KB7069 - Research Project

You will be guided through a process of individual reflection where both what you learn and how you learn will be documented, and the learning journey will be supported by supervisor feedback through regular meetings. During the project you will use your research and critical evaluation skills to investigate an engineering problem and design a methodology for continued investigation of the topic through your team activities and therefore organisational tools will be provided for planning, recording and sharing through the eLP. Fundamentally the process of undertaking this project offers the mechanism for experiential learning.

During this independent research project, support for your learning will be provided by an academic mentor who will provide regular guidance and where appropriate engagement with the relative research group within the department. Professional support staff, such as Ask4Help, provide the first point of contact for a range of queries, including, for example, those concerning assessment submission, late submission/extensions, and other administrative issues.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

MLO1. Select and critically evaluate technical literature and other sources of information to solve complex problems. (M4)


Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

MLO2. Select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques to model complex problems, discussing the limitations of the techniques employed. (M3)



MLO3. Use a risk management process to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks (the effects of uncertainty) associated with a particular project or activity. (M9)



MLO4. Design solutions for complex problems that evidence some originality and meet a combination of societal, user, business and customer needs as appropriate. (M5)



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):


MLO5. Apply creativity and curiosity to formulate and analyse complex problems to reach substantiated conclusions. (M2)

MLO6. Identify and analyse ethical concerns and make reasoned ethical choices informed by professional codes of conduct. (M8)

MLO7. Communicate effectively on complex engineering matters with technical and non-technical audiences, evaluating the effectiveness of the methods used. (M17)

Formative Assessment

Formative feedback on your project progress will be provided through weekly meetings with your project mentor.

Summative Assessment


The approval of the research project topic requires it to be within the scope of their named programme route (e.g. Engineering Management, Mechanical Engineering, and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technology).



There are 3 summative assessment components in this module:


Component 1. A pass/fail assessment requires the completion and approval of mandatory project planning documents that will partially meet MLOs 3 and 6.


Component 2. A dissertation report (10,000 words or equivalent) that will be assessed against all MLOs.

Component 3. An oral presentation (10 to 20 Min or equivalent) with question-and-answer session, that will be assessed against MLO 7, and partially meet MLOs 1, 3, 4, and 5.


Feedback will be provided electronically through the eLP within 20 working days of the date of submission.

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This module is the culmination of your postgraduate programme; it provides an extended opportunity for you to bring together your specialist knowledge and skills within a engineering and technology research project aligned with the core principles of your programme subject area. You will be given the opportunity to demonstrate the high-level skills that will enhance your employability and prepare you for lifelong learning. The research project will have a topic of your choice subject to approval, and you will be involved in the design and development of technical solutions to a complex problem before delivering a critical analysis of the solution.



The approval of the research project topic requires it to be within the scope of their named programme route (e.g. Engineering Management, Mechanical Engineering, and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technology). Upon successful completion, you will be able to demonstrate an ability to conduct research and organize the findings into a comprehensive formal original research report. This will require you to critically evaluate your contribution to current knowledge and understanding of your chosen topic area.