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Getting
in touch and visiting:
Can I
visit IESD before applying?
Are there
any specific open days when I can meet
students and staff?
Can
I call to discuss my application in more
detail?
Fees and funding:
What
are the course fees?
How
do I pay my fees?
Do
you offer studentships, or bursaries?
I_am_a_UK_citizen_working
abroad - do I qualify for Home Status?
Entry qualifications and future
prospects:
Which careers do
students move into after graduating?
What_is_meant_by_having_a_good_degree
'second class and above'?
Is
my degree relevant for Climate
Change and Sustainable Development?
,,
,,
Energy
and Industrial Sustainability?
,,
,,
Energy_and
Sustainable Building Design?
What
level of mathematics is required?
I
have studied something similar to one of
the modules elsewhere, can I be exempt
from any modules?
My
English is below IELTS 6.5 but I would
still like to study, what are my
options?
I
like some of the modules, but don't want
to study towards an MSc - what are my
options?
While studying:
How
many hours of study must I put in?
For_Energy_and_Sustainable_Building
Design, what software is needed?
Which
subjects are chosen for dissertations,
and can I pick my own?
Can
I pick modules in any order?
How
are the course assignments arranged /
how is the course assesed?
Must
I attend a Viva for my dissertation?
If you have any other questions, in the
first instance please contact technology@dmu.ac.uk
Getting
in touch and visiting:
Can
I visit IESD before applying?
Of course you can, we're very friendly,
committed to sustainability and enjoy
discussing it, and delighted to meet all
potential students. We'd like to know your
aspirations and make sure that this is the
right MSc for you. We can arrange for you
to meet course leaders to discuss your
application in more detail, and to give
you a chance to ask more about what we
offer. We can show you course material,
sample assignments, and there is often a
chance on Wednesdays or Thursdays to sit
in on lectures, and meet current students.
It's best to contact us in advance so that
we can make sure to be around for when you
visit. Visit
this page for contact details
of course leaders.
Are
there any specific open days when I can
meet students and staff?
There are open days for postgraduates
which are announced on the DMU website,
but we don't hold you to these dates and
are happy to meet prospective students at
any time. There is also an induction day,
held in September, where all new students
can attend, including Distance Learning
students. On this day new students are
also invited to see some of the
dissertation presentations made by
students who are completing thier MSc.
If I
enrol as a distance learner can I visit?
This is absolutely fine, you are welcome
to visit before enrolling, as described
above, and you are welcome to attend any
of the lecturers that the attending
students do, as well as meet the staff and
other students. Once again, please feel
free to visit. Visit
this page for contact details
of course leaders.
Can
I call to discuss my application in more
detail?
Of course! Course Leaders contact details
are on the IESD website, it is also fine to
contact any module leaders directly with
specific questions. We can speak by landline
or skype. Visit
this page for contact details.
Fees
and funding:
What
are the course fees?
Indicative fees for all IESD MSc courses
can be found here:
Climate Change and Sustainable Development:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-courses/climate-change-and-sustainable-development-msc.aspx
Emergy and Industrial Sustainability
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-courses/energy-and-industrial-sustainability-msc.aspx
Energy and Sustainable Building Design
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-courses/energy-and-sustainable-building-design-msc.aspx
Course fees sometimes change from year to
year, so please also contact technology@dmu.ac.uk
for confirmation of what your fees will
be.
How
do I pay my fees?
You will be sent all details of how to do
this on application, but please
contact technology@dmu.ac.uk
if you have any further questions.
Do
you offer studentships, or bursaries?
We offer a reduction in course fees for
DMU graduates, which you have to apply for
seperately and before your course begins.
Please contact technology@dmu.ac.uk
if you have any questions on this.
We'd also recommend checking out the
funding guide at Find a Masters:
http://www.findamasters.com/students/studyguide/masters-funding-guide.aspx
In certain countries you may also wish to
check with the British Council for
studentships. We are always looking into
providing other bursaries or fee
reductions, and if we are able to offer
any bursaries or student support in the
future, we will post details on this page
and let all current applicants know. We
would say though that funding options even
to us, are currently very limited.
Most students fund their studies either by
working and studying part time or in
distance learning, or through a career
development loan, and this is what we would
usually recommend.
Fee Status - I am a UK
citizen working abroad. Can I pay UK
fees?
One common assumption made is that a
British citizen (particularly when working
abroad) is automatically entitled to
home status, which is far from the
case. Home status is a function of
meeting various Home Office rules which are
complex, require expert interpretation and
include residency requirements. If
there is any doubt, then the Academic
Registry/Student Administrative Support
Division will send you a Fee Status
Questionnaire for clarification. This
can take some time, so an early application
is recommended in order that your fee status
can be established promptly prior to the
next academic session/start of your course.
Entry
qualifications, dissertation, and future
prospects:
Which
Careers do students move into after
graduating?
Careers after taking an IESD MSc are
varied, we think that our employment
statistics are very encouraging: 100% for
2010 graduates.
