Objective. 

This diploma course aims to equip engineers and professionals in various industries and organizations with the latest, essential knowledge of sound, vibration and environmental noise control. The holder of this diploma is expected to have attained a level of knowledge and technical competency of a recognized engineering first degree holder who specializes in an acoustics stream, or minor in acoustics during the course of his/her undergraduate studies. Holder of this diploma is considered by HKIOA to have the equivalent educational qualification of an honours degree with specialization in acoustics, and thus automatically satisfy all "knowledge-based" part of the requirements for HKIOA Corporate Member.

 The diploma will also form part of the continuous professional development such as that required by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), the Hong Kong Institute of Environmental Impact Assessment & America Society of Mechanical Engineers (Hong Kong Section). Details of such mutual recognition scheme will be announced when available.

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Entrance qualification. 

Candidates for this diploma course are expected to have (i) obtained a higher diploma in an engineering discipline closely related to the discipline of acoustics, e.g. mechanical, aeronautical, or manufacturing/industrial engineering, civil or environmental engineering, building construction or architectural studies, plus some relevant working experience in noise and vibration related fields, or (ii) an honours degree, or MSc degree, from a recognized local or overseas tertiary institution in any engineering, science or management studies related to environmental protection or product engineering, (iii) mature candidates (of age 35 or above) with no less than 5 years working experience in the technical fields of acoustics, which includes vibration, as an engineer, sales manager, environmental protection officer, or equivalent.

 Since the candidate of the diploma course needs to apply separately to local tertiary institutions for gaining credits for relevant modules required of this diploma (see Section 3 below), registration as a candidate for this diploma at HKIOA does not guarantee acceptance by all local institutions as a visiting student. More details of the course operation are given below. Nevertheless, every effort is made by HKIOA to facilitate such registration and give advice to all candidates about the chance of success in individual courses offered by local institutions. Most courses listed are taught by university lecturers who are HKIOA members.

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Course structure. 

The diploma is issued to candidates who successfully complete four modules of studies within a maximum of seven years from the time of initial registration. The seven-year restriction is set for qualification purpose; different duration is set for the administration fee purpose (see Sec.5). Extension beyond this time limit requires special approval. The language of instruction is English. The modules are

 (i) Fundamentals of Acoustics, common compulsory module for all,

 (ii) Two elective modules on a variety of specialized topics, which may also take the form of attendance in seminars, meetings and symposia

 (iii) Project, this module aims to integrate what the candidate has learned in other modules and should have a clear technical element in sound or vibration. This module should be taken after the first compulsory module, Fundamentals of Acoustics, is completed, but may be taken concurrently with the other elective modules.

 Each module consists of a minimum of 36 contact hours with instructors or project supervisors, and two additional hours of work by the candidate is expected for each contact hour. This is equivalent to a single-semester course offered in local universities which typically has a 3-hour lecture session per week over a span of 12-14 weeks. Contact hours are defined as formal lectures, small group tutorials, and laboratory sessions. Supervision sessions in a project may take a more flexible form but a total work load of about 108 hours is expected of a student taking the project. In exceptional cases, the project may be substituted by another elective module, upon the approval by course committee.

 Candidates may apply for exemption of up to 2 modules (excluding project) based on their prior learning of the relevant module contents.  Applications for module exemption will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Note that, if a candidate takes MSc subjects, listed in the appendix, in local institutions to satisfy our module requirements for the diploma, and subsequently applies for MSc studies at the same institution, s/he may apply to carry the credits forward to satisfy the relevant MSc requirements. The approval of such application rests with the local institution.

 Details of each module is given in Details of the course modules

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Application and Course Administration

 A Diploma Course Committee (DCC), is appointed by the chairman of HKIOA in consultation with the chairman of the education sub-committee, who is normally expected to be the DCC chairman. The committee is responsible for the smooth running of the course, and the committee members will serve as tutors for registered candidates. At each period of time, there will be at least one tutor on duty to give advice to candidates concerning the selection of courses and projects. Candidates are not expected to seek free consultation on other technical matters from the tutor on duty.

 Candidates should apply to HKIOA for initial qualification screening and registration for the diploma. Applications are received without time limit, but registration is conducted each year in August (for September courses), December (for January) and May (for possible summer course from June).  Successful candidates are given advice of how to register in one or more local tertiary institutions to become visiting students and gain credits for the required modules. A list of courses approved by HKIOA is given as appendices of this document.  HKIOA will forward the "visiting student" applications (forms provided by the links in the appendix) to individual departments in local universities for their approval of the particular courses. 

