Faculty of Engineering

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

MSc
Environmental Engineering
Cluster

Student Handbook
2023-24
Contents

Welcome to the College ...................................................................................................... 1

Our Principles ..................................................................................................................... 2
Welcome from the Graduate School .................................................................................. 3
The Graduate School .......................................................................................................... 4
1. Introduction to the Department ................................................................................... 5
2. Programme Information............................................................................................. 13
3. Assessment ................................................................................................................ 22
4. Examinations .............................................................................................................. 30
5. Plagiarism ................................................................................................................... 32
6. Board of Examiners ................................................................................................... 37
7. Location and Facilities............................................................................................... 38
8. Working While Studying ............................................................................................ 43
9. Health and Safety ....................................................................................................... 44
10. College Policies and Procedures .............................................................................. 47
11. Wellbeing, Support and Advice ................................................................................. 51
12. Student Administration.............................................................................................. 56
13. Work-Life Balance ...................................................................................................... 57
14. Student feedback and representation ...................................................................... 58
15. Student Surveys ......................................................................................................... 59
16. After Your MSc ........................................................................................................... 60
17. Appendix A: Monitoring Your Attendance ............................................................... 61
18. Appendix B: Cheating Offences ................................................................................ 64
19. Appendix C: Cover Sheets ........................................................................................ 65
20. Appendix D: Map of South Kensington Campus ..................................................... 67
21. Appendix E: Health and Safety Booklet.................................................................... 68
Welcome to the College

Congratulations on joining Imperial

College London, the only university in
the UK to focus exclusively on science,
medicine, engineering and business.

From Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin to

Gabor’s invention of holography, Imperial
has been changing the world for well
over 100 years.

You’re now very much a part of this

community of discovery and we hope
you will take this opportunity to make
your own unique contribution. At
Imperial, we expect all members of our
community, whether students or staff, to
share and demonstrate our values of
respect, integrity, collaboration,
innovation and excellence in all we do
and strive to achieve.

The College provides a dedicated

support network and a range of specialist
support services to make sure you have
access to the appropriate help, whether
that’s further training in an academic skill
like note taking or simply having someone to talk to.

You’ll have access to an innovative range of professional development courses within our
Graduate School throughout your time here, as well as opportunities to meet students from
across the College at academic and social events – see page 6 for more information.

We actively encourage you to seek out help when you need it and try to maintain a healthy
work-life balance. Our choice of over 360 clubs, societies and projects is one of the largest
of any UK university, making it easy to do something different with your downtime. Access to
the gym and other sporting facilities will be dependent on government guidance. We are
working to ensure that you have access to a variety of resources online to support your
health and wellbeing if there are restrictions.

As one of the best universities in the world, we are committed to inspiring the next
generation of scientists, engineers, clinicians and business leaders by continuing to share
the wonder of what we do through public engagement events. Postgraduate students,
alongside our academics and undergraduate students, make a significant contribution to
events such as our annual Imperial Festival and our term-time Imperial Fringe events – if
you’re interested in getting involved then there will be opportunities for you to do so.

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Our Principles
In 2012 the College and Imperial College Union agreed ‘Our Principles’. This series of
commitments was developed by academic and support staff in partnership with
undergraduate and postgraduate students and Imperial college Union.

Imperial will provide through its staff:

• A world class education embedded in a research environment
• Advice, guidance and support
• The opportunity for students to contribute to the evaluation and development of
programmes and services

Imperial will provide students with:

• Clear programme information and assessment criteria
• Clear and fair academic regulations, policies and procedures
• Details of full programme costs and financial support
• An appropriate and inclusive framework for study, learning and research

Imperial students should:

• Take responsibility for managing their own learning
• Engage with the College to review and enhance provision
• Respect, and contribute to, the Imperial community

The Imperial College Students' Union will:

• Support all students through the provision of independent academic and welfare
assistance
• Encourage student participation in all aspects of the College
• Provide a range of clubs, societies, student-led projects and social activities
throughout the year
• Represent the interests of students at local, national and international level

www.imperial.ac.uk/students/our-principles

2
Welcome from the Graduate School

Welcome to Imperial College London and the Graduate School!

The Graduate School is responsible for the postgraduate experience at the College and we
work closely with Imperial College Union to ensure that when decisions are being made,
which affect your time at Imperial, your voice is heard.

Another important aspect of our role is to offer you a free and exciting range of professional
development opportunities which you can access wherever you are in the world.

Our team of tutors have a variety of research and other career experiences. We understand
the importance of developing professional skills and our programmes will help you to
progress in your academic studies and research and will prepare you for your future career.
Whether you wish to pursue a career in academia, industry or something completely
different, professional development training will improve your personal impact. You will also
get to meet students from other Departments when attending our courses.

The Graduate School runs exciting competitions throughout the year which are an
opportunity to broaden your knowledge as well as to meet other students and have fun.

Our primary way to communicate with you will be through our monthly e-newsletter and our
weekly professional skills email bulletins. However, do check our website, blog and social
media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest activities available to you.

Finally, Imperial College is an extremely exciting, stimulating and diverse environment in

which to work, to study and to research. Do make the most of all that the College and your
programme has to offer.

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The Graduate School
You automatically become a member of the Graduate School when you register as a
postgraduate student at Imperial.
The Graduate School has been set up to support all postgraduate students at the College
through:

 Training and development courses and

retreats
 Networking activities, social and
academic events to encourage cross-
disciplinary interactions
 Forums to represent the views of
postgraduate students throughout the
College

‘Masterclass’ professional skills courses

You can see the full range of free professional
skills courses for postgraduate students on the
Graduate School website: All courses can be
booked online.
Contact us
Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 1383
[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/

4
 1. Introduction to the Department

Welcome from Head of Department

It is with great pleasure that I welcome our returning and new students. I hope you had a
restful, rejuvenating, and enjoyable break. Your Department is absolutely committed to
giving you excellent education and all-round experience in a safe, secure, convivial, and
conducive environment that will allow you to maximise your potential. Your Health, Safety
and Well-being (HSW) are of paramount importance to us, and I ask you to take great
care to follow our HSW guidance that will be availed to you.
You will be studying alongside some of the brightest and most motivated students from
around the world, taught and supported by exceptional and internationally leading
academic, professional/administrative and technical staff. A strength of our Department,
and the College as a whole, is its diversity (including nationality and culture with well over
50 nationalities represented in our Department alone). The Department embraces and
practices the College's Core Values that guide our behaviour and shape our working
environment: Respect, Collaboration, Excellence, Integrity and Innovation.
I wish you the very best in all your endeavours in the coming year. I look forward to
meeting you in person.
Professor Washington Yotto Ochieng
EBS, FREng, CEng, BSc, MSc, PhD, DSc (hc), CEng, FICE, FRIN, FCInstCES, FCIHT

Welcome from the Environmental Engineering MSc Course Director

I would like to extend a warm welcome to you all as you join the MSc programme in
Environmental Engineering under the direction of the Environmental and Water Resources
Engineering Section (EWRE) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at
Imperial College London.
The Environmental Engineering programme is a vocational programme, central to which are
the concepts of sustainability and delivery of engineered solutions to conserve resources
and protect the environment and human health. The history of the programme has its origins
in Public Health Engineering established as a postgraduate programme in 1950. On joining
the programme, you will become part of a long tradition of alumni of several hundred
graduates who have benefited from the teaching and training delivered by the Section.
EWRE is one of the largest and most active sections within the Department with an
extensive and diverse portfolio of research, and one that plays a leading role in national and
international research activities, providing advice and guidance to UK and overseas
governments, international agencies and industry.
The Environmental Engineering MSc programme provides, for both engineers and scientists,
a rigorous treatment of the fundamental principles and practices of assessing and protecting
the environment and human health. The programme deals with major topics in the provision
of environmental services such as water supply, wastewater treatment, municipal solid
waste and hazardous waste management, and resource conservation and recovery as
applied to both developed and developing countries. The multidisciplinary nature of
Environmental Engineering is reflected in the staff involved in the programme, whose
backgrounds include chemistry, biology, statistics, geology, materials, and medicine, as well
as civil engineering.

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Distinctive features of this programme include its broad coverage of problems and issues
concerned with the supply of clean water, sustainable resource management and pollution
control; a clear focus on providing the underlying science and technology to develop and
understand engineering solutions to these problems; practical lab-based training in analytical
techniques to measure key parameters and detect pollutants in environmental media, and
opportunities to carry out research in key areas of environmental engineering as part
of national and international research projects.
The MSc programme is accredited by The Joint Board of Moderators (JBM), and the Subject
Threads of Sustainability, Design, and Health & Safety are embedded in modules that make
up the taught programme, the individual and group design projects, and the individual
research projects.
The programme is structured in three parts. The taught component of the programme is
delivered in two parts during the Autumn and Spring terms, with the teaching supported by
an extensive contribution from industry and business practitioners as well as overseas
academics. In the Autumn term you will acquire core knowledge in topics of fundamental
importance in environmental engineering, whereas in the Spring term the course content is
more applied and shows how your core knowledge can be used to address environmental
engineering challenges and problems. The emphasis in the Summer term is on
examinations in the first two weeks of the term, followed by a four-month individual research
project when you will use the knowledge you have acquired in the taught programme to
tackle a challenging research project in a specific area of interest under the direct
supervision of a member of academic staff, and in many cases, supported by an industrial
sponsor. Throughout the programme there are many opportunities for you to work on your
own as well as part of a team in group work; experiences which test your communication,
leadership, and interpersonal skills, as well as your technical competence, time and project
management skills.
Assessment of the taught Modules is one of three methods: written examination only,
coursework only, or a combination of written examination and coursework. There are two
formal examination periods (i) at the start of the Spring term when modules taught in the
Autumn term will be assessed, and (ii) at the start of the Summer term when modules
taught in the Spring term will be assessed.
Delivery of your programme this academic year will be in-person. If at any stage during the
year we must revert to online delivery, we wish to assure you that we have the experience
and procedures in place to ensure you will enjoy a dynamic and interactive experience. It
remains our goal that you will receive a first-rate educational experience during your time
with us.
The diversity of backgrounds, nationalities, and degree disciplines of your fellow students, all
with a common goal, through this vocational programme – to add value to their first degree –
will give you a unique enriching experience, and an opportunity to create lifelong friendships
for the future.
I take this opportunity on behalf of the staff in EWRE to wish you all a stimulating, rewarding
and enjoyable year at Imperial.
Professor Sue Grimes

6
Welcome from the Hydrology and Water Resources Management MSc Course
Director
I would like to add my welcome to you all and especially to those on the Hydrology and
Water Resources Management MSc. This programme has a long and distinguished history
and when you complete it you become part of a long tradition of alumni who are now playing
important roles in water resource management, environmental protection, and hydrological
research in the UK and throughout the world. The programme was first established in 1955
as Engineering Hydrology and was the vision of our first cluster director, Professor Peter
Wolf. Over the following years its reputation and scope increased and in the early nineties
the programme name was changed to Hydrology for Environmental Management, reflecting
the increasing importance of hydrology on the behaviour of the natural environment. The
current name dates from 2009 and emphasises the increasing importance of water in food
production, environmental sustainability, and ecosystems services. As we progress through
the 21st century, the challenges we face from a growing world population and a changing
climate are immense and water is at the heart of these. Whether it is in protecting people
and infrastructure from the devastating impacts from flooding, managing the quality of water
in the natural environment or minimising and preventing the ravages of drought. This
programme will provide you with the understanding of the processes the control water, the
ways we can model these and how we can use such models in management and decisions
making.
The MSc programme is accredited by The Joint Board of Moderators (JBM), and the Subject
Threads of Sustainability, Design, and Health & Safety are embedded in modules that make
up the taught programme, the individual and group design projects, and the individual
research projects.
The programme is structured in three parts. The Autumn term focuses on core knowledge
of hydrological processes, measurement, and analysis, whereas the Spring term is more
applied and shows how your core knowledge can be used to address water-related
challenges and problems. As well as lectures from staff within the Department, you will also
benefit from industrial experts with whom we collaborate and who are keen to share their
knowledge and expertise with you. The Summer term comprises a 4-month research
project. This allows you to use the knowledge you have acquired through the taught
programme to explore and research a specific area of interest under the direct supervision of
academic staff, and in many cases, supported by an industrial sponsor.
Assessment of the taught Modules is one of three methods: written examination only,
coursework only, or a combination of written examination and coursework. There are two
formal examination periods (i) at the start of the Spring term when modules taught in the
Autumn term will be assessed, and (ii) at the start of the Summer term when modules
taught in the Spring term will be assessed.
Delivery of your programme this academic year will be in-person. If at any stage during the
year we are required to revert to online delivery, we wish to assure you that we have the
experience and procedures in place to ensure you will enjoy a dynamic and interactive
experience. It remains our goal that you will receive a first-rate educational experience
during your time with us.
Throughout the programme there are many opportunities for you to work on your own as
well as part of a team in group work; experiences which test your communication,
interpersonal and leadership capabilities, along with your technical competence, and time
and project management skills. One of the key features of the programme, and often a major