For results of our latest survey please
click here:
http://www.iesd.dmu.ac.uk/msc/destinations.htm
I
have studied something similar to one of
the modules elsewhere, can I be exempt
from any modules?
Yes you can. This does not come up often
but it is possible to gain exemption
through a process we call Accreditation of
Prior Learning. This can apply to any
module, although it is rare that other
Research Methods modules and our own are a
close enough match. Typically modules
already studied need to be at Masters,
PGDip level, but some undergraduate
modules qualify. It's a good idea to
let technology@dmu.ac.uk
know on application, and if possible, to
provide all the details of the module
you've already studied. What then happens
academicaly is that your course average
mark is calculated on the modules you have
studied with us.
My
English is below IELTS 6.5 but I would
still like to study, what are my options?
Not all students have the IELTS
qualification, but equivalents such as
TEFL are considered. Students who have a
first degree taught in English may also
qualify.
DMU does offer English Classes such that
incorporated offers can be made for
students slightly below the IELTS
threshold, but it is at the discretion of
the course leader to make such offers. In
general, an MSc is an intense time and it
is very difficult indeed to improve
English skills whilst the MSc course is
running, and certainly difficult to get
high marks in the time available.
Typically we find that students do far
better on the course if reaching the
required IELTS score in thier home
countries before enrolling, and this is
what we would usually
reccommend.Contact technology@dmu.ac.uk
if in doubt.
I
like some of the modules, but don't want
to study towards an MSc - what are my
options?
It is also possible to study towards a
Postgraduate Certificate, or a
Postgraduate Diploma, or even just to
study specific modules with no coursework
or exams. This option is popular
with professionals looking to enhance
specific skills. If you would like
to discuss in more detail, please feel
free to call the course leaders - visit
this page for contact details.
For the award of Postgraduate Diploma a
student is required to pass either 8
taught modules or 4 taught modules, one of
which must be the Research Methods module,
plus dissertation.
For the award of Postgraduate
Certificate, a student is required to pass
at least 4
taught modules.
What is meant by having
a "good degree (second class and
above)"?
A 'good degree (second class and
above)' refers to an award classification
of 2.2, 2.1 or a 1st. Applicants who
obtained their degree from an overseas
institution must possess a comparable
qualification. On receipt of your
application and supporting
documents, De Montfort
University’s Academic Registry
will check your degree for
comparability through UKNARIC
(the National Agency responsible for
providing information and advice about
vocational, academic and professional
skills and qualifications from all over
the world). Applicants
who do not have a degree can apply through
the ‘experience’ route, if you have at
least five years’ work experience in a
relevant field. Our Admissions Team
assess each application on individual
merit. If you apply through this
route please provide evidence in your
Supporting Statement about how your work
experience is relevant to your chosen
course, why you want to study it, and your
mathematics ability.
Is my degree relevant for
a Climate Change and Sustainable
Development application?
We appreciate that a wide range of
subjects and skills is relevant to the
problem of climate change and sustainable
development. The entry criteria are
suggested to give an indication of the
skills and experience required to
successfully complete the course. In
our experience, well motivated students
with non-standard backgrounds have also
achieved this objective.
Is my degree relevant
for an Energy and Industrial
Sustainability application?
As with CCSD, MSc Energy and
Industrial Sustainability would attract
applicants from a variety of backgrounds,
but applicants with experience of
manufacturing industry or a related sector
will be preferred. A degree
from a numerate discipline is required,
and this would normally, but not
exclusively, be an engineering or physical
sciences subject.
Is
my degree relevant for an Energy and
Sustainable Building Design application?
The Energy and Sustainable Building
Design course has a slightly
narrower focus and greater technical
content. Applicants need to have a
degree in an engineering, architectural,
physical sciences or a mathematical
discipline, or have significant work
experience in a related field (usually
five years or more) in order to satisfy
the entry requirements.
What level of
mathematics is required for these
courses?
Climate Change and Sustainable
Development, and Energy and
Industrial Sustainability – We do accept
that some applicants might have little
experience using mathematics, or who might
have used mathematics some time
ago. The quantitative analysis
used on some of the modules tends to be
mainly about understanding the
underlying principles, whilst
letting the software make the actual
calculations. So, any experience
using spreadsheet tools would be
beneficial.
Energy and Sustainable Building Design –
For the computer simulation modules we
will provide lesson material to help you
to understand the theoretical and
mathematical basis of some of the
simulation models. Although some of
this may be daunting, your level of
understanding of the mathematics is not
assessed directly but is concerned more
with the practical application of
simulation methods and analysis of the
data produced by the
simulations.
It might be helpful to be aware of the
following:
1. That some quantitative elements
are present in every module and are
central to modules such as: Energy in
Buildings, and Energy Analysis Techniques
for CCSD and EIS, plus Ventilation and
Airflow Modelling, Energy and Thermal
Performance, and Energy and Thermal
Performance for ESBD.