 Materials to be submitted for application:

 (1) A brief covering letter explaining your motivation for taking the diploma and your study plan at the time of application, your preference of joining local tertiary institutions for individual subjects, and your willingness to take HKIOA organized compulsory courses if/when sufficient number of candidates present themselves.

 (2) A resume which details your educational and professional background. For educational background, please attach copies of all important certificates with class and classifications. The resume should also give result classification for subjects related to mathematics, physics and engineering, at O-level, A-level and tertiary level exams, as these are important information to assess your likely chance of success in the courses.

 (3) Filled "visiting student" application forms (see appendix for internet link for forms) if you plan to take the first compulsory subject at a local institution immediately. For subjects to be taken later, individuals will be submitting such applications directly to the institutions.

 Items (1-3) can be submitted by email to diploma@hkioa.org

 (4) Two cheques made payable to Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics, one for the non-refundable application fee, and another for administration fee (to be charged to successful candidates, see Sec. 5 below), by post to The Honorary Treasurer, Hong Kong Institute of Acoustics G.P.O. Box 7261, Hong Kong.

 The normal deadline for fresh applications is 25 August and 27 December each year.

The deadline for first-batch application in 2009 is 5 September.

 HKIOA itself offers seminars and short courses which would count towards one or maximum two modules. HKIOA also gives advice of how to find a project supervisor. When four modules are completed, the candidates present transcripts of studies from various approved sources to the HKIOA for final qualification of the diploma. If and when there are sufficient number of candidates who have difficulty finding suitable courses in any local institution due to course availability and other issues, and when instructors are available, HKIOA may offer one or more modules directly with qualified teachers and professionals.

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Fees. 

The nominal fee for one module is around HK$6000 in local universities at B.Eng level, and HK$7500 at the MSc level. Exact cost varies from one institution to another and from year to year. There is no discount arranged for HKIOA Professional Diploma candidates. The credits for subjects taken at both levels are treated equally. For the modules taken at local tertiary institutions, the candidates themselves are responsible for the registration as a part-time visiting student. Forms and links of such application are provided at the Appendices.

 The HKIOA collects fees for the following at the start of each registration period. The candidate needs to write two cheques at the time of initial application: HK$350 and HK$2500, which are explained below.

 (i) Application fee. HK$350, non-refundable.

 (ii) A non-refundable administration fee, HK$5000, for candidates successfully registered for the diploma course. This will be paid in two installments, HK$2500 at the time of application and another HK$2500 at the time when the candidate takes the project. This covers the general administration cost, and advice given to candidates about elective selection and module sourcing. This administration fee covers a period of four years. Candidates who could not complete the diploma and need to extend towards the maximum period of seven years will be charged HK$1000 per additional year.

 (iii) For modules taken at HKIOA, a nominal fee of HK$6000 per complete module is charged, or HK$150 per contact hour in organized seminars and lectures given in short courses or symposia. Exact fee for each session may vary from time to time, and will be announced.

 (iv) For a project taken by a candidate with a supervisor in his/her personal capacity, a standard fee of HK$4500 is recommended for the candidates to pay the project supervisor. The HKIOA will take charge of report examination for such projects which are not examined by local tertiary institutions. The fee for examination by a panel of at least two experts is HK$1500, and is normally conducted in conjunction with student project competition hosted by HKIOA.

 (v) Diploma. A fee of HK$2000 is charged for the final diploma qualification process for the successful candidates. To be paid when candidates submit all transcripts.

 Note that, from time to time, HKIOA may offer scholarships or bursaries for excellent candidates participating in international symposia which are pre-approved by HKIOA as forming part of the study for a specific module.

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Details of the course modules.

 1. Compulsory module: Fundamentals of Acoustics.

 This module should cover the following technical areas. Physics of sound and its basic measurement methods, human hearing and subjective scales, basic source mechanisms for sound and vibration, air- and structure-borne noise, sound propagation in free and confined spaces, introduction to noise legislation and noise abatement techniques.

A list of courses available in local universities that are currently approved by HKIOA for meeting the requirement of this module is listed in Appendix II.

 2. Elective modules.

 These may cover one or more specialist areas, such as building acoustics, vehicle and transport noise mitigation, environmental noise legislation, measurement and monitoring, product noise control, or acoustics instrumentation and testing.