7
highlight for those who have attended, is the diversity of backgrounds and nationalities of
your fellow students. You will also find yourself part of a group with a variety of first degrees
in science and engineering. This sharing of backgrounds and cultures will help enrich your
experience on the programme and can provide lifelong friendships.
So, on behalf of our staff in the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Section, I
wish you a stimulating and productive year at Imperial.
Professor Adrian Butler

8
Academic and Administrative staff
Judith Barritt SKEM 230
Environmental Engineering MSc 020 7594 5967
Cluster and EWRE Section [email protected]
Administrator
Professor Adrian Butler SKEM 232
Hydrology and Water Resources 020 7594 6122
Management MSc Cluster Director, [email protected]
and Professor of Subsurface http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.butler
Hydrology
Professor Wouter Buytaert SKEM 403A 020
Professor of Hydrology & 7594 1329
Water Resources [email protected]
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/w.buytaert
Dr Geoff Fowler SKEM 413
Senior Research Fellow 020 7594 5973
and Departmental Safety [email protected]
Officer http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/g.fowler
Professor Sue Grimes SKEM 233
Environmental Engineering MSc 020 7594 5966
Cluster Director, and RAEng [email protected]
Professor of Waste and Resource http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/s.grimes
Management
Kaisheri Guthrie-Fenty SKEM 507
Analytical Chemistry 020 7594 5993
Laboratory Technician [email protected]

Dr Po-Heng (Henry) Lee SKEM 310A 020

Senior Lecturer in 7594 5993
Wastewater Engineering [email protected]
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/po-heng.lee
Celia Lima SKEM 507
Chemical Laboratory Technician 020 7594 5970
[email protected]

Professor Cedo Maksimovic SKEM 404

Professorial Research Fellow 020 7594 6013
[email protected]

Dr Ana Mijic SKEM 310B 020

Reader in Water Systems Integration 7594 3796
[email protected]
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/ana.mijic

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Dr Christian Onof SKEM 410
Reader in Stochastic 020 7594 6006
Environmental Systems [email protected]
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/c.onof
Dr Athanasios Paschalis SKEM 407
Senior Lecturer in Hydrology 020 7594 6004
[email protected]
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/a.paschalis

Professor Stephen Smith SKEM 232

Head of Section (Environmental and 020 7594 6051
Water Resources Engineering), [email protected]
Professor of Bioresource Systems https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/s.r.smith

Dr Ivan Stoianov SKEM 408

Reader in Water Systems Engineering 020 7594 6035
[email protected]
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/ivan.stoianov

Professor Michael Templeton SKEM 303

Professor of Public Health Engineering 020 7594 6099
[email protected]
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/m.templeton

Yamini Chikhlia SKEM 118

Postgraduate Office Administrator 020 7594 5932
[email protected]

Angela Frederick SKEM 118

Postgraduate Office Administrator 020 7594 6123
[email protected]

Melanie Hargreaves SKEM 118

Postgraduate Office Administrator 020 7594 5931
[email protected]

10
English language requirement
If you are not a native English speaker you must meet the College’s English language
requirements.
See the Admissions website for details:
www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english
For information on English language support available while you’re here, see section 11.

Attendance and absence

Attendance during taught elements of your studies shall be in-person. There is no provision
for remote study under the student immigration rules. Remote study is the direct teaching of
students who are not in the UK through online lectures/classes.

You must inform your Cluster Administrator if you are absent from College, and, if you are
absent from College for more than three days during term you must also inform the Senior
Tutor for Postgraduate Taught Courses (Senior Tutor PGT). If the absence is due to illness,
you must produce a medical certificate after seven consecutive days. If you miss an
examination or the deadline for any other assessment (including lab work, in class tests,
coursework or presentations) due to illness or other unforeseeable and unavoidable
circumstance you must follow the College’s Mitigating Circumstances Policy and Procedure.
Please note that all claims for mitigation must be submitted within 10 working days of the
examination or assessment deadline. If you are unable to provide evidence at the time you
must submit the claim and indicate what evidence will follow and when it can be provided.
Claims without evidence will normally be rejected. Please see the section on mitigation
below.

The Registry will be informed of all student non-attendances as the College is obliged to
report the non-attendance of students on Tier 4/Student Route visas to the Home Office.

If you do not engage satisfactorily with your studies, the College will consider what action is
necessary to support your continued study under the Unsatisfactory Engagement Policy:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/regulations/2022x2f23/Unsatisfactory-
Engagement-Policy-and-Procedure.pdf

11
Key dates 2023–24
Term dates
Autumn term: 30 September 2023 – 15 December 2023
Spring term: 6 January 2024 – 22 March 2024
Summer term: 27 April 2024 – 28 June 2024

Late Summer term: 29 June 2024 – 30 September 2024

Closure dates
Christmas/New year: 23 December 2023 - 1 January 2024
(College reopens on 2 January 2024)
Easter Holiday: 28 March 2024 – 2 April 2024
(College reopens on 3 April 2024)
Early May Bank Holiday: 6 May 2024
Spring Bank Holiday: 27 May 2024
Summer Bank Holiday: 26 August 2024

Key events
Great Exhibition Road Festival: 15 June 2024 – 16 June 2024

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 2. Programme Information

Programme overview
The Environmental MSc programmes within the Civil & Environmental Engineering
Department are offered as two streams (i) Environmental Engineering and (ii)
Hydrology and Water Resources Management.
The aims of our suite of MSc courses are to:
 Attract very able engineers, scientists, and related professionals from around
the world by offering in-depth courses that focus on particular specialist areas
and develop and extend students’ knowledge, professional skills and research
experience.
 Meet the expectations of industry and academia, preparing graduates for
professional or research careers in the UK and overseas, developing curricula
that evolve to match the subjects’ changing requirements.
 Advance understanding of the underlying engineering science and practical
techniques that underpin engineering.
 Provide teaching and learning that is informed by research and practice at the
forefront of academic or professional disciplines.
 Provide an opportunity for students to show originality in the application of
knowledge, and an understanding of how the boundaries of that knowledge
are advanced through research.
 Develop students’ ability to deal with complex issues both systematically and
creatively, demonstrating originality in tackling and solving problems.
 Engender the qualities needed for employment in circumstances requiring
sound judgement, personal responsibility, and initiative, in complex and
unpredictable professional environments.
 Meet the career needs of students seeking specialist employment in
engineering, addressing the skills needs of their potential employers.
 Provide students with a solid technical basis in the key areas of the
engineering profession through delivery of a coherent, coordinated, and
balanced degree programme, integrating core engineering science with
practical application.
 Enable students to acquire a mature appreciation of the context in which
engineering projects are developed within the industry.
 Develop our students’ excellence in oral and written communication, and
poster presentations.
 Provide students with sufficient material to explore the subject, to carry out
self- organised study, and to think about the issues and challenges of the
material, in preparation for professional practice.

13
Programme structure
The full-time programme is taken over 12 months, with a single-entry point per year
at the beginning of October.

Programme delivery
Modules will be delivered through a series of lectures through multimode delivery,
although teaching methods will vary between individual modules. Other teaching
methods employed may include tutorials, group discussions, group work, computer
laboratory sessions, practical work delivered through video training, and others
depending on the member of academic staff responsible. Some lectures will be
delivered by visiting academics or industry professionals, where appropriate.

Computer requirements
All incoming MSc students are required to have a laptop computer for their
Environmental Engineering MSc cluster programmes. As part of the MSc
programme, students will receive the latest versions of the following software: Matlab
(Mathworks), MathType (Design Science), Microsoft Office.
As part of your projects, you might be asked to use the free software (Q-GIS, Python
and R). As some of the software we use only runs under MS Windows, Windows
emulation software (such as Bootcamp) is needed for those of you with Macbooks.

Submission of coursework
Coursework submissions will be online and details on submission will be provided by
the setter.
Submitting Coursework
MSc coursework will be set with a due date and time, and specific submission
information will be made available to students. All coursework during the 2023/2024
academic year is to be submitted online only.
If you have difficulties in submitting your coursework, please contact your Cluster
Administrator.

Receiving Marked Coursework

Lecturers should return coursework within three weeks of it being handed in (four, if
this period includes a College vacation). If there is a delay you should consult your
MSc Cluster Administrator.

14
Returned Marked Coursework
Copies of marked coursework will be held by your Cluster Administrator so that
these can be made available for inspection by the External Examiners prior to the
Board of Examiners meeting at the end of the academic session.

Penalties for late submission

Submissions made within 24 hours after the deadline has passed will have the mark
capped at 50%. Submissions made more than 24 hours after the deadline has
passed will receive a mark of zero.

Module descriptors
A full list of all MSc Environmental Engineering Cluster module descriptors can be
found on the following link:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/civil-engineering/prospective-students/postgraduate-
taught-admissions/environmental-engineering-cluster/syllabus/

Research Project – Environmental

The aim of the Research Dissertation (Research Project – Environmental) is to
undertake a specific piece of independent research in the form of a critical review, a
modelling/numerical analysis project, or, where appropriate, a laboratory- or field-
based experimental investigation.
Students will normally be required to work full-time on their Research Dissertation
commencing in the summer term immediately following completion of the MSc
examinations in the summer term through to the end of August.
The deliverables from the Research Project include:
 A Research Paper: which is limited to 12,000 words maximum (excluding
references and appendices)
 A Poster presentation: which describes the project and the research findings
in a visual and graphical manner.

Projects
Below is a list of typical example projects from the Environmental Engineering MSc
Cluster:
 An overview of global and regional initiatives preventing plastics reaching the
oceans
 Occurrences and impacts of microplastics within the freshwater environment

15
 The dichotomy between the Waste Hierarchy and the Circular Economy
 Sustainable Packaging for Alcoholic Beverages – Opportunities and
Challenges
 Regulated bans: Would policies that standardize products transform
recycling?
 Evaluating the viability of establishing container-based sanitation in Freetown
Sierra Leone
 Development of a technical and people-centred conceptual framework to
identify critical interventions to expand waste collection coverage in
underserved communities
 Biomimicry and genetic algorithms: A way forward for optimization of material
recycling facilities
 The role of cobalt in a hydrogen economy
 How satellite imagery helps to extend waste collection in urban-slums
 Biodegradability of plastic packaging manufactured from
polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers
 Technoeconomic assessment of the anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic
biomass and options for biogas utilization in developing countries
 Fungal pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for biogas production by
anaerobic digestion
 Computational modelling of micro-aerated anaerobic digestion using bio-
energetics
 Machine vision for better waste characterization
 Modelling of a modern Material Recovery Facility
 Adsorbent and ion exchange systems for nutrient recovery from wastewater
 Design of safe water-contact infrastructure for Schistosomiasis endemic
regions
 Quantitative risk assessment model for Schistosomiasis
 Faecal sludge treatment: decision-making framework and case study
 Quantification of impacts of ‘Blue-Green Solutions’ on improvement of air
quality in urban areas
 Blue Green Solutions for Integrated Planning of urban river rehabilitation
 Feasibility of biopolymer production in wastewater treatment compared to
standard energy recovery practices from sewage sludge anaerobic digestion
 Bioenzymes recovery from sewage sludge using ultrasound – pilot-scale trial
design
 Potential contribution of the various materials used in tyre manufacture to
global carbon dioxide emissions and sustainability: a literature review
 Machine Learning methods for the analysis of water quality in water supply
networks
 Resilience analysis for water supply networks

16
  Development of a wastewater treatment and reuse recommendation tool for
the city of Bangalore
 The role of rating curve uncertainty in real-time flood forecasting
 Organic contaminant transfer to the food chain from recycling water materials
in agriculture
 Towards a more adaptive water distribution network in Barcelona
 Evaluating the sustainability of primary water collection systems in Egypt
 Mapping high-mountain wetlands in the Peruvian Andes using random
forest classification
 Regionalisation of unit hydrographs to assess the relative impacts of land
cover and land-use on the hydrological response for tropical high-Andean
catchments
 An analysis of the leachate from cigarette filter
 Options for ammonia recovery from wastewater treatment and product
utilization
 Analysis of gaps in existing Nature-based solutions and quantification of their
benefits in Lodz, Poland
 Worm-based sanitation: current developments and challenges to scaling
 Modelling the hydrological responses due to elevated atmospheric CO2 at the
BiFoR FACE
 Modelling residential and non-residential sectors’ energy flow and approaches
to reduce greenhouse gases emissions: a case study in London
 Waste plastic bonded sand as sustainable construction materials in
developing countries
 Application of numerical models to investigate the vertical heterogeneity in the
Chalk aquifer
 Quantifying the capacity of SuDS to offset flooding
 Monitoring the presence and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: the
present and the future
 A rainfall generator for the entire globe
 Estimation of compound hydro-meteorological hazard intensification under a
changing climate
 Effects of climate change and reforestation in the Eden Catchment
using the LISFLOOD model
 Is flood a blessing?
 Potential of hydrams in maximising hydropower output, conserving water
resources, and tidal energy harvesting

Risk assessment forms

For those of you taking a fieldwork or a lab-based project, if permitted for you to do
so, it is compulsory that you complete and submit a risk assessment form.

