Notice Board

11th June 2012

The Final Taught Module of the AMI Course AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics Starting Thur. 14/6/12

The final taught module of the AMI Course AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics will be starting this Thur. 14/6/12. The module tutor for AMI4041 is Mr. Andy Smith, who is the Associate Dean for the Faculty of Advanced Engineering & Science, University of Bolton. Andy has a BEng in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA so is the ideal person to take AMI4041. Andy will be in touch within the next couple of days.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

21st December 2011

An Additional Extension by Half a Week Without Penalty for the 1st Assignment of AMI4815 Signal Integrity and EMC & AMI4460 Systems Design using FPGAs due to the Engineering Server Being Down from 19/12/11 - 21/12/11

The Engineering Server is now back up! As the Engineering Server (Accessed via the Citrix Interface) went down from 19/12/11 - 21/12/11, the AMI students are awarded an extension for the 1st Assignment of a further half a week, without penalty, for the modules AMI4815 Signal Integrity and EMC & AMI4460 Systems Design using FPGAs. The new due date for the 1st assignment is Sat. 24/12/11.

Please e-mail your assignments directly to the tutors and cc them to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

12th December 2011

An Extension by One Week Without Penalty for the 1st Assignment of AMI4815 Signal Integrity and EMC & AMI4460 Systems Design using FPGAs due to the AMI Web Site Going Down over the Weekend (10/12/11 - 11/12/11)

As the AMI web site went down over the weekend (10/12/11 - 11/12/11), the AMI students are awarded an extension for the 1st Assignment by 1 week, without penalty, for the modules AMI4815 Signal Integrity and EMC & AMI4460 Systems Design using FPGAs. The new due date for the 1st assignment is Wed. 21/12/11.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

 

24th November 2011

The Change in Module Code Number from AMI4233 to AMI4234 for the Module Microelectronic Technologies and Applications

For administrative purposes the module code on the student records database (SITS) has been altered from AMI4233 to AMI4234 for the module Microelectronic Technologies and Applications. As far as AMI students are concerned, interpret the codes AMI4233 and AMI4234 as being synonymous and referring to the same module.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

10th November 2011

The Calendar Updated to Reflect the Belated Start of the 2011/2012 AMI 1st Semester

The calendar for 2011 and 2012 has been updated to reflect the belated start of the 2011/2012 AMI 1st semester. To make up for the lost fortnight there is now no break between the 1st and 2nd terms.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

8th November 2011

The Module Tutors Getting in Touch with Students for the Belated Start of the 2011/2012 AMI 1st Semester

The course leader has handed over student lists to the module tutors. The module leaders will be sending out welcome e-mails to AMI students by Wed. 9/11/11. Please look out for the Module Welcome e-mails using the University of Bolton webmail e-mail system (https://webmail.bolton.ac.uk).

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

4th November 2011

The University of Bolton Administrative Blocks Finally Removed and the Imminent Start of the Year 2011/2012 AMI 1st Semester

The course leader has at last managed to remove the administrative blocks to the starting of the AMI Course 1st Semester. The ~5 new intake AMI students and ~10 AMI students changing award from Postgraduate Certificate to Postgraduate Diploma, have been entered into the system by the Admissions Department. These students will receive an e-mail by the of the day and need to act on the instructions contained in this e-mail and formally enroll. It is only by performing this enrolment that these AMI students will have their University of Bolton computer accounts activated. By Mon. 7/11/11 all AMI students should have live computer accounts and the course administrator (Ms. L. Holland) can put the AMI students onto the modules that they have elected to do. It will then take a day for the system to update the AMI database with the information on AMI students taking the running modules. The course leader should then have complete module student lists by Tues. 8/11/11 and at this point will hand these student lists over to the module tutors. The module leaders can then send out welcome e-mails to AMI students by late Tues. 8/11/11, all being well.

The course leader apologises to AMI students for the delay in starting the AMI course and the ensuing confusion. The course leader can assure AMI students that he has been battling endless internal bureaucratic administrative 'red tape' for the last couple of weeks to remove the blockage.

In the mean time please can the AMI students carry on with reading the module material.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

26th October 2011

Further Delay in the Start of the Year 2011/2012 1st Semester due to Administrative Problems at the University of Bolton

There will be a further delay in starting the 1st semester of the AMI Course, for the Academic Year 2011/2012, due to internal University of Bolton administrative problems. Despite intense effort from course leader, the administrative issues are still not yet resolved.

AMI students will not be penalised due to this administrative delay as the module will now be started two weeks later from the original start date. This lost time will be made up by tacking on an extra fortnight at the end of the module. Thus the new module start date will be Thur. 3/11/11 and the end date will be Wed. 15/2/12. The corresponding assignment submission dates will also be shifted forward in time, by 2 weeks.

In the mean time please can the AMI students press on with reading the module material. The module tutors will be in touch with you by Thur. 3/11/11 to get you started.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

18th October 2011

Delay in the Start of the Year 2011/2012 1st Semester due to Administrative Problems at the University of Bolton

There will be a delay in starting the 1st semester of the AMI Course, for the Academic Year 2011/2012, due to internal University of Bolton administrative problems. The course leader is busy rectifying these issues.

AMI students will not be penalised due to this administrative delay as the module will now be started one week later and this lost week will be made up by tacking on an extra week at the end of the module. Thus the new module start date will be Thur. 27/10/11 and the end date will be Wed. 8/2/12. The corresponding assignment submission dates will also be shifted forward in time, by 1 week.

In the mean time please can the AMI students press on with reading the module material. The module tutors will be in touch with you by Thur. 27/10/11 to get you started.

