job Sector and by Country:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/careers/vacancies/
7.5 Personal Development Planning (PDP)

The Department supports Personal Development Planning as a way of encouraging students to think
about their own education in terms of developing the knowledge and skills required to become a
professional in your field of choice and in terms of other transferable skills that will be useful generally.
PDP is self-directed, non-assessed and non-compulsory. Students identify a range of skills that will be
useful to their future career, and then reflect on learning and achievements and planning towards a
career.
What is PDP?
“PDP is defined as 'a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon
their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and
career development'. PDP embraces a range of approaches to learning that connect planning (an
individual's goals and intentions for learning or achievement), doing (aligning actions to intentions),
recording (thoughts, ideas, experiences, in order to understand and evidence the process and results
of learning) and reflection (reviewing and evaluating experiences and the results of learning)”. This
definition is taken from the Higher Education Academy2.
How is PDP Recorded?

Students should keep a Progress File, which according to the national Guidelines should have two
components which go together to make up a student's PDP portfolio:
1) A transcript of learning and achievement.

Students can request their official transcript via Student Lifecycle and can also log in to
Pegasus to view their unofficial transcripts and request official ones.
2) Record of skills, progress and plans.

This comprises a student's personal record of learning and achievements. The activity is self-
directed and the student can determine their own method of compiling their records. It can be
used to clarify personal goals in the context of PDP, and provide a resource from which personal
statements, job applications and references from lecturing staff can be produced.
2See http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/learning/pdp
You are encouraged to keep a file or record of the opportunities that you have used to develop these
skills. These could be very diverse: being a member of a Professional Body; attending conferences and
seminars; attending training courses; participating in fieldtrips; participating in sport; voluntary work;
University societies; etc. These records will form part of your PDP Portfolio. The other part is described
below and refers to how you are engaging with your course and how it is developing your knowledge
and skills towards becoming a graduate in the chosen field of study.
How do I Reflect on my Progress on the Course?

We suggest that you follow the steps given below and produce written additions to your Portfolio at the
end of each semester.
i) Reflection/ Aspiration
You should record your views on each module against certain categories of achievement as defined
for example by the accreditation criteria of the professional body associated with chosen field of study.
You write a short (up to 1 page) reflective/aspiration statement each semester on what you want to
achieve, what interests you, what you want to do more of, what branch of study you think you might
work in etc. i.e. it asks you to think ahead.
ii) Evidence of Progress

You take account of your marks and feedback from coursework by producing a short (up to 1 page)
summary of your progress each semester. This should show your understanding of the feedback and
marks and what it means to you in terms of achieving your goal.
iii) Corrective Action

At the end of the semester, you produce a short statement/list of what you need to do next or do better
in the future and how this might affect your goal.
Meetings with personal tutor to discuss PDP

All students meet with their allocated personal tutor in February in order to discuss performance in the
first semester. At this meeting, PDP could also be discussed if the student so wishes (in that case,
please send the short PDP report to your personal tutor before the meeting – the PDP report should
state Refection/ Aspiration, Evidence of Progress and Corrective Action – see above).
7.6 European Computer Driving License (ECDL)

Information Services Business Support and Administration team is an ‘A’ rated approved BCS test
centre. The team delivers the internationally recognised European Computer Driving Licence
(ECDL) qualification for IT users.
ECDL is an up-to-date qualification that proves to employers that you have gained an introductory
level of competence in a range of computing skills, including the Microsoft Office suite; Word, Excel,
Access, and PowerPoint. ECDL Advanced allows candidates to enhance their skills in key software
applications to support workplace demands, and the achievement can be used as a credit transfer
towards a flexible level 3 ITQ certification.
Register for ECDL/ ECDL Advanced: www.strath.ac.uk/ecdl

For more information on costs please contact
Email: is-business-support@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 0141 548 2566
7.7 Maths Skills Support Centre
The Maths Skills Support Centre will be operating this year to provide academic support to all students
studying mathematics at Strathclyde or to those who require an element of mathematics in their chosen
degree. Centre opening hours are Monday-Friday, 10:30 to 15:30. Location of the centre is within

Livingstone tower, Room LT308. Further information on the Centre can also be found on-line at
http://www.strath.ac.uk/mathsskills/.
Email: mathsskills@strath.ac.uk Tel: 0141 548 3567.
8 STUDENT WORKLOADS, ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE
8.1 Student Workloads

Each class is made up of several credits and consists of normally 24 hours direct teaching. In addition,
it is expected that students spend a considerable amount of time in private study. For a typical full-time
student, to compliment the 24 hours of direct teaching, an additional 76 hours on a 10 credit class
should be undertaken. Considering that each credit is worth 10 hours of work (private study plus direct
teaching), a 10 credit class is equivalent to 100 hours. If you take six classes per term, 10 credits each,
then in total (excluding direct teaching) you should expect to spend approximately 30 hours per week
over 14 weeks (11 weeks of taught classes, 1 week revision and 2 weeks of exams) on your studies –
such as reading, working on assignments and attending fieldtrips.
8.2 Student Attendance and Participation in Group Work

Attendance at lectures, seminars and tutorials is expected, but in postgraduate study the responsibility
of this is placed with the student. Please note, however, that your attendance will be noted throughout
the year, and if attendance drops significantly, the Course Leader may take action. Lack of attendance,
participation and student performance may also be considered or highlighted in Examination Boards.
Specific requirements for attendance at class will be highlighted in Class Handouts.
Students who are falling behind with work to the extent that it is likely they would not successfully
complete the course, may be asked to withdraw, or be asked to take voluntary suspension, whereby
the student withdraws themselves from the course at a certain time, to rejoin at the same time on
consecutive years. The objective of voluntary suspension is to allow students with acceptable
extenuating circumstances to return neither advantaged nor disadvantaged but hopefully in a position
to equip themselves successfully to do the course.
Please note that under the new Points Based System of Immigration (PBS) rules, stricter monitoring
of the international students is in place. See Box 2.
Box 2 - Tier 4 Attendance Monitoring
As part of the University’s procedures with regards to UK Border Agency Tier 4 Visa Compliance, the
department is required to monitor the attendance of students who are studying here with a Tier 4 Visa.
This is done electronically. You may be asked to report to Beth Stewart in the Department Office on
occasions when your attendance will be logged
Please note: you will not be monitored during periods when students are on holiday from the University
i.e. Christmas, Easter, and Summer.
If you are absent from the University at any time during term (for example, due to illness or medical
appointment), it is important to notify Beth Stewart, by e-mail, immediately, providing the following
information:
1. The reason for your absence

2. The date your absence begins
3. The date you expect to return to the University
Your absence will then be logged on the system.

Many classes involve group work and it is fundamental that students demonstrate attendance and
participation in group work. Minutes for meetings related to group work should be written specifying
attendance or absence of students and stating apologies for absence if apologies have been received.
If a student has to miss a group meeting it is critical that the student communicates with group BEFORE
the meeting apologizing and explaining absence. Working in a multi-disciplinary group is a fundamental
learning experience not just for the actual degree but for students’ future careers. We asked last year’s
students for the three rules of group work and this is what they said:
Student 1:
1. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Know your own and use them to your group's advantage.
2. Let everyone contribute. It is easy to take over and not realise that some people are not confident enough to
speak out especially at the beginning of the MSc, so if you notice that someone is not contributing, ask
them. That person might have great ideas but be too intimidated to share them.
3. Along the same lines, don't be afraid to speak up. You are an equal member of the group and are expected
to contribute equally.
Student 2:
1. Meet early on, identify key tasks and assign responsibilities.
2. Organise regular meetings and email updates from all members (project dependant).
3. Everyone should be "involved" at all stages, no opt-outs because people are busy - that is the start of the
"slippery slope" (scheduling everyone's time is so important).
...
4. I know you asked for 3, but I'd suggest that groups go to the Pub together - socialising and informal
discussions over a beer can be very productive!
Student 3:
1. Make sure everyone in the group understands the task at the start - talk about what each of you think it
means and entails and if anyone is unsure of anything then ask the lecturers or supervisors early on.
2. Once you have all determined what needs to be done, discuss who is comfortable or stronger at doing
certain things and split the work up accordingly - make deadlines for sections of work to be completed and
have a shared document which you upload your work to so that everyone can see it and comment on it and
suggest other ways of going about things.
3. Meet regularly on the deadlines to assess what has been achieved - if anyone is not pulling their weight or is
not going in the right direction, try to fix this as soon as possible and don't waste time by just getting on with
your own work and not looking at the bigger picture.
Check this reference:

Rogerson, S (1996), Successful group work. London : Kogan Page [Library D 378.176 SUC]
8.3 Extenuating Circumstances (plus Sickness or other Reasons for Absence)
If there are any extenuating circumstances, for example illnesses, which affect your performance at
examinations or coursework, the University must be notified in writing as soon as possible. The timing
of your notification is critical. Note that in general, only serious or significant medical or personal
circumstances will be considered by the Examination Board, such that it was impossible for you to
attend an exam. Minor ailments and issues related to ability/aptitude for University study will not
normally be considered.
Students who wish to have their mitigating circumstances taken into consideration by Examination
Boards must notify the University and provide independent supporting evidence. It is not the
department that approves personal circumstances, it is the Personal Circumstances Faculty Board.
The personal circumstances must be supported by documentation and submitted on-time to Faculty
for board approval. Check:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/sees/studentpolicies/policies/appealscomplaintsdiscipline/personalcircumstance
sprocedure/