17
Purely desk-based projects conducted at the College do not need a risk assessment.
See the link below for where to find the form. This must be done on the Safety
Management Site on SharePoint:
https://imperiallondon.sharepoint.com/sites/foe/CivilEng/Healthandsafety/default.asp
x
Please let the General Office know if you have any issues accessing the SharePoint
site.

Supervision arrangements
Research projects will differ in their area of focus, but their role is to challenge the
student to complete an independent piece of research under the direct supervision of
a member of academic staff and may involve supervision from external parties from
other academic institutions and industry. Staff will provide one-on-one support and
students are encouraged to maintain good contact with their supervisor throughout
the period of research. The extent and nature of supervision will vary from one
member of staff to another, so should a student have any difficulty during the course
of their research interfacing with their supervisor they should advise the Cluster
Director or Cluster Administrator as soon as possible.

Timetable
Your timetable will be delivered direct to your Imperial College Outlook calendar.

Reading lists
Each of your modules on Blackboard Learn will include a direct link to the
core and supplementary recommended texts on Leganto, the reading list software.
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-support/reading-lists/

Programme specification
Programme specifications will be located here:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/staff/tools-and-reference/quality-assurance-
enhancement/programme-information/programme-specifications/

Accreditation and professional membership

We would like to encourage you to become a Student or Graduate Member of the
Professional Institutions in your chosen field of study. The following professional

18
bodies are relevant for the Master’s programmes that we are running in the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Further details of our accreditation are to be found at:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/civil-engineering/environmental-engineering/
The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
Student membership is free. http://www.ciwem.org/membership/
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM)
Student membership is free. http://www.ciwm.co.uk/ciwm/membership/
The British Hydrological Society (BHS)
Concessionary fees available to students. http://www.hydrology.org.uk/

Development of professional skills

Professional skills development will be delivered throughout the curriculum in various
forms, including teamwork, problem-solving, applying concepts to real-world
situations, and formal presentations.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/graduate-school/students/masters/professional-
development/

Work opportunities
The Department encourages you to take early advantage of the careers’ education
information and guidance available from the following sources:

 College Careers Advisory Service (Level 5, Sherfield Building), with which you
can book careers appointments, quick interview sessions, skills workshops,
mock interviews, and much more.

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/
 The transferable skills training programme run by the Graduate School.

www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/
 Careers presentations and careers fairs, which occur throughout the autumn
and spring terms. Details are circulated to all students closer to the dates.
 Details of jobs will be posted on the careers sections of the website. New
posts are notified to us throughout the year, so check online regularly:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/about/jobslive/

19
  Specific support for Civil and Environmental Engineering students can be
found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/plan-your-career/what-can-i-
do-with-my-degree/

Additionally, you can contact the Departmental Careers Advisor, Dr Peter Stafford for
further guidance and information: [email protected]

Employability statement
Planning for your future is an important aspect of postgraduate study. At Imperial
you’ll be well-supported by our Careers Service, who are on hand to help in a variety
of ways: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers
Imperial is one of the UK universities most targeted by graduate recruiters who also
play an active role in our career development programme. This provides access to
hundreds of potential employers in a range of settings including industry sector
forums, employer presentations, careers fairs, mock interviews and our one to one
'recruiter-in-residence' sessions.
A large number of employers also advertise their opportunities each year through
JobsLive – our online careers platform, which Imperial students can access from the
first day of term: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/about/jobslive/

Competency statements
See the Department’s MSc competency standards detailing the college's
expectations of students studying all taught programmes in the Faculty of
Engineering: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/civil-engineering/prospective-
students/postgraduate-taught-admissions/competence-standards/

Imperial Mobile app

Don’t forget to download the free Imperial Mobile app for access to College information and
services anytime, anywhere, including your programme timetable, College emails and a
library catalogue search tool.
www.imperial.ac.uk/imperialmobile

Welcome to Imperial app

The College has a Welcome to Imperial app which contains important information about
campus operations, aspects of student life, a schedule of welcome activities and information
about life in halls. All new students should download this guide to ensure they have the most
up to date information and event schedule for the start of term.

You can download the App from the Apple or Google App Stores.

20
Imperial Success Guide
The Imperial Success Guide is an online resource with advice and tips on the transition to
Master’s level study. More than just a study guide, it is packed with advice created especially
for Imperial Master’s students, including information on support, health and well-being and
ideas to help you make the most of London.
www.imperial.ac.uk/success-guide

21
3. Assessment

Within your programme of study you will have different types of assessment which may
include, coursework, examinations, timed remote assessment, presentations, labs or other
forms of practical assessment.

The College has policies and procedures to the support the setting, sitting, marking and
moderation of all assessment. These can be found within the Regulations and College
Policies at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations/
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-
and-assessment/

Criteria for the award of the degree

Award of a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)

To qualify for the award of a postgraduate certificate a student must have a minimum of 30
ECTS credits at Level 7

Award of a Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)

To qualify for the award of a postgraduate diploma a student must have passed modules to
the value of no fewer than 60 credits at Level 7.

1. and no more than 10 ECTS credits as a Compensated Pass;

Award of a Postgraduate Degree (MSc)

To qualify for the award of a postgraduate degree a student must have:
1. accumulated credit to the value of no fewer than 90 credits at level 7;
2. and no more than 10 ECTS credits* as a Compensated Pass;
3. the minimum module mark for which compensation is allowed is 40.00%
4. met any specific requirements for an award as outlined in the approved programme
specification for that award.

*Note: The programme is JBM-accredited and no more than 10 credits as a Compensated

Pass are permitted.

Classification of Postgraduate Taught Awards

The College sets the class of Degree that may be awarded as follows:

1. Distinction: The student has achieved a weighted average mark of 70.00% or above
in the taught aspect of the programme AND 70.00% or above in the dissertation.

2. Merit: The student has achieved a weighted average mark of 60.00% but less than
70.00% in the taught aspect of the programme AND at least 60.00% in the
dissertation.

22
 3. Pass: The student has achieved a weighted average mark of 50.00% but less than
60.00% in the taught aspect of the programme AND at least 50.00% in the
dissertation.

Programme Specification Regulations

In addition to the classification rules set above, the following rules apply:
 Students must normally have no more than 10 ECTS credits below 60.00% to be
awarded a Distinction.
 Students must normally have no more than 10 ECTS credits below 50.00% to be
awarded a Merit.

As a guide, grades should be interpreted as follows:

Mark Grade Comment

85+ A* Outstanding - distinction standard
70-84 A Distinction standard
60-69 B Good
50-59 C Adequate (Pass Level)
The following are subject to discussion by the Board of
Examiners
40-49 D Unsatisfactory/borderline
30-39 E Not satisfactory – may need to be retaken
0-29 F Not satisfactory – may need to be retaken

Criteria: Project work and coursework only

Mark Grade Criteria

85-100 A* Distinction Standard: Outstanding achievement
and presentation beyond the expectation of the
supervisor and making little demand for
supervisory support.
70-84 A Distinction Standard: Excellent work and
presentation; substantial level of independent
enquiry, of critical thought or creative ability.

60-69 B Good: Well organised, clearly presented and

adequately detailed; thorough grasp of relevant
principles; some evidence of independent
enquiry, of critical thought or creative ability;
assessment of alternative solutions, designs or
approaches.

23
 50-59 C Pass: Substantially correct; basic understanding
of relevant principles; some evidence of enquiry;
substantially competent in design, calculation and
organisation; modest evidence of creative or
critical ability; adequately presented; adequate
level of consistent effort.
40-49 D Unsatisfactory/Borderline: Some elements
correct; incomplete understanding of relevant
principles; some competence in routine tasks;
somewhat lacking in presentation or in the
application of consistent effort. Just acceptable.
30-39 E Possibly recoverable: Work displaying little or
no understanding of the relevant principles;
failure to develop an approach that would
achieve the desired outcome; major elements
incorrect. Unacceptable.
0-29 F Not Satisfactory.

Criteria: Dissertations for the Environmental Engineering cluster

MARK RANGE CRITERIA

%

Distinction Standard: Outstanding achievement

and presentation of publishable work for
90 to 100 submission, on its own, to a leading peer-reviewed
journal; evidence of exceptional level of independent
enquiry, critical thought, and creative ability.
Distinction Standard: Excellent work and
presentation; comprehensive level of understanding
80 to 89 and strong evidence of independent enquiry,
critical thought, and creative ability. Novel
contribution to knowledge in the field of study and
presentation of a significant amount of publishable
material towards a peer-reviewed journal.
Distinction Standard: Very good work and
presentation; evidence of substantial level of
independent enquiry, critical thought, and creative
70 to 79 ability; contains a high calibre of presentation of
work and quality of research which, with minor
alterations, has the potential for submission to a
respectable peer-reviewed journal, either on its own
or when combined with other work.

24
 Merit Standard: Well organized, clearly presented
and adequately detailed; thorough grasp of relevant
principles; some evidence of independent enquiry, of
60 to 69
critical thought or creative ability with some
advancement of knowledge in the field of study which
on its own would not be deemed of publishable
quality.
Pass Standard: Evidence of basic understanding of
relevant principles; modest level of enquiry, critical
50 to 59 thought or creative ability; adequately presented
piece of research that demonstrates an adequate
level of consistent effort.
Fail/Unsatisfactory
<50

Mitigating circumstances

If you have a problem or issue affecting your study, coursework, or examinations, you must
ensure that you inform a member of staff immediately, this might be your Cluster Director,
your Cluster Administrator, a member of the administrative staff, or the Senior Tutor (PGT)
as soon as possible. A wide variety of things can be considered in mitigation, from health
issues (physical or mental, acute or chronic) to bereavement or financial hardship.

If something out of your control affects your ability to study or to take assessments, then it
may be considered as a mitigating circumstance.
Process:

 If these circumstances affect examinations or other assessments, you should submit

a mitigating circumstances form to your Department within 10 working days of the
assessment or coursework submission deadline.
 The form must be supported by appropriate documentation, which may follow the
submission of the mitigating circumstances form, if not immediately available.
 Please contact your Cluster Administrator, or the General Office if a problem arises
on the day of an exam.

Submissions will be considered by the Departmental MSc Mitigating Circumstances Board,

further information on which is available at the following:
https://imperiallondon.sharepoint.com/sites/CivilMScStudentHandbook/SitePages/Mitigating-
Circumstances-2022-2023.aspx?csf=1&web=1&e=Dk3y3G

At this link you will find the College Policy on Mitigating Circumstances, the Mitigating
Circumstances claim form, the Departmental Protocol for Extensions requests (applicable
when the Mitigating Circumstances are affecting a course work), the Extensions request
form, the Members of the MSc Mitigating Circumstances Board, and a link to submit your
Mitigating Circumstances claim electronically. At this webpage, you will also find the
presentation done by the Senior Tutor Postgraduate to students, explaining the process.
Please note that your claim will be processed in a strictly confidential manner, and only the

25
Members of the MSc Mitigating Circumstances Board will have access to your claim. If you
need any support prior to submitting the Mitigating Circumstances claim, please feel free to
contact your Cluster Administrator, or the Senior Tutor for Postgraduate Taught Courses (Dr
Adam Jan Sadowski, [email protected]).

