Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 8
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Civil Engineering School
This course provides students with an opportunity to apply all the knowledge and skills developed across the whole course to a research or real world problem. Students will undertake a research project or a program of independent enquiry under the direction of an academic or research staff member. Students commencing a year long project in sem 1 enrol in CIVL7500 for sem 1 and sem 2; students commencing a year long project in sem 2 enrol in CIVL7501 for sem and the following sem1.
The course enables students to develop research skills and gain specialised knowledge in a particular subfield of civil engineering. After this course, students will have completed a critical review of literature in their chosen subfield, developed a research plan and conducted scientific investigations (analytical, experimental, or numerical) and accompanying data analyses. These activities will position the students to continue on advanced research courses if they choose to do so. Therefore, the study encompasses a well-planned and executed research exercise. The topics available for this Projects course cover several areas of civil engineering. Finally, the students will deliver a presentation and produce a report describing their research backgrounds, methods, findings, and conclusions of their results.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The required academic background is specified in the selected project description. The student may further consult with the potential supervisor regarding specific background requirements for the project.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
CIVL7501, CIVL7511, CIVL7512, CIVL7513, CIVL7514 or CIVL7515
Restrictions
Enrolment restricted to BE(Hons)/ME(Civil), BE(Hons)/ME(Civil and Enviro), MEngSc(Civil), MCivEng(Prof) or ME(Civil) programs. Students in MEngSc(Civil), MCivEng(Prof) or ME(Civil) must have a GPA of 5.0 or above and have commenced their studies in 2023 or earlier.
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
The course is designed to help students develop research skills and gain specialized knowledge in a particular field of the civil engineering profession.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Formulate an engineering problem from a limited brief
LO2.
Critically evaluate previous research
LO3.
Apply project management techniques to plan and carry out a small engineering research project in the allocated time frame, within the available resources, and in a safe and ethical manner
LO4.
Generate appropriate evidence through a reproducible method that is suitable for drawing sound conclusions
LO5.
Evaluate critically the outcomes of your research
LO6.
Develop evidence-based arguments to support conclusions
LO7.
Explain your ideas effectively to a general audience by using effective audio-visual means.
LO8.
Report the rationale and findings in a written document
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Progress Report
|
20% |
9/06/2025 3:59 pm |
| Presentation |
Oral Presentation
|
20% |
22/10/2025 - 23/10/2025 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Final Report
|
60% |
10/11/2025 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Progress Report
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
9/06/2025 3:59 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L08
Task description
Individual written progress report. The report document must include:
- A description of the project identifying the motivation, aims/objectives, and scope of the research
- A literature review describing the relevant knowledge, the motivation, and objectives of the research
- A research plan describing the expected progress and achievement throughout the project
- A list of references including a good range of relevant (all cited) works
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assessment must be submitted through the course BlackBoard site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Oral Presentation
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
22/10/2025 - 23/10/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L05, L06, L07
Task description
Individual oral presentation followed by a Q&A session. The recorded oral presentation will be attended and evaluated by 2-5 academics, some of whom may be outside the research field.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Slides must be submitted through the course BlackBoard site before the presentation day.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Final Report
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
10/11/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L08
Task description
An individual written final report describing the research in detail. The report document must include:
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Literature review
- Research methods (and analyses)
- Results
- Discussions
- Conclusions
- List of (cited) references
The final report will be evaluated by the students' supervisor and a second academic who may be outside the research field.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assessment must be submitted through the course BlackBoard site
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 1 (Fail) The research work is incomplete or inadequate. Some assessment items are missing. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 2 (Fail) The research work is very unsatisfactory or inadequate. Some assessment items are incomplete or missing. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 3 (Fail) The research work is unsatisfactory, with either incomplete or missing assessment items. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 4 (Pass) All items of assessment submitted. The student demonstrates a sound knowledge of the relevant technical information and at least a partial understanding of research methods. Has some correct and some incorrect information. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 5 (Pass with credit) All items of assessment submitted. The student demonstrates a good knowledge of the relevant technical information and a good understanding of research methods. There are only minor factual inaccuracies. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 6 (Pass with distinction) All items of assessment submitted. Research skills are evidenced in the student's work and mastery of technical information. There is a demonstrated ability to identify and solve previously unseen problems using critical thinking and established research processes. There are only minor factual inaccuracies and no irrelevant information. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 7 (Pass with high distinction) All items of assessment submitted.ﾠMastery of technical information and research methods is evident, along with high-level critical analysis and an ability to synthesize information from different sources. There are no factual inaccuracies and no irrelevant information. |
Additional course grading information
All students are supervised by an academic, with regular meetings throughout the semester. The supervisor will verify the final report is the student's own work to satisfy the Identity Verified Assessment requirement.
Grade cutoffs and hurdles
Final (total) marks will be rounded up to an integer value prior to applying hurdles or grade boundaries.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Revision week (second semester) |
Not Timetabled |
Scientific investigation Scientific investigation and discussions with academic advisor. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: