MSc Architecture Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies by Distance Learning

MSc Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies by Distance Learning

There is a global skills shortage in urban design and green architecture The Princes Foundation for the Built Environment We face serious shortages in many sustainable communities professions, which we need to address if we are to continue delivering better places across the country. Dr Gill Taylor, Chief Executive, UK Academy for Sustainable Communities

The Graduate School of the Environment (GSE) offers a range of inspirational post-graduate programmes. A unique combination of leading professionals, academics and authors create innovative solutions at Europes leading Environmental centre. The Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies MSc covers building design, energy and wider environmental issues. It is intended to be accessible for all those with an interest in contemporary environmental issues. The entry requirement is a degree or appropriate professional experience.

The flexibility of Distance Learning means you can explore your interests and gain the skills, knowledge and qualifications that the MSc AEES course provides, from your own location, in your own time. Lecture material is provided both in printed form and through an interactive virtual learning environment, giving you access to the outstanding Graduate School staff and student expertise, insights and support: wherever you are in the world. On-site workshops are provided twice per year so you have chance to visit CAT to meet your colleagues and tutors. Visiting is optional though: no attendance is required at CAT, or elsewhere in UK, at any time.

Course Content
This advanced environmental and energy studies MSc covers a range of issues including: Global Energy Demand: Resources and Environmental issues Renewable Energy Technologies Urban Sustainability Sustainability in Architecture: Light, Heat, Materials, Design approaches Environmental assessment: Methods, Case Studies and Intelligent Buildings Energy Distribution: Low Environmental Impact Housing, Carbon trading

In collaboration with

Module descriptions:
The module offered at your enrolment point (CEM158 or CEM150) is a compulsory foundation module. Other modules are optional, but you will need to pass 8 before moving onto your thesis. The political/legal context: international agreements on environmental protection; world energy resources; limits to growth; measuring sustainability; sustainability in architecture; climate change and responses to it; renewable energy introduction.

CEM158 - September

CEM159 - October

Climate and micro climate; heat transfer; thermal comfort; climatic influences in design, thermal capacity; computer simulation; thermal performance of buildings; principles of photovoltaics. Principles of ventilation and cooling; condensation; water provision and sewage disposal; flood risk; waste disposal; brown fields and contaminated land; principles of solar hot water. The solar resource; principles of light: artificial and natural; daylight factor; sunlight and solar gain in buildings; biomass; liquid biofuels; principles of hydro electric power. Occupant health and well being; sound and noise; pollution, urbanisation; hazardous building materials; eco refurbishment, air quality; wind power.
Environmental evaluation and assessment; embodied energy and life cycle analysis; energy and nuclear power; low carbon housing; intelligent buildings; discourse and climate change.

CEM160 - November

CEM161 - January

CEM162 - February

CEM150 - March

CEM166 - April

Society and environment; land use planning; environmental impact assessment and management; transport; agriculture; post occupancy evaluation. Specialist lectures on environmentally responsive materials such as strawbale, contained composite structures, timber, rammed earth; criteria for choosing materials. Sustainable design principles; urban design; aesthetics and green design; Design exercise: working in groups students will collaboratively resolve the requirements of a design brief to a strategic level, with consideration given to materials, site layout and environmental constraints. Photovoltaics, solar hot water, wind power, small scale biomass. Design exercise: Students collaborate on research and discussion of ideas, and then, individually, produce a design of a renewable energy system for a building, with discussion and justification of the decisions made.

CEM152 - May

CEM154 - June

CEM169 - July

Structure
You can start in September or March, and do eight taught modules plus a thesis. You do one compulsory foundation module, plus any seven other modules. If you start in September, the foundation module is CEM158; if you start in March it will be CEM150. We recommend that you do both September and March. The eight taught modules in total are taken over 1 year full time or 2 years part time, and followed by the thesis (5-6 months). Each module consists, broadly, of reading lectures and papers; interactive participation in practicals, seminars and discussions on the Virtual Learning Environment; coursework: an essay or report and a presentation.

Stopping the clock

There is provision for intermission, i.e. stopping the clock, for six months at a time, up to a total of two years. There is also provision for adding extra months, on payment of a small sum. The maximum time from registration to the end of your studies is 6 years

Planning your route through

Planning your time will be crucial. The course structure and the module action timeline overleaf should help you to think through your one or two years on the course. After your first module (either CEM158 or CEM150), you are free to choose, within the constraints of the timetable and your total period allocated (1 year or 2), when to do your other 7 modules. Doing the course over 1 year (full time) means you must do your 8 modules out of the 10 available within 12 months of starting. Doing the taught modules over 2 years (part time) means that you must do 8 out of the 20 modules available within 24 months of starting. After your period of taught modules, you have until the date given to complete your thesis. Some students plan to do their 8th module before the last month possible (the July or February at the end of their one year or two years). This is so as to have more time to plan and research the thesis, but this should not be the deciding factor in your choice of modules.

Time implications
The official tariff of a module is 150 hours. The actual time required by an individual varies widely according to many circumstances, including existing familiarity with certain aspects of the content, the vagaries of personal and work life, the efficiency with which one approaches the work, enthusiasm, and level of ambition to obtain a distinction.