For independent support and advice contact the Imperial College Union Advice
Centre: https://www.imperialcollegeunion.org/advice

Please note:

 The Imperial College Health Centre cannot certify an illness if you have not been
seen at the Health Centre during the illness.
 The Imperial College Student Counselling Service can only provide a letter on
request if you already attend counselling.
 The Imperial College Disability Advisory Service can only help students to obtain
appropriate evidence of disability prior to examinations taking place and are not able
to certify for absences due to disability.

Unsatisfactory progress in year

For students not attending or progressing to the satisfaction of the Cluster Director
during the term, a note of warning may be issued. This is called a “six-week warning” and is
the equivalent to notice of withdrawal. If there is not satisfactory improvement, then
withdrawal will be required. The regulations may be found at the following:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-
governance/regulations/postgraduate-taught-regulations/

This may result in:

 (For Visa-dependent students) a report being sent to the UK-VI, and curtailment of
the student Visa, and potentially revoking the right to remain in the UK.
 (For sponsored students) a report being made to your sponsors.
 Withdrawal from the programme.

Past examination papers

A sample examination paper for each examined module will be made available on the
Blackboard Learn Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Instruction to candidates for examinations

Students who are candidates for examinations are asked to note that all examinations are
conducted in accordance with the College Regulations. The relevant set of regulations will
depend on your programme and year of entry, please see our Regulations webpage to
determine which apply to you:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations/

26
Instructions for exam candidates can be found here:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-
and-assessment/

Academic integrity and academic misconduct

As your course of study continues, you will be taught the concept of academic integrity and
how you can ensure that any work that you complete now, or in the future, conforms to these
principles. This means that your work acknowledges the ideas and results of others, that it is
conducted in an ethical way and that it is free from plagiarism. Academic integrity is
fundamental to learning, teaching and research and it is important to understand what it
means you and the international community of research that you are joining.

Academic misconduct is the attempt to gain an academic advantage, whether intentionally or

unintentionally, in any piece of assessment submitted to the College. This includes
plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, exam offences or dishonest practice. Full details of the
policy can be found at:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-
and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/plagiarism-academic-
integrity--exam-offences/

Definitions of the main forms of academic misconduct can be found below.

Plagiarism

Please refer to section 5 Plagiarism of this handbook for full Departmental guidelines.
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s thoughts, words, images, research or
diagrams as though they were your own. Another form of plagiarism is self-plagiarism, which

involves using your own prior work without acknowledging its reuse. Plagiarism may be
intentional, by deliberately trying to use another person’s work by disguising it or not citing
the source, or unintentional where citation and/or referencing is incorrect.
Plagiarism must be avoided, with particular care on coursework, essays, reports and
projects written in your own time but also in open and closed book written examinations. You
can support your understanding of proper referencing and citation by using the resources
available from the College such as the Library learning support webpages at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-support/plagiarism-awareness/

Where plagiarism is detected in group work, members of that group may be deemed to have
collective responsibility for the integrity of work submitted by that group and may be liable for
any penalty imposed, proportionate to their contribution.
TurnitinUK is an online text matching service which assists staff in detecting possible
plagiarism. The system enables institutions and staff to compare students' work with a vast
database of electronic sources. Your programme team will explain how it is used in your
programme

www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/teaching-learning/turnitin/

27
Generative AI Tools Guidance
College guidance on the use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) advises that submitting
work and assessments created by someone or something else, as if it was your own, is
plagiarism and is a form of cheating and this includes AI-generated content.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/leadership-and-strategy/provost/vice-provost-
education/generative-ai-tools-guidance/

Collusion

This is the term used for work that has been conducted by more than one individual, in
contravention of the assessment brief. Where it is alleged that there has been collusion, all
parties will be investigated under the Academic Misconduct procedure.

You should note that whilst the College encourages students to support each other in their
studies you should be careful to ensure that you do not exceed any assessment brief with
regards to individual work, always acknowledge the contributions of others in your work, and
do not leave yourself open to allegations that you have supplied answers to enable another
student to commit academic misconduct.

Instruction to Candidates for Examinations

Students who are candidates for examinations are asked to note that all examinations are
conducted in accordance with the College Regulations. The relevant set of regulations will
depend on your programme and year of entry, please see our Regulations webpage to
determine which apply to you:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations/
Instructions for exam candidates can be found here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/exam-arrangements-
and-re-sits/Instructions-to-candidates-for-examinations.pdf

Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct

As your programme of study continues, you will be taught the concept of academic integrity
and how you can ensure that any work that you complete now, or in the future, conforms to
these principles. This means that your work acknowledges the ideas and results of others,
that it is conducted in an ethical way and that it is free from plagiarism. Academic integrity is
fundamental to learning, teaching and research and it is important to understand what it
means you and the international community of research that you are joining.
Academic misconduct is the attempt to gain an academic advantage, whether intentionally or
unintentionally, in any piece of assessment submitted to the College. This includes
plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, exam offences or dishonest practice. Full details of the
policy can be found at:

28
 www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-
and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/plagiarism-academic-
integrity--exam-offences/
Definitions of the main forms of academic misconduct can be found below:

Examination offences
Exam offences fall into two categories. These are offences that may be disruptive in the
exam venue or those that are considered an attempt to cheat. Examples of disruptive
behaviour includes causing a disturbance in the exam room, having an electronic device that
has not been fully turned off or talking in the exam room. Behaviour that may considered an
attempt to cheat includes bringing unauthorised material into an exam (such as notes,
unauthorised books or other material), attempting to communicate with others apart from the
invigilator, or trying to remove examination material without permission. You must ensure
that you follow all reasonable instructions of the invigilators.

Dishonest practice
This is the most serious category under the procedure. Examples of dishonest practice
include bribery, contact cheating (buying work from an essay mill (which is illegal in the UK)
or other individual to submit as your own), taking an exam for someone else or getting
someone else to take an exam for you, attempting to access exam papers before the exam,
making a false claim for mitigating circumstances or providing fraudulent evidence, falsifying
documentation or signatures in relation to assessment or a claim for mitigating
circumstances.

29
4. Examinations

The information in this section is subject to change and update.

Examination guidance and regulations

The guidance offered in this section, and following, refers to in-person on-campus
examinations.

Materials Permitted in Examinations:

 Pencil cases which must be clear plastic.

 College identity cards (i.e. swipe card) which must be displayed on your desk.
 Pens, erasers and other drawing instruments as required.

Unless specified or designated “Open Book”, no additional materials may be introduced into
examinations by candidates. If, in the opinion of the Board of Examiners, such materials are
required, they will be provided or notified to all candidates and the standard examination
rubric amended to state that they will be provided or allowed. Calculators will be provided by
the Department, you will be advised of the make and model in advance, to give you an
opportunity to purchase one for personal use. Dictionaries are not permitted.

No food is permitted in an examination room unless prior permission has been given due to
medical need. No drinks are permitted except for water in clear plastic bottles.

Conduct of Examinations

 Be prepared.
 Take with you only the items listed above.
 Arrive 15 minutes before the exam is scheduled to begin.
 When you enter the examination room, do so in SILENCE.
 Switch off your phones (and other electronic devices) and place them in your bag.
 Electronic watch devices are not permitted.
 Leave your bags in the area indicated by the Invigilator or Supervising Academic.
 Find the desk with the examination card which has your candidate number (or name)
on it, then sit down at this desk.
 DO NOT turn over or open your examination paper until you are instructed to
do so by the Invigilator. You may, however, start to fill in the front of your answer
book giving:
o Candidate number (CID).
o Degree (subject).
o Title of paper.
o Date.
 You MAY NOT SPEAK to anyone other than the Invigilator. If you do need to speak
to the Invigilator, raise your hand. Speak in a quiet voice so as not to disturb the
other candidates.

30
  Write in black or blue ink. Candidates are not permitted to use red or green ink, or
to use any writing implement that is capable of producing red or green marks on the
script. You should not write in pencil.
 If unsure of the meaning of a word or question in the examination, write down your
interpretation of that word or question, and continue.
 The use of correction fluids (e.g. Snopake® and Tippex®) is explicitly not permitted.
 Candidates should indicate incorrect work by drawing a single diagonal line through
the work concerned.
 At the end of the examination, stop writing when instructed to do so by the Invigilator
or Supervising Academic.
 Ensure that your answer book and all supplementary papers carry your College
Identifier Number (which is also your candidate number), and that all graph paper
and supplementary answer books are securely tied together inside the back cover
of the main answer book. All of your exam materials will be collected in a
designated folder.
 Remain seated and silent.
 When all examination materials have been collected by the examination team and
you have been told you may leave, please do so in silence, collecting your
belongings on the way out. You may not remove any examination material from the
room.

Exam Technique

 Read the rubric carefully BEFORE answering any questions.

 Take some time to read through the questions and make a sensible decision as to
which questions to tackle.
 Ask yourself:
o Which questions can I answer fully?
o Out of the questions I cannot answer fully, which ones can I answer the
majority of?
o Am I fulfilling the exam rubric? You must make sure you have understood the
rubric; ask your invigilators if you need clarification.
o For example: How much time should you spend answering each question? If
there are four questions to complete in two hours, that is approximately 30
minutes per question.
 If you make a mistake just draw a single line through your work.

31
5. Plagiarism

Introduction to plagiarism

You are reminded that all work submitted as part of the requirements for any examination
(including coursework) of Imperial College must be expressed in your own words and
incorporate your own ideas and judgements.

Plagiarism, that is the presentation of another person's work, thoughts or words as though
they were your own, must be avoided, with particular care in coursework, essays and reports
written in your own time. Note that you are encouraged to read and criticise the work of
others as much as possible. You are expected to incorporate this in your thinking and in your
coursework and assessments, but you must acknowledge and label your sources.

Direct quotations from the published or unpublished work of others, from the internet, or from
any other source must always be clearly identified as such. A full reference to their source
must be provided in the proper form and quotation marks used. Remember that a series of
short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such, constitutes
plagiarism just as much as a single unacknowledged long quotation from a single source.
Equally, if you summarise another person's ideas or judgements, figures, diagrams or
software, you must refer to that person in your text, and include the work referred to in your
reference list or bibliography. Staff are able to give advice about the appropriate use and
correct acknowledgement of other sources in your own work.

The direct and unacknowledged repetition of your own work which has already been
submitted for assessment can constitute self-plagiarism. Where group work is submitted, this
should be presented in a way approved by your Department. You should therefore consult
your tutor or cluster director if you are in any doubt about what is permissible. You should
be aware that you have a collective responsibility for the integrity of group work
submitted for assessment.

The use of the work of another student, past or present, constitutes plagiarism. Where work
is used without the consent of that student, this will normally be regarded as a major offence
of plagiarism.

Failure to observe these rules may result in an allegation of cheating. Cases of suspected
plagiarism will be dealt with under the College’s Exams, Assessments and Regulations, &
Plagiarism, Academic Integrity & Exam Offences, a full copy of which can be found at the
following: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-
students/undergraduate-and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/ and
is likely to result in a penalty being taken against any student found guilty of plagiarism.

There have been in the past a few cases of plagiarism in this Department, where we operate
a zero-tolerance policy, leading to penalties that range from voiding a coursework mark to
expulsion from the programme. In the majority of these cases, plagiarism was the result
of poor practice and lack of awareness, so you are strongly advised to familiarise
yourself with what constitutes plagiarism and to seek clarification if and when in
doubt.

32
Ethics and academic integrity

There are at least two very good reasons why plagiarism should be allowed no place in the
academic business of Imperial College, and why it must therefore be met by severe
punishment whenever it is encountered.

At its most fundamental, plagiarism is seeking to deceive somebody – one’s teachers or

examiners, for example – by presenting the ideas of another person as though the ideas
were one’s own – whether with that person’s assistance, or by theft. Deception and
intellectual theft are morally unacceptable in any well-ordered society. In a society of
professionally licensed engineers, such conduct is even more reprehensible in that it
undermines the ethical foundation on which professional practice is based.

