Malaysia Campus

Department of Civil Engineering

STUDENT HANDBOOK
Undergraduate(UG)

September 2022
Academic Year: 2022 – 2023
Dated 130922

0
Foreword

The purpose of this booklet is to provide you with information about your course and
studies at the Malaysia Campus. It also contains amongst other things, information about
rules for assessment and progression to following years, and systems which exist in our
University.

Central to our approach to helping students is for teaching staff to be accessible to

students. You will have a personal tutor, year tutors, senior tutor, course directors
and the head of department who are here to help and advise you. Should the need arise
there is also access to counselling and medical services. It is important, therefore,
that you ask for help if necessary.

I very much hope that you enjoy your studies with us and all the other aspects of
University life. For most people this is a once in a lifetime experience. Use your time
wisely to make sure that you do your best in your studies, but also remember to enjoy
yourself!

Ir Dr Lau Teck Leong

Head, Department of Civil Engineering

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Contents
1. Vision and Mission............................................................................................. 4
Mission...................................................................................................... 4
Vision ....................................................................................................... 4
2. Aims of Programme........................................................................................... 4
3. Staff List .......................................................................................................... 4
4. Student Welfare ................................................................................................ 5
5. Teaching Quality Assurance ................................................................................ 5
6. Personal Tutoring .............................................................................................. 5
6.1. Aims of Personal Tutoring ............................................................................ 6
6.2. Organisation of Personal Tutoring Sessions ..................................................... 6
6.3. Content of Personal Tutoring Sessions............................................................ 7
6.4. Tutorials for Years 2, 3 and 4 Students ........................................................... 7
7. Staff/Student Information Systems ..................................................................... 7
7.1. Email ........................................................................................................ 7
7.2. Notice Boards ............................................................................................. 7
7.3. Mail .......................................................................................................... 8
8. Undergraduate Course Structure and Choice of Modules .......................................... 8
8.1. Modules ..................................................................................................... 8
8.2. Timetable .................................................................................................. 8
8.3. Choice of Modules ....................................................................................... 9
8.4. Laboratories ............................................................................................... 9
8.5. BEng and MEng........................................................................................... 9
8.6. 3rd/4th Year Projects ................................................................................. 10
8.7. Coursework Submission ............................................................................. 10
8.8. Programme accreditations.......................................................................... 10
9. Assessment .................................................................................................... 10
9.1. Registration for Modules and Examinations .................................................... 11
9.2. Extenuating Circumstances and Absence from Examinations ............................ 11
Extenuating Circumstances ......................................................................... 11
Absence from Examinations ........................................................................ 12
9.3. Deadlines ................................................................................................ 12
9.4. Industrial Training ..................................................................................... 12
9.5. Progression .............................................................................................. 13
Reassessment .......................................................................................... 14
Reassessment with attendance ................................................................... 14
9.6. Award of Undergraduate Degrees ................................................................ 15
Borderline Regulations ............................................................................... 15
Oral Examinations ..................................................................................... 16
10. Student Exchange Scheme and Transfer of Studies .............................................. 16
10.1. Student Exchange Scheme ....................................................................... 16
10.2. Transfers to UNUK .................................................................................. 16
11. Plagiarism and Use of Other People’s Work .......................................................... 17
12. Right to Appeal ............................................................................................... 17
13. Grievance Procedure........................................................................................ 18
14. Disability Advisory Service ............................................................................... 18
15. Attendance and Engagement ............................................................................ 19
16. University Counselling Service ........................................................................... 20
17. Route to Professional Engineer Status in Malaysia ................................................. 20
18. Route to Chartered Civil Engineer Status in the UK ............................................... 22
19. Guidelines for the General Studies Modules (MPU) ………………………………………….………22

Appendix A – Program Objectives and Programme Outcomes

Appendix B – Key Staff (Department of Civil Engineering) 2021-22
Appendix C – Key Staff (Other Important Contacts)
Appendix D.1 – Personal Tutoring, Student Support and Development
Appendix D.2 – Tutoring Statements
Appendix E.1 – Personal Tutoring Meetings
Appendix E.2 – Personal Tutoring Meetings – Notes
Appendix F- Course Structure - Civil Eng POS PG(MSc) 2022-23
Appendix G – Academic Calendar and Key Dates
Appendix H – General Studies Department
Appendix I1 – Industrial Training Handbook
Appendix I2 – Industrial Training
Appendix J – OBE Model
Appendix K – OBE Mapping
Appendix L – Complex Problem solving, Complex Engineering activities, and Knowledge
Profile
Appendix M – Policy on Attendance (Student)
Appendix N – BEM policy on 3-years Engineering programme

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1. Vision and Mission

Mission
• We have inspiring campuses in three countries, energising us to be a globally engaged
university that is also committed to making a difference in our cities and regions.
• We empower and support students and staff to collaborate in learning, scholarship and
discovery across all realms of knowledge, solving problems and improving lives.
• We are stewards of a pioneering and entrepreneurial tradition of creativity and
innovation.

Vision
Our vision is …

to be a university without borders, where we embrace the opportunities presented by a

changing world, and where ambitious people and a creative culture will enable us to change
the world for the better.

2. Aims of Programme

The Programme Educational Objectives (PEOs, or officially the Educational Aims) of the
programme offered in UNMC are:

• To produce graduates with the educational basis to register for pathway towards
chartered engineer status with one of the JBM institutions and/or to register with the
BEM.

• To enable graduates, following relevant experience and training, to pursue

chartered/professional engineer status.

• To produce graduates, who can gain senior, supervisory and management positions in
their chosen fields/industries.