Seminars
The seminars are an important part of the learning process, providing the opportunity to ask questions, debate issues and interact on course content with the tutor and with fellow students. They are held in an online chat room and the dates made known at the start of the module. Seminars are usually spread over the second and third week following the start of the module. You should aim to attend two seminars per module, one with each of two tutors, though some seminars are student-led. Usually seminars start from particular seminar questions in the course material. The conversations are recorded and then archived for future reference.

Thesis
Students are free indeed encouraged - to choose thesis topics relevant and useful to their professional lives. Many choose topics which will facilitate later moves into other fields within their jobs, and/or into consulting work.

Tutorials
Tutorials are by e-mail, telephone, Skype, or chat room. Students and tutors together decide on which type will be best. When youd like a tutorial, or you have a specific query, you just email your tutor to arrange one. Do this before a problem becomes a crisis!

Module action timeline

Date
Before module

Action
Register for a place on the module

Notes
Respond to the Student Support Officers invitation to register, at least two weeks before. In UEL Plus, check in the module folder for details of the work required, additional materials etc. Consider what reading and thinking to do for particular seminars - see (ii) below. Consider your reactions to the discussion questions posed Join in discussion boards Use interactive calendar on website to book for two seminars usually one with each of the two tutors Email or telephone tutor to arrange Submit work on-line, following guidance given.

Module start date

Check module details

During module i) From start

Read lecture notes and associated material

ii) Early on

Choose seminar time

iii) When needed By the hand-in date

Tutorials as required Complete coursework required

Completion of a module means that you submit the coursework for that module. The submission date for each modules coursework is shown here. Exact dates for coursework submission are given at each modules commencement.

Module
CEM158 - September CEM159 - October CEM160 - November CEM161 - January CEM162 - February CEM150 - March CEM166 - April CEM152 - May

Hand-in date
Start date of CEM160 (November) Start date of CEM161 (January) mid-December Start date of CEM150 (March) Start date of CEM166 (April) Start date of CEM152 (May) Start date of CEM154 (June) Start date of CEM169 (July) Start date of CEM158 (September)

CEM154 - June CEM169 - July

Course timeline
The tables below show the period over which you will be doing the taught modules, and the start dates. You do the module at the start of your course - CEM158 for September starts or CEM150 for March starts - plus seven others. Modules can only be taken in the months given. No modules run in August or December. Starting 14 September 2011, full time
CEM158 CEM159 CEM160 14 SEP 12 OCT 16 NOV DEC 2011 2011 2011 2011 CEM161 CEM162 CEM150 CEM166 CEM152 CEM154 CEM169 11 JAN 15 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012

1 YEAR

Thesis period: Sep 2012 - Jan 2013 Starting 14 September 2011, part time
CEM158 CEM159 CEM160 14 SEP 12 OCT 16 NOV DEC 2011 2011 2011 2011 CEM158 CEM159 CEM160 SEP OCT NOV DEC 2012 2012 2012 2012 CEM161 CEM162 CEM150 CEM166 CEM152 CEM154 CEM169 11 JAN 15 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 CEM161 CEM162 CEM150 CEM166 CEM152 CEM154 CEM169 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013

2 YEARS

Thesis period: Sep 2013 - Jan 2014

Starting March 2012, full time

CEM150 CEM166 CEM152 CEM154 CEM169 MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 CEM158 CEM159 CEM160 SEP OCT NOV DEC 2012 2012 2012 2012 CEM161 CEM162 JAN FEB 2013 2013

1 YEAR

Thesis period: Mar 2013 - Jul 2013 Starting March 2012, part time
CEM150 CEM166 CEM152 CEM154 CEM169 MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 CEM150 CEM166 CEM152 CEM154 CEM169 MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 CEM158 CEM159 CEM160 SEP OCT NOV DEC 2012 2012 2012 2012 CEM158 CEM159 CEM160 SEP OCT NOV DEC 2013 2013 2013 2013 CEM161 CEM162 JAN FEB 2013 2013 CEM161 CEM162 JAN FEB 2014 2014

2 YEARS

Thesis period: Mar 2014 - Jul 2014

Other benefits of the course

access to the UEL Plus virtual learning environment, including on-line copies of all the lecture notes printed copies of each modules notes delivered to your door, for study away from the computer a memory stick on which you can keep your coursework, notes, and copies of lectures notes 1 years CAT membership: see http://support.cat.org.uk/memberbenefits for details of benefits invitation to two MSc DL Workshop Days per year, normally in May and October, when students and staff meet for tutorial and presentation sessions a voucher worth 100 to use in CATs specialist on-line bookshop, where the prices are discounted for our MSc students

Library access
With your UEL student card, you will of course have reference and borrowing access from UEL libraries. We can also register you for the SCONUL scheme, which gives reference and borrowing access to around 150 other UK university libraries and some in Ireland.
To check which ones apply, go to http:// www.access.sconul.ac.uk/members/ search/setuser?usertype=ptpg&home_ id=39&checksccess=Go/ and specify University of East London. For students outside the UK/Ireland we can provide official confirmation of your status if needed.