There is also a question of academic integrity. Students who knowingly use plagiarism as a
painless way of compiling the work needed for assessments, and teachers who knowingly
allow students to do it, are both contributing to a blight that undermines the quality and
integrity of the degree qualification.

Students under intense pressure to produce a design, a technical report, or a dissertation

may feel tempted to resort to plagiarism. They must resist. The Imperial College degree is
highly prized because it is respected far and wide as a true mark of achievement. To
safeguard the integrity of its degrees, Imperial College staff must take action whenever
plagiarism is suspected. As for students, they must expect that the penalty for a student who
is guilty of this offence will normally be severe.

Definition of plagiarism

Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s thoughts, words, images or diagrams as

though they were your own – for example when you copy someone else’s work or use their
ideas in your coursework, thesis, report etc., and then do not acknowledge that you have
done this.

Dictionary definition
‘The wrongful appropriation or purloining, and publication as one’s own, of the ideas, or
the expression of the idea (literary, artistic, musical, mechanical, etc.) of another.’

Other forms of plagiarism include self-plagiarism, which involves using your own prior work
without acknowledging its reuse; collusion, which involves sharing or copying (individual)
coursework; and the use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT).

Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, is considered a cheating offence and must

be avoided, with particular care on coursework, essays, reports and projects written in your
own time, and also in open and closed book written examinations.

Plagiarism is classified as either Minor or Major in nature, this is normally determined by the
weight, or marks value, attached to the work submitted. However, the following would also
be classified as major:

 Two cases of Minor plagiarism by the same individual.

33
  Copying the work of another student without their knowledge.
 Dissertation/Major Project.
 Where the student does not admit that plagiarism has occurred, and that the
plagiarism offence is upheld on appeal.

You are not permitted to act in collusion with another student or person, nor are you
permitted to request or arrange for another individual to submit your coursework for you.

You must NEVER:

 Share your work, either electronically or in paper copy. If copying of material occurs
as a result of such sharing, both parties are considered to have actively taken part in
plagiarism.
 Give your work to someone else to submit. If copying of material occurs as a result of
such activity, both parties are considered to have actively taken part in plagiarism.
 Submit work on behalf of another student.

Collaboration (joint & group work) and collusion

It can be difficult to understand the difference between collaboration and collusion.

Collaboration: Unlike collusion (where the work of another student is intentionally used with
that student’s consent) which equates to deception, collaboration is encouraged as a
professional skill much needed in engineering work. Collaboration involves mutual effort and
joint work, to the benefit of all the parties involved, and where appropriate it should always
be acknowledged, via footnotes for example. Students required to submit individual pieces
must be clear on the distinction between the two.

Discussing coursework exercise submission with colleagues is fine: – what does the teacher
expect from the work, what different approaches might there be, how much detail would be
needed, how structured should the report be? In exploring with a colleague a range of
approaches, or how to obtain specific solutions, one finds a positive help in learning
something new. However, if the work is required to be an individual submission, then a line
must be drawn where joint work is left behind and the individual work which is submitted for
assessment should take over.

The results or calculations that form the basis of the report should be obtained by the
individual student who is submitting the report as their own work, unless there is a clear
expectation that others would be involved – as in the results of a survey – but then the
contribution of the others should be made clear (for example, as footnotes in the report). The
student is expected to write the report in their own words, to think of their own interpretations
of the results and to make their own conclusions and recommendations.

Group work, for example group design projects, is work which is set by the teacher for joint
working between two or more students and in which it is clearly understood that the teacher
will give the assessment for the joint work undertaken. This provides valuable working
experiences and learning opportunities, but these high-minded intentions can be severely
undermined if any member of the group should not contribute in equal measure with their
colleagues.

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You should always assume that your coursework is individual work, unless it is clear that
group assessment is planned by the teacher. If in doubt, seek the teacher’s advice about
what working practices are acceptable. Do not hand over your work, under any
circumstances, to another student.

Collusion: Where the work of another student is used with that student’s consent.

Exam offences and dishonest practice

Exam offences include behaviour such as bringing authorised material into an exam,
attempting to communicate with others apart from the invigilator, trying to remove
examination material without permission, taking an exam for someone else or getting
someone else to take an exam for you.

Examples of dishonest practice include bribery, contact cheating (buying work from an essay
mill or other individual to submit as your own), attempting to access exam papers before the

exam, making a false claim for mitigating circumstances or providing fraudulent evidence,
falsifying documentation or signatures in relation to assessment.

Referencing

The recommended method of referencing is the Harvard style (author-date). All students
have free access to RefWorks, an online reference management software package.
More information is at the library website, and library staff will provide training.
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-support/reference-management/

Advisory Services

Academic staff

Your main source of information, and the College’s main source for the recognition of
plagiarism, is the academic staff. Please be aware that you can approach them for advice
and information if you are unsure or require clarification.

The Library

You can contact your librarian for help with the library, advice on finding information and
referencing, either in person in the Abdus Salam Library, room 110 or by emailing:
Subject Librarian: Nicole Urquhart, [email protected]

The Abdus Salam Library provides several sources of further information relating to
referencing and plagiarism awareness:
 A guide to referencing and citing correctly, including how to use the Harvard style is
available at http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-
support/reference-management/

35
  Further information about plagiarism awareness within College, please see the library
website at http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/library/learning-
support/plagiarism-awareness/
 In addition, you will be required to complete the Graduate School’s Blackboard
course, “Ensuring Integrity 1: Plagiarism Awareness” for Master’s students, using
your College username and password. The course is available at
http://bb.imperial.ac.uk and provides guidance on the avoidance of plagiarism.

TurnitinUK

TurnitinUK is an online service that enables institutions and staff to carry out electronic
comparison of students' work against electronic sources including other students' work.
Once papers have been submitted to the system they become part of the database, and will
be used for future checking.

IP / data protection

Some people have asked whether departments need to seek permission from students
before submitting their work to a plagiarism detection system. The answer is no as the
registration form, which is signed by students, states the following:

The College may submit your coursework to an external plagiarism detection service. By
registering with the College, you are giving your consent for any of your work to be submitted
to such a service'.

Submission of individual items of coursework

Copying the work of others without acknowledgement of the source of the information is
academic fraud, known as plagiarism. Wilfully copying is outright cheating, forgetting to list
references and reference material is ineptitude. Neither form of plagiarism is acceptable and
may well result in one or more parties, deemed to be involved, being awarded a mark of
zero, and may carry a requirement to resubmit the work depending on the allocated
weighting.

All coursework, project work and research submissions, including dissertation must contain
the following statement, which you are required to sign.
Declaration: I confirm that this submission is my own work. In it, I give references
and citations whenever I refer to, describe or quote from the published, or
unpublished, work of others.
Signature:

Failure to attach the signed declaration to your coursework submissions may result in their
being unmarked or returned with a mark of zero. An example of a Coursework Cover Sheet
is given in Appendix C.

36
6. Board of Examiners
CHAIR

Professor Stephen Smith

EXAMINATIONS OFFICER

Dr Athanasios Paschalis

MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENTAL MSc MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES BOARD

Professor Sue Grimes (or alternate)

SECRETARY

Judith Barritt

MEMBERS

All staff involved in the delivery, setting, and marking of assessments for the programmes.

EXTERNAL EXAMINER

Professor Rachel Gomes MBE, University of Nottingham

An External Examiner is normally an experienced member of academic staff from another

Higher Education Institution who acts as a critical friend to your programme of study. For
some programmes, one of the External Examiners could be an industry expert to provide the
professional expertise needed to support the programme. External examining is an essential
part of the College’s quality assurance and enhancement process, ensuring that academic
standards are maintained. The knowledgeable and independent views of external examiners
are invaluable in certifying that the College’s awards are appropriate and comparable as well
as highlighting good practice and potential areas of enhancement.
During your programme you may be invited to meet your external examiner(s) to discuss
how you have found the experience. It is not appropriate however, for you to seek to submit
complaints or representations directly to external examiner(s) or to seek to influence them
other than by giving feedback in a meeting. Inappropriate communication towards an
examiner would make you liable for disciplinary action. If there is a specific issue that needs
to be resolved, please see the Student Complaints Policy and Procedure.

A summary of External examiners reports from the previous academic year can be found
here:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-
policy/external-examining/

37
7. Location and Facilities
Imperial has a number of campuses in London and the South East. All have excellent travel
links and are easily accessible via public transport.

Your main location of study will be:

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Skempton Building
South Kensington Campus
Imperial College London
London SW7 2AZ

Facilities
The Skempton Building can be accessed from 07.00-00.00 daily. The main entrance
requires the use of your college ID card between the hours of 07.00-08.00 and 18.00-00.00.
During weekends and vacation periods you will be required to use your college ID card each
time you enter and exit the building.
Your ID cards will be required to access PC laboratories and certain other rooms and
spaces.
The Department’s postgraduate office is located at SKEM 118 (ground floor- entrance foyer)
in the Skempton Building. Standard opening hours are Monday – Friday, 08.00 – 17.00.

Library Services
The Abdus Salam Library at South Kensington is open 24 hours for study space, and further
space is available to all students in GoStudy on levels 4 and 5 of the Chemistry Building.
Make sure you find out who your subject librarian is as they’ll be able to help you find books
and online resources for your assignments. Also, don’t forget to check out the Library’s
range of training workshops and our other campus libraries for access to specialist medicine
and life sciences resources. You can borrow up to 40 books and, whether you’re working on
or off site, you’ll be able to access e-books, e-journals and databases from our collection of
almost 400,000 titles. If we don’t have what you need, we can get it for you, simply ask us to
buy it or request a copy through our free Document Delivery service.
For any questions our staff will be happy to help, simply chat with us online or contact us via
email, phone or social media, just check our website for details:
www.imperial.ac.uk/library

Departmental Library
The Departmental Library is staffed by a dedicated team of research students.
Further information about the library and its services is available from the library staff and
from the Departmental Library webpage:
Departmental Library, Room 402 http://www.imperial.ac.uk/civil-engineering/about-
us/library/

38
Institution of Civil Engineers Library (ICE)
Located at the ICE headquarters, One Great George Street, the ICE Library and Archives
collection spans more than 200 years and is one of the largest resources in civil engineering
literature in the world. In addition to printed material, the ICE library also offers access to
several digital services, including e-books. All ICE members can borrow up to three items in
person or via post. The Members Resources Hub in the Library also offers a quiet place to
work.
Institution of Civil Engineers Library and Archives
1 Great George Street, London, SW1P 3AA
020 7665 2251
[email protected]
https://www.ice.org.uk/disciplines-and-resources/ice-library-and-digital-resources

PC Laboratories
The Skempton Building houses three PC laboratories located in rooms 208, 314, and 317.
The City and Guilds Building houses PC laboratories in rooms 203, 761 and 762. These
facilities are shared with the Department of Aeronautics and the Department of Mechanical
Engineering. Computer rooms are for use during timetabled sessions only. Further PC
facilities are available in, and shared with, and the College’s Abdus Salam Library.
A full list of the College rules regarding computer use are available at:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/

ICT resources
Find information on activating your College account, connecting to Wifi, using the Virtual
Learning Environment (Blackboard Learn), and more ICT resources available for new
students, visit:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/new-to-imperial/students/

Shared teaching space

The Faculty of Engineering is committed to utilising its facilities and teaching space, hence
there are a number of shared teaching spaces between Departments/Buildings. Teaching
space in the Skempton Building is often timetabled to accommodate lectures between the
Civil and Environmental, Mechanical, and Aeronautical Engineering Departments.

College ID cards
Student ID cards will be available for collection from your Cluster Administrator, provided
that:

39
  A photo had been uploaded to the required portal by the deadline
 Confirmation of attendance at the Day 2 Induction Session (which includes the
prerequisite Health & Safety Induction).

Cluster administrators will advise late arriving students on ID card collection.