• To enable graduates to participate in and benefit from life-long learning that also
contribute to the betterment of societal quality of life.

See Appendix A for the Programme Objectives and Programme Outcomes.

3. Staff List

We also operate what is known as an “open-door” policy. This means that academic staff
should make themselves available to see you at any reasonable time. If you want to see a
particular lecturer, knock on their door and they will either see you then or make an
appointment for when they are available. You may also contact your lecturers by sending
emails to them. You should expect to receive a reply to an email within two working days
during term time. If you are requesting an appointment and it is appropriate an appointment
is required, you can expect to be offered an appointment within three term-time working
days of the original request being made. If you do not get a response within two days then
please politely re-email. If you have trouble getting to see a particular member of staff, or,
if you have continuing problems, go and speak with the Senior Tutor or the Head of
Department. See Appendix B & C for lists of Civil Engineering staff, contacts and
administrative duties for this academic year.

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4. Student Welfare

The University of Nottingham is concerned for the health and general welfare of its students.
At the start of semester, a member of the lecturing staff will be assigned to you as your
personal tutor. In the event of any difficulties, you should feel free to discuss with your tutor
any issues of an academic or personal nature that may be affecting you. It is important that
tutors are advised of any reasons, such as illness, for which coursework cannot be submitted
or examinations cannot be taken. An Extenuating Circumstances & Absence Form will need
to be completed as appropriate, and details of how to do this are set out in Section 9.2. Your
personal tutor will also explain this to you. If in doubt, see your personal tutor or the Senior
Tutor as soon as possible.

5. Teaching Quality Assurance

The University of Nottingham is dedicated to the maintenance of high quality teaching. There
are 3 main mechanisms in place to evaluate the student learning experience and
achievement.

a) Each module has an associated feedback assessment questionnaire known as a Student

Evaluation of Module (SEM). The system known as EVALUATE is now online and
combined for the module and the teaching, this questionnaire is informed to each
student taking the module with the responses collated and fed into the course review
mechanism. Results of the questionnaires are also fed-back to the students through
Moodle. Each module is re-evaluated each year.

b) The teaching of each lecturer is assessed through the Student Evaluation of

Teaching (SET) form. These questionnaires are administered online through EVALUATE.
The information on the forms is then fed back to the lecturer concerned.
c) Each year of the course has student representatives (elected by the student body) who
meet with staff once a semester through the Learning Community Forum (LCF).
Through this forum the student body can identify issues related to the provision both
academic and otherwise. Minutes of the meetings and feedback from the meetings
are reported to each member of the student body by email and via the Faculty notice
board.

As well as the above, students can see their tutors at any time if they want to report any
problems. The students could also see the Senior Tutor or the Head of Department to discuss
any issues relating to the students.

6. Personal Tutoring

Every student is allocated a personal tutor at the beginning of each academic year. Formal
personal tutoring activities take place periodically for all students. Personal tutors are also
prepared to see individual tutees at times other than those timetabled; students can make
these arrangements with their personal tutor. Students who transfer to the UK will be
allocated a personal tutor there.

The general brief of a personal tutoring is the same in all years, namely, to take an interest
in the work and progress of the student; to help solve any problems, either work-related or
personal; to advise the student where specialist help can be obtained if necessary. Similarly,
the brief of the student is to attend and participate in discussions and any other activities,
which take place within the group. See Appendix D.1 – Personal Tutoring, Student Support
and Development and D.2 for the department’s tutoring statements.
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6.1. Aims of Personal Tutoring

There are six main aims and objectives, namely:

(a) To establish a personal rapport between personal tutor and tutee

(b) To monitor the academic progress of the student
(c) To encourage learning and organisational skills
(d) To help maintain motivation of the students
(e) To improve the students’ communication skills
(f) To identify any problems with the course

a) Personal rapport between personal tutor and tutee

It is important that this should be achieved so that the tutee feels able to approach the personal
tutor about any academic or personal problems they may have. It is established on a one-
to-one basis and is very much up to the personal tutor and tutee.

b) Monitor academic progress

This is required so that the staff can identify any student who has an academic problem
before it is too late to do anything about it. The personal tutor will discuss this with the
student and will also track academic progress through coursework marks and submission.
The personal tutor will be available to provide guidance, when necessary, with regards to
choice of modules.

c) Encourage learning and organisational skills

It is essential that students develop organisational skills and are able to direct their own
learning within the university environment. This is probably the most difficult of the objectives
to achieve.

d) Maintain motivation of the student

Maintaining motivation is probably the most important requirement for successful completion
of the course. If you are finding difficulty in maintaining motivation you should discuss this
with your personal tutor as soon as possible. Personal tutoring activities also provide a
mechanism of group support when a student is finding aspects of the course difficult.

e) Improve student’s communication skills

As the first and primary point of the contact for students with the department, the personal
tutor will be the able to provide personal feedback to enhance the student’s communication
skills.

f) Identification of course problems

In addition to the module and course questionnaires, personal tutoring activities provide
another means of identifying problems with modules.

6.2. Organisation of Personal Tutoring Sessions

Personal tutoring is not the only means of communication between personal tutor and student
but it is probably the most important. Students are required to attend, therefore, and if a
personal tutoring session is cancelled for any reason by a personal tutor, they can expect
an alternative date to be given. If a tutee misses a meeting, he/she shall email the personal
tutor to inform and explain. It is important to note that the agenda for personal tutoring

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sessions is not set entirely by the personal tutor; all members of the personal tutoring group
have the right to propose items for discussion. The personal tutoring meetings and notes for
the department can be found in Appendix E.1 and E.2.

