National Certificate in Civil Engineering
(G8Y2 46)
Course overview and skills development summary
Introduction
National Certificates are made up of Units. Each Unit is mapped against an agreed set of national standards to identify the appropriate level and credit value defined by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).
The SCQF level is a measure of how hard the Unit is.
The credit value is a measure of the time, on average, it should take a learner to achieve the Unit. A single-credit Unit works out at an average of 40 hours of teaching time and 20 hours of self-directed learning. A double credit Unit works out at an average of 80 hours of teaching time and 40 hours of self-directed learning. If you’d like more information, it is available at .
Most National Certificates have mandatory and optional Units:
Mandatory Units provide the generic knowledge, understanding and skills needed to be successful in your chosen career. Every student has to complete them.
Optional Units give you an opportunity to choose a particular area of interest that you would like to learn about.
This document provides information about the Units that make up your Course and the skills you will be developing as you work through each Unit. It explains:
the way you will use Core Skills in your chosen area of work
how the Course is structured
It also describes the purpose of each Unit in the Course, including:
the subject-specific skills you will develop in each Unit
the Core Skills you will develop naturally as you work through each Unit
any Core Skill or Core Skill component that will be recorded on your certificate
Core Skills in your chosen area of work
As an engineer working in civil engineering you will be using Core Skills every day.
Communication
You will need to understand and listen to instructions, and read plans, specifications and working drawings. You will need to communicate with a range of people to gather and pass on accurate and relevant information to your colleagues and other professions.
Numeracy
You will need to be able to measure and refer to drawings to extract details and positions of components.
Information and Communication Technology
You will need to be able to access and/or edit information that other professions have stored. You will also need to write reports and forward this information to other colleagues and other professions.
Problem Solving
You will have to analyse different engineering problems and come up with different approaches to overcome or deal with these. You will need to produce plans and then following those plans through, organising your own and other resources. You’ll need to review how you have dealt with these plans and reflect on how effective these have been.
Working with Others
You will work as part of a team to discuss site activity, contract programming, Health and Safety issues, etc.
Course structure for Civil Engineering
To achieve this National Certificate you will need to achieve:
eight Unit credits from the mandatory section
four Unit credits from the optional section
Mandatory Unit (eight credits):
Unit title / Unitcode / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Civil Engineering Site Work / F3J6 12 / 6 / 1
Civil Engineering Technology / F3J7 12 / 6 / 1
Computer Aided Drawing in Construction / F3J8 12 / 6 / 1
Construction Materials: An Introduction / F3JB 11 / 5 / 1
Construction Materials: Properties and Testing / F3J9 12 / 6 / 1
Health and Safety in the Construction Industry / F3JA 12 / 6 / 1
Mathematics: Craft 1 / F3HV 11 / 5 / 1
Mechanics for Construction: An Introduction / F3JC 12 / 6 / 1
Optional Unit (four credits):
Unit title / Unitcode / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Architectural Project / F3JD 12 / 6 / 1
Building Construction Project / F3JF 12 / 6 / 1
Building Design and Technology / F3JE 12 / 6 / 1
Building Services in Domestic Low-rise Buildings / F3JG 11 / 5 / 1
Civil Engineering Project / F3JH 12 / 6 / 1
Construction Administration / F3JJ 12 / 6 / 1
Construction Calculations / F3JL 11 / 5 / 1
Construction Measurement and Costing / F3JK 12 / 6 / 1
Construction Site Surveying: An Introduction / F3JM 12 / 6 / 1
Drawing for Construction / F3JN 11 / 5 / 1
Modern Methods of Construction / F3JR 12 / 6 / 1
Properties of Heat, Light and Sound in Construction / F3JP 12 / 6 / 1
Sustainability in the Construction Industry / F3JS 12 / 6 / 1
Technical Recording and Reporting in the Construction Industry / F3JV 12 / 6 / 1
Working Across Construction Specialisms / F3JT 12 / 6 / 1
Unit summaries
This section provides a brief description of each Unit in the Course. It explains:
the purpose of each Unit
the subject-specific skills you will learn for each Unit
which Core Skills you will be developing as you work through each Unit
which Core Skill or Core Skill components are recorded in your Core Skills profile on your certificate
The Unit summaries are in alphabetical order so you can find them easily. This might not be the order you do them in.