Printing and binding

There are five multi-function printers in the Skempton Building. The first is in room 317, two
are located in the BOSS Space on level 2, and a further two in room 218 adjacent the BOSS
Space.
Additionally, the Paragon Print Room is in Room 024 of the Sherfield Building. Paragon also
offer binding at £1.00 per document. Paragon can be contacted by email at:
[email protected]
There are networked printers across the South Kensington Campus, which you can access
with your College ID card. When you print a document, it is sent to a common print queue,
meaning that you can collect it from any touch card printer that your College ID card gives
you access to, including the Abdus Salam Library and Departments across the Campus.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers- printing/printing-
photocopying-and-scanning/

Lockers
There are 312 lockers located on Level 3, Skempton, of which 156 have been allocated to
MSc students. An application form will be circulated at the start of term for students to fill out
to secure a locker. Please note that lockers are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Lost property
If you think you have lost something within the Department your first port of call is the
Reception. If it is not there you should check with the Security Office in Sherfield as it may
have been handed in there. If an item is handed in with ID, an email will be sent to the owner
immediately to inform them.
All items found within the Department (e.g. keys/phones/bags) should be handed into the
Reception. All items found outside the Department should be handed into the Security Office
in the Sherfield Building in the South Kensington campus:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/security/lost-and-found/

Facilities management
Showering facilities are available within the Department and are located in the toilets on
levels 0 and 3.
Bicycles are not permitted within the Department. This is College policy. The following link
provides information on suitable bicycle storage within the South Kensington Campus:

40
 https://www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/

Room bookings
Room booking requests for Imperial College Union Societies need to be made via the
Student Union; we do not process these within the Department.
Room booking requests outside of normal College hours should be made via the Conference
Office: [email protected].

Shuttle bus

A free shuttle bus runs between our South Kensington, White City and Hammersmith
Campuses on weekdays. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You need to
show your College ID card to board. You can download the timetable and check the latest
service updates at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/travel/shuttle-bus

Maps

Campus maps and travel directions are available at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/visit/campuses

Accessibility

Information about the accessibility of our South Kensington Campus is available online
through the AccessAble access guides:

www.accessable.co.uk/organisations/imperial-college-london

Smoke-Free Policy
All Imperial campuses and properties are smoke-free. This means that smoking by staff,
students or visitors is not permitted on or within 20 metres of College land. The policy covers
all College properties, including student accommodation and sports grounds.
www.imperial.ac.uk/smoke-free

SafeZone

SafeZone is a College app through which you can quickly and directly contact the Security
team whenever you need them. Whether you're in an emergency situation, in need of First
Aid or want to report an incident on campus, SafeZone allows you to be immediately put in
touch with a member of our Security team and, at the touch of a button, can share your
location and personal profile so that they can respond quickly and effectively to your specific

41
needs. It also allows the entire College community to stay informed in the event of a major
incident in London or wherever you may be in the world. Safezone also provides information
on other services, such as real-time updates on the College shuttle bus.

SafeZone is optional to register for and is now available to download on the Apple and
Android App stores. Visit http://www.imperial.ac.uk/campus-
security/safezonewww.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/security/safezone/ for more details
about SafeZone.

All existing phone numbers for the Security team are still operational. In the event of an
emergency, you can still call 4444 from any internal College phone. In the event of a wider
incident in London, you can now also call 0300 131 4444, Imperial’s Emergency Recorded
Message Line, which will point you in the direction of up-to-date information and advice.

Changes due to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The College will keep you informed about any further changes that may affect you due to the
impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). The COVID-19 FAQs on the website are a repository of
helpful information and the latest guidance can be found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/about/covid-19/

42
8. Working While Studying

If you are studying full time, the College recommends that you do not work part-time during
term time. If this is unavoidable we advise you to work no more than 10–15 hours per week,
which should be principally at weekends and not within normal College working hours.
Working in excess of these hours could impact adversely on your studies or health.
If you are here on a Tier 4/Student Route visa you can work no more than 20 hours a week
during term time. Some sponsors may not permit you to take up work outside your studies
and others may specify a limit.
If you are considering part-time work during term time you are strongly advised to discuss
this with your supervisor or Personal/Senior Personal Postgraduate Tutor. If you are on a
Tier 4/Student Route visa you should also seek advice from the International Student
Support team regarding visa limitations on employment.
The College’s examination boards will not normally consider as mitigating circumstances any
negative impact that part-time work during term-time may have had on your performance in
examinations or in other assessed work. Examinations or vivas cannot be rescheduled to
accommodate your part-time working arrangements.

43
9. Health and Safety
Keeping you safe is a top priority for us. Since 1 April 2022, the UK Government removed all
restrictions on public areas, including Universities and education settings. Imperial College
London still encourages students to wear face coverings in crowded areas, to get fully
vaccinated, to cover your coughs and sneezes, and to respect others’ personal space. All
staff and students are advised to stay at home if you are feeling ill or have any symptoms of
respiratory disease.

The latest Imperial College guidance to students can be seen at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/about/covid-19/

The College’s Health and Safety Policy can be found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/safety/safety-by-topic/safety-management/health-and-safety-policy-
statement/

Your Departmental safety contact is:

Dr Geoff Fowler
SKEM 413, Skempton Building
020 7594 5973
[email protected]

You may be required to complete inductions and attend training sessions to safely complete
this course. This includes the Day 2 Health and Safety Induction talk. There is also a wide
range of eLearning micro-learning modules focused on specialised topics and designed to
raise awareness of hazards and control measures for working safely in hazardous areas
(i.e., laboratories and workshops) across the College.

The College Safety Department

The Safety Department offers a range of specialist advice on all aspects of safety. This
includes anything which you feel might affect you directly, or which may be associated with
teaching, research or support service activities.
The College’s activities range from the use of hazardous materials (biological agents,
chemicals, cryogens, gases and ionising/non-ionising radiation) to field work, heavy or
awkward lifting, driving, and working alone or late.
All of the College’s activities are covered by general health and safety regulations, but higher
risk activities will have additional requirements.
The Safety Department helps departments and individuals ensure effective safety
management systems are in place throughout the College to comply with specific legal
requirements.

44
Sometimes the management systems fail, and an accident or a near-miss incident arises; it
is important that we learn lessons from such situations to prevent recurrence and the Safety
Department can support such investigations. All accidents and incidents should be reported
online at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/safety/safety-by-topic/accidents--incidents/

To report concerns or to ask for advice you should contact your programme director,
academic supervisor or departmental safety officer in the first instance. You may also
contact the Safety Department directly.

Occupational Health Requirements

The College Occupational Health Service provides services to:

 protect health at work

 assess and advise on fitness for work
 ensure that health issues are effectively managed

The Service promotes and supports a culture where the physical and psychological health of
staff, students and others involved in the College is respected, protected and improved
whilst at work.
www.imperial.ac.uk/occupational-health

Communications
It is not possible to provide a service for incoming telephone messages except in the case of
emergency. Please ensure that your family/next of kin are aware of the following contacts:
Civil Engineering General (Postgraduate) Office
00 44 (0) 207 594 5932 (Yamini Chikhlia)
00 44 (0) 207 594 6123 (Angela Frederick)
00 44 (0) 207 594 5931 (Melanie Hargreaves)
Environmental Engineering & Hydrology
00 44 (0) 207 594 5967 (Judith Barritt)
Please ensure that your student-e-service contact details are up-to-date at all times,
including your next-of-kin-contact information.
The Department is not able to provide a postal or fax service.

Working alone and emergency contact numbers

If using a personal phone, call: 020 7589 1000

If using an internal College phone, call: 4444

45
It is prohibited under College safety regulations for any person to work alone in a laboratory
or workshop at any time. At least one other person must be within calling distance. All
members of the College must know how to contact the College’s emergency response
services.
Please save the following number in your mobile/cell phone for use in all emergencies
anywhere on the College’s South Kensington campus – including where an ambulance is felt
to be needed, the call will go direct to the College Security Control Desk: 020 7589 1000.
The Security team are on duty 24/7 and will assess the emergency and implement the
necessary response for the situation (including calling the London Emergency services).
Any activity involving tools or machinery is deemed to be "working in a laboratory or
workshop". Purely office or computing activities are excluded.
Full details are given at the front of the orange Health and Safety Booklet – see Appendix E.

46
10. College Policies and Procedures

Student Academic Regulations

All registered students of the College are subject to the College Regulations. The relevant
set of regulations will depend on your programme and year of entry, please see our
Regulations webpage to determine which apply to you:

www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/terms-and-conditions

Academic Feedback Policy

We are committed in providing you with timely and appropriate feedback on your academic
progress and achievement, enabling you to reflect on your academic progress. During your
study you will receive different methods of feedback according to assessment type,
discipline, level of study and your individual need. Further guidance on the Policy of
Academic Feedback can be found on the Academic Governance website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/academic-
feedback/Academic-feedback-policy-for-taught-programmes.pdf
Please note that your examination scripts once completed belong to the College under the
GDPR legislation. Please see the College GDPR webpages for further information at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/secretariat/information-governance/data-
protection/guidance/guide-2---exam-records/

Provisional Marks Guidance

Provisional marks are agreed marks that have yet to be ratified by the Board of Examiners.
These results are provisional and are subject to change by the Board of Examiners. The
release of provisional marks is permitted except in certain circumstances. Further
information can be found in the Guidelines for Issuing Provisional Marks to Students on
Taught Programmes:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/marking-and-
moderation/Guidelines-for-issuing-provisional-marks-to-students-on-taught-
programmes.pdf

Late Submission Policy

You are responsible for ensuring that you submit your coursework assessments (including
time remote assessments) in the correct format and by the published deadline (date and
time). Any piece of assessed work which is submitted beyond the published deadline (date
and time) would be classed as a late submission and will incur a penalty (a cap at the pass
mark, or it is classed as a fail). Further guidance on Late Submission of Assessments can be
found on the Academic Governance website:

47
 www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/marking-and-
moderation/Late-submission-Policy.pdf

If you submit late due to mitigating circumstances, you may be able to make a claim that
means that the cap on your mark is lifted. Please see below.

Mitigating Circumstances
During your studies you may be affected by sudden or unforeseen circumstances. You
should always contact your personal tutor for advice and support. If this happens at the time
of, or immediately preceding, your assessments you may be able to make a claim for
mitigating circumstances. If successful this claim enables the Board of Examiners when
reviewing your marks at the end of the year to have greater discretion with regards to
offering repeat attempts (either capped or uncapped), a repeat year, or with your
progression or final classification. Please note, the Board are not permitted to amend the
marks that you were awarded, only to take your claim into account making decisions.
All claims must be supported by independent evidence and submitted within 10 working
days of the assessment deadline. Any claim made after this deadline is likely to be rejected
unless there is a good reason (such as you were still unwell) until the point of submitting the
claim. Details of the College’s Mitigating Circumstances procedure can be found under the
Mitigating Circumstances tab on the page below:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-
and-assessment/
Through the procedure you may also be able to request an extension deadline to some
forms of assessment. Wherever possible it is expected that this is used as it will enable to
you complete your studies within the same College year (rather than over the summer
holiday or in the next year).
Support for ongoing or long-term conditions, or for registered disabilities would not normally
fall under the remit of mitigating circumstances and students should be supported through
their studies with additional examination arrangements. More details can be found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service/current-students/support-
available/adjustments-and-support/

Academic Misconduct Policy and Procedures

As has been highlighted under the Academic Integrity section, it is important that you learn
how to properly attribute and acknowledge the work, data and ideas of others. Any proven
form of academic misconduct is subject to penalties as outlined in the College’s Misconduct
Policy and Procedures.
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-
and-assessment/

Unsatisfactory Engagement
Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, sometimes students struggle to meet the College’s
expectations with regards to their engagement with their studies. The College has a process
to identify and support students by reaffirming these expectations with an action plan. If a

48
student does not engage satisfactorily engage with these supportive measures, they can be
withdrawn from their studies. The full details of this process, and the appeals procedure
relating to it can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-
policy/complaints-appeals-and-discipline

Mutual Expectations
The mutual expectations document provides a suggested starter list of expectations that
master’s students and their project supervisors might expect from each other. It is designed
to facilitate conversations to establish effective partnerships and it is recommended that the
document is discussed at the first meeting between a main project supervisor and a new
student. It should be noted that this is not exhaustive and that Departments may have
variations in roles and responsibilities; supervisors should be aware of any such variations
and will feed this into their discussions with students. Further, it is recognised that
supervisors may not always be best placed to meet all the expectations laid out in the
document, but should be aware of who, in their department, can. Students and project
supervisors are encouraged to discuss, tailor and personalise the document further to suit. It
is also recommended that students and their project supervisors re-visit the document
throughout the duration of the project.
The Mutual Expectations document is available here:
www.bb.imperial.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/xid-12494962_1

Academic Appeals Procedure

We have rigorous regulations in place to ensure assessments are conducted with fairness
and consistency, claims for mitigating circumstances have been considered reasonably and
in line with the regulations of the College, and that the decisions of the Boards of Examiners
maintain the integrity of our academic awards. Should you believe that you have grounds to
appeal these decisions, we have laid out clear and consistent procedures through which
appeals can be investigated and considered:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-
policy/complaints-appeals-and-discipline

Arithmetic Marks Check

If you consider that there may have been an error in the adding up of your marks, you may
request an arithmetic mark check. Please note that this must be requested within 10 working
days of the official notification of your results from the Results team in Registry. You may not
request a marks check for a previous year of study. Please note that a marks check is not a
remark of your work, but an administrative check that the marks have been accurately
recorded.