The following paragraphs are a summary of some of the key issues (extracted and summarised from
the above University guidelines), however students affected by extenuating circumstances are
encouraged to carefully read the above guidelines before submission of evidence.
Students whose performance has been, or will be, affected by circumstances that are acute, severe
and outside their control should inform the University as soon as they are aware of these
circumstances, by recording them on Pegasus under ‘Personal Circumstances’ and submitting
supporting evidence as soon as such evidence is available. Where it is felt that further detail is
required or clarity can be added, students may also complete and submit a Personal Circumstances
Form (PCF). When a student’s performance in examination(s) or other assessment(s) is affected,
Personal Circumstances should be notified to Student Business within five working days of the latest
affected examination/assessment or date of submission of affected assessment. Where an entire
semester or examination diet is affected a Personal Circumstances Form should be submitted as soon
as possible and at least one working day before the relevant meeting of the Personal Circumstances
Board. In NO case will a notification of Personal Circumstances be accepted after the Personal
Circumstances Board has met.
Notification and supporting evidence can be submitted through the Personal Circumstances section on
Pegasus. If you are unable to upload the supporting evidence you should take it to Student Business
in person. It is recommended that you keep copies of the medical certificates that you submit and you
should also inform the department (course leader and Beth Stewart in the department office –
beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk). However, informing the department is just for our information – only
material uploaded into Pegasus or given to Student Business will be taken into account by the
University Personal Circumstances Board.
Please note that the University Personal Circumstances Board meets BEFORE the exam board and
only information that has been approved by the University Personal Circumstances Board will be
considered by the exam board. If information (e.g. medical certificate) is only submitted on time for
exam board, that information will NOT be considered and student will need to appeal.
The evidence submitted should be suitable for the Faculty Personal Circumstances Board to make
informed judgments on. For example, a medical certificate should include a clear explanation of how
your studies have been affected and give the dates of when your studies were affected.
Contact details for Student Business are:
Student Business - Faculty of Engineering

Level 1, McCance Building, Richmond St, from main entrance turn right via double doors.
Web: http://www.strath.ac.uk/studentlifecycle/
email: studentbusiness-engineering@strath.ac.uk
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Students should note that PCBs will not consider circumstances which students are expected to cope
with as part of a properly managed workload or would not normally have a significant impact on
academic performance. Boards will also normally disregard circumstances which the student could
reasonably have avoided, where the student could have taken measures to reduce their impact or
are no different from the circumstances facing a significant number of other students. The following
are examples of circumstances which would not normally be considered:
(EXTRACT)
 Inadequate planning to cope with last-minute delays and missing deadlines because of
computer difficulties, or transport difficulties;
 Losing work not backed up, failure of a single data source

Students may request a review of a decision by an academic body charged with determining student
progression and awards. This is known as an appeal. The timing, grounds and procedure for appeals
is set out in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the procedures.
Reminder:
The University Personal Circumstances and Academic Appeals Procedure does NOT accept
computer failure and lack of back up as grounds for discounting attempts or appealing:
For advice and support in submitting Personal Circumstances or lodging an Appeal, students are
strongly advised to discuss the issue with their Personal Development Advisor or Year Advisor in the
first instance.
Requests for an extension of time for coursework submission should be made directly to the Course
leader (see section 9.3). Note that a granted extension of time cannot be extended without adequate
evidence, and that the penalties for late submission (see section 9.3) will be applied when the granted
extension has expired.
The Department requires students to give notice of non-attendance for whatever reason. Besides
sickness, genuine reasons for absence of more than a few days may occur, for example, family
problems. In such cases, students are advised to contact and discuss the situation to one of the
following:
 The Course Leader/Personal Tutor

 The Postgraduate Director, Dr Elsa João
 Student Advisory & Counseling Service (student-counselling@strath.ac.uk - see University
Handbook)
Please note that under the new Points Based System of Immigration (PBS) rules, stricter
monitoring of the international students is in place. See Box 1.
8.4 Part-time jobs – benefits and the effect on study
Getting a job while you are studying can earn you some extra money. It is also the best way to get
some valuable experience to boost your CV. The Student Employment Service can help you to find
part-time or voluntary work, a summer holiday job or an internship (see -
http://www.strath.ac.uk/careers/workexp/whattypesofjobsareadvertised/part-timetemporaryandcasualjobs/)
However, if you are planning to take a part-time job during your studies you should think carefully about
how you will organise your time so that the job does not adversely affect your studies (see section 8.1
on Student Workloads).
9 ASSESSMENT, PROGRESS AND TRANSFER, AND APPEALS/COMPLAINTS
Assessment, Progress and Transfer will be as set out in the general regulations for Postgraduate
Awards by Instruction3. Students' performance in each class is assessed either by written examination
or by such other means as the Board of Examiners may approve. Candidates are required to pass
written examinations and, in the case of candidates for the Masters Degree, in the project or
dissertation.
9.1 The Examinations Boards

The examination boards consist of all class tutors and additional staff nominated by Academic Board
of Study (with the approval of the Faculty of Engineering). The External Examiners (independent
3See “University of Strathclyde’s Faculty of Engineering Operating Guidelines for Boards of Examiners of
Postgraduate Taught Courses” (in each Degree Handbook) and Part 3 (Postgraduate and Certificate
Regulations) in: http://www.strath.ac.uk/educationstrategy/gmpt/qualityenhancement/universityregulations/

examiners appointed from a different university) are will normally be present at both the June and
September meetings.
Before the June examination board a 30 minutes meeting will be arranged between each MSc cohort
and the external examiner (no Strathclyde members of staff will be present). This is an opportunity for
students to chat with the external about the course. The external will (in an anonymous manner)
mention the key praises and concerns of students at the exam board and will include these in his/her
report. This is an extremely important meeting and all students are expected to attend unless they are
out of the country or there is a serious medical issue.
Please note that out with the pre-arranged meeting with the external examiner, it is inappropriate to
contact the externals directly, if you have any complaints or issues regarding your course then please
direct these to your Programme Leader. All students not attending need to send an apology for absence
to beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk
Assessment of the instructional component of the Courses takes place at the June Examination
Board, where eligibility and progress to the project/dissertation stage, and/or transfer from the Diploma
to the MSc Degree, is determined. Students should familiarise themselves with the specific details of
how their course of study is assessed and of the determinants of successful completion of classes and
degrees. The Examiners have the discretion to take into account:
 Extenuating circumstances, i.e. illness or family bereavement (see section 8.3).

 Your assessed/laboratory/tutorial/class work (and your participation level in class, which is always
observable if not quantifiable).
The final degree assessment is determined at the September Examination Board (except for MSc
Civil Engineering with Industrial Placement where final degree assessment happens at the June
board). It will be based on performance in the examinations, coursework, and the project
report/dissertation. Plus, examiners have the discretion to take into account extenuating
circumstances.
All assessment methods are subject to approval of the Faculty’s Academic Committee (Engineering
Faculty). The External Examiners will be sent dissertations and assignments of marginal candidates
and a representative sample of scripts of other candidates in order to monitor and validate the marking
standards.
9.2 Examinations and Procedures at Strathclyde University
Diet of Exams (please check specific dates on University Web site - http://www.strath.ac.uk/exams/):
(1) December
(2) April/May
All students must attend for examination at the University at the dates and times posted. Examination
Lists will be placed on Registry Notice-boards in the McCance Building and can be found on
Pegasus the University’s intranet service. Details of Exam Procedures will be given at each exam.
Distance Learning examinations may be held off campus at approved locations. The time and date
of exams will be kept as close to the on campus exams as practical. This may mean that examinations
are held during the late evening or early morning of the local time zone. Distance Learning students
must discuss the examination requirements and location with teaching staff at the earliest instance
when starting a class. Please note there may be additional charges for off-campus exams, based on
the test location and students are responsible for paying these charges.

9.3 Submission Procedure, Managing Deadlines and Penalties for Unauthorized Late
Submissions
9.3.1 Submission Procedure

A Submission/Assessment sheet should be completed for each assignment and attached to the work.
In addition, and unless told otherwise by class tutor, a digital version of all PG assignments need to be
submitted via Turnitin via Myplace (see section 9.4 of this handbook). The assignment (plus
Submission/Assessment sheet) should then be placed in the PG submission boxes, level 5, James
Weir Building. It is critical that students sign the sheet for the respective assignment to confirm
work in submission box. Note that the Submission/Assessment sheet is used by the marker to write
comments and does not replace a proper title page. Please note that, unless told otherwise, email
submissions will not be accepted.
All submitted work will be date stamped and date and time will be considered when deciding a penalty
(i.e. work submitted some hours late will get a 1-day penalty). Work is given to the respective tutor for
marking.
Distance learning submissions will be detailed by the relevant teaching staff and may include
submission via Myplace, email or hard copy submission sent by post services. Students should be
mindful of delivery times for the latter category and must ensure their submission is delivered in a timely
manner.
9.3.2 Feedback
Marking/Feedback sheets will be returned to the student. In some case feedback and grades are
provided via Myplace. The standard for feedback in the department is 3 weeks period during term
time (i.e. excluding vacation time) - so if assignment is due week 12 of S1 then feedback would only
be due week 3 S2. Scripts will however remain in the department for scrutiny until after the June
Examination Board plus for checking by the Joint Board of Moderators with regards to accreditation of
the degrees. (Please note that grades are not final until the exam board.) Students have the opportunity
to re-read their work at any time, but scripts cannot be removed from the department. Note that often
markers write comments in the scripts so reading the feedback sheet might not be enough.
Note as well that there are many types of feedback. From experience many students think of feedback
just as a “getting a grade” when in fact it is much more than that – all students should read this
document:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/other/learningteaching/Making_the_most_of_your_assessment_and_f
eedback.pdf
9.3.3 Managing Deadlines

It is very important that students manage deadlines for assignments. If a deadline has been set that is
not convenient (for example you already have four assignments due on that day) then students should
approach lecturer to try and change date for the whole class. Any changes of dates needs to be
done immediately, as soon as you find out the date of assignment. You must NOT wait until the week
before the assignment is due or it will be too late to change it. This should be discussed in class and
agreed by all students and lecturer. Each student has a unique set of classes and each class is taken
by a different cohort of students. For example a date that suits MEng students might not be suitable
for students in a particular MSc. The fact that some of the classes we offer are from other departments
adds further complexity.
If students do not say something about deadlines straightaway then staff will assume they are good
deadlines and will not change dates last minute. Changing deadlines last minute is unfair to the
students that might have handed in work ahead of the deadline. Assignment dates can NOT be
changed for an individual student unless there are special circumstances, like medical reasons, and
this needs to be supported by a evidence (e.g. doctor’s letter). It is possible that assignments for the
first term classes are due in January, although this may not be convenient for students that have to
revise for January exams. If so, please discuss with tutor at the start of the term.
N.B. You can of course hand in work before the due date. Students have handed in work one week
after assignments are set, although deadline might be four weeks away, as this may suit their diary the
best.
9.3.4 Penalties for Unauthorized Late Submissions