The ability to select a module for Semester 1 has now been switched off on the module choice form (Making the Module Choice Form).

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

AMI Program Leader

19th September 2011

AMI Students Wishing to Make the Module Choice (Restricted Offering of Modules) for the Complete Academic Year 2011/2012 To Use the Online Form Facilities

Module Choice Deadline Wed. 12/10/11

To study a module during the Academic Year 2011/2012, the last year of the AMI Program, the online form facilities are to be used. The module diet is highly restricted as the Electronics team, at the University of Bolton, is being downsized as an outcome of the Academic Review. The modules scheduled to run in Academic Year 2011/2012 can be viewed from the Module Availability Chart.

At this time, the AMI student is to make a module choice for the entire year i.e. all three semesters. It is the recommendation of the course leader for a typical part time student, with a full time job, to not attempt to take more than one module per semester. The work load in taking two modules at once with a full time job would be 'crippling'. Some AMI students may not be able to complete the full MSc. However the module diet for the largepart should allow students to complete the staged award (Postgraduate Certificate (60 Credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 Credits), MSc (120 Credits) & Project) that the student is currently registered for.

To make the module choice use the Making the Module Choice Form.

You will need to enter your first or last name and Student ID number. Note it is the first 7 digits of your Student ID number that are required. (Do not include the last 2 characters [/1, /2, /3].)

You will then be presented with a set of three dropdown boxes containing the scheduled modules for semester 1, semester 2 and semester 3 respectively, for the Academic Year 2011/2012. Starting with semester 1, choose the module you wish to study from the dropdown box and then click the Submit button. This process should be repeated three times making your module choice for the three semesters i.e. the entire year. Use the back button on your Web Browser to go back to make the repeated (3x) module choice. Please examine carefully the core/optional requirements for your MSc route, the credit ratings of modules and the modules you have already taken, in choosing the modules offered for the Academic Year 2011/2012.

To subsequently view your module choice use the Viewing the Module Choice Form.

You will need to enter your first or last name and Student ID number. Note it is the first 7 digits of your Student ID number that are required. (Do not include the last 2 characters [/1, /2, /3].)

You will then be presented with your module choice for the Academic Year 2011/2012..

These online forms will streamline the student module choice operation. To reiterate an important point, a typical part time student will only be choosing a single module with the 'Making the Module Choice Form' per semester. Proceed carefully in making the module choice.

The intention is for the student to make the module choice via the aforementioned forms and not by e-mailing the Postgraduate Programmes Office. Only if you experience a problem with the online module choice forms should you e-mail the Postgraduate Programmes Office at ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Students who have previously e-mailed the Postgraduate Programmes Office, with their module choice should enter it in again via the online form.,

15th September 2011

The Downsizing of the Electronics Subject Team at the University of Bolton and Supporting a Reduced Diet of AMI Modules

I appreciate that the closure of the AMI distance learning courses is very disappointing to students currently registered on the programme - I can assure you that the staff teaching on the course are also disappointed. The electronics subject team made a strong case for keeping the programme open, but unfortunately higher education is becoming a business, and with the new HE funding arrangements being implemented in 2012, the programme is simply not sustainable. The closure of AMI is part of a wholescale closure of our electronic engineering provision. We have already closed our BEng Electronic & Computer Engineering course to new entrants this year, giving us two years of teach-out on the undergraduate programme. We anticipate that staffing in the electronic engineering group will be significantly reduced this year in line with these closures, hence we cannot commit to supporting the AMI programme beyond the two year teach out plan that has been proposed.


Barbara Waters

Ms. Barbara Waters

Head of Engineering

Faculty of Advanced Engineering & Science

University of Bolton

29th July 2011

Closure of the AMI Distance Learning Programs

Following the University of Bolton Academic Review, the AMI Distance Learning Programs are being closed. AMI students should have received a letter by post indicating this closure and details of a phased teach out program over the next two years, for current AMI students. In the 1st year 2011/2012 a resticted diet of AMI modules will be offered as well as the MSc project module. In the 2nd year 2012/2013 only the MSc project module will be offered.

There will be no new students recruited to these AMI programs so consequently the Online Application Form has been switched off.

The AMI Program leader will be out of the office on annual leave for the month of Aug. 11 so if you have any queries it is best to hang fire until early Sep..

By mid Sep. details of how current AMI students will be enrolled on the resticted diet of 'teach - out' modules will be posted.

The closure of the AMI courses saddens the AMI Program leader but we are in severe times of economic austerity and the University of Bolton has been forced to make some very difficult decisions.

Gerard Edwards

Dr. Gerard Edwards

19th May 2011

The Cancellation of Modules for the June 11 Term (T3) and Provisional October 11 Term (T1) Offered Modules

Due to the fact that the University of Bolton is still undergoing Academic Review, all modules have been cancelled for the June 11 Term (T3), that was due to start on 16/6/11. The IT Systems also need an overhaul, which will be carried out during this summer. This notice overrides the information that was posted on 12/5/11.

The list of modules offered for the October 11 Term (T1) start on 20/10/11 is provisional.

Please see the Module Availability Chart and Next Opportunity to Start a Module to see the October 11 modules, that are running.

The 'Making the Module Choice Form' will next be switched on in September 11 for AMI students to pick their preferred winter modules.

12th May 2011

The Restricted Module Diet for the June 11 Term (T3) and Provisional October 11 Term (T1) Offered Modules

Due to the fact that the University of Bolton is undergoing an Academic Review a restricted module diet will be offered for the June 11 Term (T3) start on 16/6/11. The 'Making the Module Choice Form' will be switched on in the next couple of days allowing students to choose their preferred summer modules.

The list of modules offered for the October 11 Term (T1) start on 20/10/11 is provisional.