6.3. Content of Personal Tutoring Sessions

The nature of these meetings precludes any notion of setting a ‘syllabus’. However, there
are a number of items, which should be covered in the personal tutoring sessions during the
first year, they are indicated in the following list.

g) University regulations and procedures are discussed within the personal tutoring group
and will cover such matters as examination procedures; the marking system; the
weighting of individual items in the course; rules for progression; the meaning of and
rules about plagiarism etc.

Problems can be discussed related to individual modules. The personal tutor will
encourage this type of feedback and pass relevant information on to the Head of Department.

h) Discussions on performance in end-of-semester assessment will take place.

i) The use of email and other IT (Information Technology) facilities available to students
will be discussed.

6.4. Tutorials for Years 2, 3 and 4 Students

Meetings will take place formally with the personal tutor as per the personal tutoring meetings
scheduled in Appendix E.1. Also, students should see their personal tutor on an individual
basis as requested by either the personal tutor or the tutee.

7. Staff/Student Information Systems

Within the Department and Faculty there are information and communication systems in
place.

7.1. Email

Upon registration, each student will be issued with a username and password for the
University’s email system. This ensures that students have the maximum amount of access
to information. Email is our most powerful means of communication. We will
expect you to check it on a daily basis. Many messages and other information might
only be sent by email.

The intranet provides local access to information on modules, course structures, timetables,
and any other relevant information that you may find useful during the academic year.

If you forget your password or require other assistance with your email account, please contact
the IT Help Desk in the Computer Centre.

7.2. Notice Boards

There are notice boards near the Faculty Office(Block C) and B1C Floor. These notice boards
have general information on them.
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7.3. Mail

If any mail is sent to you via the internal or external mail system, it will be delivered to the
‘pigeonholes’ near the Faculty Office. Please be aware that these ‘pigeonholes’ are not secure,
and you should not arrange for valuable letters (containing money, cheque books, etc) to be
sent to this address. If this is essential, please arrange for the letter/package to be clearly
marked “Confidential for addressee only” in which case it will be kept within the Faculty Office
and a note telling you that it has arrived will be placed in your ‘pigeonhole’. The University
cannot accept any responsibility for mail addressed to the University.

8. Undergraduate Course Structure and Choice of Modules

The following section describes the Civil Engineering Programmes. See Appendix F for the
latest course structure for the Civil Engineering Programmes.

8.1. Modules

Each programme is subdivided into modules, each module represents a subject and is given
a credit weighting. All modules are in multiples of 10 credits. Details of all the modules
are provided online at the following University’s web portal: myNottingham.

A 10-credit module represents about 100 hours of work including attendance at lectures,
solving examples on handout sheets, associated laboratory experiments and writing reports
on these, and general study and revision. The assessment for each module can based on
examination, coursework, lab-work, in-class tests and/or project work as specified for each
module.

Modules are designated various levels as follows:

Level 1 - appropriate for 1st Year

Level 2 - appropriate for 2nd Year
Level 3 - appropriate for 3rd Year
Level 4 - appropriate for 4th Year

Note levels A, B, and C will be phased out over the next few years to be in-line with the UK
National Qualifications Framework.

At the beginning of each semester you will be asked to fill out a module entry form (MEF).
It is very important that this form is completed correctly (see section 9.1) and with reference
to your tutor on chosen modules. It is normally only possible to change modules or
programmes during the first few weeks of a semester and the appropriate forms must be used.

In the University regulations, the various years of the undergraduate course are referred to
as stages. The 1st year is referred to as the qualifying stage, the 2nd year as part I, the 3rd
year as part II and the 4th year as part III.

8.2. Timetable

The academic year is divided into two semesters. Each semester is a separate entity with
examinations at the end, although there are some year-long modules. Detailed timetables
for each semester specifying when and where each module is taught will be provided at the
appropriate time. The academic calendar and key dates can be found in Appendix G. Please
check the university’s webpage for the latest update to the academic calendar.

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8.3. Choice of Modules

In the 1st and 2nd Years, the subjects are prescribed. In the 3rd and 4th Years there is some
flexibility of choice on optional modules.

All students (Malaysian, International and Malaysian citizens) are required to enrol in General
Studies Department modules (formerly known as Compulsory Subjects) as a precondition for
the award of certificates, diplomas and degrees in Private Educational Institutions (PEI) and
Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEI) under the Private Higher Education Act 1996.
As a private higher educational institution, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus is
subject to PHEI regulations. The university is required to provide evidence of completion of
compulsory subjects to the relevant Malaysian authorities in order to ensure that students'
academic qualifications are fully recognised upon completion of studies.

Note: The new general studies department modules (MPU) are compulsory for all
students enrolled in Undergraduate studies commencing from 1 September 2013
at any PHEI in Malaysia

8.4. Laboratories

Laboratory classes are a vital component of the course and attendance is obligatory. You
should arrive at the laboratory having read and prepared for the session in advance. If you
are unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances or illness then please complete and
submit an extenuating circumstances form, as outlined in Section 9.2. Details of the laboratory
groups will be given out with the laboratory timetables in advance of the start of the laboratory
sessions.

8.5. BEng and MEng

Students have the option of studying for either a BEng or MEng degree. Students are strongly
encouraged to pursue for MEng that fulfil the requirements for registration as
Graduate Engineer with BEM, please read for more details in Section 8.8 and Section 17.

To study for a MEng, a student must obtain an average of at least 55% in their 2nd year
at the first attempt.

Students are asked to specify whether they wish to be on the 4-year course towards the end
of the second year but can change before the first three weeks of Semester 5.