It is crucial that students keep to deadlines. This is for equity reasons (i.e. all students having the same
time to carry assessed work) and to aid students’ progress within the MSc and MRes courses. In order
to discourage late submissions, the penalty for unauthorized late submissions is:
Penalty - 5% of assessed mark deducted per day, up to a maximum of 1 week (7 days) equating
to less 35% of the assessed mark. After that, no marks awarded.
Requests for extensions will be evaluated in case-by-case basis but normally will only be given in
exceptional circumstances (e.g. medical). No extension will be granted on technical/computing grounds
or retrospectively. Please note that only course leaders (for postgraduate students) can give
extensions. Therefore if a student needs an extension they should contact:
MRes Richard Lord

MSc Civil Engineering Philippe Sentenac
MSc Civil Engineering with Industrial Placement Philippe Sentenac
MSc Environmental Engineering Charles Knapp
MSc Environmental Entrepreneurship Elsa João
MSc Environmental Health Sciences Iain Beverland
MSc Hydrogeology Bob Kalin
MSc Sustainability & Environmental Studies Elsa João
Attention! - If permission for late submission has been granted, it is crucial that the
student includes a copy of a written confirmation of an authorized late submission
(e.g. email communication) together with the (late) submitted piece of work,
specifying the new deadline.
Please note that other University departments and faculties may teach some of the classes you are
taking, and these may have different requirements about deadlines for submission of assessed work
(e.g. penalties for late submission). It is therefore essential that you pay close attention to what class
tutors from different departments specify on these matters and ensure that your assessed work is
submitted accordingly. Other departments (e.g. Law School) may also penalize for going over the
length required for assignments so please check.
9.4 Submission of assignments and dissertation/project via the Turnitin
For the dissertation/project and other coursework as applicable, students will be required to submit a
digital copy via the turnitin software via Myplace, in addition to the paper copy submission of assessed
work, on the same date and time as the assignment is due.
What is Turnitin? Turnitin is a web-based system that is being used by most Universities in the UK to
reduce the incidents of plagiarism (which in some cases may have been happening due to ignorance
rather than malice). Because the system stores all work submitted, the system is also good at
identifying duplication (the same student submitting the same work for two different assignments) and
also copying between students. Therefore the software calculates a similarity index (rather than a
plagiarism score) - the larger the index, the more the same sequence of words was found elsewhere.
The judgement if plagiarism, copying or duplication has taken place has to be done by a human
not the computer system – the computer system is only a tool that we can use to help us (not the
only resource we have). Plagiarism, duplication and copying are all examples of academic dishonesty
and they are not allowed according to the University Academic Honesty Procedures and Guidelines
(see section 15.2 of this handbook).
Students will not be allowed to see their similarity reports except for an exercise as part of the methods
classes CL931 and CL986. Any questions about Turnitin can be directed to: Dr Elsa João, Director for
Postgraduate Studies: elsa.joao@strath.ac.uk
You may need to read about plagiarism and how to avoid it - these two web sites have good
resources:
 http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/undergrad/year_1_2/what_is_plagiarism
 http://submit.ac.uk
A key skill on how to avoid plagiarism is Paraphrasing – i.e. restating ideas in your own words. See
exercises on the Online Writing Lab to help with Paraphrasing skills:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/1/
It is important to remind students that Turnitin is not the final word on plagiarism. If a student has been
found to plagiarise despite an acceptable score on Turnitin, the case will be handled the same as if the
plagiarism was identified via Turnitin.
Check out: http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/ps/cs/gmap/plagiarism/plagiarism_student_booklet.pdf
9.5 University of Strathclyde’s Faculty of Engineering Operating Guidelines for Boards of

Examiners of Postgraduate Taught Courses (Last revised Oct 2014 – further revisions
possible before exam boards in 2017)
PART A: GENERAL GUIDELINES

Progress Requirements and Assessment
1. PGT Boards of Examiners assess students' performance in meeting the progress, transfer and
award requirements for all postgraduate taught courses (PgCert, PgDip, MSc and MArch) and
also the taught classes of research degrees (e.g. MRes, MPhil, PhD and EngD). References to
MSc also refer to MArch.
2. Students are required to meet the conditions set down in the general and course regulations. All
regulations are published in the General and Course Regulations for Graduate and Postgraduate
Awards and Degrees 2014-15. The general requirements are contained in Regulations 19.1,
20.1-20.4, and the requirements of individual Faculty courses appear in regulations 19.40 –
19.49. Copies of the relevant regulations are included in course handbooks that are issued to all
students on admission to the University.
Boards of Examiners must also comply with the requirements outlined in section 6 of the
University Assessment and Feedback Policy document.
3. Student progress is determined by the accumulation of credits. The pass mark at PGT level
(level 5) is 50%.
4. Regulation 19.1.34 confirms that a candidate who satisfies a Board of Examiners in a class will
be awarded the number of credits specified for that class.
5. The Faculty of Engineering operates a compensation scheme that can be applied only to a
student’s first attempts. It is not used at later Boards unless first attempts are being considered
or there are special circumstances. Further details are given in Part B below.
6. The Faculty of Engineering PGT Compensation Scheme applies to all PGT degrees in the
Faculty, unless approval has been granted by the Board of Study and Senate for a course to be
exempted. Departments that wish to exempt a course from the scheme must submit a request
to the Faculty Office in writing, accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation.

7. Examination Boards should note that the University General Regulations for PGT courses state
(19.1.37) that candidates for the degree of Master will normally be expected to perform to the
satisfaction of the Board of Examiners in the taught components of the course, before being
permitted to proceed to the project and/or dissertation. MSc students in the Faculty are therefore
required to satisfy paragraphs 22-24 below.
8. PgCert and PgDip students (in contrast to MSc students) may resit once any number of classes,
as per University general regulations.
Normal Period of Study for MSc Courses
9. The normal duration of an MSc programme is 12 months full time/ 36 months part time; the
maximum period of study is 36 months full time/ 60 months part time.
10. Students are normally expected to complete the taught modules and the dissertation within this
time period, completing 60 credits in each academic year. The maximum period of study of 60
months for a part-time Masters degree as stated in the Calendar, allows students whose studies
have been delayed by medical or personal circumstances to complete their degree
programme. Students will normally only be considered for an extension to the normal period of
study by the Board of Examiners if they have grounds as outlined in the Personal Circumstance.
If, exceptionally, an extension to the normal duration of study is granted where there have not
been any personal circumstances the student is no longer eligible for an award with merit or
distinction.
Schedules of Assessment
11. The assessment of scripts is the responsibility of academic staff in the Departments of the
Faculty. All scripts, especially those with marks in the range 40%-49%, should be scrutinised
before returning the marks to Student Business. In cases where coursework and examination
performance contribute to the student's overall assessment, Departments are required to return
the composite mark via Student Business to the Board of Examiners. Student Business transfers
returned marks to the Schedules of Assessment for the Examination Boards. Student Business
will endeavor to issue the Schedules of Assessment to members of the Board of Examiners at
least two working days before the Board is due to meet.
12. The schedules set out each student's percentage mark or result in the classes for which he/she
is registered. They record the number of credits previously accumulated by the student (PREV
CRED), the total credits now earned (CRED TOT), the total number of credits for which the
student is registered and for which marks have been returned (SUM CRED), the sum of the
marks weighted according to the credit value of the class (SUM WGT M), the student's credit
mark average (AVGE MARK) across the prescribed curriculum. The September schedules show
under the column headed 'COMMENTS', the decision of the Board of Examiners in the preceding
June.
13. The following symbols may appear in the results filed for a class:
A Absent without explanation. Student has not attended an examination in a class for
which he/she was registered.
c below the credit value indicates that a class is compulsory
b to the right of a mark indicates that the mark is the student's second attempt
DIS attempt discounted
E Exemption approved by the Faculty Board of Study. This may be accompanied by a
mark e.g. E78
F Fail (no specific percentage mark awarded)
N+ Mark Outstanding course work, with a mark. A mark has been returned, but coursework
has not been completed. (Credits are not awarded). Compare OC.
NQ The student has been deemed 'not qualified' to sit the examination
OC The student has failed to submit coursework satisfactorily and has therefore not been
awarded any mark. Compare N + Mark
P Pass (no specific percentage mark awarded)
+ (August Exams/September Board only) Student has obtained a pass in this class at
the January/ May /June Exams.
- Student is not registered for this class
Mark + P Pass by Compensation scheme.
% the script is with the External Examiners and a mark has, therefore, still to be
returned.
(space) No mark returned
Decisions of N+mark and OC should only be used if absolutely necessary, as they are
counted as zero in the CWA (see para 37). ‘Fail’ is the preferred result if a student has not
completed all the work required.
Note that OC should not be used in September: at that point the result for non-submitted
Coursework must be FAIL.
14. The marks for each course should be checked by the relevant Course Co-ordinator(s), who
must inform the Board of Examiners of any amendments which should be made to the Schedules.
The Course Coordinator(s) will present the recommended decisions to the Examination
Board of the course for which they are responsible.
Method of Operation of the Boards of Examiners

