Fire Safety Engineering PgDip/MSc

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year one
Heat Transfer and Thermofluids
Year: 1

The module provides the fundamental knowledge of core engineering sciences i.e. heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, and aims to develop practical skills pertained to these disciplines in the context relevant to fire safety engineering. The module materials were designed to develop a deep understanding of the physical phenomena underlying fluid flow and heat transfer in fire, their interrelations and role played at different stages of fire development. Teaching methods on the module comprise lectures, tutorials and assignments.

Fire Dynamics
Year: 1

Fire dynamics as a field of scientific knowledge embraces most fundamental principles related to fire initiation, development, suppression and release of toxic products of combustion. The module presents students with the unified consideration of the above problems and relates them practical fire safety design procedures, studied later in the course. Emphasis is on deep understanding of physical and chemical processes underlying fire behaviour. A large number of practical calculation examples is offered to students in order to prepare them for real fire design challenges.

Structural Fire Engineering
Year: 1

This module considers durability, building code requirements, structural fire testing, material properties at elevated temperatures, thermally induced structural behaviour, in the context of structural design against fire.

People and Fire
Year: 1

Fire safety engineering is inherently concerned with the provision of equitable life safety options for all occupants of buildings. This module provides an understanding of human behaviour with respect to fire, the impact of fire on people and the complex interactions which exist. Students can then apply this knowledge in the development of reasonable and safe solutions to complex problems related to fire safety design and management of buildings.

Fire Engineering Laboratory
Year: 1

This module enables the student to acquire skills in observing, measuring and analysing physical and chemical attributes of behaviour associated with fire processes. It will also equip students with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the techniques required to conduct and interpret results from experimental research.

Active Fire Control Systems
Year: 1

Active fire protection is an integral and important part of overall fire safety design. The module provides students with the essential knowledge of methods and technologies currently used for active fire protection. Relevant physical/chemical principles underlying fire suppression techniques are emphasized. Practical examples are introduced in order to familiarize students with the real design procedures for fire protection systems.

Fire Safety Engineering Design
Year: 1

This module seeks to develop in students the knowledge and experience in applying fire safety engineering approaches to the provision of fire safety in buildings. Students are exposed to an environment in which they experience the fire safety engineering design process within a comprehensive design exercise set at a high professional level.

Computer Modelling in Fire Engineering
Year: 1

This module is optional

With recent advent in computer technology and better understanding of the underlying theory relating to the fire phenomenon, computer modelling plays an increasingly important role in fire research, particularly for applications where full-scale experiments are too expensive or dangerous. The increased interest in computer modelling has led to the rapid development of various computer programmes, most of which have been used in practical designs. An understanding of the fundamental theory and practical techniques is essential in order to conduct meaningful computer modelling and more importantly to analyse and critically evaluate the simulation results. This module provides such an understanding through lecturing as well as hands-on practice.

Industrial Fire Safety
Year: 1

This module is optional

This module considers fire resistance construction, smoke isolation and venting, ware house storage, storage and special commodities, flammable liquid ignitability and liquid storage and explosion.

Dissertation
Year: 1

This module is optional

This module enables the student to undertake an independent in-depth study of a particular aspect of fire safety science and engineering. It facilitates development of skills in problem solving and decision making whilst also refining other skills including investigative and evaluative skills. Students are required to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject researched, skills in critical analysis and use of investigative methods. Students are required to display these skills in written and oral format that will clearly display analysis of the principal arguments and conclusions of their work.

Year two
Research Dissertation (Specialism)
Year: 2

This module is optional

This module enables the student to undertake an independent, sustained, in-depth and rigorous piece of novel investigative research of a particular aspect of fire safety science and engineering. It facilitates development of skills in problem solving and decision making whilst also refining other skills including investigative and evaluative skills. Students are required to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject researched, skills in critical analysis and use of investigative methods. Students are required to display these skills in written and oral format that will clearly display analysis of the principal arguments and conclusions of their work.