Faculty of Engineering



The Faculty of Engineering is located in Sarpsborg and has at present 350 students and 40 staff members.

The Faculty offers the following programmes

·       1-year Foundation Course  (preparatory course) for Engineering Education

·       3-year bachelor programmes in Engineering 

·       1-year programme in the bachelor degree programme Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (offered in English)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE ENGINEERING EDUCATION

The Faculty is responsible for 3-year bachelor programmes in

·       Civil Engineering

·       Electronic Design and Telecommunications Engineering

·       Electrical Power Engineering

·       Chemical Engineering

·       Mechanical Engineering and Production Management

·       Product Design Engineering

·       Technology, Innovation and Entreprenueship

 

All the programmes are developed in accordance with the 2003 Framework Plan for Three-year Engineering Education as stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Research.  

The Framework Plan stipulates the objectives and structure of the engineering programmes and provides the framework for the curriculum of each field of study. However, each college that offers engineering education still has great flexibility in determining the extent of specialization of its courses thereby offering a particular profile for that institution. This is done through offering different disciplines and elective subjects (valgfag).

The programmes aim to educate engineers in both technical and theoretical knowledge, to develop their skills in practical problem solving, and to enable them to take responsibility for the interaction between technology, environment and society.

Completion of the 3-year engineering program qualifies students for the degree Bachelor of Engineering. It constitutes the minimum basis required for the degree EUR ING (European Engineer), attained after a total of 7 years of study and practice, conferred by the European engineering association, FEANI.

For qualified engineers there are many opportunities for further education leading to a master's degree and for studies at PhD level.

 

Working methods

The programmes are organized in a balanced combination of lectures, practical problem-solving seminars, laboratory work and, where appropriate supervised work placement. The aim is to provide the students with knowledge in theoretical and technical subjects and to encourage individual activity as well as cooperation and communication between students.

The Faculty considers collaboration with companies and institutions in the public and private sectors to be a significant contribution to the quality of the engineering education, and has been very active in maintaining outside contacts for students in the form of work placement and practical assignments.

 

STUDY PROGRAMMES FOR THE ENGINEERING EDUCATION

The engineering programmes consist of a selection of units. These include core coruses of pure science: Mathematics, Statistics, Physics and Chemistry and social-economic subjects of communication and cooperation, the environment, the economy, administration and leadership. These are subjects that are common for all engineering programmes and are not connected to specific fields of study. The Faculty wishes to emphasize their profile in the specialization area of Innovation and Development.

In several of the fields of study the students undertake projects in industry and enterprises right from the first year. In the second year, and especially in the third year, there are specialization courses and electives (valgfag). Some of the elective courses are available to all the third year students. These include Mathematics, German, Project Management and Product Development. In addition, it is possible to choose other courses offered by the Faculty as electives if the timetable allows it and they are approved as part of the engineering degree.

The studies conclude with a final-year project undertaken in collaboration with external companies or institutions in both the public and private sectors. In this project the students work with real engineering tasks, and give a written and oral presentation of their work. The project is also assessed on the basis of its presentation at EXPO, an exhibition of all final year projects. 

 

The structure of an engineering program (180 ECTS credits) is as follows:

 
Core courses 45 ECTS  credits
Mathematics and Statistics 25 ECTS
Physics  10 ECTS
Chemistry and Environment  10 ECTS
Basic Computer Science 10 ECTS
Socio-economics studies 20 ECTS credits
Communication, Cooperation and Computer Science 10 ECTS
Economics, Administration and Leadership 10 ECTS
Technical courses 90 ECTC credits
Field of study courses 30 ECTS
Specialization courses 60 ECTS
Elective courses 10 ECTS credits

Final Year Project 

15 ECTS credits

            

Specialization within a field of study can be achieved through specialization courses and electives which are described in the curricula. The following is a brief overview:

 

Bachelor of Engineering/Construction

As of 1997 students spent part of their study on placement in a local business. The curriculum is aimed at the building contractor industry with emphasis on the entire construction process:  planning, design, construction and putting into operation, as well as taking quality management into account.

 

Bachelor of  Engineering/Electronic Design and Telecommunications Engineering

This study provides specialized qualification in computer and telecommunication hardware.  The discipline is particularly directed towards broadband networks and broadcasting systems, and it fulfils the theoretical requirements for authorized installation contractors and management contractors of the broadcasting network stipulated by the Norwegian telecommunications authorities. Østfold University College is the only college in Norway that offers this option.

 

Bachelor of  Engineering/Chemical Engineering

There are two disciplines in the Chemical Engineering programme: Biotechnology and Process Engineering. In collaboration with the locally based international chemical company Borregaard, the Faculty has established a completely new field within macromolecular chemistry, which has been incorporated into the curriculum of both disciplines since 1996.

 

Bachelor of Engineering/Mechanical Engineering and Production Management 

Østfold University College is the only college in Norway that specializes in Product Development. Building on the field of study courses of Mechanical Engineering, this curriculum provides comprehensive knowledge of the creative process of developing new products. It also gives in-depth training in the use of computer tools for three-dimensional modeling, design, strength calculations, visualizing, and animation. Much of the curriculum is project-based and in collaboration with industry.

 

Bachelor of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The study is a cross-disciplinary based 3-year professional education with focus on integrating technology, economics and innovation. The study has been offered from autumn 2003 and admits 30 students. Entrepreneurship and students’ self-organized and self-started businesses will be an essential part of the curriculum.

 

Bachelor of Engineering/Product Design Engineering

The study of product design engineering was initiated in 2001 and is only offered by our university college. The study combines humanistic, esthetical and technological sciences with practical skills in creating functional, user satisfying industrial products.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE FOUNDATION (PREPARATORY) COURSE

The one-year Foundation Course for Engineering Education is a course specially designed to prepare candidates for qualifying for admission to engineering degree programmes, and it provides the necessary basis for completing subsequent programmes in Engineering. The curriculum comprises 34 hours of scheduled lessons per week, and is recommended by the Ministry of Education and Research.

 

Course Outline

Candidates with vocational qualifications must take the ‘full’ Foundation Course of 34 hours per week in the following subjects:

Mathematics 10 hours
Physics 7 hours
Norwegian 8 hours
English 4 hours
Social Studies 3 hours
Chemistry 2 hours
 

                                                   

Assessment in the Foundation Course

Assessment is continuous and a final end-of-year grade for each subject is awarded, based on the student’s participation throughout the course and mid-term tests. 

 

1-YEAR BACHELOR SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAMME IN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (60 ECTS CREDITS)

 

The Faculty offers a build-on programme leading to a bachelor's degree appropriate for all graduate engineers and undergraduates who have completed two or three-year degree courses, as well as graduates of other types of higher education. The programme is offered in English. 

 

INTERNATIONALISATION

The Faculty’s international cooperation includes two partners in Germany, Fachhochschule Aachen and Hochschule Wismar. Fachhochschule Aachen has the potential of further developing the field of Construction Engineering,  and Hochschule Wismar specializes in mechanical engineering, online teaching and learning, and international student projects. Our students have completed projects in Aachen and students from Aachen have spent their compulsory industrial practice periods in Norway. Cooperation with Wismar has been active in many fields, inclusive Wismar student traineeships in Norway and annual staff exchanges. 

The Faculty also has good contacts with a number of universities in France, The Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, USA, Australia and China for student exchange programmes and research projects. A more detailed overview of these cooperation partners can be found at the Faculty’s international web site:  

http://www.ir.hiof.no/iravd/avdelingen_har_disse_utenlandske.htm