2. Assessed work varies, with some
assessments being essay-based and others
relying on quantitative analysis.
3. You should not be frightened of
working with numbers and must expect to
work hard to grapple with these issues.
What software is used for
MSc ESBD?
The simulation modules teach modelling
theory, methodologies and include a
good deal of practical work with
simulation software. The software we
use is called IES – see their web site at
www.iesve.com – and we do not use any
other software. The daylight simulation
element of the software is based on the
'Radiance' software. Distance
learning students should expect to buy a
licence for the software for use at home
in their second and third years (currently
about £50 per year).
While studying:
How
many hours of study must I put in?
Each module requires a maximum of around
48 contact hours (lectures) which in
Distance Learning mode means you should
budget for this much interaction
virtually, plus a typical maximum of 150
hours self-study. If it's a module you are
familiar with, this may prove to be much
less. A dissertation or design project
typically requires a maximum of 600 hours.
In actuality, while these numbers seem
large, they are almost always quite
manageable.
Can I take the MSc
distance learning course in less than
three years?
The distance learning programme is aimed
at full-time working professionals, and
for them the three-year rolling programme
is recommended. However, the
time commitments of some applicants may
allow for a shorter completion time and
where this is the case an alternative
programme of study can be arranged,
subject to the restrictions of the
timetable and with prior approval of the
relevant Programme Leader.
Can
I pick modules in any order?
Certain modules must follow others, and
we find that students always do better if
following the course timetable, so we
insist on this in normal circumstances. We
recognise that many of our students are
busy people, i.e. mid career,
professionals. If you e.g. have to move
country, or face an illness, or have to
care for a family member, completion of
the courses can be flexible. For example,
some students switch from full time to
part time or to distance learning.
CCSD and EIS: The Research Methods
module is a pre-requisite to the research
project.
ESBD: (A) The 'Energy in Buildings'
module is a pre-requisite to studying the
three computer simulation modules –
Climate and Daylight Analysis,
Ventilation and Airflow Modelling,
and Energy and Thermal
Performance. (B)
Ventilation and Airflow Modelling is
a pre-requisite to Energy and
Thermal Performance.
(C) The design project
requires a pass in all the three computer
simulation modules mentioned above
together with the Research Methods module.
How
are the course assignments arranged?
The modules will be assessed by
coursework/assignments.
Students submit two assignments per module
on which they are assessed weighted
30%/70% accordingly. In
addition, there is an oral examination of
the dissertation/design project at the end
of the course which is held at the
Institute. Each module is worth 15
credits (total 120 credits) and the
research/design project is worth 60
credits, 180 credits in total.
All coursework is continuously assesed
and there are no traditional written
eexams. Some modules may feature brief
on-line tests but these are very few.
Assignments form a part A short
assignment, typically between 5-10 pages
long, and later in each module, a part B,
longer assignment. This will be usually be
between 15-25 pages long. Since each
module is different, assignments lengths
may vary somewhat. Word limits may be
specified, and for some assignments, it is
important that limits are kept to. You
will have clear instructions from your
module leader in the form of an assignment
brief at the start of each module.
Which
subjects are chosen for dissertations,
and can I pick my own?
We offer a list of dissertation topics
which are aligned with staff interests in
many aspects of sustainability, topics
range from social science, to energy
efficiency, economics to manufacturing,
building design to renewables. If you (or
your employer) has a particular project in
mind, we can also talk about this being
your dissertation.
For a sample of past dissertations,
try these links:
Dissertation example 1 - Reducing Carbon Emissions in an Outdoor Education Centre
Dissertation example 2 - Ecosystem Services and the
Manufacturing Industry
Dissertation example 3 - Can Energy Services Deliver
Zero Carbon Homes?
Dissertation example 4 - An evaluation of Display Energy Certificates as a policy initiative to improve energy-
Efficiency within public buildings in Cornwall
Dissertation example 5 - Investment behaviour of Swiss utilities
in electricity productions units from
renewable energy sources
For Energy and
Sustainable Building Design by distance
learning, how is the group Design
Project organised?
For the design project, students are
organised into groups (two-three members)
with the task of developing a building
design from a realistic pre-defined
brief. There are three elements to
the Design Project; a group element
(30% of the marks), an individual element
(50% of the marks), and the examination
element – oral presentation (20% of the
marks).
Collaboration for the group element of the
work will be done through
'Blackboard' the online virtual learning
environment. Here you will be able
to share your ideas with other students
using the discussion forums, email and
other online collaboration systems.
You will also have email and
telephone contact with your
supervisor. Other group meetings can
be arranged if desired, but these are
optional.
Must
I attend a Viva for my dissertation?
This is flexible. We prefer when
possible that you attend IESD at the
end of your course to present the findings
from your dissertation. It makes for a
great day, and for many students it is the
first chance to meet other students and
staff in person. However,
after completing a Masters in
sustainability, we certainly don't insist
on you taking a flight just for a one day
visit. So we can also hold Vivas on Skype
or by phone.
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