Please see the Module Availability Chart and Next Opportunity to Start a Module to see the available June 11 and October 11 modules.

3rd May 2011

There is a know issue with Internet Explorer 9 and the current Citrix interface to the Access Platform. The workaround recommended by Citrix involves the editing of the registry and is hence not one we would recommend inexperienced students following. Until Citrix produce a viable work around students are recommended to either use Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox. Full details of the issue can be found at:

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX129082

7th March 2011

A New Policy: Students to Purchase Their Own Kits for the Microcontrollers and FPGA Modules

As the AMI team has experienced problems with

(1) students not returning kits that were posted out

(2) kits getting damaged by the previous cohort of students

we have decided to bring in a new policy that students will purchase their own kits for the AMI4655 Microcontrollers and AMI4460 Systems Design using FPGAs modules, starting from June 2011. Dr. Edwards has negotiated good deals for purchasing these kits. Please see the Fees and Other Costs section for approximate kit prices.

14th February 2011

The Cancellation of Module AMI4917 Design for Thermal Issues Starting on 24th Feb. 2011

The module AMI4917 Design for Thermal Issues has been cancelled due to a lack of student interest.

The AMI course leader will be in touch by e-mail to the affected students requesting them to choose another module.

25th January 2011

Please return kits if not currently taking FPGA or Micros modules

If you are not currently taking the AMI4460 FPGA or AMI4655 Microcontrollers modules please return the kits to the address below:

Postgraduate Programmes Office
School of Built Environment & Engineering
The University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton
BL3 5AB
United Kingdom

It is also legitimate for students who have been previously deferred in the FPGA/Microcontrollers modules or students who are doing FPGA/Microcontroller based MSc projects to hold onto the kits.

17th January 2011

Using the New Online Form Facilities to Make Student Module Choice for Feb. 2011 Start

To study a module during the coming Feb. 2011 term then the new online form facilities are to be used:

To make the module choice use the Making the Module Choice Form.

You will need to enter your first or last name and Student ID number. Note it is the first 7 digits of your Student ID number that are required. (Do not include the last 2 characters [/1, /2, /3].)

You will then be presented with a dropdown box containing the scheduled Feb. 11 modules. Choose the module you wish to study from the dropdown box and then click the Submit button.

To subsequently view your module choice use the Viewing the Module Choice Form.

You will need to enter your first or last name and Student ID number. Note it is the first 7 digits of your Student ID number that are required. (Do not include the last 2 characters [/1, /2, /3].)

You will then be presented with your module choice for Feb. 11.

These online forms will streamline the student module choice operation. Note a typical part time student will only be choosing a single module with the 'Making the Module Choice Form'.

Please make the module choice carefully.

The intention is for the student to make the module choice via the aforementioned forms and not by e-mailing the Postgraduate Programmes Office. Only if you experience a problem with the online module choice forms should you e-mail the Postgraduate Programmes Office at ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Students who have previously e-mailed the Postgraduate Programmes Office with their module choice for Feb. 10 should enter it in again via the online form.

12th January 2011

New Project Management for Electronics Module Introduced

The new module AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics (20 credits) has been introduced and replaces the two older modules AMI4088 Industrial Management (10 credits) and AMI4040 Project Management for Microelectronics (10 credits). The module AMI4041 is a core module on both programs MSc Advanced Microelectronics & MSc Electronic Product Development. Students who have previously passed the older modules AMI4088 Industrial Management (10 credits) and AMI4040 Project Management for Microelectronics (10 credits) will still get the module credits counting towards their degree program.

The new module AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics is written for a later version of the Project Management software (MS Project 2007) than the older module AMI4040 Project Management for Microelectronics that it is replacing, thus keeping the module consistent with software package development. The new module AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics is more in depth than the older module AMI4040 Project Management for Microelectronics and hence has a 20 credit rating. The new module AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics also covers the territory that the older module AMI4088 Industrial Management ‘occupied’ thus making AMI4088 defunct. Thus introducing the AMI4041 Project Management for Electronics achieves a modernisation of the teaching material in the Technical Management for Electronics area.

14th October 2010

Welcome to new students

The induction week for the new modules starts today and many new people have joined the online community for the first time. All the tutoring and support team welcome you to the online courses from Bolton and look forward to helping you achieve your goals in your future studies.

You should soon receive an email from admissions explaining the online enrolment procedure. This will contain information regarding the username and password you will require to access the tools and materials.

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it now as a few people are waiting to receive a kit in time to start next week. However, only return the kit if you have really finished with it and are confident of passing the module. Should an assignment prove to be unsatisfactory you may need the kit to do the work again.

15th September 2010

Reminder to re-enrol online for academic year 2010/11

The university requires that everyone continuing studies from one academic year to the next should re-enrol. In previous years the Data Management team has sent pre-printed paper forms through the post to be checked and signed, but now this can all be done online. Everyone should have received instructions by email addressed to both their Bolton and personal email account.

In case your email has gone astray, this is what you have to do: go to www.bolton.ac.uk/Students/MyDetails and select “Student Record”. Enter your username and password and then click on "enrol". It's as simple as that. Please be sure to do this, and don't leave it too late as otherwise your account is likely to become locked in September.

 

Next chance to study a module: October 2010

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 21st October when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 14th October.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. The Future Module Choice (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.

 

Dr. Gerard Edwards takes over as Postgraduate Co-ordinator

 

Dr. Gerard Edwards has taken over the Co-ordination role (from Kevan Smart) for the online postgraduate modules in electronics. Gerard will be familiar to many of you as the tutor for the Signal Integrity and EMC suite of modules. As well as lecturing in Electronics and Computing at the University of Bolton, Gerard has for many years of research experience in theoretical semiconductor physics and solid state electronics. Enquiries and other matters can be addressed to ami@bolton.ac.uk or direct to Gerard on ge3@bolton.ac.uk.