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8.6. 3rd/4th Year Projects

BEng students undertake 20 credits of investigative project and 30 credits of Building

Information Modelling (BIM) design projects along with MEng students in their 3rd year of
studies. MEng students undertake 30 credits of investigative project in their 4th year in
addition to 30 credits of the design projects that consist of both group and individual
elements. Full details of the investigative projects, including assessment methods, are given
to students at the beginning of their third and fourth years as appropriate.

8.7. Coursework Submission

All coursework will be submitted to the Faculty Office or electronically through the Moodle
page for the specific module. Coursework must not be submitted to lecturers. In this case
lecturers will issue the relevant instructions.

The Faculty Office will be open from 09.30am to 4.00pm, Monday to Friday, for the
submission of coursework, except for Public or University holidays. You must attach the
completed Coursework Submission Form to the front of your work.

8.8. Programme accreditations

The Civil Engineering Programmes are accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) of
the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the
Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), the Institution of Highways
Engineers (IHE), all UK Institutions and The Permanent Way Institution (PWI). The MEng
programme is also accredited by Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) since 2010. As a
consequence the programme must be compatible with JBM and EAC requirements, students
cannot choose any combination of subjects purely on personal preference.

This is important for those graduates wishing to pursue a career in civil engineering because
accreditation gives exemption from additional academic requirement for the status of
Chartered Engineer /or Professional Engineer. This means that students with MEng m e e t
t h e a c a d e m i c r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r r e g i s t r a t i o n a s a Chartered Engineer with the
abovementioned professional institutions on behalf of the UK Engineering Council after
sufficient years of work experience. Students with BEng can also proceed to chartered status
but will require additional studies such an MSc degree or similar professional training to meet
the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

For registration with BEM, only students graduating with MEng fulfil the requirements for
registration as Graduate Engineer upon graduation. Which in turn, with sufficient of work
experience graduates may pursue for Professional Engineer status upon passing of the
Professional interview. Announcement made by BEM in 2021 is that students graduating
locally with BEng require to take up special top-up engineering programme from
designated local university. Please refer to section 17 for further elaboration and info on
this matter.

9. Assessment

Assessment at the University level takes several different forms. These include formal
examinations, usually taken at the end of a semester, laboratory reports and other
coursework to be handed in during a semester, class tests taken during a semester and oral
presentations. Most of these assessments will contribute to your mark for a particular
module.

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If you have any doubt about the assessment to be used in a particular module you should
consult the lecturer in charge of that module. If you have any queries about the assessment
procedures generally you should consult your tutor.

9.1. Registration for Modules and Examinations

Shortly after registration, you will be asked to complete course enrolment for your current
academic year choices of courses. It is very important your course choices are completed
correctly, with reference to your tutor on chosen modules, as entry for the wrong module could
mean that you will have to take an examination for which you are not prepared. You are
responsible for ensuring that you are registered for the correct modules. It is normally only
possible to change modules or courses during the first two weeks of a semester.

A few weeks before each set of examinations you will receive a personal examination
timetable. This will list the examinations for which you are registered and give the time and
location of each examination. Please note that the examination timetable will not show the
modules that are assessed only by continuous assessment. It is very important that you
check the information on the form and report any errors or clashes to your tutor immediately.

9.2. Extenuating Circumstances and Absence from Examinations

It is very important that you keep your tutor informed of any matter which may affect your
studies. This is because the Board of Examiners has the power to take into account any
other information which is relevant when making its recommendations. This should be done
at the time that the problem occurred and not left until the examination results are available
in July.

Extenuating Circumstances

If you have any problems, illness or other matters, which affect your studies during the year,
you should let your tutor know about this as soon as possible. ECF form can be retrieve from:
https://www.nottingham.edu.my/CurrentStudents/documents/UNMC-Extenuating-
Circumstances-form.pdf

All ECF application must be apply through my Nottingham system. ECF form and supporting
document must be download to MyNottingham System after they log ECF case in
MyNottingham. For you to check : ECF admin, Raja Nur Diana Raja Ahmad (Exam Office)

It is the University policy that no account of such difficulties should be taken unless an
Extenuating Circumstances & Absence Form is submitted. The form must be supported by
appropriate written confirmation of the circumstances, signed by your tutor and then returned
back to the Faculty Office. It is important that any extenuating circumstances are discussed
with your tutor as early as possible; medical certificates and/or other supporting evidence
are difficult to obtain after the illness has passed. In cases of a very sensitive or personal
nature, the form can remain confidential to the Head of Department and will not be made
known to anyone else unless specified by the student. The need to fill in an Extenuating
Circumstances & Absence form should not discourage any student from coming forward and
discussing their problems.

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Absence from Examinations

If you are absent from an examination it is vital that you let your tutor know the full
circumstances as soon as possible. You should also fill in an Extenuating Circumstances &
Absence form. The completed form, together with supporting documentary evidence, should
be signed by your tutor and returned as soon as possible to the Faculty Office. If the absence
is for medical reasons then you must get full supporting information and a letter from your
doctor. A slip just stating that you were unfit to attend on a particular day is insufficient.

9.3. Deadlines

There will be a deadline for handing in each piece of work. In the case of coursework the
lecturer in charge of the module will specify the deadline. For laboratory reports the deadline
will be a certain length of time after the particular experiment has been performed; for precise
details the information for the particular laboratory should be consulted.

In all cases there are penalties for the late submission of work. The penalty normally used
in the Faculty is a reduction of 5% for each working day that the work is late. Normal working
days include vacation periods but not weekends or public holiday. For example, if a piece of
work is handed in a week late (i.e. five working days) and the original mark was 15/20, the
mark credited will be 10/20.

