Electronics and computer systems courses have always been popular. With the increased use of sophisticated electronic components and computer systems in an ever increasing range of products the demand for graduates in these areas has increased.
Quality of education
A feature which is novel to degree courses in the UK is the way in which they are assessed for their quality of education. This quality is assessed by a Government based Teaching Quality audit. Each department is assessed by a team of senior academics who visit the institution and discuss the philosophy behind their courses. In addition to this the assessors talk to students and attend and comment upon all the teaching activities. This assessment exercise lasts some three to four days and at the end the department is given the assessment. The overall grades run from excellent to unsatisfactory.
Another form of assessment is the accreditation process carried out by UK Engineering Institutions. Graduates with suitable grades of degrees from courses which are accredited satisfy all the educational requirements for corporate membership of the engineering institution. This means that to become a chartered engineer the graduate has to follow a suitable programme of training. After an appropriate period of responsible work the graduate is then ready for corporate membership. Accreditation by a UK engineering institution is often accepted as a sufficient requirement for full membership of engineering institutions in other countries.
M.Eng Courses
The normal duration of a M.Eng course is four years. Students follow a conventional degree programme in the first three years. In the fourth year they follow what is called an enhanced course. The nature of this fourth year varies but it normally means that in addition to a substantial project students will take courses which broaden their experience. This will mean that courses on commercial, financial and legal aspects of engineering are taken.
Practical Work
One feature of UK courses which is not found in courses in every other country is the concentration on project and practical work. Engineering is a practical subject and in order to be a competent engineer students must have the opportunity to develop their practical skills. In the UK it is common for students to undertake projects in all, three years. For example at the University of Kent students undertake projects in all three years. In the first year the project is relatively straightforward. In the second it takes the form of a group project. The third year project is a substantial affair where students are allocated two days or so per week. This enables them to undertake as individuals or in a group a substantial piece of work. The area of the third year project is normally the area of engineering in which the student wishes to specialise.
The relevance of research to the Undergraduate curriculum
Electronics and Computer Systems are rapidly developing fields. In order that courses remain current it is essential that the latest devices and technologies can be introduced into the curriculum. One area which plays an important part of most courses is the use of sophisticated computer aided design tools in the design of contemporary Electronic and Computer based systems. This is an area where academics at the University of Kent, for example are very active in research. An example of this is the topic of high-level design of digital systems. Traditional techniques of design required the designer to create first the schematic or circuit diagram of the system. This has now been superseded by the use of hardware description languages. These are like programming languages but are specially designed to enable digital hardware to be described. The real advantage is that these descriptions can be simulated so that the design can be tested. All this can be done without the need to use any hardware components. When the design is complete then the designer can create the printed circuit board and make the prototype system.
Support for students
Most students have a very enjoyable time whilst at university. But there may be times when a student needs some support. This may be concerned with changing degree programme or choosing options. In rare cases this may be when the student is ill or friends or relatives are ill. Most UK universities have a well developed system of student support. In some institutions this takes the form of a tutor system. The tutor is not someone to help with the academic studies but is a member of staff who the student gets to know over a period of time and who can help when there is a need. Fortunately it is rare for students to have significant difficulties and the time at university is happy and memorable.
More information
This brief overview of the courses in Electronics and Computer systems which are on offer in the UK is just an introduction. For any intending student the important thing is to obtain as much information as possible about the degree programmes and the universities of your choice. There are a number of ways to do this. The British Council have offices in most countries and they have details of the courses at virtually all universities. They can also supply the addresses of universities. Students are advised to write to their chosen universities asking for details of the courses of interest. This will normally result in the course details or the prospectus being sent. Another way of obtaining information is by means of the Internet. Again virtually all universities have a "web" address. This gives a database which can be searched to find course information, information on the student societies, members of the academic staff etc. It is also possible to send electronic mail to the admissions office asking specific questions.
