Engineering: mechanics, materials, design
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| 7 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| Examination | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
Engineering is about extending society’s horizons by solving technical problems – from meeting basic needs for food and shelter to generating wealth by trade. Engineers prefer to see difficulties as challenges or opportunities – they appear to be solving problems, but they’re actually creating solutions: an altogether more imaginative activity. In exploring how technical solutions are created, this course combines the mechanics of solids and fluids with the structure and properties of materials. It includes aspects of engineering analysis, design, and modelling methods, using appropriate mathematical software. Analytical, communication, and learning skills are developed in a context that provides grounding for higher-level, more specialised study.
Course content
The course is based around six themes: the nature of problems, static structures, dynamics, energy, endurance and human factors. Study is arranged in six blocks, one for each theme.
The opening block develops a view of engineering problems as challenges and opportunities for technical people. The creation of solutions calls for a clear analysis of what is to be done and an appreciation of how to establish an understanding of the task in hand. It is important to be able to identify how and where to find the necessary knowledge and skills.
Providing shelter was one of the earliest challenges faced by civilisations. The study of static structures in Block 2 is based on building things so that they don’t fall down. The analytical methods developed here have wider applicability to all static, load-bearing structures. The third block looks at a variety of mechanisms that are at the heart of machines; it also considers how those machines use power to do useful things, from cleaning your teeth to operating a commercial airliner. Behind all our activities as humans is a thirst for energy. Electrical energy is considered in Block 4 as a resource that is essential to modern life – so what happens if we all want to switch on at once? Hydroelectricity is one solution and it involves fluids, not only in the pipes but also in the bearings. The fifth block examines the durability of our technical solutions. Having made structures and devices that provide some useful function, it is in our interests to know about the factors that limit their useful life, whether it be overload, corrosion or merely fashion.
The course closes with the Human Factors theme. We can survive only in narrow ranges of temperature, pressure, air composition, acceleration and so on, yet we expect to be able to plunge to the depths of the ocean, to fly through the air and to travel out into space. The ultimate solutions to find are those that enable us to continue to extend our horizons while staying within the limits of survivability. (To boldly go …)
Associated residential school course
The 10-point residential school course Engineering in action (TXR220) supports the academic aims of this course. It might be appropriate to take the two in the same year, if you feel you can cope with that amount of study (70 points). If you decide to attend the residential school, you must register for TXR220 separately, for which an additional fee is payable.
Entry
T207 is a Level 2 course and you need a good knowledge of the subject area, obtained either from Level 1 study with the OU, for example Engineering the future (T173), or from equivalent work at another university.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
It is assumed that you have the mathematical competencies provided by study of a course such as Using mathematics (MST121), and that you have a familiarity with the broad base of engineering as would be obtained from studying Engineering the future (T173).
Qualifications
T207 is a compulsory course in our
- Foundation Degree in Materials Fabrication and Engineering (G18)
- Diploma of Higher Education in Materials Fabrication and Engineering (E56)
T207 is an optional course in our
- BSc (Honours) Technology (B20)
- Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (B24)
- BSc (Honours) Physical Science (B27)
- BSc (Honours) Secondary Education in Physics (B56)
- Diploma in Physical Science (E04)
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it can help to weight your degree towards a BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Large print versions of the course material can be provided on request. You will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer and the internet. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, DVD, online forum and course website.
You will need
A calculator.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you can use an Apple Mac or Linux computer if you can run Windows using Boot Camp or similar.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. It is expected that the majority of the tutorials will take place online. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where your tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You can choose whether to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) on paper or online through the eTMA system. You may want to use the eTMA system for some of your assignments but submit on paper for others. This is entirely your choice.
One of the TMAs is formative. Assessment is an essential part of the teaching, so you are expected to complete it all. But if you unavoidably miss or do badly in an assignment, the course allows you a ‘substitution score’, for four of the six assignments. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
These are the details for the course that starts in February 2010. We expect it to be available once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Engineering and Technology and Science.
Study explained
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- Study explained
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Student Reviews
This was my second course with the OU after completing S104. Big difference between the courses alright, but it is ...
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Yep good all round useful engineering course it covers a lot of ground but is manageable. Math knowledge is a ...
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