15. Board of Examiners will be chaired by the Dean or nominee.
16. The Board of Examiners will scrutinise the marks that have been set out in the Schedules of
Assessment. Course coordinators should advise the Board of any amendments that require to
be made to the Schedule. It is also their responsibility to recommend to the Board how the
Compensation scheme should be applied in individual cases.
17. Generally, a mark of 50% or more in a class is regarded by the Board as a clear pass.
18. A candidate who satisfies a Board of Examiners in a class will be awarded the number of credits
specified for that class.
19. Boards of Examiners will make one of the following decisions for all students:
AWARD A clear Award. The student has successfully completed all the taught and, if
appropriate, the project/dissertation components of his/her degree, diploma or
certificate course.
P A clear Pass. The student has no re-sits and should proceed to the next year of
study (normally only for students who are undertaking the course over more than one
academic session).
MP May Proceed to Project/Dissertation. The student has normally satisfied all the
taught components of his/her course and may proceed to the project/dissertation.
(see 22, 23 and 24)
TM Terminate. The student will be instructed to withdraw from the course.
R Re-sit (May/June Board only). The student should take re-sit examinations in
August, after which a decision will be made on possible award of MSc, PgDip or
PgCert.
SL Unusual circumstances dictate that the student should receive a Special Letter,
outlining his/her academic position as determined by the Examiners. In order to avoid
unnecessary delay in students’ receiving results, it is preferable that this option only
be recorded in exceptional circumstances.
TF Transfer. The student will be transferred to another degree, diploma or certificate
course in the same group of courses. This may be qualified by the decision of, for
example, TF and resit etc.
1st Examination Board (usually May/June)

20. This Board will normally consider the transfer of candidates between PgCert, PgDip and MSc
and progression to the MSc project/dissertation. This Board will also consider any outstanding
candidates from the previous academic year.
21. The compulsory and optional classes required by candidates for either progression or award can
be found in the relevant course regulations
22. To proceed to the MSc project/dissertation a candidate will normally have accumulated all
the credits on the taught component of the course at the first attempt.
23. With respect to students who have not passed all their credits at the first attempt the
Board of Examiners will apply the Faculty PGT Compensation Scheme, if applicable, as
outlined in Part B below. If this can be done and the student thereby gains sufficient
credits, then the decision will be “Proceed to MSc Project/Dissertation”.
24. MSc students will normally only be allowed to resit a maximum of 20 credits, provided all
other taught classes have been passed at the first attempt, with a minimum mark of 50%
in each class, and no compensated passes have been awarded.
25. Students who are allowed to proceed to their project/dissertation, under the terms of paragraphs
24 and 28, must be warned that they cannot remain on the MSc course unless all outstanding
taught classes are passed at the second attempt. Such students are required to sign a form
verifying that they understand and accept the conditions required to remain on the MSc course.
26. MSc students who have failed to achieve the required number of credits on the taught component
of the course, under the terms of paragraphs 22-24 will normally be transferred to the PgDip.
27. PgDip students who satisfy the terms of paragraphs 8 and 22-24 and have passed all taught
components may be transferred to the appropriate MSc course and proceed to the
project/dissertation.
28. Any student who has failed one or more classes will normally be entitled to one further attempt
(19.1.30) to obtain enough credits for the award of a PgCert or a PgDip. A student is only entitled
to one further attempt at classes for the award of an MSc under the conditions outlined in
paragraph 24.
29. The Board may also consider awards for students who have satisfactorily completed the
requirements of the course.
2nd Examination Board (usually September)

30. This is the main Examination Board for PGT Courses. Notwithstanding paragraph 29, this
Board considers the award of MSc, PgDip and PgCert, and the transfer of students between
MSc, PgDip and PgCert. Outstanding issues from the earlier Examination Board will also be
considered.
31. A student must submit the individual project by the first deadline set in order to qualify for Merit
or Distinction. A student may only be granted an extension to this deadline if they have submitted
evidence of personal circumstances which meet the criteria in the Personal Circumstances and
Academic Appeals Procedure.
32. Boards of Examiners may allow a thesis/dissertation to be re-submitted only if the original
mark is at least 45%, in which case the re-submission must be made before the end of
November (in the same calendar year).
Awards
33.
a. Where a candidate has accumulated 120 credits of taught classes from the curriculum,
together with 60 credits for the project/dissertation, he/she will be awarded an MSc.
b. Where a candidate has accumulated 120 credits of taught classes from the curriculum, but
has not obtained 60 credits for the project/dissertation, he/she will be awarded a PgDip.
c. Where a candidate has not accumulated 120 credits of taught classes after 2 attempts,
he/she may be considered for a PgCert. The PgCert can be awarded if the candidate has
accumulated at least 60 credits of taught classes from the curriculum.
d. A candidate who has accumulated less than 60 credits of taught material after two attempts
will be deemed to have failed, and no award will be made.
Awards may be made “with Merit” or “with Distinction”. Examination Boards should have regard
to a student’s performance against criteria approved by Senate and consider the composite mark
against the following general framework (19.1.49):
Classification Composite Mark

Distinction 70 - 100
Merit 60 - 69
Award 50 - 59
Notwithstanding University General Regulation 19.1.49, PGT students are eligible for an
award with merit/distinction only if they pass all classes at the first attempt. (This includes
any compensated class).
Medical or Other Adverse Circumstances
34. Where a student reports medical/personal circumstances that have adversely affected his/her
performance, the Department should take account of this and tell the student to advise Student
Business of such mitigating circumstances. Medical or personal circumstances must be notified
in writing to Student Business, and must be supported by appropriate documentation, e.g. a
medical certificate authenticated by a medical practitioner.
A Faculty Personal Circumstances Committee will be convened in advance of the Boards of

Examiners to consider cases where a student has reported medical or personal circumstances.
This Committee will advise the Boards of Examiners as to how these circumstances may have
affected a student’s academic performance and will make recommendations to the Board as to
whether any special dispensation is required. The Faculty Officer in attendance will ensure that
the Committee’s recommendations are reported to the Board via the online system.

35. The existence of personal circumstances is indicated against a student's record on the
Assessment Schedule by (**). The Board may then decide to discount the student's attempt at
one or more examinations.
Part-Time Registration and Voluntary Suspension
36. Full-time students, through a mixture of academic or personal pressures, may have entered into
part-time registration or voluntary suspension. These students normally appear at the end of the
Schedules of Assessment.
37. Part-time registration

In this case, the student attends or re-attends part-time and pays a sum per credit being studied
and examined, as specified by Senate and Court for that year. The clock does not stop, in
terms of the maximum permitted period of study.
38. Voluntary Suspension
Students in voluntary suspension are held to be in 'good academic standing' but have signalled
that they have personal difficulties. With the permission of the Faculty they have been allowed
time out. For these students, the clock does stop, in terms of the maximum permitted period of
study.
PART B: THE FACULTY PGT COMPENSATION SCHEME
39. The Faculty operates a compensation scheme that is designed to assist Boards of Examiners to
take decisions about student progress to the MSc project/dissertation. The scheme can be
applied only to the student's first attempts and, therefore, is normally used only at the May/June
meetings of the Boards of Examiners. Marks of N + a mark (i.e. where there is an examination
result but missing coursework) are not eligible for compensation.
40. Students who have accumulated at least 120 credits from the course curriculum and who have
a credit-weighted average (CWA) of at least 55% are eligible for compensation. Any combination
of classes, up to a maximum of 20 credits, may be compensated (where the class marks are in
the range 40-49%).
Compensation can be applied to part-time students when they have completed classes totalling
at least 60 credits. Students who have accumulated at least 60 credits and who have a CWA of
at least 55% are eligible for compensation.
A maximum of 10 credits of classes may be compensated (where the class marks are in the
range 40-49%) or taken as a resit (where the class marks are below 40%).
41. Only in circumstances where compensation is not acceptable for professional accreditation will
degrees be allowed to deviate from the scheme. In such cases, Departments must provide
documentary evidence of the concerns expressed (e.g. a letter from the accrediting body stating
that the Department may not apply compensation to specified accredited courses) together with
any alternative proposals. Any such modification requires approval by the Board of Study and by
Senate.
CWA: The Calculation

42. The credit-weighted average (CWA) mark is calculated by adding together all numerical marks
from classes of the standard curriculum for that year, weighted according to the credit value of
the class; this aggregate mark is then divided by the number of credits. If the resulting CWA is
55% or higher, then a pass by compensation under the scheme may be considered. The CWA
mark should be rounded to the nearest integer, in line with University practice.
43. Returns of E with no mark, F and P are ignored in calculating the average mark and A, OC and
Nxx are counted as zero. As numerical marks are the norm, any such returns must have been
approved by the Board of Study.