Note that for some coursework, such as Year 1 laboratory reports, missing the deadline will
result in a mark of zero. If there is a legitimate reason for the work being late then an
Extenuating Circumstances & Absence Form must be completed and an extension for
completing the Coursework may be granted.

9.4. Industrial Training

Industrial training will be compulsory for all students pursuing the Master of Engineering
(MEng) degree curriculum only. Students pursuing Bachelor degrees are not required to
participate, but are strongly encouraged to do so. To ensure participation, the Faculty will
inform students about this requirement during the Orientation and through the student
handbook.

Students are expected to participate in industrial training during the summer vacation
preferably after the third year of studies, although participation in other years or multiple-
participation is also allowed. All industrial training must last at least a consecutive of twelve
weeks in the same company or institution. While it is difficult to provide general criteria for
the type of work provided by the participating company, it is obviously expected that the
training, to be adjudged by the Department, must be relevant to the student’s discipline of
studies.

The onus of securing placement lies with the students themselves. To assist students in
finding placements, the Faculty will issue identity-confirmation letters for all students to the
participating companies. The training needs not to be conducted in
Malaysia.

Students are expected to start looking for placements during the second semester of their
participating year. Upon securing the placement, an official employment letter from the
participating company will be required. If a student fails to secure placement for industrial
training, the Department will assist.

Further details are given in Appendix I of this handbook.

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9.5. Progression

Full progression regulations are accessible via the University Quality manual
(https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/academic-regulations/ug-study-regs.aspx)
with recent updates accessible via
(https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/academic-regulations/ug-regs-sep20.aspx).

In general, for accredited programmes (BEng and MEng), the assessment regulations will
be:

For cohorts entering year 1 prior to September 2022/23 academic year

• For progression:

q Minimum year average must be least 40% (individual module passing mark is
40%), must pass modules worth of at least 100 credits with no module marks of
less than 30%;

q To progress to MEng Part II, a student must have a Part I year average of at
least 55% at the first attempt;

• For graduation (BEng and MEng final year):

q Must pass modules worth of at least 100 credits;

q Must pass the final year Investigative project (CIVE4112 for MEng/ CIVE3033 for
BEng) at the first attempt;

Student who fails the final year project (CIVE4112 for MEng/ CIVE3033 for
BEng) at the first attempt will be terminated from the programme and no
other academic qualification will be awarded.

For cohorts entering year 1 from September 2022/23 academic year

• For progression:

q To progress to Part I (year 2), a student must have minimum year average of at
least 40% (individual module passing mark is 40%), must pass modules worth
of at least 100 credits with no module marks of less than 30%;

q Tp progress to BEng Part II (year 3), a student must have minimum year average
of 40% (40% is the passing mark), at least 100 credits of passes from Part I with
no marks less than 30% and at least 210 credits of passes from Qualifying Year
& Part I with no marks less than 30%;

q To progress to MEng Part II (year 3), a student must have a Part I year average
of at least 55% at the first attempt (40% is the passing mark), at least 100
credits of passes from Part I with no marks less than 30% and at least 210 credits
of passes from Qualifying Year & Part I with no marks less than 30%

• For graduation (BEng and MEng final year):

q For BEng, must pass modules worth of at least a total of 330 credits with no
module marks of less than 30% in 3 years.

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q For MEng, must pass modules worth of at least a total of 450 credits with no
module marks of less than 30% in 4 years;

q Must pass the non-compensatable Group design project (CIVE4113 for MEng/
CIVE3062 Building Information Modelling (BIM) project for BEng);

q Must pass the non-compensatable final year Investigative project (CIVE4112 for
MEng/ CIVE3033 for BEng);

Student who, at the first attempt, has not satisfied these programme graduation
requirements, has the right to re-assessment opportunities in each failed module at
the final stage, in line with the Faculty APAR exemption for reassessments for PSRB
requirements. If, after re-assessment, these programme award requirements are
met, the degree class to be awarded will be based on the marks awarded at the first
attempt. If, after re-assessment, these programme award requirements are
not met, then the student will be terminated from the programme and no
other academic qualification will be awarded.

Reassessment

Re-assessment of failed modules will take place either in August/September or in the

following academic year as an external resits. If a student, at the first attempt, has not
satisfactorily fulfilled the requirements for progression, has the right to re-assessment
opportunities in each failed module (except final year investigative project
CIVE4112/CIVE3033 for cohorts entering year 1 prior to Sept 2022/23) as detailed
in the university regulations. If a student, after re-assessment, has not satisfied the
progression requirements, a second reassessment opportunity will be offered provided the
regulations stipulated in the quality manual are met. Please refer to the re-assessment tab
in the link below:

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/academic-regulations/ug-regs-sep20.aspx

A student not permitted to progress on the accredited MEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course
may be allowed to progress on to the BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course provided the
course progression rules are met.

It is important to note that if you have resits, the higher of the original and resit mark is
used for progression purposes, but the degree classification will be based on marks awarded
at the first attempt. In all cases both the original marks (first attempt) and those obtained
on re-assessment are available to the Examiners’ Board. The decision on the progression
status will be made after reviewing the reassessment marks of the failed modules.