 

5th July 2010

Results available online

Following the recent assessment board , the results for the February term are now available online. Go to the university main site, www.bolton.ac.uk, click on "Current Students", then "My Details", then "Student Record", and log in.

 

20th June 2010

IP Address Change

IT are updating the address ranges used for the CAD02 and CAD03 servers. Students using the links on the IT configuration page should be unaffected as these have been updated. Students with local copies of the files or oldver versions may experience issues with the ip address no longer being valid. Using or replacing existing files with the new versions or replacing IP addresses with cad02.bolton.ac.uk, for the UNIX systems.

Access to the PC server via the web pages should be unaffected.

Any problems that you are unable to resolve please mail ami@bolton.ac.uk or nc3@bolton.ac.uk

10th June 2010

Welcome to new students

The induction week for the new modules starts today and many new people have joined the online community for the first time. All the tutoring and support team welcome you to the online courses from Bolton and look forward to helping you achieve your goals in your future studies.

You should soon receive an email from admissions explaining the online enrolment procedure. This will contain information regarding the username and password you will require to access the tools and materials.

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it now as a few people are waiting to receive a kit in time to start next week. However, only return the kit if you have really finished with it and are confident of passing the module. Should an assignment prove to be unsatisfactory you may need the kit to do the work again.

 

6th May 2010

Next chance to study a module: June 2010

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 17th June when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 10th June.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. The Future Module Choice (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.

 

22nd April 2010

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it as soon as possible.

26th March 2010

Please check your results portal online

Please note that you will no longer receive notification of any results by post.

You should check your results on line and if you have any referred (D RESULT with R GRADE) or deferred (D RESULT with L GRADE) modules you will need to access the electronics results portal in order to find the details regarding your required make good work.

The address for the results portal is http://connect.bolton.ac.uk/resultportal

If you have any modules showing as failed (F RESULT with F GRADE or F RESULT with I GRADE) you will need to contact your module tutor in order to ascertain whether you are required to repeat, retake or substitute the module

16th March 2010

Results available online

Following the assessment board held last week, the results for the Oct - Feb term are now available online. Go to the university main site, www.bolton.ac.uk, click on "Current Students", then "My Details", then "Student Record", and log in.

12th March 2010

Policy on email communication between staff and students

For reasons of protection of privacy and safety, Email messages containing personal / private information must now be sent between students and tutors using the university’s webmail email system (http://webmail.bolton.ac.uk and using addresses ending @bolton.ac.uk), not from third party accounts such as hotmail, yahoo, google gmail, or Internet service Provider accounts like btinternet, O2, Tiscali etc etc.
This helps prevent the risks of identity fraud and impersonation.
If you do not check your University webmail account regularly, you will miss important communications from the University, its tutors and its administrators.
Timely, secure and appropriate communication between staff and students is important for all concerned, and email is an important type of communication within this. Students and staff need to be able to contact each other by secure email and receive a timely response. Students and staff need to be confident that the emails they send and receive are from who they claim to be from. Students and staff need to be confident that the emails they send can only be accessed by the person they are intended for.
Conducting official communications through third party email accounts (i.e. other than @bolton.ac.uk accounts) carries risks of impersonation and other security risks, as well as presenting difficulty in maintaining up-to-date and accurate email address lists. Urgent and important messages might be missed. It is in everybody's interests to avoid these potential risks and problems.
Requiring all staff and students to conduct official communications with each other exclusively through the University's webmail system, with @bolton.ac.uk addresses for both sending and receiving, will help to ensure these important objectives are achieved.

  1. All students and all staff must check their University webmail account at least once per week (https://webmail.bolton.ac.uk/).
  2. All official email communications between staff and students must be sent from University webmail accounts
  3. A member of staff or a student receiving an official email communication from other than the person's @bolton.ac.uk account must respond by asking that the message be re-sent from the University webmail account.
  4. All students and all members of staff must keep their University login password(s) secret and must never give them to another person.

18th February 2010

Welcome to new students

The induction week for the new modules starts today and twenty new people have joined the online community for the first time. All the tutoring and support team welcome you to the online courses from Bolton and look forward to helping you achieve your goals in your future studies.

You should have enrolled by following the instructions from the email sent by Admissions. If you have not received this email or are having difficulty enrolling then please contact the AMI Office ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it now as a few people are waiting to receive a kit in time to start next week. However, only return the kit if you have really finished with it and are confident of passing the module. Should an assignment prove to be unsatisfactory you may need the kit to do the work again.

12th January 2010

Next chance to study a module: February 2010

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 25th February when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 18th February.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. The Future Module Choice (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.

 

CAD02 is now back on line

I must apologise for the time it has taken.
In the meantime if anyones delivery dates do slip due to this issue please let the tutors know.
My apologies for the situation and the length of time it has taken to resolve.
The plan is to introduce a new Linux cluster to replace the UNIX systems to avoid this issue recurring.
This will require significant rewrites to all affected modules and hence will be done over the next year
on a module by module basis.

Neil Cole

16th December 2009

CAD02 is Off Line at the moment

IT have had a coolant failure in the server room. So far they have been unable to
give me a date for the situation to be resolved. I will continue to request one so I can confirm the situation to students.
In the meantime if anyones delivery dates do slip due to this issue please let the tutors know.
My apologies for the situation.
I will update this to confirm when CAD02 is back on line.