44. If a student is absent from a class without an acceptable explanation, a mark of zero is recorded
for the class, and this is included in calculating the total credits that will apply in the assessment
of the CWA. Similarly, classes for which the coursework has been assessed as unsatisfactory
('OC' or N plus a mark) are included in calculating the total credits to be used in assessing the
CWA but are regarded as having a mark of zero.
45. Where a student has more than one class eligible for compensation, it is recommended that
compulsory classes be prioritised for compensation, followed by the class with the highest mark.
However, the discretion of the Board of Examiners will ultimately apply.
46. A student passing by compensation will be deemed to have obtained the credit(s) appropriate to
the class or classes concerned. The student will be notified of the classes passed by
compensation. The actual mark will appear on the student's transcript as well as an indication
of pass by compensation (thus: Mark + P).
(End of guidelines)
10 PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
10.1 Class choices
The Class Catalogue allows you to view the classes available across the whole University -
classcat.strath.ac.uk.
Pegasus (http://pegasus.strath.ac.uk) allows you to choose your classes and check that you are
registered correctly for your academic course. Twenty-four hours after registering, students can
access Pegasus and make their class choices online. The official way to register for a class is the
Pegasus system. Myplace (http://classes.myplace.strath.ac.uk/) is not the official way to register for
a class. This is only a source of information about the class. If you are registered in Pegasus, then
you will automatically be registered in Myplace to access info on the class.
Distance Learning students must discuss their curricula choices with their programme director
before completing class choices on PEGASUS. Not all classes are suitable for Distance Learning or
run every session. Your programme director will advise you on what relevant options you have.
The procedure for choosing classes is as follows:
(a) On or before induction day, students discuss the options with Course Leaders.
(b) Then students should research further the possible options by looking at the class catalogue
(http://classcat.strath.ac.uk) – searching for *transport* will return all classes that have transport
in the title. You can also look at the web page of the class tutor, attend the first meeting of classes
you may be undecided about to ‘check them out’, doing some reading on the topic, etc.
(c) Very important, it is necessary to check that there are no timetable clashes as an optional class
is only available if does not clash with another class. Locations of all classes and timetable for
optional classes can be found at: http://www.strath.ac.uk/timetables. Use “search” facility using
the class code found in handbook.
(d) Note that normally, students should not take more than 20 credits of optional classes from other
departments. Also note that students should balance their choice of classes (ideally 60 credits
per semester, possible but not ideal is 70 credits in one semester and 50 in another).
(e) Then students must choose classes for themselves on Pegasus.
(f) It is imperative that all students make their class choices by the end of week 1 of the term. Many
classes set assignments in week 2 (some do it in week 1) and we find from experience that
students who leave until the start of week 3 to finalise their class choices end up performing
poorly in classes overall. It is very important that students make their choices quickly and then
concentrate of the classes chosen. Please note that you are not allowed to take (or even sit in)
in more than 120 credits of taught classes. Please also note that you should try to balance
number of credits in each term, ideally 60 credits per semester, a 50:70 split between semesters
1:2 is possible, but we would discourage 70:50 splits (given the timings of semester 1 exams). It
is not recommended that you have for example 80 credits in one term and 40 in the other. You
will struggle to do the term with 80 credits. Each 10 credits class is equivalent to 100 hours of
work, so it is clear why it may be possible but it would be difficult to do 800 hours in one term.
(g) Course Leaders have then to confirm the choices by pressing a button.
N.B. Up to the end of the second full teaching week, students are permitted to amend their choices. At
the beginning of week 3, the final list of students is lodged with the class tutors, and it is this list that
will be effective for the course. Students attempting to take a class without going through this procedure
are warned that the work may not count towards their final award.
WARNING: If you are registered to take a class in Pegasus but then do not attend and do not return
assignments then you will fail the class with a zero.
Students are advised that on occasion, specific classes may not be on offer, some may only run if there
are en enough students interested in the class, and some may have an upper limit to class size. In the
latter case, entry is permitted on a ‘first come’ basis.
10.2 Evaluation of Degree Programme
As a requirement of the University’s Quality Assurance, the department runs an evaluation of the
degree courses to which the students are asked to contribute. It is a matter of some importance that
we have performance monitoring of this type on an annual basis, so that difficulties can be identified
early on, and improvements made and implemented for the current and/or forthcoming years. Your
assistance and advice (constructive criticisms) in this process are vital. The evaluation will be
conducted as mid-semester questionnaires and at the end of semesters 1 and 2, via class assessment
forms. These will be distributed via Myplace. Students can also provide feedback through their class
reps (Myplace for each class shows who is the class rep for each class) or their programme rep at the
PG Student-Staff Liaison Committee (see section 10.3). There is also a national UK survey with regards
to MSc courses and it is extremely important that all students take part.
10.3 PG Staff-Student Liaison Committee (SSLC)
Shortly after the courses commence, student will be given details of the PG Staff-Student Liaison
Committee, which aims to provide a forum for discussion about the classes, courses, suggestions for
improvements and social events, and a mechanism for the resolution of any problems, which may be
identified.
Beth Stewart (MSc admin support; beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk) administers this committee and further
details will be circulated as soon as possible. (See emails for updates.) Beth Stewart will circulate an
agenda before the meeting and will also write the minutes for the meetings – a draft of which will be
circulated among reps and members of staff attending meetings in order to check for accuracy. After
approval, minutes will be circulated among all students, and given to key Departmental and Faculty
committees. In particular the Postgraduate Teaching and Learning Committee in the Department (that
meets immediately after the SSLC) will discuss the SSLC minutes and act on any actions as applicable.
One student representative is needed for each programme – i.e. nine in total as follows:
MRes; MSc Civil Engineering; MSc Civil Engineering with IP; MSc Sustainability & Environmental
Studies; MSc Environmental Health Sciences; MSc Environmental Entrepreneurship; MSc
Environmental Engineering; and MSc Hydrogeology. Plus two members representing MPhil/PhD
students.

Besides representing each programme, each rep will represent a list of about seven PG classes (Beth
Stewart will provide the list). This list will be mainly departmental classes but it will also include a few
classes from other departments if the classes are exclusively offered to students in the Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering. MRes and MSc reps have membership in the committee for 1
year and PhD reps have membership in the committee for 2 years. One of the PhD reps in year 2 will
be the deputy chair of the committee.
Students will be asked to elect a programme representative by week 2 of the term. Names of reps need
to be given to programme leader and Beth Stewart.
There are two 2-hour meetings in the year, one in each semester, and it is critical that all reps attend.
If a rep cannot attend, they should find a replacement from among the cohort. If a rep cannot attend
last minute and therefore there is no time to find a replacement, apologies must be sent to
beth.stewart@strath.ac.uk to register in the minutes.
The job of the student representative is to: “communicate views on workloads, timetables, library
facilities, teaching space and other vital matters to departmental student-staff committees”, plus come
up with suggestions for improvements and social events. The Student Union organizes a series of
training sessions for course reps in the first semester. All representatives are recommended to attend.
Student representatives have naturally to bring the views of the whole cohort to the meetings and not
just their personal opinion. Email communication can used but that sometimes only generates replies
from the students that have complains and also it may not be clear how representative are those
complains. Another efficient way to do gather points from the full cohort is to ask a lecturer to finish 5-
10 minutes earlier on a class compulsory to degree and then have an open discussion there and then.
It is critical that students approach class tutors with any issues BEFORE the staff-student liaison
committee so this committee can concentrate on unresolved issues. For example, if a lecturer speaks
too fast it is not relevant to bring this issue to the committee if this was not communicated to the lecturer
beforehand. In this case all the committee will say is “students should ask lecturer to speak slower”.
10.4 Personal Tutors
In the first instance, the course leader of each MSc/MRes is also the ‘Personal Tutor’ with whom
students may meet throughout the degree course to discuss academic progress. If a particular
programme has too many students, the course leader might involve other members of staff as personal
tutors. Students will be informed if that is the case by the course leader. Your personal tutor is also
your first port of call for other problems, worries or concerns of any nature (e.g. financial, personal,
etc.) course-related or otherwise. If unable to offer a solution to your problem, they will be able to
highlight other appropriate personnel to deal with your query. In February there is a meeting between
each tutee and their personal tutor to discuss progress in term 1 and discuss Personal Development
Planning (see section 7.5).
10.5 Address Details
It is vital that staff can contact students quickly in an emergency, so all address and telephone details
both in Glasgow (and/or at Home) must be provided and updated by the student in their Pegasus
student record. Please also note that it is imperative to enroll/register with the appropriate medical
center and/or GP. In Glasgow, where you are allowed to enroll relates to your postal code. International
students can obtain advice concerning this from the Student Experience Team. Lists of GPs are
available from the Student Health Service.

11. UNIVERSITY & DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY PROCEDURES (including site visits)
Under the University’s Health and Safety Policy 1996, each Department is required to have its own
Safety Committee, in which there is an appointed Departmental Safety Convener. The Convener’s
responsibility is to ensure the University’s Health and Safety Policy is known to all staff and students,
and is applied correctly and monitored throughout the department. Together with University Safety
Services, they oversee the legal duties of care and safety both inside the University and outside when
undertaking fieldtrips and site visits.
It is compulsory for all students to take this course in Myplace: Occupational Health and Safety
Induction – Part 1
The Department Safety Convener is Mara Knapp (ext. 4888, James Weir Building, room 2.12)
and the Deputy is Charles Knapp (ext 3351, James Weir Building, room 5.03K) Any queries or
problems should be addressed to them in the first instance.
Please note that as a student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering you should
make yourself familiar with University Safety procedures and policies:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/safetyservices/
In particular you (in addition to the University staff that supervise you) have a responsibility to ensure
that any work involving possible health and safety risks is properly assessed and managed by:
(a) Consulting properly with the appropriate supervisor for the work, who can keep you
informed of current procedures.
(b) Completion and attention to the requisite Departmental Risk Assessment forms as
appropriate for particular activities before such activities are commenced. See information
at https://www.strath.ac.uk/safetyservices/documentationforms/forms/
(c) If potentially hazardous materials are being handled, completion and attention to the
requisite Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) proforma at the
Environmental Laboratory Suite (see Mara Knapp, Room 2.12, James Weir Building).
COSHH assessments require to be approved by both Mara Knapp and your
supervisor before any work with potentially hazardous material is commenced.
(d) Individuals planning on working with biological agents, including genetically modified
organisms and micro-organisms, human or animal tissues, body fluids and secretions
should register with the Biological Protection Services before commencing work, details at:
http://pegasus.strath.ac.uk/, and must contact Dr Charles Knapp.
(e) Students that fail to adhere to safety guidelines and-or regulations may (and is likely to)
result in the termination of their experimental work.
The University’s Safety Services - http://www.strath.ac.uk/safetyservices/ is committed to promoting a

positive health and safety culture throughout all Departments. The Service assists departments with
their training needs by providing a core course of classes/briefing session. These classes are for all
staff/postgraduate (research) students, and when appropriate undergraduate students. All members of
the Department must make themselves aware of the contents of the University's Health and Safety
Code, Regulation 6.5 in the University's Calendar, part 1.
The Department also provides Health & Safety Training. Students will not be allowed to take any
classes until they have undergone the Departmental Health & Safety Induction. Use of the labs
requires further training (please contact Mara Knapp (mara.knapp@strath.ac.uk).
PROCEDURE FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING INJURY OR AN ILLNESS

a) Summon the assistance of a colleague or a member of staff.
b) Telephone University Security Control extension 2222 stating:
 your name and department
 the EXACT location of the incident
 the nature of the incident and the extent of injury or illness
The Security Wardens are trained in First Aid. If it is necessary to call an ambulance, this will be done
by the Security Wardens (Ext 2222 Section D). ALL accidents involving injury to any person and ALL
dangerous occurrences which may affect health or cause damage within the Department MUST be
reported to the Departmental Safety Convener as soon as possible. She/he must report on Forms S1
to the University’s Safety Officer.
Please contact Mara Knapp (mara.knapp@strath.ac.uk) about any issue concerning the maintenance
of specified electrical equipment and the reporting of faults to the Electrical Engineer or authorised
repairer. They are also responsible for the instruction of staff and research students in the use and
general safety of the designated equipment. In the absence of the Departmental Safety Officer
please report faults to staff in the Department Offices.
FIELDTRIPS AND SITE VISITS - SAFETY ADVICE