Reassessment with attendance

A student may request to be allowed to repeat their enrolment in failed or incomplete

modules (which will include attendance at all scheduled classes and submission of all
coursework) before taking the reassessment or initial assessments. Requests should be
submitted to the student’s School who must consult other relevant Schools when making the
decision. There may be occasions when it is not possible and in those circumstances Schools
are able to reject such requests. Such reasons include where the module is not running in
the relevant year, there are insurmountable capacity difficulties or where
placements/attachments etc are not available without affecting the cohort that the student
would be joining. If a student opts to take any one reassessment with attendance, then they
must take all due reassessments with attendance (except for modules where a repeat
enrolment is not available).

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A module specification may stipulate that in order for a student to be reassessed in that
module, the student must repeat their enrolment. In such circumstances, the student will
not be compelled to take all reassessments in attendance and may take all other
reassessments either in August/September or during the session when they are attending
for the purpose of the module(s) that require attendance.

9.6. Award of Undergraduate Degrees

The University awards a number of Undergraduate Degrees. Those of relevance to these

Programmes are the BEng degree and the MEng degree (honours). Most students entering
this Division will leave with either a BEng honours degree after three years of study or a
MEng honours degree after four years of study. The honours degrees are awarded at one
of the following classes; First Class, Upper Second Class, Lower Second Class and Third
Class.

The weightings that apply to academic year are as follows:

Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

(or Part I) (or Part II) (or Part III)

BEng 33% 67%

MEng 20% 40% 40%

There is no requirement to pass individual modules in the final year; it is simply the overall
average mark, which is used. Please note however that University Regulations require that if
a module has been re-assessed, then it is the original mark, which is used in calculating the
final average.

Borderline Regulations

Candidates whose final mark is regarded as borderline:

• Students entered their qualifying year or Part I from Sept 2015 to Sept 2020, a credit
weighted average final mark of 68/69%, 58/59%, 48/49%, will be considered
borderline for the awards of Class I, II-1 and II-2 respectively.
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/assessment-awards-and-deg-
classification/ug-deg-class-sept15.aspx

• Students entered their qualifying year or Part I from Sept 2020, a credit weighted
average final mark of 69%, 59%, 49%, will be considered borderline for the awards
of Class I, II-1 and II-2 respectively.
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/assessment-awards-and-deg-
classification/ug-deg-class-sept20.aspx

In situations where there are no extenuating circumstances, the Board of Examiners will
award the next higher degree classification if either of the following two criteria are met:

a) Half or more of the final stage credits are in the higher class.
b) Half or more of the final and penultimate stage credits are in the higher class.

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Oral Examinations

All students are reminded of the possibility that they may be required to attend for an oral
examination prior to the formal Examiners’ Board, which is held in the UK. This would
normally be via a video link. The date and time of oral examinations will be posted on the
notice board shortly after the May examinations. It is the responsibility of each student to
ascertain whether they are required for oral examination.

10. Student Exchange Scheme and Transfer of Studies

Students registered on undergraduate programmes at the Malaysia Campus have the

opportunity of spending part of their period of study in the UK Campus. There are two schemes
under which this can be done and these are outlined below. Details information on
these schemes will be emailed to students well in advance of application deadlines. However,
due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme could be cancelled should the condition
worsen in the receiving campus.

10.1. Student Exchange Scheme

This scheme allows students studying on undergraduate programmes at the UNM to spend
two semesters at the UNUK or UNNC subject to the following rules:

a) There is an agreed quota for the Student Exchange Scheme between each
Department in UNUK or UNNC and UNM.

b) Students in their first or final years of study are not eligible for this scheme.

c) Students must achieve an average of at least 55% in their current year of study
at the Malaysia Campus and have no re-sit examinations.

d) Students on the Exchange Scheme continue to pay Malaysia Campus fees.

e) Students who have taken part in the Exchange Scheme must return to UNM to
complete their studies. They will not automatically be allowed to transfer to the
UNUK to complete their studies.

10.2. Transfers to UNUK

Students can transfer from the UNM to the UNUK subject to the following conditions:

a) There is an agreed quota for the students transferring to Nottingham between each
Department in Nottingham and the Malaysia Campus. The quota will be reviewed on
an annual basis.

b) Students must progress from their current year of study at the Malaysia Campus and
have no re-sit examinations.

c) Students who transfer to UNUK will pay the relevant UNUK International Student fee.

d) Students can transfer after one, two or three years of study at the Malaysia Campus,
subject to programme requirements and an acceptance by the Department in UNUK.

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11. Plagiarism and Use of Other People’s Work

When writing essays, scientific reports, laboratory reports etc., it is usual to refer to the work
of other people. On the other hand, trying to pass off other peoples’ work as your own is a
form of cheating, known as plagiarism, and is considered a serious offence both inside and
outside the University.

There is no need for confusion in this matter. If you wish to use someone else’s work, make
it quite clear to the reader what is yours and what is the other person’s.

The Internet is a useful source of information when you are researching a subject and it should
be treated just the same as any other published material. The web site should be quoted as
a reference. The address of the web site should be complete, so that the reader can find it
and check the information, which you have given.

Examples:

a) You want to quote a paragraph or two from a textbook, an article or a web site.

Put quotation marks round the paragraphs and use some form of words such as: The definition
of rectification is given by Cotton as “…………”(1).
At the end of your article, in your list of references, give the reference to Cotton’s book
in sufficient detail for the reader to find the quoted work in the Library e.g. (1)
‘Principles of Electrical Technology’, H.Cotton, Pitman, 1967, page 360.

b) You want to use someone else’s ideas without actually quoting word-for-word.

Use a form of words in your article such as:

“It was shown by Gibson (4) that…………..”

c) You want to use a diagram from a book or article in a report.