Architectural Project (F3JD 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will develop skills to enable you to solve architectural design problems.
You will:
investigate the design and planning strategies for a construction project based on a low-rise domestic building
carry out site surveys and produce a site appraisal
produce sketch designs and construction drawings of the proposed design solution
interpret and present complex graphic information
calculate and use complex numerical data
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving, Numeracy and Information and Communication Technology.
Building Construction Project (F3JF 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of domestic building construction by producing drawings and associated technical material.
You will:
research and investigate traditional forms of house construction and a range of building regulations and standards in relation to this project
draw and sketch structural components
analyse and seek solutions to a range of theoretical and practical problems
produce a technically accurate, structured and formally expressed written report
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving, Numeracy and Communication.
Building Design and Technology (F3JE 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the prime factors which influence the way in which a design evolves, the technical constraints on house construction, and the fundamentals of house design and construction.
You will:
identify and explain the importance of producing a design brief for a building project and its main contents
identify and explain how the functional requirements affect house design
identify and explain the effects of design factors and constraints including statutory, legal and technological
identify and explain common forms of the main elements of domestic substructure and superstructure
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication and Problem Solving.
Building Services in Domestic Low Rise Buildings (F3JG 11) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the building services provided in domestic low-rise buildings up to two storeys in height. These include drainage, hot and cold water, electricity and space heating. You will also learn about building services drawings and how to interpret them.
You will:
select and justify appropriate systems to a range of construction needs
complete graphical layouts and specification notes for building services provision in domestic low-rise buildings
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving, Numeracy and Communication.
Civil Engineering Project (F3JH 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will complete a project to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of civil engineering.
You will:
plan a civil engineering project based on a prepared brief
identify the sources of information to be used, the tasks to be carried out, and the time to complete the project
identify appropriate and practical engineering solutions
communicate with the project supervisor regularly
detail and analyse the proposed solution
produce interim reports and drawings for evaluation by the project supervisor
produce a report on the finished project
evaluate the finished project by discussing its effectiveness and reporting on any problems you encountered
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication, Problem Solving and Numeracy.
Civil Engineering Site Work (F3J6 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the factors involved in developing and preparing a site for various types of construction projects, which include provision of security measures, adequate on-site and access routes, material storage areas, the safe working methods, and equipment used for earthmoving, concreting and lifting operations.
You will:
evaluate the requirements of a site
decide on security measures, and identify routes, storage areas and equipment
identify and describe the requirements for preliminary site works and the types of temporary works used on construction sites
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving and Communication.
Civil Engineering Technology (F3J7 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will develop an understanding of the development of a major construction project from the initial sitework through to the completion of the skeleton frame of a building.
You will:
identify the various forms of shallow foundations and their construction
complete calculations
read drawings
identify and sketch elements of structural steelwork frames
identify permanent elements and temporary support methods relating to in-situ reinforced concrete frame construction
identify the function and common forms of retaining walls
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving and Numeracy.
Computer Aided Drawing for Construction (F3J8 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will develop skills in using Computer Aided Drawing software to produce 2D construction drawings.
You will:
interpret information from a design
use CAD programmes to produce drawings
take dimensions and sizes from a brief
produce the drawing to the correct size and scale
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Information and Communication Technology, Problem Solving and Numeracy.
Construction Administration (F3JJ 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will develop skills in construction administration — including site meetings, contract programming and project cost control.
You will:
identify and explain relationships between members of the construction team and the various lines of communication used in a construction project
identify and explain the benefits of regular site meetings and post-contract cost control
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication and Problem Solving.
Construction Calculations (F3JL 11) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will develop your mathematical skills by applying them to topics such as structural mechanics, land surveying and materials testing, and civil engineering.
You will:
complete calculations, extract data from standard tables, and transpose construction formulae
complete sketches and plot graphs
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Numeracy and Problem Solving.
Construction Materials: An Introduction (F3JB 11) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about construction materials commonly used in the construction industry, production processes for construction materials, and the properties of materials and how to identify them physically.