The nature of data collection makes it essential for students to undertake fieldtrips or site visits.
Students should never undertake any fieldwork alone. When in groups particular attention should be
paid to hazards since it is a constant possibility that the group becomes engrossed in survey work and
forgets about things such as traffic. This is particularly acute when taking photographs. It is good
practice to allocate one member of the group as observer, to ensure that other members do not
accidentally place themselves at risk. Students should review the Risk Assessment and off-site working
plan with the supervisor or source leader before undertaking the activity.
Student Assignments and fieldwork do not require students to expose themselves to additional hazards
beyond those normally encountered. For example, it is not necessary to climb the west face of the City
Chambers in order to obtain photographs of George Square. Nor should you take shortcuts across
railway lines, fields of animals, rivers, down cliffs or exposed mountainous regions. In this way, follow
the instructions given, follow any route indicated, never split up and go different ways. If the
requirements of the brief seem to lead to any unanticipated or unforeseen dangers then do not proceed
with the brief. Take the safe route around the danger, ignoring the requirements of the brief, and
continue with the exercise when it is safe to do so. If necessary, retrace your steps or abandon the
field site visit and notify the project tutor immediately. The contact phone number when on day trips is
the Department Offices 0141 548 3277 and you will always be advised of a contact phone number
when on residential fieldtrips. Student behavior on the fieldtrip/site visit should be courteous and neither
threatening nor provocative to any members of the public that might be encountered.
In addition to the key requirements that students must not engage in any hazardous activities, students
must always take the appropriate equipment out into the field with them. This includes maps, pens,
food, drinks and the necessary clothing, waterproofs and footwear. Many field visits take place in winter
months and during inclement weather, so students should always take extra clothing and anticipate
the prospect of the weather deteriorating. When collecting data be certain to select a safe location,
never work in darkness and if seeking shelter (say from lightning or rain) ensure is safe.
12 UNIVERSITY & DEPARTMENTAL ETHICS POLICY
As a student of the University of Strathclyde any research that you do that involves investigations on
human beings must be given ethics approval before the work commences. This is needed whatever
the form of your research, for example experiments, demonstrations, interview or questionnaires.
Approval is necessary so that the rights, dignity, safety and well-being of all actual and potential
participants in your research are protected.
Whether you need ethics approval for your project should be decided in collaboration with your
supervisor. Your supervisor, as a member of staff, acts as the Chief Investigator in your project.
Consequently your supervisor is responsible for all of your actions relating to the project. Thus your
supervisor must ensure that you are aware of and observe the relevant guidelines and that you receive

appropriate training in any procedures and techniques to be undertaken as part of the study (training
will be covered within the research methodology aspect of your course).
You must fill out an ethics application form and have copies of participant information sheets, consent
forms and potentially sample questionnaires or interview formats. This then must be approved by your
supervisor prior to being submitted to and reviewed by the Departmental Ethics Committee (a different
procedure will be followed if you intend to undertaken clinical or similar research4). Approval must then
be given by the Departmental Ethics Committee before the work commences (contact: Girma Zawdie,
g.zawdie@strath.ac.uk).
Students filling an ethics application form, are responsible for uploading the following (after
supervisor approval), using the ethics link in the MSc dissertation Myplace page:
- Ethics application
- Consent form
- Participant information sheets
- Survey/questionnaire/interview guide
Uploaded ethics form must have the supervisor signature. Note that approval may not be presumed.
The Ethics Committee needs to approve the research involving investigations on human beings
before the project goes forward. Some applications may be refused and others may need to be
revised and resubmitted.
VERY IMPORTANT: If a student submits a dissertation, involving human subjects, that was supposed
to have received ethics approval and no ethics approval was requested, the dissertation may be
rejected as unacceptable and a mark of zero will be recorded. Not going through ethics approval is a
breach of the research code of practice. If a student is uncertain if ethics is required, it is better to err
on the side of caution and submit an ethics application.
At its simplest form, when interviewing people or sending out a questionnaire, the researcher must:
a) tell what the research is about and how will the results be used (e.g. for the purpose to write a
dissertation); and
b) ensure that all data gathered will be treated in a confidential and anonymous manner.
But, permission to carry out the research must be obtained and participants must sign consent forms!
The University Ethics Committee is responsible to Court, through the University Management Group,
for the consideration of general ethical issues relating to the teaching and research of the University
which involves investigations on human beings. The Committee will consider studies submitted for
ethical review and will strive to protect the rights, dignity, safety and well-being of all actual and potential
participants. The Committee will also provide impartial advice to participants and researchers. The
Ethics Committee meets on a monthly basis to consider projects submitted for ethical review. The Code
of Practice on Investigations on Human Beings (plus ethics application form, consent form template
and participant information sheet template, plus other information) can be viewed at:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/ethics/
Please check the MSc dissertation handbook for more information on ethics.
13 GRADUATION/DEGREE CONGREGATION
Graduation enrolment forms are available from Student Lifecycle from March or can be downloaded
from the website. It is the responsibility of each student to obtain his/her own form. They are not posted
out. A registration fee is applicable if attending in person whether graduating with Degree or Diploma.
Students graduating with a Degree in absentia pay a reduced fee whilst those completing with a
Diploma in absentia pay nothing. Students wishing to be presented for a Diploma may do so only at
the November awards. Check deadlines for registration here http://www.strath.ac.uk/graduation/. If
4 Investigations involving clinical trials or medicinal products, or those involving staff, patients, facilities, data,
tissue, blood or organ samples from the National Health Service.
attending in person, a further cost will be incurred to hire the required gown and hood. Check the
Student Lifecycle noticeboards and website from March onwards for full details of graduate
congregations: http://www.strath.ac.uk/graduation/
14 UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE FACILITIES

The University has an excellent website www.strath.ac.uk, which details the vast number of academic,
administrative and support departments/services around the campus available to students. The
University Student Handbook also gives information to students namely about:
Careers Service - Level 5, Livingstone Tower, (x 4320)

Centre for Sport and Recreation - Corner of Cathedral Street and John Street
Chaplaincy – St Paul’s Building, Corner of Cathedral and John Street T: (0141) 548 4144
Getting Around Campus – see http://www.strath.ac.uk/visiting/gettingaroundcampus/
Recruitment & International Office - Level 4, Graham Hills Building T: (0141) 548 2913
IT Help Desk - Level 3, Curran Building in the Library email: helpdesk@strath.ac.uk
In addition to the information available on the website and University Student Handbook, please note
this further information:
14.1 Residence Service

Lord Todd Building (opposite Birkbeck Court) (0141 548 3454 or 3561): Provide a range of University
accommodation. A Housing Officer is available to provide advice on the private rented sector, including
issues of cost, location, tenancy agreements and safety matters.
14.2 Student Experience and Enhancement Services

Ground Level, McCance Building, Richmond St. (548 2787): Please contact for all your registration
queries, including matriculation and graduation. Students can access their exam timetable, results and
curriculum by using Student Lifecycle’s web-based service on the PEGASUS system at
http://pegasus.strath.ac.uk/. Students should use their Username and Password issued at Registration
to log onto this service. Check: http://www.strath.ac.uk/sees/
14.3 Cash Office

Ground Level, McCance Building: Unless otherwise stated, for all administrative queries concerning
payment and scholarships.
14.4 Students’ Association and Union (John Street and on www.strathstudents.com)

The Students’ Association and Union represent students both within the University and to the wider
community. Information on the full range of extracurricular and social activities including bars, the 50
sports clubs, 200 different societies, women’s groups, playgroup crèche, travel agency, printing
facilities and much, much more is available. Please note in particular: (i) Postgraduate Group; (ii)
Mature Students Association; (iii) Childcare facilities are managed by the Association, but run from the
Chaplaincy Centre.
14.5 Student Advisory and Counselling Service

The Student Advisory and Counselling Service (SACS) is located within the Graham Hills building,
located on Level 4, Graham Hills Building, 50 George Street.
http://www.strath.ac.uk/studentcounselling/. The service provides advice, support and counselling
within a caring and confidential environment for home/EC and international students with personal or
academic difficulties. Students are seen on any matter whether this is a new, long standing problem or
a crisis and is a useful place to contact on any issue relating to university or personal life that is
preventing fulfilment. Advice and information may include: university procedures; voluntary,
compassionate or academic suspension; tax credit and benefits; examination appeals; referrals;
discipline. Personal issues may include, for example: anxiety; depression; motivation; achievement;
stress and relaxation; self harm, loss; change; relationships (see reading material on SACS website).
Counselling offers an opportunity to talk about any personal matter with someone who will not judge
or pressure you. It is also a place to express feelings and perhaps reach new understandings or make
decisions. The Service also runs courses for students in the first and second Semesters; these may
be, for example, on assertiveness or stress management. Their staffs have knowledge of many options
and further sources of help available to students. Appointments and enquiries can be made in person,
by telephone or email at: 0141 548 3510; email: student-counselling@strath.ac.uk
14.6 Student Finance Office

The Student Finance Office offers advice to UK students on financial matters, including assistance for
students with financial difficulties, e.g. assistance with applications for awards from the Hardship Fund
and the Mature Student Bursary Fund, or loans from the University’s Emergency Aid Fund. The office
also provides advice to students and others on queries in relation to fees, loans, bursaries etc. The
Student Finance Office is located in the McCance Building, Room 2.28, 2nd Floor. Appointments and
enquiries can be made in person, by Telephone: 0141 548 2753 or Email: s.finance@mis.strath.ac.uk
or visit:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/studentfinancialsupport/
14.7 Student Health Service

