HNC Construction and the Built Environment (Building Services Engineering)
Welcome to Building Services Engineering
This is a programme to address the national skills shortage within the field of building services engineering and specifically for plumbing/heating engineers and electricians. It is an excellent opportunity to gain both a qualification and skills within a challenging and rewarding discipline. There are a number of career paths and many job prospects both locally, nationally and internationally.
The programme will provide broad based core studies which will develop skills and knowledge to manage, design and install building services engineering systems. Optional modules will develop specialist pathways particularly in Electrical Installation and Mechanical Services Engineering.
Course IntroductionModulesEntry RequirementsGraduate CareersAdditional
Your profile
You are ambitious, motivated and have an interest in design. You are analytical, enjoy problem-solving and want to explore your opportunities in the building services sector.
Your subject
Building Services Engineers play a vital role in the design, installation and maintenance of buildings and structures. They influence architecture and play a significant part in the sustainability and energy demands of a building; making them essential to the construction process. As concern for the environment grows, so too does the need for construction graduates. Across the world, buildings account for over half of all carbon emissions; meaning Building Services Engineers are vital in combating global climate change. Growth in renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies and energy management has led to the demand for new roles within the sector, creating many opportunities for new graduates to take advantage of.
Your course
You will be at the cutting-edge of designing, developing and managing new technologies that help to reduce the carbon emissions of a building. You will explore issues relating to renewable energy, sustainability and energy management. You will develop skills and knowledge to manage, design and install Building Services Engineering systems. Units delivered throughout will cover a vast array of key skills and subjects, including science, maths, principles of heating services, principles of alternative energy, principles of air conditioning design and installation, amongst other units that are vital to the industry and the development of your key skills. This programme is designed in conjunction with industry professionals and professional bodies to deliver a broad-based education and understanding in electrical building services and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning routes.
Your future
Upon graduation, you will leave with the skills, knowledge, qualification and confidence to ensure you have a thriving career in the construction industry. You will benefit from the use of freshly developed transferable skills, such as the abilities to problem-solve and work well as part of a team while remaining self-proficient. You will join other successful University Centre Colchester construction graduates who have gone on to become facilities managers or project installation managers for private contractors or within large public organisations, such as the National Health Service (NHS).
Undergraduate courses operate on a modular basis that provides flexibility and choice. Each module is worth a specified number of credits, with most modules counting for 20 or 40 academic credits (depending on the programme), with each credit taken equating to a total amount of study time which includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.
Most full-time students will take modules worth 60 credits per semester, with part-time students taking proportionately fewer credits per semester. A total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits are needed for an honours degree as a whole. Overall grades for the course and degree classification are based on the marks obtained for modules taken at levels 5 and 6.
Our teaching is informed by research, professional practice and industry engagement and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline.
You will be expected to hold a Level 3 qualification in your occupational area, such as a City & Guilds 2330 Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology, a City & Guilds 6129 Plumbing or other equivalent qualification, as well as a minimum of two years’ experience in the relevant industry.
*UCAS Tariff points where shown, are for entry on to higher education programmes starting from September 2024.
International applicants
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.0, with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking), or an equivalent English Language qualification.
Additional requirements for International Students:
- You must provide evidence of having been in general education for at least 10 years and of having studied within the last five years
- a face-to-face interview is required before an offer is made.
Our graduates who do not go on to further study, go on to a wide range of careers with in the construction industry. These career sectors include, but are not limited to, construction (supervising and operations), design (residential and commercial), electrical technology, building control, building surveyor, restoration and estimator.
Design: Designing layouts and requirements for building services for residential or commercial developments.
Construction: Supervising the construction of the building services, commissioning systems and ongoing maintenance and operation of services.
Environmental: Developing new energy saving methods for construction, designing new and improved energy conservation systems for buildings.
Plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC): Specialising in the design, development, construction and operation of HVAC systems.
Electrical technology: Specialising in the design and development of electrical systems required for the safe and energy sustaining operation of buildings.
Timetables: Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week.
Teaching and Learning: You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and practicals. Seminars enable smaller group discussions to develop understanding of topics covered in lectures.
When not attending lectures, seminars and practicals or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-directed study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, learning zone or technical learning resources, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations
Assessment: The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.
There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and your final year major project. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.
Feedback: You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.
Disclaimer
All Fees and prices shown on the website are for courses starting in the 2023-24 academic year and are correct at the time of entering/printing information, however these may be subject to change. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.
The course information describes programmes offered by University Centre Colchester at Colchester Institute. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract.
The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. University Centre Colchester at Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors.
