BEng(Hons) in Civil Engineering Restructured in 2005-06

1. BEng(Hons) in Civil Engineering Restructured in 2005-06 The information contained herein is based on the interview with Mr. FUNG Pik-chi James, Lecturer of the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering conducted by Nicole Chan, 2004-05 PolyU Student Ambassador and Year 2 student of Higher Diploma in Nursing April 2005

2. Special Features of the Restructured BEng(Hons) in Civil Engineering • Equips students with knowledge in both civil and environmental engineering. • Offers both sandwich study mode ( 4 years) and full-time study mode (3 years) for students to choose according to their needs. • In the final year of study, students can select a particular stream, such as structural or environmental, that they desire to concentrate on according to their own interest.

3. Special Features of the Restructured BEng(Hons) in Civil Engineering (Con’t) Uniqueness:- • The only undergraduate programme in Hong Kong that provides unique environmental subjects for civil engineering study. • The only university that provides a sandwich study mode for such discipline.

4. Characteristics of the Sandwich Mode • After completing year 2, students can choose to switch to the sandwich mode and work in the local industry for 11 months in year 3 before returning to the university and pursuing year 4. • The 11 months of industrial training are arranged by the department. Students will work with civil engineering consultants in construction companies or government departments.

5. Characteristics of the Sandwich Mode (Con’t) • 11 months of industrial training: ~ offers a precious opportunity for students to blend their academic knowledge into actual activities and gain deeper and thorough understanding of their knowledge through the process. ~ Allows students to experience working obstacles they will face in future.

6. Advantages of 11 Months of Industrial Training for Sandwich Mode • Enables students to practise their problem-solving skills for actual problems/cases encountered in the work environment. • Throughout the training, students will come to realize their own weaknesses for improvements before they graduate.

7. Advantages of 11 Months of Industrial Training for Sandwich Mode (Con’t) • Students will have a chance to improve their communication skills, English language and report writing skills under the industrial trainers’ guidance. • The 11 months of training help students to become even more mature and bridge them to adapt to work upon graduation. • Students will have accumulated nearly a year’s work experience that will benefit them when seeking employment upon graduation.

8. Advantages of 11 Months of Industrial Training for Sandwich Mode (Con’t) • Students can handle their final year design project easier because they can effectively tackle the problem using the analytical skills learned during the 11-month industrial training. • Students in general show improvement in their academic performance after the 11-month industrial training.

9. Characteristics of the Full-time Study Mode • Students can graduate 1 year earlier than those taking the sandwich mode, and thus will start their careers earlier in the society. • Students will have 8 weeks of summer training outside campus before continuing to study in year 3.

10. Relevance to the Demands and Needs of Industrial and Commercial Markets • In the ever-changing modern world, many construction works involve pollution problems. • So, there is a great need for civil engineers who can incorporate environmental considerations into their projects for the betterment of the world and the people living in it. • Only PolyU‘s civil engineering programmes incorporate some fundamental environmental subjects in the programme curriculum, equipping fresh graduates with a sound knowledge in solving pollution problems associated with construction works.

11. Opportunities Provided for Students • This programme offers an exchange scheme, which allows students to study in other universities. • Also, overseas jobs are available for students to apply. • The department cooperates with mainland universities to create more opportunities for summer jobs to students. • Field visits and practical site investigations are available for students throughout their study.

12. Opportunities Provided for Students (Con’t) • Group Design Projects are available for final year students. Students will participate in real-life projects assigned by outside senior practitioners. Students will work together with academic staff to come up with practical designs.

13. Opportunities Provided for Students (Con’t) • Besides outside training, all Year 1 students will have 8 weeks’ practical training on campus in the Industrial Centre during summer to build up a practical foundation.

14. The Strengths of this Programme • The department has its own dedicated computer room for the use of civil engineering students. • Specialised laboratories for different practical subjects are available to facilitate students to conduct their final year projects and academic research.

15. The Strengths of this Programme (Con’t) • Different types of laboratories: ~ Heavy Structures Laboratory ~ Soil Mechanics Laboratory ~ Odor Laboratory (only available at PolyU) ~ Air Lab equipped with an unique indoor air quality chamber, etc. • Seminars given by visiting professionals. • Coursework activities and trainings at the on-campus Industrial Centre supplement students’ learning.

16. Students’ Career Prospects • The programme paves the way for students to become graduate engineers. • Graduate engineers will be employed in both public and private sectors including: a) Government ~ Civil Engineering Department ~ Highways Department ~ Water Supplies Department ~ Drainage Service Department

17. Students’ Career Prospects (Con’t) b) Civil and Structural Engineering consultants and contractors ~ General Building Design and Construction ~ Design and Construction of Highways and Bridges ~ Site Supervision of Projects ~ Geotechnical Engineering Design and Construction ~ Design and Planning of Transportation System

18. Professional Recognition of Graduates • Graduates of the programme will be recognized as graduate members of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) who are eligible to apply to sit for the professional examinations for obtaining a professional license. • Graduates having accumulated 3 years’ design and site experiences in the civil engineering discipline can become corporate members of HKIE after satisfying the examination requirements of the professional examination for corporate members.

19. Expectations of Potential Applicants • Applicants must have a science background; • With good grades in mathematics and science subjects such as Physics.

20. Hope this slide show can give you a better insight into our BEng(Hons) in Civil Engineering programme Thank you!