You will:
identify materials that can be used in the construction industry
describe how construction materials and their properties are produced
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication.
Construction Materials: Properties and Testing (F3J9 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the properties of commonly used construction materials by using the tests that are normally carried out on the site or in a laboratory.
You will:
calculate physical and mechanical properties from measurements in the laboratory
analyse, interpret and present data accurately and effectively, using tables and graphs
read and draw graphs and charts
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication, Numeracy and Problem Solving.
Construction Measurement and Costing (F3JK 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the importance of using a Standard Method of Measurement when preparing quantities. You will also develop skills in measurement to quantify items for simple building or civil engineering works.
You will:
identify and use a Standard Method of Measurement to prepare bills of quantities
discuss the benefits of selecting a Standard Method of Measurement when preparing items for a bill of quantities
identify and describe the relationship between tender drawings, specifications and the relevant Standard Method of Measurement at pre-tender stage
identify and list the different sections of a bill of quantities and briefly describe their purpose
determine item quantities and costs from simple construction drawings, making reasonable allowance for wastage
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication, Numeracy and Problem Solving.
Construction Site Surveying: An Introduction (F3JM 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the basic principles of land surveying and the techniques used to prepare construction site plans.
You will:
interpret data from site plans developed for individual construction projects and from Ordnance Survey (OS) maps and plans
carry out a practical survey using basic equipment to gather data for a site plan, contour plan and section
accurately carry out and record a number of calculations
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Numeracy and Problem Solving.
Drawing for Construction (F3JN 11) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about construction drawing. You will develop the skills you need to produce sketches for construction features, use basic manual drawing techniques and interpret construction drawings.
You will:
interpret construction drawings
sketch basic construction features
draw basic construction features using drawing instruments
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Numeracy and Problem Solving.
Health and Safety in the Building Industry (F3JA 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about hazard identification, risk assessment and the safe working practices for given site operations.
You will:
identify and examine the relevance of all factors, including current legislation, to promoting and implementing safe working practices
identify the procedures of risk assessment and the effects of risks and hazards in the workplace
apply a range of practical health and safety issues
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving.
Mathematics: Craft 1 (F3HV 11) 1 credit
In this Unit you will develop your numeracy skills so you can apply them in practical situations. You will learn how to interpret and apply a wide range of numerical and graphical information to solve practical problems.
This Unit has the Numeracy Core Skill component Using Number embedded in it, so when you achieve the Unit your Core Skills profile will be updated to show you have also achieved Using Number at SCQF level 5.
Mechanics for Construction: An Introduction (F3JC 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the basic principles of mechanics that relate to construction, such as forces, stress and strain. You will also develop skills in making calculations to do with these principles and how to apply them in structural analysis.
You will be:
identify and apply units and quantities used in mechanics
explain the basic principles of structural analysis
complete calculations involving forces in equilibrium and direct stresses and strains
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Numeracy and Problem Solving.
Modern Methods of Construction (F3JR 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about:
modern methods of construction
the materials, technologies and methodologies involved
the efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability benefits of modern methods of construction
You will:
identify issues which affect and impact on modern construction methods
identify and explain how waste is generated by different methods of construction
identify ways in which efficiency and sustainability in the construction industry can be improved by using modern methods of construction
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving, Communication and Working with Others.
Properties of Heat, Light and Sound in Construction (F3JP 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the basic principles of heat, light and sound relevant to construction. You will also develop your skills in completing calculations.
You will:
identify and interpret units, quantities and scales in heat, light and sound
solve basic calculations in heat, light and sound
identify contexts of heat loss, heat gain, energy consumption and good insulation practice
identify appropriate light levels and good design practice relating to natural and artificial lighting
identify appropriate sound levels and the measurement and control of noise nuisance
As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving and Numeracy.
Sustainability in the Construction Industry (F3JS 12) 1 credit
In this Unit, you will learn about the basic principles of sustainability and how they apply to the construction, occupation and demolition of buildings.
You will:
identify and explain the basic principles of sustainability in relation to material resources, energy used in the construction of buildings, and design features
analyse the difficulties and benefits of using recycled materials, and the advantages and disadvantages of on-site and off-site methods of construction in terms of energy use