FdSc Cement Technology - Mineral courses

Program Overview

The FdSc Cement Technology is a flexible and innovative distance learning program designed to equip individuals working in the Mineral Products industry with the knowledge and skills essential for management positions. Delivered through a blended learning model, it combines online learning materials with face-to-face sessions, offering a wide range of assessment methods and utilizing a sophisticated virtual learning environment. The program prepares graduates for various roles within the industry, including production and operations management, quality, health and safety, and environmental management.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The FdSc Cement Technology program is a flexible and innovative distance learning program designed to meet the needs of individuals working in the Mineral Products industry. It is delivered through a blended learning model, combining online learning materials with face-to-face sessions held at the University of Derby's Enterprise Centre. The program aims to:

• Equip learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the shortfall in international, national, and local development needs within the Mineral Products sector.
• Develop learners' understanding of the Mineral Products sector, including its global and environmental influences.
• Prepare individuals for management positions in the industry by providing them with the tools, theoretical foundation, and skills relevant to modern business practices.
• Enable learners to develop their intellectual breadth and make integrative links across various areas of their organizations.
• Develop knowledge and skills to enable leaders/managers to be responsive to change.
• Increase learners' capacity for lifelong learning, both during the program and after completion.
• Provide a rigorous and challenging program of study aligned with the QAA Qualification Framework, enhancing critical and reflective practice.
• Offer flexible learning opportunities in a diverse environment that widens participation.

Outline:

The FdSc Cement Technology program is structured over three years of part-time study. It also covers health, safety, and environmental awareness, emergency planning procedures, and the safe use of machinery and equipment.

• Industry & the Environment: This module focuses on geology, workplace health and safety, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and environmental issues related to the Mineral Products industry.
• Learning, Thinking & Study Skills in Higher Education: This module helps learners identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop personal learning and thinking skills, and prepare for academic study and writing.
• Business & Operational Management: This module develops operational, business, and financial management skills, including communication, human resource management, asset management, sustainability, and cyber security.

Year Three:

• Production Facility Engineering: This module covers lubrication, bearings, hydraulic systems, mechanical power transmission systems, gas behavior, compressors, pumps, internal combustion engines, asset prioritisation, plant maintenance, and process control concepts.
• Cement Process Engineering: This module focuses on the efficient use of fuels in cement production, including primary and secondary fuels and waste streams.
• Cement Clinker Processing: This module explores the processes involved in grinding and blending cement clinker into various types of cement for sale.
• Mineral Products Workbased Project: This module requires learners to apply their knowledge and skills to a real-world problem within the Mineral Products industry, conducting research, analyzing data, and presenting their findings.

Assessment:

The program utilizes a variety of assessment methods to evaluate learners' understanding and skills. These methods include:

• Practical projects focused on specific workplaces
• Management and technical reports
• Annotated presentations
• Reflective portfolios or collections of work
• E-assessments via the Virtual Learning Environment
• Problem-solving tasks
• Varied writing tasks and oral assessments
• Practical assessment of professional competence

Teaching:

The program employs a range of teaching methodologies, including:

• Learning opportunities identified and taken directly from the learner's workplace situation
• Action learning sets and other facilitated group activities
• Individual reflection on learning
• Technology-enhanced learning using a sophisticated virtual learning environment (VLE)

Careers:

The FdSc Cement Technology program prepares graduates for a variety of roles within the Mineral Products industry, including:

• Production Manager
• Operations Manager
• Quality Manager
• Health and Safety Manager
• Environmental Manager
• Technical Specialist
• Research and Development Specialist

Other:

The program is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of individual learners and employers. It is influenced by the principles of work-based learning, allowing learners to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings. The program also emphasizes independent learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

UK and EU students

Year 1 £2,575 Year 2 £3,165 Year 3 £3,910

International students

Year 1 £3,165 Year 2 £4,025 Year 3 £4,880