The Student Health Service runs regular consultative clinics for students with physical or psychological
problems. The doctors at the Service can refer students for specialist treatment if appropriate. (Note:
all students should also register with a GP.) Please note that this service is not open at all times
and any urgent medical queries should be referred to the University’s Security Services, whose staff
are trained first-aiders and who will, if necessary, contact the emergency services (ext 3333 from
internal phones or ext 8888 from residence halls). Level 1, Livingstone Tower (548 3916) Check here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/studenthealth/
14.8 Mental Health

Students with mental health conditions and concerns can choose from several support services when
seeking assistance, depending on the nature of the support being sought. The Student Advisory and
Counselling Service, the Student Health Service, the Chaplaincy and the Adviser to International
Students all provide advice and support to students with mental health concerns. The Disability Service
can discuss the possible impact of mental health conditions on students’ studies and, in some cases,
help to arrange personal and financial support. For further information, please feel free to contact any
of the above services.
15 UNIVERSITY DOCUMENTS ON PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES
Copies of all these policies are available from the Academic Office, 16 Richmond Street, McCance
Building. Alternatively, details are available from the Academic Office’s website:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/postgrad/currentpostgraduate/policiesprocedures/
15.1 University Procedures and Guidelines (including General Responsibilities of the Student)
General Responsibilities of the Student:
 To know and observe the Health and Safety Regulations (available on the University’s website);
 To be in regular attendance in the department or other assigned place of work or study;
 To take the initiative in raising any problems or difficulties, whether academic, financial or
personnel, with the Course Director, or a member of staff teaching on the course, or the
Student’s Personal Tutor, or through any other of the University’s counselling arrangements;
 To perform satisfactorily and to hand in work on time;
 To make themselves familiar with relevant information on regulations, procedures, services and
personnel which has been provided by the department and other relevant Academic Services;
and,
 To ensure that the University is notified of any absence longer than 7 days by informing the
Course Director and providing a medical certificate.
This guidance outlines the policy, procedures and guidelines relating to all issues of postgraduate
instructional courses’ education.
15.2 University Academic Honesty Procedures and Guidelines
University Academic Honesty Procedures and Guidelines can be found here
http://www.strath.ac.uk/plagiarism/
(i) University Policy

The University regards academic dishonesty as a serious offence. Allegations of academic honesty
will be fairly assessed and appropriate action will then be taken. An allegation that has been dismissed
as a disciplinary offence may still incur an academic penalty for poor scholarship.
(ii) Examples of Academic Dishonesty

Cheating in written examinations illicit copying or communicating; possession of prohibited
materials
False candidature being replaced by a false candidate or impersonating a

candidate
Collusion the representation of a piece of unauthorised group work

as the work of single candidate
Commissioning, stealing or acquiring submitting an assignment done by another person as the

student’s own work
Duplication the inclusion in coursework of material identical or

substantially similar to material which has already been
submitted for another assessment (within this or other
University)
False declaration making a false declaration in order to receive special

consideration by an Examination Board/Committee or to
obtain extensions to deadlines or exemption from work
Falsification of data presentation of data in laboratory reports, projects etc

based on work purported to have been carried out by the
student, which have been invented, altered or copied by
the student.
Plagiarism the unacknowledged use of another’s work as if it were the

student’s own work.
Examples of plagiarism, which apply both to conventional sources and information downloaded from
the internet, are:
 Inclusion of more that a single phrase from another’s work without the use of quotation marks
and appropriate acknowledgement of source;
 Summarising another’s work by changing a few words or altering the order of presentation
without acknowledgement;
 Copying another’s work;
 Use of another’s ideas without acknowledgement or the presentation of work as if it were the
student’s own work when it is substantially the ideas of another.
(iii) Procedures if Academic Dishonesty Occurs

Offences are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with any aggravating and mitigating factors being
taken into consideration:
Possible mitigating factors

 Illness  Panic

 Lack of info supplied by academic staff  Genuine misunderstanding
 Cultural differences  Immaturity of student
 Personal reasons  Financial reasons
 Expressions of contrition  Pre-discovery confession
Possible Aggravating Factors

 Intentional dishonesty  premeditation
 Maturity  level of study
 Previous academic experience  relevant previous offences
 Importance of piece of work
Disciplinary action may be appropriate in cases of academic dishonesty. The existence of

intention is important in determining whether or not disciplinary action will be taken.
Examiners are vigilant for cases of plagiarism and contract cheating, any coursework or dissertation
containing plagiarism or suspected of contract cheating will be referred to the university authorities. An
oral test or interview can be done any time in relation to submitted coursework or dissertation to clarify
content and authorship.
15.3 Equality and Diversity

The University of Strathclyde is committed to achieving and promoting equality of opportunity in the
learning, teaching, research and working environments.
We value the diversity of our students and support the development of mutual respect and positive
relations between people.
The University has in place an Equality Policy, Disability Policy and Equality Outcomes which meet the
requirements the Equality Act 2010.
You are advised to familiarise yourself with the University approach to equality and diversity and
relevant developments and information by visiting the website:
www.strath.ac.uk/equalitydiversity/equalityinformationforstudents/
It is important that you understand your rights and responsibilities. Any discriminatory practice,
including cyber bullying, on your part may lead to the University initiating disciplinary action.
If you have any queries please bring these to the attention of staff or the University's Equality and
Diversity office.
Email: equalopportunities@strath.ac.uk; Telephone: 0141 548 2811

www.strath.ac.uk/equalitydiversity/
15.4 Athena SWAN

The University currently holds a Bronze Athena SWAN award, recognizing our commitment to
advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine
(STEMM) employment in academia. The Athena SWAN Charter has been developed by the Equality
Challenge Unit to encourage and recognize commitment to combating the under-representation of
women in STEMM research and academia. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
at the University of Strathclyde has a Silver Athena SWAN award. If you would like any additional
information, please contact the Equality and Diversity office: http://www.strath.ac.uk/equalitydiversity/.
15.5 Personal Harassment Policy

As part of its commitment to equal opportunities the University of Strathclyde wishes to maintain a
working and learning environment which is free from harassment. Incidents of harassment will be
regarded extremely seriously and can be grounds for disciplinary action, which may include dismissal
or expulsion. All members of the University community are responsible for helping to ensure that

individuals do not suffer any form of harassment. Any member of the University community who suffers
from harassment from any member of staff, student or contractor in the University will have the support
of the University's management, the trade unions and the Students' Association in putting a stop to it.
Check University Policies: http://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/policies/
Harassment can be a source of great stress to an individual and is likely to cause them to feel isolated
with repercussions for their mental and physical health. It may be so serious that the person who is, or
has been, harassed feels it necessary to change job or change course of study. Staff and students are
encouraged to approach the appropriate person for help rather than leave their job or course.
‘Sexual or racial harassment occurs when another’s person’s behavior causes discomfort or humiliation
to the recipient, interferes with their job performance, academic grades or prospects, or creates a
threatening, hostile or intimidatory environment for the employment, study or social life.’
(i) Sexual Harassment

Any unwanted sexual attention, through verbal or physical advances, or sexually derogatory or
discriminatory statement or act made by someone in the University environment.
 Physical – Ranges from touching or patting to indecent assault or rape
 Verbal – Ranges from sexually aggressive remarks or compromising invitations to aggressively
foul language to unwanted demands for sex, or displays of pornographic or degrading pictures
or objects in the University environment including computer screens
(ii) Racial Harassment

Any unwanted racially derogatory statement or act by someone in the University environment
 Derogatory name calling
 Insults and racist jokes
 Racist graffiti, objects or pictures in the University environment
 Threats and verbal abuse
 Ridicule or comments implying that a person’s race impairs their ability
 Physical assault or unwelcome physical contact
(iii) Bullying
Any vindictive, cruel, malicious or humiliating treatment or behaviour by someone in the University.
 Picking on people and unreasonably criticising their performance
 Unreasonable refusal to delegate authority and responsibility
 Unreasonable withdrawal of authority and responsibility
 Imposing objectives with impossible deadlines or changing objectives unfairly
 Making unfounded criticisms of the performance of work or study tasks
 Isolation or non co-operation at work, or in class, exclusion from
meetings/seminars/discussions etc
 Aggressive behaviour or conduct, physical or verbal
 Reacting to a minor problem or issue with the same vehemence as a major one
(iv) Other Harassment

People can be subject to harassment on a wide variety of ground – anyone who is perceived as different
or who is in minority or who lacks organizational power can be a target. Other forms of harassment
include:
 Insults or bullying based on appearance, disability, sexual orientation

 Teasing and pranks about a person’s age, cultural differences, disability
 Hostility towards a person who is disabled, or from a different culture or religion
 Using a person’s disability or ill-health to demoralise, demean or deskill them
If you have been physically attacked, please seek help immediately. If you decided to go to the police,
you can be accompanied if you so wish. Get in touch with one of the designated university advisers,
names of whom are listed on the policy’s website. They will give you support and help you to decide
what to do. No one else will be contacted without your express permission, but it is important that the
offender is caught.
15.6 Students with disabilities

The University is committed to providing an inclusive learning and working environment for disabled
people. If you have, or think you have, a disability we encourage you to disclose it as soon as
possible. Declaring your disability will enable you to access any additional support that you may need
and help to ensure you become a successful student. The information you provide will be treated as
confidential and will not be shared with other staff without your consent. The Disability Service
supports:
 Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD's) - Students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia

and attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (AD(H)D).
 Visual Impairments - Students who are blind or have a serious visual impairment not
corrected by glasses.
 Hearing Impairments - Students who are d/Deaf or have a loss of hearing.
 Physical Impairments - Students who have mobility difficulties.
 Mental Health DifficultiesThis category includes student who have depression, anxiety, bi-
polar disorder or schizophrenia.
 Unseen Disabilities - Students with diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome,
cancer or other illnesses.
 Asperger's Syndrome - Students with Asperger's or other Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
 Another Impairment - For students who have an impairment not listed above but are classed
as disabled under the Equality Act (2010). You're disabled under the Equality Act if you have
a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your
ability to do normal daily activities.
The University has a dedicated Disability Service that offers specific advice, information and
assistance to disabled students, including information on the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).
Further information is available from the website: www.strath.ac.uk/disabilityservice/
In addition, each academic Department/ School (for HaSS) has at least one Departmental Disability
Contact (DDC), who act as a first point of contact for disabled students. The Departmental Disability
Contact list is available on the website at: www.strath.ac.uk/disabilityservice/ddc/
In the case of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the DDC is Natalie Mochan, Room 5.04, Level 5
James Weir Building, e: natalie.mochen@strath.ac.uk t: 0141 548 3277
Please inform your course tutor, the DDC and a member of the Disability Service of your needs as
soon as possible. The Disability Service will then formally communicate your needs to your
Department/ School.
Email: disabilityservice@strath.ac.uk; Telephone: 0141 548 3402; www.strath.ac.uk/disabilityservice