Student Complaints
The College strives to ensure that all students are well supported in their studies and receive
a good experience of their programme and the wider College activities. If you feel that your
experience has not lived up to these expectations the College has an agreed Student
Complaints process through which your concern can be investigated and considered.

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If you have any concerns about your experience at the College and have been unable to
address these informally, you should contact Student Complaints who can provide advice
about what is the appropriate way to seek to resolve this at:
[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-
policy/complaints-appeals-and-discipline

Student Disciplinary Procedure

The College has the right to investigate any allegation of misconduct against a student and
may take disciplinary action where it decides, on the balance of probabilities, that a breach
of discipline has been committed. The general principles of the Student Disciplinary
Procedure are available on the College website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-
policy/complaints-appeals-and-discipline/

Intellectual Property Rights Policy

For further guidance on the College’s Intellectual Property Rights Policy is available on the
College website:
www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/research-
policies/research-related-policies/ip-policy/

Further information about the Imperial Enterprise Lab can be found at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/enterprising-students
www.imperialenterpriselab.com/support/experts-in-residence

Use of IT Facilities
View the Conditions of Use of IT Facilities:
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers-printing/conditions-of-
use-of-it-resources/

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

All staff and students who work with personal data are responsible for complying with GDPR.
The College will provide support and guidance but you do have a personal responsibility to
comply.
In line with the above please see the College’s privacy notice for students which form part of
the terms and conditions of registration with the College:
www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-
services/registry/academic-governance/public/academic-policy/admissions/Privacy-
Notice-for-Students-and-Prospective-Students.pdf

50
11. Wellbeing, Support and Advice

In your Department
Your Department has a system of academic and pastoral care in place to make sure you
have access to the appropriate support throughout your time at Imperial.

Your Personal Tutor

Your Personal Tutor is your first point of contact for pastoral support and advice. You can
arrange to have a meeting with them at any time during your studies (although most
Personal Tutors will have set office hours or may require you to make an appointment).
If necessary, they will direct you to an appropriate source of support.

Senior Tutor (Postgraduate)

In the event of an issue arising, within the Department there are a number of avenues for
you to seek support. This will include your Senior Tutor for Taught Postgraduate Courses (Dr
Adam Jan Sadowski, [email protected]), and other designated staff such as:

 Personal Tutors (as appropriate)

 Cluster Directors
 MSc Taught Courses Manager
 Cluster Administrators/General Office

Mental Health First Aiders

Specific members of staff within the Department, and the rest of the College, are trained as
Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA).
MHFAs will provide you with a safe space to start a confidential talk about your mental
health, and signpost you to the most appropriate source. You can identify MHFAs by looking
for bright green lanyards and checking the Departmental First Aid notices (also contained in
Appendix E of this handbook).
www.imperial.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/mental-health/mental-health-first-aid/

Support Staff
The Department has a wealth of experienced and capable support staff. Departmental
support staff will often be your first port-of-call if you have any queries or need assistance.
www.imperial.ac.uk/civil-engineering/people/departmental-officers-and-support-staff/

51
Departmental Student Wellbeing Officer
Michelle Langan, the Student Wellbeing Advisor can provide you with confidential support
and advice with a variety of things such as:

 Drug and alcohol awareness

 Bereavement and loss
 Exercise and staying active
 Food and healthy living
 Gender and identity
 Sexuality
 Mindfulness
 Sleep hygiene
 Anxiety, stress and panic attacks
 Self-harm
 Suicidal feelings
 Loneliness and homesickness
 General wellbeing

Appointments for all Civil Engineering students are available by email at

[email protected] – these are currently 30 or 60 minute confidential in person or
Teams appointments.

Departmental Disability Officer

Departmental Disability Officers are the first point of contact in your department for issues
around disability. They can apply for additional exam arrangements on your behalf and will
facilitate support within your department.
Your Departmental Disability Officer is: Justine Spence
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 7594 6045
More information on Departmental Disability Officers is available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service/about-us/departmental-disability-officers/
More information about how to request additional arrangements for exams if you have a
disability is available at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-
taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/additional-exam-arrangements-in-
respect-of-disability

Postgraduate Coaching
As well as professional development opportunities, the Graduate School has a dedicated
coaching programme designed to help you through challenging times. The Postgraduate
student coaching programme has been established to provide an opportunity to talk,
independently from your academic department, about challenges you may be experiencing

52
during the course of your studies. The programme primarily focuses on building effective
working relationships and there may be other self-development issues that you can explore
with a trained coach.
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-school/community-
support/coaching/

Attributes and Aspiration Short Course

Attributes and Aspirations (AA) is an online short course that supports you to develop career
planning and transferable skills. AA is flexible, has no assessments and can be accessed
whenever you need it allowing you to proactively plan for your future. You can also use AA
to develop key skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and time management. These
will help you be a better student and are essential for your future - whether you choose to
move to further study or to a job in industry.
AA is designed specifically for Imperial master's students. The Postgraduate Education
Team worked with the Careers Service to design AA so that it works for you. We researched
and talked to organisations that hire master’s students, PhD course coordinators and alumni
to make sure the skills and techniques taught in AA are those that you really need for your
professional future. For further information, please see the AA web pages.
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/attributes-and-aspirations

Your Union
All Imperial students automatically become members of Imperial College Union when they
register at the College. The Union provides a range of independent support.

Imperial College Union Advice Service

The ICU Advice Service delivers free, confidential, and impartial advice covering academic
issues, complaints and disciplinaries, College accommodation, and internal and external
signposting. Contact [email protected] and complete the registration form to speak with
a member of the team.

www.imperialcollegeunion.org/advice

Student representatives

Imperial College Union operates two Representation Networks of over 600 elected student
representatives – the Academic Representation Network and the Wellbeing Representation
Network. Reps represent the voice of students and can direct you to internal and external
support services. The Union’s Liberation Officers also work to make sure that the views of
under-represented and interest groups are heard at the College.
If you have any feedback about issues in your department relating to academic or wellbeing
issues, you can speak to one of your student representatives.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/a-to-z

53
Student Hub
At the Student Hub, you can access advice about accommodation, admissions and financial
support and get help with international student enquiries, questions about student records,
and exams.
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-hub

Student Support Zone

If you have moved home to take up your place at Imperial you will need to register with a
new doctor (also known as a General Practitioner or GP) so that you can access NHS
healthcare. It’s important that you register with a doctor soon after you arrive – don’t wait
until you are sick, as this could delay your access to treatment.

Student Support Zone has lots of information about the resources available at Imperial and
beyond to help you to stay healthy and happy. It’s a great place to start when you’re looking
for some support – it covers advice about housing and money, health, wellbeing and
maintaining a good work-life balance, and provides the details of who you can contact if you
need some extra support.
www.imperial.ac.uk/student-support-zone

Useful support contacts

Imperial College Health Centre

40 Prince’s Gardens, South Kensington Campus

020 7584 6301
[email protected]
www.imperialcollegehealthcentre.co.uk

Imperial College Dental Centre

Prince’s Gardens, South Kensington Campus

020 7589 6623
www.imperialcollegedental.co.uk

Student Counselling and Mental Health Advice Service

020 7594 9637

[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling

Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Service

15 Prince’s Gardens, South Kensington Campus

[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/chaplaincy

Disability Advisory Service

Room 566, Level 5, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus

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 020 7594 9755
[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/disability-advisory-service

Centre for Academic English

The goal of the Centre for Academic English is to ensure you develop both the ability and
the confidence to excel as a communicator on your degree programme as well as in the
workplace. From the very beginning of your degree and all the way through, we’re here to
help you realise your potential.

To achieve this, we’ve designed a flexible academic STEMM communication programme

enabling you to create your own personalised learning pathway. As you build your pathway,
you’ll have the freedom to select the language resources you need wherever you need them.
These resources are the result of close collaborations with departments and so will meet
your communication needs for Imperial written and spoken course assignments.

To find out more about what is available for you, visit the Centre for Academic English
website. Centre for Academic English

Level 3, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus

[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/academic-english

International Student Support team

020 7594 8040

www.imperial.ac.uk/students/international-students/

Careers
Careers Service
Level 5, Sherfield Building, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 8024
[email protected]
www.imperial.ac.uk/careers
ICT and software
ICT Service Desk
Abdus Salam Library, South Kensington Campus
020 7594 9000
www.imperial.ac.uk/ict/service-desk
Software shop
www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/computers-printing/devices-and-
software/

55
 12. Student Administration
The Student Administration Team are responsible for the administration and maintenance of
the student records for all students studying at the College. This includes enrolments,
programme transfers, interruption of studies, withdrawals and processing of examination
entry for research degree students. The team also use this information to fulfil reporting
duties to the Student Loans Company and Transport for London , as well as other external
bodies.

The Team is responsible for the processing of student results and awards on the student
record system as well as the production and distribution of academic transcripts and
certificates of award.

The 'My Documents' online portal allows you to access your documents, including proof of
enrolment and award documentation. You can then digitally share these documents with
third parties such as an employer or university.

Each document has a unique QR code with the official University watermark, making it
easier for employers and others to verify your credentials. This online document sharing is a
legitimate service, introduced and authorised by Imperial College London.
We would like to encourage you to use this online service in place of paper-based
documentation. You can access the ‘My Documents’ portal here: https://student-
edocuments.imperial.ac.uk/Account/LoginViaAzure

Student Records
+44 (0)20 7594 7268
[email protected]

Degree certificates
+44 (0)20 7594 7267
[email protected]

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13. Work-Life Balance

The pace and intensity of study at Imperial can be demanding so it’s important to find time
for outside interests.
Civil Engineering Society (CivSoc)

The Civil Engineering Society is the departmental student society, of which all
Undergraduate and Postgraduate students are automatically members. Run by an elected
committee of students, CivSoc is one of the most active departmental societies in the
College and organises regular events throughout the academic year. These include
numerous lunchtime lectures given by industrial companies, site visits, social events and
parties. The highlight of the CivSoc year is the extremely popular international trip in the
spring, open to all students in the Department. Additionally, CivSoc writes and publishes the
departmental student newspaper LIVIC.

All students are encouraged to participate in CivSoc-run activities. Announcements

concerning upcoming events and society news are emailed to all members, displayed on the
screen in the second floor Breakout Student Space, as well as being available on CivSoc’s
website and social media pages.

https://www.imperialcollegeunion.org/representation/a-to-z/civil-environmental-
engineering-ug

Imperial College Union

The Union’s range of 360+ student-led clubs, societies and projects is one of the largest of
any UK university, opening up lots of ways for you to enjoy your downtime.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/about-us

Move Imperial
Imperial College has a wide range of sports and activities on offer that cater for all
experience levels and abilities. We have a recreational activity offer, competitive sports
teams and an elite sport programme. We are dedicated to ensuring we have a diverse,
inclusive and exciting offer for all.

More information about Imperial student memberships and updates to our services can be
found at:

www.imperial.ac.uk/ethos/memberships/students

With an annual fee of £55 you will get use of the gym and swimming facilities on our
campuses.

www.imperial.ac.uk/sport

We have a huge collection of online resources, home workout videos, healthy recipes and
playlists available to all as part of our MoveMore campaign, more information can be found
at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/sport/move-more/

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14. Student feedback and representation

Feedback from students

The College and Union is committed to continually improving your education and wider
experience and a key part of this is your feedback. Feedback is thoroughly discussed by your
student representatives and staff.

