October 2017: the first MSc Study Period

Welcome Week activities in Oxford - photos by Dianne Castuciano

This year (September 2017 entry) we welcomed more than 100 students across our 4 MSc courses in construction:

MSc Construction Project Management
MSc Project Management in the Built Environment
MSc Building Information Modelling and Management
MSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management

About half of our students study full-time on campus at Oxford Brookes and the other half study via distance-learning using a combination of online learning and campus-based study weeks. Both methods of study make use of an applied approach to learning known as 'problem based learning'.

The October 2017 Study Period brought the full-time and distance-learning students from across the 4 MSc courses together on campus to attend lectures, seminars and workshops and to share experiences. There are two study periods each year which bring together students and staff on campus to share experiences and knowledge as well as renew friendships and make connections within the industry. As part of the MSc programmes students also take part in a field trip to Belgium and The Netherlands. The full-time students feel that they benefit greatly from being able to interact with the distance-learning students who are already working in industry (UK and overseas). For the distance-learners, there is the opportunity to meet the teaching staff and other students face-to-face which contributes greatly to the feeling of belonging.

The distance-learners are welcomed to the first day of the October 2017 MSc Study Period in the
beautiful surroundings of Oxford Town Hall, where the first sessions were held this year.

They were joined soon after by the full-time students to start the first module: People, Leadership and Organisations.
The module, which is led by Esra Kurul is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Back to the most recent study period. As well as the official welcome, groups sessions, guest lectures, careers talk and CIOB event, there was a special welcome meal and a series of local field trips for all the students. The staff even had time to take some photos (click on the blue links for more information)...

Students get stuck into the group work during the first session.

More discussion with Donnie MacNicol, part of the team who presented the workshop at the first session.

The field trip to the HB Allen Centre development at Keble College - photos by George Blumberg

The project will bring together the Keble College graduate students
on one site with top quality facilities

For more information on the development, take a look at the architect's website: MICA 

If you're interested in taking one of our MSc courses, find out more on the blog (using the labels on the right-hand side of the page) or visit the School of the Built Environment website.