Issues with Physical Access on-campus - If you experience an issue with physical access
anywhere on-campus, please email: physicalaccess@strath.ac.uk where a member of Estates staff
will be able to help.
15.7 Student Complaints

The University endeavors to provide all students with an environment that is educationally supportive,
fair and intellectually challenging, and where services are provided in an efficient and friendly manner.
However, the University acknowledges that this might not always be the case and that if any problems
do arise that students let the university know as soon as possible using the appropriate procedures as
outlined here: http://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/policies/academic/

How can you make a Complaint or Appeal against an Academic Decision?
If you are dissatisfied with an academic decision, concerning, for example, progress or classification
of awards, please ask for an explanation from those providing the Course, or from the appropriate
Faculty Officer. If you are unhappy with the outcome, you may appeal to the Faculty Appeals
Committees by writing to the Faculty Officer. If you remain dissatisfied with the decision of the Faculty
Appeals Committee, you may appeal to the Senate Appeals Committee by writing to the Academic
Registrar. Procedures for academic appeals to Faculty and Senate Appeals Committees are set out in
Course Regulations included in the University Calendar and Faculty Guidelines.
If you are dissatisfied with other academic matters or administrative support services in the University
please ask for an explanation from those providing the Course or the Service. The USSA Vice
President (Welfare) may be able to assist you in making initial approaches. If you remain unhappy with
the reply given, a formal written complaint may be made to the Head of the Academic or Administrative
Department or Service.
If you believe that you are the subject of discrimination or harassment please seek help from a
Designated Harassment Adviser or the Student Advisory and Counselling Service or the Students'
Association or your Academic Counsellor, or Advisor of Studies, or the University Chaplains.
International students can also seek help from the International Students Advisor. If you so decide, a
formal written complaint may be made to the Head of the appropriate Academic or Administrative
Department.
Should you remain dissatisfied with the response you receive from a Head of Department or Service
or if you feel unable to put your case to them you can pursue the matter further.
a) in the case of complaints about academic matters, by writing to the Dean of the Faculty
concerned.
b) in the case of complaints about services or about discrimination or harassment, by writing to
the Secretary to the University.
How will Complaints be Dealt with?

You have a right to complain without fear of recrimination and to expect that your formal complaint will
be considered in confidence and fairly by an unbiased reviewer(s). This may be the person to whom
you have addressed the complaint (see above) or his/her nominee. The reviewer may consult with
other unbiased advisers as appropriate. For formal complaints you will as minimum be accorded an
opportunity to submit written evidence. Depending on the seriousness of the complaint you may also
be accorded an opportunity to have a personal interview with the reviewer or his/her nominees, and/or
to invoke witnesses and/or to have a full hearing in accordance with the principles of natural justice.
The reviewer will investigate your complaint fully; will make an initial response to you within 10
university days; will inform you regularly of the progress of investigations and will advise you of the
outcome as soon as practicable.
15.8 University’s No-Smoking Policy (including e-cigarettes)

‘University of Strathclyde in compliance with the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005,
which requires no smoking in enclosed public places have agreed the following policy. This Policy
applies to all staff, students, visitors and contractors and is part of the University's commitment to the
health, safety and wellbeing of its staff and students. The University's No Smoking Policy also applies
to external companies renting space within the University and this should be reflected in all lease
agreements with such companies.’
Smoking is prohibited:
(a) within all university buildings
(b) within vehicles owned or operated by the university
(c) within leased vehicles used during university business
(d) within 15 feet (4.6m) of any University building entrance, doorway, stairs or covered areas
where this distance is within University property. Staff, students and visitors are also asked to

take a responsible attitude to ensure that areas are kept litter free and they do not stand in close
proximity to open windows.
The University’s Local Rule on No Smoking was updated to make it clear that it also applies to e-
cigarettes, therefore the use of such devices is prohibited wherever smoking is prohibited.
Please also note that reusable e-cigarettes should not be recharged within University premises or
vehicles.
Personnel wishing to register a complaint should, in the first instance, contact their line manager, or
their Departmental Health and Safety Convener (Mara Knapp).
15.9 Classroom Protocol

At the University we are committed to providing a safe learning environment where dignity is
respected and discrimination or harassment, including cyber bullying does not occur on the basis of
age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race,
religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. No student should
intentionally be made to feel threatened or excluded from class participation.
You are reminded of your responsibility to show respect to fellow classmates and staff by
remembering the following protocol for the duration of your studies:
 Attend all scheduled lectures/ seminars and/ or practical sessions such as labs, including any
additional learning and teaching sessions.
 Arrive on time and remain in class until the end of the session. If you need to leave early for any
reason, please notify the tutor at the beginning or prior to the class.
 Do not disrupt the class by habitually coming in late or coming and going from the classroom
during the session. Students arriving late, without justified reasons, may be refused entry.
 Refrain from consistently interrupting another speaker and listen to the ideas of others with
respect. Do not be rude or make personal attacks on individuals during group discussions.
 Inform and establish consent of the tutor if you wish to record the lecture. The recording must be
used only for personal study.
 Do not bring food into the classroom, other than for medical reasons, e.g. diabetes. Beverages
may be permissible at the tutor’s discretion if the room utilisation rules allow.
 Inform tutors of specific requirements for example the need to perform prayers for practising
students of diverse faiths.
 Seek consent of students and staff before taking any photos, audio or visual recordings in the
classroom. These must not be shared on any social network sites without permission.
 At any course related external visit you are acting as ambassadors of the University and are
reminded to act as such.
 Refrain from smoking on premises as this is prohibited in all University buildings.
 Follow emergency instructions and health and safety procedures.
 Should you have any concerns please bring them to the attention of your tutor and/ or
appropriate University staff.
16. Campus Map
Check campus map here: https://www.strath.ac.uk/maps/
Check out: Student zones in level 2 of the James Weir Building - There are two student
zones in level 2 of the James Weir Building that students can use – check them out in case they
are useful: Student zone 1 (JW218) and Student zone 2 (JW220).
Computer laboratories in level 4 of the James Weir Building: JW410 and JW411
Check availability of computers here: http://www.strath.ac.uk/it/teachingsupport/pcavailability/
17. Self-Tour James Weir Building
Level 5, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (not to scale)
Main Main
stairs/Lift entrance
 Female Toilet
 Male Toilet Level 5 Corridor
Coursework Submission Point

Staff Lift
Phone to call members of staff
Reception/Main office
Notice Athena Swan Silver
Award in glass cabinet – we are
the only engineering dept in
Scotland with this award.
Fire doors
Coursework Collection Point
Fire doors
 Male Toilet
 Male/Female Disabled Toilet
Phone to call members of staff
Fire doors
Stairs/Lift
Lockers for MSc KE Hub

students
Lockers for MSc
students
Common room for staff
and PhD students
Post-doc room
Exit only in case of fire – not for normal access


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Department of Civil & Environmental

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER - University Security Control - extension 2222

16. Campus Map

REMEMBER: There is a penalty for late

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 3

Main contacts for each course are as follows: Course Coordinators

MSc Civil Engineering Philippe Sentenac

MRes Richard Lord

MPhil and PhD Joanna Renshaw

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 4

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is a highly interdisciplinary department.

3 GLASGOW AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

A… For ABC nightclub, sponsored by O2, to club the night away

4 FACILITIES – CIVIL & ENV ENG and UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

Places to Eat and Computer Facilities

4.4 Coursework Collection Point

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 7

4.6 Email lists, Myplace communication and email protocol

For Myplace support please check here: http://support.Myplace.strath.ac.uk/

Here is an example of a good email signature:

4.7 General Etiquette

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 8

1. Be as brief and clear as possible about what you are asking.

4.8 University IT and Email/Mobile Phone Contacts

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 10

7 ADDITIONAL PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES

7.1 Induction Days

7.2 Departmental Research seminars and Annual Lecture

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 12

7.3 Study Day

7.4 Careers Events

7.5 Personal Development Planning (PDP)

How is PDP Recorded?

1) A transcript of learning and achievement.

2) Record of skills, progress and plans.

How do I Reflect on my Progress on the Course?

ii) Evidence of Progress

iii) Corrective Action

Meetings with personal tutor to discuss PDP

7.6 European Computer Driving License (ECDL)

Register for ECDL/ ECDL Advanced: www.strath.ac.uk/ecdl

7.7 Maths Skills Support Centre

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 14

8 STUDENT WORKLOADS, ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE

8.1 Student Workloads

8.2 Student Attendance and Participation in Group Work

Box 2 - Tier 4 Attendance Monitoring

1. The reason for your absence

Your absence will then be logged on the system.

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 15

Check this reference:

8.3 Extenuating Circumstances (plus Sickness or other Reasons for Absence)

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 16

Contact details for Student Business are:

Student Business - Faculty of Engineering

CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 17

 The Course Leader/Personal Tutor

8.4 Part-time jobs – benefits and the effect on study

9 ASSESSMENT, PROGRESS AND TRANSFER, AND APPEALS/COMPLAINTS

9.1 The Examinations Boards

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - PG Handbook 2017-18 18

 Extenuating circumstances, i.e. illness or family bereavement (see section 8.3).

9.2 Examinations and Procedures at Strathclyde University