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The Foundation Degree was the first of its kind, not only because the award was one of the first in NDT at that level, but also because of its unique delivery using distance learning. In addition, the syllabus was designed with PCN in mind, so that students who already have PCN certification can gain exemptions from parts of the Foundation Degree.

The BSc is also taught by distance learning. Entry to the BSc would normally be through completion of the FdSc, but there is a direct route for those who have PCN Level 3 (or equivalent) in four relevant areas. So far there have been between 10 and 20 applications for direct entry.

When the course team, led by Dr Muhammad Zaid, was preparing the BSc they consulted the existing Foundation Degree students to find out what they wanted in the BSc. After collecting the data it was decided that there would be four taught modules and a double-sized project. The four modules are corrosion analysis, vibration monitoring and analysis, thermographic imaging and advanced inspection methods and techniques. The last module will contain advanced topics in ultrasonic testing such as time-of-flight and phased array and eddy current testing.

As with the Foundation Degree, students who are enrolled on the BSc will get the learning materials to study, including material written by the Course Team at the University and relevant text books. Additional benefits include access to electronic resources through the University library including all relevant European standards from the BSI free of charge and student membership of BINDT.

The BSc is the next step in the development of non-destructive testing education at Northampton University. As well as providing undergraduate education for practitioners in industry, the University is also promoting research. Already, there are growing numbers of students enrolled on research degrees in the general area of NDT and condition monitoring. In the new year, the University will be launching its new Technology Realm where the University has invested in 3D immersive technology. This will give a unique opportunity for research into the visualisation of structures, which could be invaluable to future generations of non-destructive testers.

Both the Foundation Degree and the BSc are available to international students. Recently, the University was visited by a number of dignitaries from the Terrengganu Advanced Technology Institute University College (TATIUC) and Ruane-Tati in Malaysia, who are about to launch their new Diploma in NDT. They, together with the Vice Chancellor, Mrs Anne Tate, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which it was agreed that the University of Northampton would be pleased to take any student with this Diploma as a direct entry route to a new campus-based BSc top-up degree in Non-Destructive Testing, which is planned for 2012. There are also discussions about a new MSc, but as yet no date has been fixed.

Source: NDT News