Neil Cole

26th November 2009

Results available online

Just a reminder, the University now makes your results transcript available online. Go to the university main site, www.bolton.ac.uk, click on "Current Students", then "My Details", then "Student Record", and log in.

9th September 2009

Next chance to study a module: October 2009

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 22nd October when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 15th October.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. The Future Module Choice (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.

7th August 2009

Reminder to re-enrol online for academic year 2009/10

The university requires that everyone continuing studies from one academic year to the next should re-enrol. In previous years the Data Management team has sent pre-printed paper forms through the post to be checked and signed, but now this can all be done online. Everyone should have received instructions by email addressed to both their Bolton and personal email account.

In case your email has gone astray, this is what you have to do: go to www.bolton.ac.uk/Students/MyDetails and select “Student Record”. Enter your username and password and then click on "enrol". It's as simple as that. Please be sure to do this, and don't leave it too late as otherwise your account is likely to become locked in September.

15th July 2009

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it now.

29th May 2009

Introducing Your Student Liaison Officer

Your Student Liaison Officer, Debra Elliott, will help you get the most out of your time whilst you are studying with us. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Debra on the following:
Email: dje1@bolton.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1204 903595

Your Student Liaison Officer

 

(The link can also be found at 'www.ami.ac.uk' then choosing 'Students' and 'Student Support' and 'Your Student Support Liaison Officer' )

CEESI bursaries

Here is the latest news from CEESI regarding bursaries.

"CEESI bursaries are still available for CEESI-approved modules from Bolton (AMI) starting in June. Regrettably it now seems inevitable that will be the last opportunity because funding from EPSCR in support of the CEESI project ends in September. The CEESI Board has approached many funding organisations over the past 18 months and presented a very strong case to each for supporting the scheme in the future, but so far without success. The Board is doing all that it can to ensure the scheme continues beyond September, with or without bursaries."

12th May 2009

Next chance to study a module: June 2009

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 18th June when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 11th June.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. However, if you intend to apply for a CEESI bursary (or use one already agreed), please be sure to mention this, otherwise the Finance Office will invoice the full fee.  The Future Module Choice (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.  To apply for a CEESI bursary for a particular module, complete and submit the bursary application form. (Please read the eligibility rules carefully before applying).

 

Remember to check your Bolton email account

Every student enrolled on a course at the university is assigned an email account for the duration of their studies here. However, we have found that many e-learning students prefer to be contacted using an existing email account at work or at home and for this reason we invite students to tell us their preferred email address.

Occasionally however we may send information to you using your Bolton email account therefore please remember to regularly check this account.

9th April 2009

Module Results

Apologies for all of you awaiting last semesters results. The Examination board sits during the Easter break. This year Easter is about as late as it is possible for it to be. The Examination board has now sat and ratified the results. The results should be made available to you all in the next week or so.

19th February 2009

Welcome to new students

The induction week for the new modules starts today and twenty new people have joined the online community for the first time. All the tutoring and support team welcome you to the online courses from Bolton and look forward to helping you achieve your goals in your future studies. The username and password for your accounts at Bolton should be emailed to you today.

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it now as a few people are waiting to receive a kit in time to start next week. However, only return the kit if you have really finished with it and are confident of passing the module. Should an assignment prove to be unsatisfactory you may need the kit to do the work again.

28th January 2009

Remember to check your Bolton email account

Every student enrolled on a course at the university is assigned an email account for the duration of their studies here. However, we have found that many e-learning students prefer to be contacted using an existing email account at work or at home and for this reason we invite students to tell us their preferred email address.

Occasionally however we may send information to you using your Bolton email account therefore please remember to regularly check this account.

 

Next chance to study a module: February 2009

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 26th February when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 19th February.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. However, if you intend to apply for a CEESI bursary (or use one already agreed), please be sure to mention this, otherwise the Finance Office will invoice the full fee.  The Student Progress Chart (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.  To apply for a CEESI bursary for a particular module, complete and submit the bursary application form. (Please read the eligibility rules carefully before applying).

10th January 2009

CADENCE licences updated

The new licence files arrived yesterday and were installed by lunchtime. The tool suite is now being checked systematically though we do not anticipate any problems. If, however, you find something appears to be amiss, please report the details by email to ami@bolton.ac.uk, giving as much information as you can. Thank you.

CEESI Bursaries increased to £400

Good news! The CEESI Board of Management has increased the value of an award from £300 to £400. The new maximum will apply to AMI modules within the CEESI scheme starting on 26th February and 18th June 2009. (After that things are uncertain, but the CEESI Board aims to secure new funds to allow them to extend the bursary scheme further). If you have already applied for, and received confirmation of a CEESI bursary for 2009, there is no need to check with the AMI Office as we will apply the new rate automatically. To apply for a CEESI bursary, go to www.ceesi.ac.uk and click on Bursaries.

Kevan Smart takes over as Postgraduate Co-ordinator

Kevan Smart has taken over the Co-ordination role for the online postgraduate modules in electronics as Roy Attwood has moved to a new post within the University. Kevan will be familiar to many of you as the author and tutor of the module on FPGAs. As well as lecturing at Bolton, Kevan has for many years been a design engineer in the Electronics Design industrial unit. Enquiries and other matters can be addressed to ami@bolton.ac.uk or direct to Kevan on k.smart@bolton.ac.uk

19 December 2008

Server Update

The Europractice licenses for the Cadence tool suites expire on the 31/12/08 at midnight. Due to a technical oversight the new licenses will not be available in time to replace them.

First off let me apologise for the situation, which was beyond our control. Secondly if anyone is inconvenienced by the situation then please let the relevant tutor know so that we can allow extensions where appropriate for the delivery of assignments.