Refer to its origin in the text:

“……Figure 4, taken from Smith and Jones (3), shows…….” and also give the
origin under the diagram as part of the caption to the figure. d) You are working in a team,
which puts in a joint report.
Put a section at the beginning of the report saying exactly what part of the report each member
of the team was responsible for, including the writing of the report.

If plagiarism is detected in any activity, which is examined, the occurrence will be reported
to the University Academic Offences Committee which has wide-ranging disciplinary powers
including exclusion from the University if the case is proven.

12. Right to Appeal

Students have the right to appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee for a review of a
decision of an academic body charged with making decisions on student progression,
assessment and awards. In particular, against the following decisions:

Termination of a taught course on the grounds of academic failure. This includes the transfer
of a student from BEng to BSc degree course.

An academic progression decision. ‘Progression’ here means any instance in which a decision
is made as the progression of an individual student to a subsequent stage of their course,
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primarily on the basis of academic performance (normally academic performance resulting in
failure of one or more modules or parts of a course).

A degree class decision. ‘Degree class’ is used here as shorthand to cover both classes of first
degrees and their equivalent for taught postgraduate awards.

For further details on academic appeals, please see the relevant section of the Quality Manual
which can be found on the University’s web site.

13. Grievance Procedure

If you are not happy about any aspect of your studies you should in the first instance discuss
the problem with your personal tutor. If the matter is not resolved then see the
Departmental Senior Tutor. If the matter is still not resolved then see the Head of
Department and following that, if necessary, the Dean of the Faculty.

If for any reason you feel uncomfortable discussing the problem with your personal tutor,
you may speak directly to the Departmental Senior Tutor or the Head of Department or the
Dean, rather than following the procedure mentioned above.

If, having discussed the problem with the appropriate member of staff, you feel that the
complaint has not been dealt with, you should either consult the advice services of the
Students Association who will take up the matter on your behalf, or as a last resort you may
make a formal complaint to the Director of Administrative Support Services. He/She will,
unless the matter is covered by an agreed policy or procedure, investigate and respond within
21 days of receipt of your complaint.

14. Disability Advisory Service

The University of Nottingham is strongly committed to equality of opportunity in its provision

for all of its students. It is committed to providing ongoing support with the focus being on
the provision of accessible services and supporting students in completing their courses as
independently as possible.

The Disability Advisory is open to registered students with the following seen and unseen
disabilities; physical disabilities, long term medical conditions and chronic illness. Students
with Dyslexia or other learning Differences will be able to get support through certain
provisions as well.

The wellbeing and learning support department can assist with queries regarding:

• Admissions and registration

• Assessments in relation to disability and dyslexia and recommendations to
academic staff about reasonable adjustments in the learning, teaching and
assessment environment
• Recommendations for alternative assessment and timetabling arrangements.
• Access to alternative formats such as large print
• Liaison with libraries for enhanced services such as extended loans
• Residential accommodation
• Learning support provides study support such as academic writing skills, time
management, etc to students with learning differences

Each school appoints a Disability Liaison Officer to provide a point of reference, advice and
guidance for members of staff and students in the school about disability issues and support.

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The DLOs are part of a network that meets regularly to share information and good practice.
The DLO Network is co-ordinated by Wellbeing and Learning Support Services.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the University is aware of your situation. You can alert
the University to your disability and your requirements by:

• Direct contact with appropriate services such as the Wellbeing and

• Learning Support Services.
• Indicating disability on the registration forms
• Direct contact with appropriate staff such as DLO for your school or your
personal tutor

Early disclosure to Disability and Learning Support is essential to ensure the timely provision
of appropriate support services.

You will have control over the disclosure of information about you. The university undertakes
to maintain student data in secure conditions and to process and disclose data only within
the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. All information provided by you is kept confidential
and will not be disclosed unless you give permission for us to do so.

To receive services, you must:

• Be a registered student at the University of Nottingham

• Provide documentary evidence of your disability, such as a letter from your GP
(doctor) or specialist to access some services.
• If you have Dyslexia or any other Learning Differences, you will need to have/
obtain an assessment from and educational psychologist or other professional.

If you have any queries about the support provided at Nottingham, your first contact is
Disability and Learning Support Services at 03-8924 8060 or by email at
[email protected]

We are located at the Student Association Building opposite to the Health Centre on the first
floor. The DLO Officer for the department is:

Dr Wael Mohamed Ali Elleithy

[email protected]
Office: B1A29 Phone: 8924 8617

15. Attendance and Engagement

Students are required to attend all teaching activities necessary for the pursuit of their
studies, undertake all associated assessments and attend meetings and other activities as
required by their School or the University. In addition, International students are required
to maintain at least 80% attendance average during their study, failure to do so may
negatively impact their student visa approval process and ability to continue studying at
UNM. Where required the University will report non-attendance to appropriate authorities
including the immigration authorities.

Please see the Quality Manual for further details on attendance and engagement regulations
at the University. It should be read in conjunction with UNM’s Supplementary Policy on
Attendance, and the Attendance Monitoring Procedure at schools and departments. Please
refer to the University’s website for further information.

Where students face difficulty in attending sessions, teaching activities, meetings or other
activities required for their studies, it is their responsibility to inform their faculty office and

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to provide a satisfactory explanation. Request for authorized absence should be done using
the Absence Request form.

UNM has a system in place to monitor attendance during the academic year. A drop below
the attendance requirements set out in the above policies may trigger a warning and/or an
Attendance Intervention Meeting (A.I.M). It is important that students attend A.I.M’s to
discuss the reason(s) for absences. By not doing so, the School/Department will assume
that there is no satisfactory explanation. Where student’s absenteeism reaches to the point
that it is not possible to continue with the course, the Student Registry Office will write to
the student stating that they will be deemed to have withdrawn from the University and
their student record will be amended to show that they have withdrawn.