Electronic resources
You will have access to thousands of academic journals, E-books and other resources via the Athens scheme. Your Athens account will be arranged upon enrolment.

UEL Plus
UEL Plus is a website used to deliver some of the lecture material and provide extra resources and activities, such as audio recordings of lectures at CAT and PowerPoint presentations on lecture topics. The website also helps facilitate interactive informal assessments, and provides an environment for students to exchange ideas using discussion forums and chatrooms, and on-line seminars and tutorials. You are provided with your log-in details at enrolment.

Books
Youll also receive a copy of the key text Environmental Science in Building by Randall McMullan, and The Whole House Book by Cindy Harris and Pat Borer. The Whole House Book is the definitive guide to green building, and is written by two of the most experienced practitioners in the UK. Pat and Cindy were on the CAT staff for a long time and were responsible for the many excellent green buildings on site. Pat has his own architecture practice and currently teaches on the REBE MSc. Cindy is Head of design review for the Design Commission for Wales and a GSE visiting lecturer.

The MSc: what the students say

Already recommended the course to other potential students! The staff at CAT manage to provide an intimacy to my engagement as a student with a level of academic support which is the envy of my sister doing a MA at another university. The expectations on you as a student are clear and they provide a well signposted route throughout the course. Stimulating and challenging, I will continue to recommend the course. Again my big gratitude to you and all the tutors in the MSc DL programme at CAT: the course was excellent and challenges conventional thinking across all the subject areas. I greatly expanded my knowledge. Thanks to you and all involved. I do miss the seminars, they had real value and the modules were very well written. Im happy with the course, the people, the challenge and the support. Fascinating course, delivered with depth and enthusiasm. All staff seem to have a wealth of knowledge and a willingness to share it. Really enjoying the course so far, and have learned a massive amount.

Future jobs: what the experts say

The journey to the sustainable city is not yet mapped and the exploration will have its ups and down. Without doubt though it will be an exciting journey, one that we can travel hopefully in the spirit of learning.
Chair of the Lead Expert Group for the UK governments Foresight Project on Sustainable Energy Management and the Built Environment. In Perspective http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ sustainable-cities/perspectives/rydin.pdf

The fact that the built environment has seen burgeoning development over the last decade and its relevance and importance in the nation building process is enormous, establishes the need for improved education and training within the sector.
Sachin Sandir, RICS India managing Director, 2010

The jobs of today will not be the jobs of tomorrow, and we need to ensure the nation is equipped to respond to emerging strategic challenges such as globalisation and climate change
Building a Low Carbon Economy, Defra 2008

In the UK, science, engineering, technology and built environment employers and organisations face alarming skills shortages at professional, technical and craft level.
WISET Women in Science Engineering and Technology

Most importantly, we need people with the right knowledge and skills to research, produce and use those technologies and solutions that can make Britains global low carbon ambitions a reality.
(Meeting the Low Carbon Skills Challenge, DECC 2010) MSc Architecture: AEES graduation ceremony, 2010.

Support
You will be assigned a dedicated Distance Learning tutor at the start of the course who will provide academic guidance and feedback on your work. For the thesis, you will have a thesis supervisor selected from the wider pool of the Graduate School staff. There are also two student support officers on hand to give advice on your routes through the course and to deal with any administrative queries, ensuring a smooth path through the whole of the MSc from enrolment to graduation.

Fees
Resident in UK/EU/EEA: 5900 from September 2011
A 5% discount is given if the total is paid in full at enrolment, by credit card or draft on a UK bank. You can also pay quarterly, by Direct Debit, with the first payment by credit card or UK cheque, or other draft on a UK bank. Each quarterly payment is 5900/4 (over one year), or 5900/8 (over two years).

Resident Overseas: 7900 from September 2011

A substantial discount is already built into this fee, compared with equivalent UK MSc courses. Half (i.e. 3950) is payable on enrolment, in the month before you start the course, by credit card or draft on a UK bank. The other half can be paid in quarters (i.e. 4 987.50), by the same methods. If you have registered to do the course over one year, the first half of the fee would cover the first 6 months, and the instalments, of 987.50 each, would begin at 7.5 months, and continue at 9, 10.5 and 12 months. If you have registered to do the course over two years, the first half of the fee would cover the first year, and the instalments, of 987.50 each, would begin at the start of the second year.

English language
(Applies if your education was not in UK, or conducted in English) The basic English language requirement is that you must be able to understand and express yourself in both written and spoken English. Some evidence, e.g. TOEFL at 550 or an IELTS score of 6.0, may be required, but will be taken as read for the time being.

To find out more, and to apply online: www.cat.org.uk/gsep

(Assuming that you wish to do the DL-only MSc, ensure that thats the one you apply for!) Will Bryson and Sarah Johnson Student Support Officers distance.learning@cat.org.uk Tel +44 (0)1654 703065 Ext 27. Unit 7, Dyfi Eco Parc, Machynlleth SY20 8AX, UK.

Cathal OBoyle, Programme Leader, cathal.oboyle@cat.org.uk