Access to the UNIX and Access Platforms will be unaffected. However all Cadence tools will be. Once again I can only apologise for the situation and assure you that we are endevouring to rectify it.

A degree of technical support will be available and the ami@bolton.ac.uk email will be monitored on a regular basis over the holiday period for those of you continuing to work. However support will be limited during this period.

Holiday Arrangements

The calendar allows for a three week holiday over Christmas and we expect most people will want to use this time to relax so they are fully refreshed to resume studies after the break. For those of you who want to use some of the holiday to catch up or get ahead, the systems have been left running and everything should remain available for your use.

The Postgraduate Programmes Office re-opens on Monday 5th January and the next study week starts officially on Thursday 8th January.

All the tutors and staff at Bolton send greeting for Christmas and wish everyone a pleasant holiday.

23 November 2008

Next chance to study a module: February 2009

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 26th February when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 19th February.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. However, if you intend to apply for a CEESI bursary (or use one already agreed), please be sure to mention this, otherwise the Finance Office will invoice the full fee.  The Student Progress Chart (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.  To apply for a CEESI bursary for a particular module, complete and submit the bursary application form. (Please read the eligibility rules carefully before applying).

24th September 2008

Gandalf replaced by Access Platform 2

Gandalf having done sterling service has been retired from active duty. Its replacement "Access Platform 2" is accessed using an https web based interface. The system is still Citrix based and provides the same facilities and more that were available on Gandalf. However until the start of next term access is limited. So if students requiring access could let us know at: ami@bolton.ac.uk please. For those who wish to check their access:

Open the web address and log on using your Bolton account to:

https://access.bolton.ac.uk

If you see the following image with the Applications field blank then you need to be authorised so please contact us at ami@bolton.ac.uk, otherwise use the BEE Desktop Icon to logon to the desktop:

The tools are current versions. In certain circumstances it has not been possible to support the same version as was available on Gandalf so there may be differences between the guidance and the actual tools. If you could let us know of any problems it would be appreciated. We are working through the walkthroughs and notes but this does take time for all the modules.

22th September 2008

CAD02 restored

CAD02 is now back on line and fully functional. As this required a full restore of all software and student data if anyone does encounter any issues if they could let us know immediately.

14th September 2008

CAD02 suffers critical failures

Routine server room maintenance required power to be removed from CAD02. On power up CAD02 suffered a critical failure of the raid array. This eventually affected multiple disks in the array, taking it beyond the ability of the array to recover. IT are in the process of replacing and rebuilding the raid array and the data. It is hoped to have this completed by the 17th or 18th of September at the latest.

If you have been affected by the loss of CAD02 could you let us know please. We can then discuss the situation with your tutors to ensure you are not adversely affected.

We can be contacted at ami@bolton.ac.uk

28th July 2008

Reminder to re-enrol online for academic year 2008/09

The university requires that everyone continuing studies from one academic year to the next should re-enrol. In previous years the Data Management team has sent pre-printed paper forms through the post to be checked and signed, but this year it is all being done online. Everyone should have received instructions by email addressed to both their Bolton and personal email account.

In case your email has gone astray, this is what you have to do: go to www.bolton.ac.uk/Students/MyDetails and select “Student Record”. Enter your username and password and then click on "enrol". It's as simple as that. Please be sure to do this, and don't leave it too late as otherwise your account is likely to become locked in September.

Reminder of new policy of staged awards

Some people who applied (and were accepted) for the MSc have queried why the student record shows they have been entered on the Postgraduate Certificate. This is not an error but reflects a change of policy from the postgraduate electronics team last summer, reported on the notice board in August 2007. See archive.

Normal practice in other Schools in this university and elsewhere is to undertake postgraduate study in three stages, enrolling first on the Postgraduate Certificate, then the Postgraduate Diploma, and finally on the Master of Science. Many people have enquired in the past whether they could do this, but were told they should enrol on the full MSc from the outset. As long as they continued right through to the MSc, this was fine, but problems arose if they decided to take an interim award (PgCert or PgDip) but subsequently wanted to continue, as the University would not allow it. To avoid falling into this trap in future, and also to give more flexibility to all, the Postgraduate Programmes Committee agreed that from the summer of 2007 onwards, enrolments would be on a staged basis: initially Postgraduate Certificate, then Postgraduate Diploma and finally Master of Science.

It is taking time for all the documentation to be updated to the new arrangement, and there are doubtless still texts saying the opposite so we send apologies to anyone who was concerned to read they had been enrolled on a lesser qualification than that intended. Please be assured you will be able to progress to the higher degrees. It is also now the case that you could end up with three qualifications: Certificate, Diploma and MSc. If you still have any concerns about this please contact the Postgraduate Programmes Office by email to ami@bolton.ac.uk or by telephone to +44 (0)1204 903020.

11th July 2008

Fees set for the new academic year

The University has set the fees for the academic year 2008/09 and made a small increase to allow for inflation. The following fees will apply for modules starting in October 2008, February 2009 and June 2009: £360 (360 GBP) for a 10-credit module, £490 (490 GBP) fior a 15 or 20 credit module and £920 (920 GBP) for the MSc Project. The page on fees gives more information.

Arrangements over the summer

The calendar includes three "floating" weeks for holiday during the summer term. Most students and tutors choose to take holiday in August, but it's not compulsory and the "floating" weeks can be taken at whatever time is best for you.  The main thing is to plan to complete the whole module by midnight on Wednesday 1st October, and to submit the final assignment by then. The submission date for earlier assignments can be extended by up to three weeks if you choose to take holiday allowance before the end of the study week when they are indicated as being due.