16. University Counselling Service

The University Counselling Service is a free confidential service available to students and
staff. It is registered with the Malaysian Board of Counsellors.

Counselling offers an opportunity to talk in confidence about problems that concern you. It
may also be known as psychotherapy, therapeutic counselling or psychological counselling.
Some of the issues brought to the service include anxiety, depression, family concerns,
bereavement, difficulty in adjusting to a new way of life, work and study related problems,
family issues, relationship issues, aggressive and violent behaviour, suicidal tendencies, sexual
abuse etc.

Information on what is counselling and the kind of services that can be expected from your
counsellor is available at
https://www.nottingham.edu.my/Wellbeing/Counselling/UniversityCounsellingService.aspx
The website site also provides information on the kind of services we offered.

If you are in need of help, you may want to think of discussing your issue with someone
who is trained. By talking through your problems or concerns with a counsellor, you may
deepen your understanding of what is happening and develop alternative ways of dealing with
your situation or concern

The University Counselling Service is confidential. This means that we do not disclose verbal
or written information without your permission or agreement. In rare cases, disclosure may
occur without your consent if there is good reason to believe that you or others are at risk.

The Counselling Service complies with the Data Protection Act of 1998. Brief hand written
notes are kept in a secure place only within the Counselling Service.

The university is concerned about the wellbeing of our students and staff. So, all our
counsellors are very experienced and trained in their professionalism. They receive regular
supervision and are constantly monitored for quality of service. There is even a mental health
counsellor whose main responsibility is in providing mental health service to concerned
students and staff.

Please contact us via E-mail:

[email protected] or Tel: 03-8924 8060. We are located at the
Student Association Building (Block H), opposite to the University Health Centre.

17. Route to Professional Engineer Status in Malaysia

Details regarding the route to Professional Engineer status in Malaysia are available from
the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) website in the downloadable copy of the member
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Membership Form. The diagram from Page 14 of this form is shown below. At Malaysia
Campus, our MEng degree courses are currently accredited by the Board of Engineers
Malaysia (BEM) and thus graduates from those courses hold the ‘Accredited Engineering
Degree’ mentioned at the top of the column of Academic Requirements. The route from
there to professional engineer status is clearly defined.

Note: See Appendix N – BEM Policy (2021) on 3 year BEng Programme

Our BEng degree courses, while accredited by the Malaysia Qualifications Agency (MQA) and
listed on their current Register accordingly, are counted by BEM as UNACCREDITED degrees.
Thus in the figure, BEng graduates fall into the category represented by the bottom box in
the column of Academic Requirements. While the figure shows a route to professional
engineer status, it has the additional Academic Requirements shown. The Secretary of BEM
also confirmed the existence of this route for holders of 3-year engineering Bachelor’s degrees
through a news article.

The ‘Coursework Masters Programme in Engineering’ would need to be a postgraduate MSc

degree accredited by the MQA in Malaysia. Students are strongly advised to first get written
confirmation from BEM on ‘recognition’ before enrolment on the course. The pathway for
BEng with Masters programme for registration as a Graduate Engineer with BEM
are evaluated on a case to case basis and will ends in December 2021 (extended to
31st December 2022**). However, potential applicants who have completed or on
enrolment of such Masters programmes on or before 31st December 2021 (extended to 31st
December 2022**) will not be affected by the new policy. Refer to Appendix N for BEM policy
on 3-years engineering programme. ** See Appendix O for Notification from MoHE on the
extension.

BEng graduates who plan to follow the ‘unaccredited degree’ route are required to take
special 2 years top-up BEM Graduate Assessment Programme (BEM-GAP) from designated
local university to fulfil the requirements for Graduate Engineer registration. Students are
strongly advised to first get written confirmation from BEM on ‘recognition’ before enrolment
on the course. The BEM policy (Appendix N) will be implemented for a period of two years
and will ends on 31st December 2023 (the last intake to BEM-GAP extended to 31st Dec
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2026**). The implementation of this new policy shall be based on dates of enrolment into
the 2-year top-up programme, NOT the application or graduation dates. Refer to Appendix
N for BEM policy on 3-years engineering programme. ** See Appendix O for Notification from
MoHE on the extension.

MEng graduates who intend to qualify for Professional Engineer status are advised to apply
for graduate registration with BEM immediately on graduation.

18. Route to Chartered Civil Engineer Status in the UK

Details regarding the route to Chartered Civil Engineer status in the UK are available from
the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) website, which can be summarized as follows:

There are three stages in qualifying as a Member (MICE) – Chartered Civil Engineer via the
standard route:

1. Educational Base
The starting point for any aspiring member is their educational achievement. This can be
satisfied by one, or a combination of the following ways:
• UK course
• International course
• Academic assessment of a course not meeting the required level

2. Initial Professional Development

Initial Professional Development (IPD) is where one develops the specific skills and
competence as a practising civil engineer. IPD can be satisfied by completion of one of
the following:
• ICE approved training schemes
• Self-managed training & experience (career appraisal)

3. Professional Review Options

The third and final stage in becoming a professionally qualified Member of ICE is the
Professional Review. One must have completed stages 1 and 2 before making an application
for Professional Review (stage 3).

The ICE also offers a number of alternative routes to becoming professionally qualified if one
is not eligible via the standard route. Details can be found in the Institution of Civil Engineers
(ICE) website.

19. Guidelines for the General Studies Modules (MPU)

Please refer to Appendix H

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