Student representation
Student Representatives are recruited from every department to gather feedback from
students to discuss with staff. More information about the role, and instructions on how to
become an academic representative, are available on the Imperial College Union website.
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/academic-
representatives/overview

Staff-Student Committee
Staff-Student Committees are designed to strengthen understanding and improve the flow of
communication between staff and students and, through open dialogue, promote high
standards of education and training, in a co-operative and constructive atmosphere. College
good practice guidelines for staff-student committees are available here:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/student-
feedback

58
15. Student Surveys
Your feedback is important to your department, the College and Imperial College
Union. Whilst there are a variety of ways to give your feedback on your College experience,
the following surveys give you regular opportunities to make your voice heard:

 Module Evaluation Questionnaire (MEQ)

The MEQ is your chance to tell us about the modules you have attended. The
questionnaire is open to students across all years of study and runs at the end of the
autumn, spring and summer terms.
 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
The PTES is a national survey which asks you to rate a range of elements related to
your student experience such as teaching, assessment, support and resources.
Results of this national survey are made publicly available.

The Union’s “You Said, We Did” campaign shows you some of the changes made as a result
of survey feedback:
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/you-said-we-did
The Union’s response to surveys can be found here:
www.imperialcollegeunion.org/your-union/your-representatives/responses
If you would like to know more about any of these surveys or see the results from previous
surveys, please visit:
www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/student-surveys/pg-student-surveys

59
16. After Your MSc

Alumni Services
When you graduate you will be part of a lifelong community of over 190,000 alumni, with
access to a range of alumni benefits including:

 Discounts on further study at the College and at Imperial College Business School.
 Alumni email service.
 Networking events.
 Access to the Library and online resources.
 Access to the full range of careers support offered to current students for up to three
years after you graduate.
 Access to our Alumni Visitor Centre at the South Kensington Campus, with free Wi-Fi,
complimentary drinks, newspapers and magazines, and daytime left luggage facility.

Visit the Alumni website to find out more about your new community, including case studies of
other alumni and a directory of local alumni groups in countries across the world.
www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni

Opportunities for Further Study

After you have completed your Master’s programme, you may choose to continue your studies
on a PhD, CDT or other CPD programme at Imperial.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/civil-engineering/prospective-students/postgraduate-research-
admissions-phd/
Explore the Departmental Alumni Profiles to find out what previous graduates have gone on to
achieve:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/civil-engineering/alumni/alumni-profiles/

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17. Appendix A: Monitoring Your Attendance

Attendance Monitoring
Since the introduction of Tier 4 of the Points Based System in March 2009, the College has
held a license permitting us to sponsor the visas of students to enable them to attend our
programmes.
Sponsorship of students, under our Student Visa License, brings with it an obligation for us to
inform the Home Office whenever we withdraw sponsorship from a student. This may be as a
result of a student withdrawing or being expelled from their programme, interrupting their
studies, or not being in attendance. This is reflected in the College’s regulations and
procedures to ensure the welfare and academic progress for all students. See Academic
Regulation Paragraph 9.4 of the General Regulations for Students:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations/
The College does not wish to discriminate in its treatment of students from outside the
European Union, and so all procedures for monitoring attendance and reporting student
activity apply equally to all students.
The procedure for compliance adopted for the Master of Science Programme within the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is to base the monitoring of attendance
around a number of ‘check-points’, which are:

 Start-of-Session Induction.
 Confirmation of completion of the Health and Safety Induction, which is a requirement
of the College for issue of ID cards.
 Submission of selected items of coursework.
 Examinations and Progress Tests.
 Randomly selected lectures/laboratories/tutorials.

To make this process efficient, the following shall apply.

 The Cluster Administrator (or other relevant staff) shall conduct the monitoring using a
class list supplied by Imperial College Registry.
 The Cluster Administrator shall inform the relevant Senior Tutor and Cluster Director of
any student who fails to interact with the College on three consecutive occasions.
 The student will be invited for interview, and a warning may be issued.
 If non-attendance continues, the Senior Tutor shall inform the Head of Department and
the College Registry.
 The Imperial College Registry report directly to relevant authorities, including HEFCE,
the UK-VI and sponsors.

The Department expects students to demonstrate their commitment to their degree

programme by attending lectures, complying with specific requests within specified deadlines,
and submitting coursework on time. Where we cannot establish contact with you for an
extended period or if it comes to our attention that you are no longer in attendance, we will
have no choice but to investigate, in case there is an ongoing wellbeing issue we are unaware
of. If we find that non-attendance continues, the Post Graduate Senior Tutor shall normally
discuss with the FOE (Faculty of Engineering) Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching and
inform the Head of Department & the College Registry, which may in extreme cases result in
your withdrawal Academic Regulations | About | Imperial College London. Please also check

61
the Unsatisfactory Engagement text in section 11 of this handbook. In addition, there are
circumstances in which the College is required to report non-engagement of Student Visa
holders to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This could jeopardise the individual’s ability
to stay in the UK.

Attendance during the summer period

If you are enrolled on a 12-month programme of study, you are not considered to be on
vacation over the summer period. Therefore, there is a requirement for you to continue
engaging in full-time study. This means you are restricted from working full-time unless you
are undertaking a work placement that is an assessed part of your course (for example, a
work-based project).
Once the taught part of your course is completed, we will no longer monitor attendance, as
remote study is no longer a concern. The taught part of your course may extend into the
summer period (e.g., group projects, design projects, field trips etc.), in which case you
will need necessarily to attend in-person.
You are advised and strongly encouraged to attend in person during the summer period and
at least until you start writing-up your MSc thesis. Please note that in-person attendance and
presence in the UK may be necessary for your project, to use facilities such as laboratories
and computer program licenses, or to undertake a work placement as part of your MSc
dissertation. Do not make arrangements to return to your home country before having
developed a clear understanding of what the implications for your research project may
be (e.g., losing access to necessary software). It is your responsibility to ensure that
you can deliver your research remotely. If you are on a Student Visa and continue your
research from abroad, we will inform the Visa Compliance Team who will report to UKVI to
inform them of a change of study location.
We expect you to place your full attention during the summer period to your studies, including
your research and dissertation, which is a central part of the course, constituting a third of your
degree. Although we will not be monitoring attendance, we will be monitoring your
engagement with the course and if we are not satisfied, we will follow the process outline in
the Unsatisfactory Engagement text in Section 11 of this handbook. Avoid arranging holidays
and long breaks during the summer period, as explained you are not considered to be on
vacation.
The end date of registration for full-time MSc students is end of September, when your
programme ends. However, we expect you to fully engage until you have complied with all
deliverables and met all the requirements of your degree and no longer than that. You will
need to remain contactable and respond to any correspondence from the College, and you
may still need to comply with your visa requirements if applicable. This will be the best time
to take a break and travel if you so wish.

Internships
Postgraduate students can only undertake work placements if they are an approved part of
their course of study (an example of which might be as part of the project element). Students
who may wish to interrupt their studies to take an internship (in the UK or overseas) will have
the sponsorship of their visa withdrawn and will need to apply for a new visa in order to return
to their programme at a later date.

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Recording study leave
This form should be used to cover any and all study time which is spent outside of the UK for
the following situations:

Field work and data collection

Study Leave which is not subject to the Placement Learning Policy, such as extended field
work. The College’s Off-Site Working procedures should be followed:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/safety. For visa-dependent students, the College is required by
UKVI to report any time away from the College as a ‘change of study location’ within 10 days
of this change taking place. This will not impact on a student’s visa status in the UK.
Please see your cluster administrator in the first instance.

Students with Student visas

The Visa Compliance Team may be contacted by email on [email protected] for
advice.

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18. Appendix B: Cheating Offences

Policies & Procedures

The Policy and Procedures contained in this document apply to all students and former
students at Imperial College registered for Imperial College or University of London awards. A
complete copy of the College regulations governing Cheating Offences: Policy and
Procedures, under which Plagiarism is categorised, is available to download from the following
link:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-
taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/plagiarism-academic-integrity--
exam-offences/
In any proceedings under these Policy and Procedures, the student shall be presumed to be
innocent until the contrary is established beyond reasonable doubt.
Where the offence is an instance of suspected plagiarism, it shall be dealt with in accordance
with the following procedures, commensurate with the severity of the suspected offence.
If you are not sure, please ask. Useful reference points are academic and library staff.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of another person’s words, ideas, judgement or data
as though they were your own. For example, not referencing the source of your ideas or
arguments when they have derived from your reading; taking verbatim the words of someone
else’s work and putting it into your project without quotation marks and referencing; taking
whole sections out of books, the internet, articles, lecture notes, other reports or other
students’ work, and including them in your report uncited. Plagiarism may also occur in formal
written examinations – the above document addresses this possibility. An example might be
where candidates have been able to learn text by heart (by rote) and simply reproduce this
without acknowledgement of source. Where the examination is based on technical knowledge,
this may be acceptable and not regarded as plagiarism. In other subjects where candidates
are asked to write essay-type questions, the examiners may regard text reproduced without
reference or critical analysis as plagiarism. This will be clarified, where appropriate, in the
examination rubric on the front page of the examination paper.
You should be aware that you have a collective responsibility for the integrity of group work
submitted for assessment. This means that if part of the work is plagiarised, all group
members will be held accountable unless proof can be provided by each individual member of
their contribution. You should, therefore, retain an audit trail of your contribution for this
purpose.
When submitting (both individual and group) assessed coursework you will be required to
complete and attach a Coursework Cover Sheet (examples on the following page) confirming
that you have read and understood the definition of plagiarism. Submitting this form will certify
that the work presented is entirely your own, except where indicated.
Plagiarism is a serious offence. The Examination Board reserves the right to take further
action as it deems appropriate to protect the name of the Department and the College, and
this may involve expulsion of a student from the programme or delay or withdrawal of a
degree award.

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 19. Appendix C: Cover Sheets

You are required to complete and attach a cover sheet (examples given below) to all of your
assignments, group or individual, before submission. Digital copies will be sent to you, please
save a personal copy and use with all coursework assignments. You must read the Plagiarism
Declaration, and, in signing the cover sheet, you agree that you have understood and
complied with the College’s guidelines on plagiarism. Your typed name constitutes a
signature.

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The Plagiarism Declaration Guidelines, which are printed overleaf on the individual/group
cover sheets read as follows:

You are reminded that all work submitted as part of the requirements for any examination
(including coursework) of Imperial College must be expressed in your own writing and
incorporate your own ideas and judgements.
You must NEVER give your coursework, whether electronically or in paper copy, to someone
else to submit, nor should you accept to hand in coursework on someone else’s behalf.
If copying of material occurs as a result of such activity, both parties are considered to have
actively taken part in plagiarism.
Plagiarism, that is the presentation of another person's thoughts or words as though they are
your own, must be avoided with particular care in coursework, essays and reports written in
your own time. Note that you are encouraged to read and criticise the work of others as
much as possible. You are expected to incorporate this in your thinking and in your
coursework and assessments. But you must acknowledge and label your sources.
Direct quotations from the published or unpublished work of others, from the internet, or
from any other source must always be clearly identified as such. A full reference to their
source must be provided in the proper form and quotation marks used. Remember that a
series of short quotations from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such,
constitutes plagiarism just as much as a single unacknowledged long quotation from a single
source. Equally if you summarise another person's ideas, judgements, figures, diagrams or
software, you must refer to that person in your text, and include the work referred to in your
bibliography and/or reference list. Departments are able to give advice about the
appropriate use and correct acknowledgement of other sources in your own work.
The direct and unacknowledged repetition of your own work, which has already been
submitted for assessment, can constitute self-plagiarism. Where group work is
submitted, this should be presented in a way approved by your Department. You should
therefore consult your tutor or cluster director if you are in any doubt about what is
permissible. You should be aware that you have a collective responsibility for the
integrity of group work submitted for assessment.
The use of the work of another student, past or present, constitutes plagiarism. Where
work is used without the consent of that student, this will normally be regarded as a
major offence of plagiarism.
Failure to observe any of these rules may result in an allegation of cheating. Cases of
suspected plagiarism will be dealt with under the College's Cheating Offences Policy
and Procedures and may result in a penalty being taken against any student found
guilty of plagiarism.

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20. Appendix D: Map of South Kensington Campus

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21. Appendix E: Health and Safety Booklet

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