Extra chance to study module on FPGAs

Because of the high demand to study module AMI4460 "Systems Design using FPGAs" it has been decided to run the module again in October as well as in February as already planned. The module availability chart has been updated accordingly. A few other changes have been made, most of them adding to the choices in February and June 2009. All the alterations are listed in the change record at the foot of the page.

Modules next start on Thursday 23rd October and the choice of titles is listed here. Induction week starts on Thursday 16th October.

4th July 2008

Congratulations to students receiving awards

Degrees were presented to over 2,400 students in series of ceremonies held in Bolton last week. Dr George Holmes, Vice Chancellor, presented postgraduate degrees in electronics to: Alan Hulme, Derek Ives, David Geddes, Nebeel Sulaiman, Michael Goetz, Abdoulie Colley,  Elvis Apang, Victorin Tabue and Vinay Pentapuri. Paul Malpass and B.C. have also finished their MSc degrees and will attend the ceremony in November. All the electronics team send their sincere congratulations to these students on their successes. University News item with photos: Graduation joy

Reminder to check transcripts online following Assessment Board

Following the assessment board held last week, letters have been posted to people who have completed a degree or have referred work to be completed by 1st October, or who have failed a module.   If you have not heard from us, it's now easy to check your results online.  You can also print your own transcript at any time.  See "Results available online", four headings below.
The Student Progress Chart (restricted access) has also been udpated to show modules as having been completed (C), rather than completed subject to the assessment Board (Cs).

Alumni magazine features AMI graduate

The latest edition of "Origins", the magazine for Bolton alumni and friends, is now available in electronic form and includes an article on Graeme Hawksley and his work on hybrid propulsion systems for small marine craft. Graeme completed the MSc Advanced Microelectronics for Industrialists (AMI) in December 2005. See front cover and page 6 of: Origins 2 (PDF).
The home page for Alumni and Friends is: www.bolton.ac.uk/AlumniAndFriends/Home.aspx

12th June 2008

Welcome to new students

The induction week for the new modules starts today and twenty new people have joined the online community for the first time. On this occasion we welcome new students from Germany, Belgium, Trinidad and Nigeria as well as England and Scotland. All the tutoring and support team welcome you to the online courses from Bolton and look forward to helping you achieve your goals in your future studies. The username and password for your accounts at Bolton should be emailed to you today.

Please return FPGA or Micros kit if module finished

If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it now as a few people are waiting to receive a kit in time to start next week. However, only return the kit if you have really finished with it and are confident of passing the module. Should an assignment prove to be unsatisfactory you may need the kit to do the work again.

"Train to Gain" funding extended

The UK Government's scheme to encourage small and medium sized companies to invest in training has been extended and now potentially includes modules at MSc level, providing they are applicable to a business need by a key worker. Funds of up to £1,000 are available for skills development.

The contract for assessing training needs is held by the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (SEMTA). If your company employs between 10 and 249 employees, the way forward is to download a pre-visit questionnaire, complete the form and fax it to SEMTA. Download (23KB, PDF). The regional skills broker for SEMTA will then get in touch. Further details, including links to press releases, are provided in the page on Funding Opportunities.

As this is a new development, if you decide to apply, we would be interested to hear your experiences so we can correctly advise others. Thank you. Roy

New CEESI brochure

CEESI Training has published a new brochure listing the courses covered by the collaborative agreement. Copies can be requested from the CEESI Office. The brochure is also available for download as a PDF file, direct from the CEESI site, or from here: download (2MB, PDF).

Results available online

The University now makes your results transcript available online. Go to the university main site, www.bolton.ac.uk, click on "Current Students", then "My Details", then "Student Record", and log in.

Because of this, after the next exam board (26th June), results transcripts will only be posted to students who are either receiving an award or have referred work, or have failed a module. Continuing students who pass each module will not now receive a transcript until completion of their studies. If you need an official transcript (i.e. one printed on university headed paper), we will be happy to post you one. Just email the office stating how many copies are required; please be sure to include your student number in the email. Office.

 

15th May 2008

Update on IET accreditation visit in April

Undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Electronics at the University of Bolton underwent an accreditation review by the Institution of Engineering and Technology in April. Many distance learning students took the trouble to come to Bolton to meet the panel and we are confident that a favourable impression was created. The outcome will be announced early in August after the next meeting of the IET's Academic Accreditation Committee on 30th July. We are optimistic our MSc programmes will gain accreditation. Previous notice

The IET has changed its policy recently. Previously MScs were 'approved' and were not accredited, but this has now changed so that all programmes may be awarded accreditation if they fulfil the criteria set by the IET.

Next chance to start a module

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 19th June when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 12th June.

Current enrolled students need only email the office of their intentions and we will then complete a "Module Addition" form on your behalf. However, if you intend to apply for a CEESI bursary (or use one already agreed), please be sure to mention this, otherwise the Finance Office will invoice the full fee.  The Student Progress Chart (restricted access) is updated regularly and indicates our understanding of your intentions - please email any changes to ami@bolton.ac.uk.

Prospective new students should apply to the Postgraduate Programmes Office for Electronics - See Application Form.   Where a prerequisite is shown, it means that you must have successfully completed the module indicated, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge and understanding, before attempting this one.  To apply for a CEESI bursary for a particular module, complete and submit the bursary application form. (Please read the eligibility rules carefully before applying).

Postgraduate Programmes Committee meets on 5th June

The next meeting of the committee will be on Thursday 5th June at 1.00pm in Bolton. If you are able to attend, or would like to send an item for discussion under "student issues", please contact Linda Holland on l.e.holland@bolton.ac.uk   Minutes of previous meetings of the committee are available from the download page. (Restricted to current students).

11th April 2008

Planned outage of cad02 server on Sunday 13th April

The CAD server for Unix applications (cad02 or "beaker") is planned to be turned off from about 8.30am (7.30 GMT) until about 3.00pm (2.00 GMT) on Sunday 13th April. This is because of some major electrical maintenance work affecting the whole of Eagle Campus at Bolton. The library catalogue will also be unavailable for the same period. We apologise for the short notice and any inconvenience this outage may cause.

Web server "at risk"

The web servers at Eagle are being maintained using temporary generators so although no websites should be affected, they will be "at risk". If you expect to be studying using the AMI site on Sunday, you are advised to access the pages in advance, so they are in the local cache of your machine in case the server becomes unavailable for a while.

Plans for Sunday 20th April

Further electrical work is planned for a shorter period, a week later, on Sunday 20th April, but no outage is currently planned for that date.

4th April 2008

Postgraduate Programmes Committee meets on 9th April

The next meeting of the committee will be on Wednesday 9th April at 1.00pm in Bolton. If you are able to attend, or would like to send an item for discussion under "student issues", please contact Linda Holland on l.e.holland@bolton.ac.uk   Minutes of previous meetings of the committee are available from the download page. (Restricted to current students).

Next chance to start a module

The next opportunity to start a module is on Thursday 19th June when the choice of titles is as listed. Induction week starts on Thursday 12th June.

"New Frontiers for Electronics Pioneers"

"Electronics Trailblazers" is the tag to an article reporting our tenth anniversary in the recent issue of The Bolt (PDF). See page 18-19. Included are two panels giving examples of the many outstanding recent MSc Projects undertaken by distance learning students. Earlier editions of The Bolt can be downloaded from here: www.bolton.ac.uk/News/TheBolt/ We last featured a year ago in the Spring 2007 issue, pages 18 and 19.

Two modules to be uprated from 15 to 20 credits

Two modules are being uprated from 15 to 20 credits as a result of additional material being introduced when they were updated recently. To avoid confusion with previous versions, they have each been given a slightly different number. "Signal Integrity and EMC" (AMI4822) becomes AMI4823 and "Design for Thermal Issues" (AMI4817) becomes AMI4917). Regreatably the changes in credit ratings do not apply retrospectively to the old numbers.

13th February 2008

Modules start again on Thursday 21st Feb

Another group of modules is scheduled to start in a week's time. Induction for these modules starts tomorrow and during the coming week tutors will be contacting students to makes sure they understand what is involved and what is expected of them. Eighteen people will be starting a module for the first time, with representatives from England, Greece, Netherlands and Canada.

Update on new server to support remote access to Windows Applications

The School has funded a new server specifically to support distance learning students accessing Windows applications remotely. It arrived in January and has been installed and the operating system commissioned by colleagues in the Central IT Dept. It's a quad dual-core processor 64-bit machine with 32GB RAM expandable to 128GB. Over the coming months all the Windows applications will be loaded and fully tested on this platform. First, though, Citrix Presentation Server needs to be installed and configured, which will be taking place over the next few weeks. The new server will support many more students than we have been able to accept up to now, and will be extendable.

Regret DSP module delayed. Micros and FGPAs added as alternatives

The processing power of the available remote access servers is insufficient for running multiple copies of the software used in the DSP module and regrettably the decision has been taken to postpone the module again. We had hoped to be able to run the module using the new server, but now have to wait until the Citrix installation is complete. To increase options for those affected by the cancellation of DSP, an extra run of module AMI4460 "Systems Design using FPGAs" and module AMI4655 "Microcontrollers" has been arranged. Anyone with a CEESI bursary granted for DSP can transfer it to either of these modules.

Please return FPGA and Micros kits promptly if finished with

Because extra FPGA and Micros courses have been planned, we expect to need to issue kits next week. If you have finished with one of these kits, please could you return it promptly. However, only do so if you have really finished with it and are confident of passing the module. Should an assignment prove to be unsatisfactory you may need the kit to do the work again.

University of Kent joins CEESI-Training

The University of Kent has recently signed the CEESI Memorandum, to joins the consortium, bringing the number of partners universities to eleven. Four new modules are now available in the area of Biometrics and Security. For more information, please click on Modules at www.ceesi.ac.uk. Also, see CEESI Press release. Two more UK universities are currently considering joining CEESI-Training.

Changes of tutor

A couple of changes are taking place this February.  Dr Gerard Edwards will be taking over from Dr Ron Hood for tutoring module AMI4814 "Signal Integrity and EMC". Gerard has already supervised a couple of MSc projects by distance learning students and is teaching this module to the full time MSc class.   Roy Attwood will be tutoring AMI4088 "Industrial Management", also taking over from Ron Hood.  This frees up time for Ron to tutor his new module, AMI4966 "Design for EMC and LVD".

IET visit confirmed: 22-23 April

A panel from the Institution of Engineering and Technology will be visiting the University of Bolton on Tuesday afternoon 22nd April and all day Wednesday 23rd April to consider re-accrediting the Electronic and Computer Engineering BEng degree and "approving" the full time and part time MSc degrees. Accreditation of the undergraduate degrees was allowed to lapse in 2003 because it became impossible to meet the course entry standards under SARTOR3. Different criteria were introduced by the IET a year ago and several universities are now, like Bolton, re-applying. Details of the academic accreditation process are to be found within the IET site, linked direct here. The paperwork is to be submitted by the end of the month. A number of students and graduates have been invited to meet the panel privately on the Wednesday and already many have replied confirming they can attend. If you would like to be involved, please get in touch. Email r.j.hood@bolton.ac.uk

Archive of old notices

Previous notices have been moved to an archive page.

Updated 29.05.09 KS