 3. Inter-disciplinary study modules offered by HKIOA.

 These will form elective modules. The maximum a candidate can earn from such studies is two modules. The credit of one module is awarded when a candidate has accumulated 39 credit hours. This is greater than the 36 hours (minimum) required of other modules since there is no final exam for this module although short courses that form part of such module may have exam component. At the end of each activity the candidates will collect certificate of attendance signed by the chair of the activity, and a chair may refuse to grant the credit-hour if a candidate is found to be very late in arrival or leave early, being absent minded and show no interest in the technical discussions that normally characterize such activities.

 HKIOA will organize technical seminars, short courses from time to time. HKIOA may also approve certain technical meetings and symposia to carry a certain amount of credit hours if the candidates attend such activities. All registered candidates will receive email announcements for such activities with relevant cost and credit hour information. Occasionally, the cost and credit hour may be adjusted following the event due to the significant deviation between the actual outcome of the activity and its expectation. The course committee reserves the right to determine such variations. 

 4. Project.

 The project is expected to be conducted by the candidate with a total work load of around 108 hours, with supervision by a qualified supervisor at a frequency or no less than once per two weeks. All academic staff of local tertiary institutions serving at the grade of lecturer or above, having taught acoustics subjects at least once in the past five years, are qualified to serve as supervisors. A list of supervisors who have guided students to win the annual Meyer Poon Memorial Award is also given in Appendix IV. A large pool of acoustic professionals serving in industry or government organizations, private sectors may also be qualified. These are mainly found in directories of HKIOA although a supervisor does not have to be a member of HKIOA. The course committee has the responsibility to determine whether a potential supervisor is qualified and suitable for the proposed project.

 The student should submit a project proposal, pre-approved by and together with the potential supervisor, with a short description between 200-400 words outlining the objectives, significance, milestones, methodology and implementation plans. For new supervisors other than academic staff described above, a brief resume has to be attached demonstrating the relevant qualification and experience of the proposed supervisor. As a general rule, a supervisor should not be the immediate superior/mentor of a candidate in his/her workplace.

 Proposal for project must be received two weeks before each semester begins. HKIOA may accept a proposal, or suggest improvements or modifications.

 The candidate can also seek supervision from a supervisor in his/her own private capacity as a consultant. In this case, HKIOA will be responsible for the report examination and grading. The examination will be conducted in the form of oral presentation of a written thesis (in English), by a panel of no less than two experts assigned by the Diploma Course Committee, and the supervisor will serve as a non-voting observer in the exam process. Most likely, the education sub-committee may recommend the report to be examined as part of the Meyer Poon Memorial Award exercise held by HKIOA, open to all students in local institutions. A pass grade or better for the project module does not automatically qualify the candidate for the student project award.

 The supervisor and the local institution or companies are expected to provide all the necessary facility for the project. HKIOA is NOT responsible for the cost incurred during the project work by the student, nor would it be taking any responsibility for the safety of the candidates and the supervisors during the project work.

 Details of project arrangement may be adjusted in 2010 or later.

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Appendices

I. List of local tertiary institutions which offer one or more subjects counted as a module for the diploma. (The document is being revised frequently. Please consult the website for the latest amendments.)

 (i) The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Kowloon

Guideline of subject based admission (web-page of Academic Secretariat) http://www28.polyu.edu.hk/aseprospectus/jsp/misc.jsp?cms_menu_id=6041&websiteId=1&schemeId=200810&langId=1

 Department of Mechanical Engineering (www.me.polyu.edu.hk) then click on Program link

(http://www.me.polyu.edu.hk/acad_prog/acad_prog.htm)

Followed by Part-Time B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering (http://www.me.polyu.edu.hk/acad_prog/beng43091.htm)

or MSc in Mechanical Engineering

 Contact for administrative issues: Ms Lily Wan (2766 7812 mmlwan@inet.polyu.edu.hk)

Department of Building Services Engineering (www.bse.polyu.edu.hk)

Program web-page http://www.bse.polyu.edu.hk/academic/PT_BEngBSE/index.html

Adminstrative contact: Ms Persia Lai (2766 5851)

 Detailed Timetable and Venue:

www.polyu.edu.hk/student ->timetable -> subject timetable (enter subject

code, e.g. ME4407) Then click on the subject code when shown in table.

  Download the AS137 subject based adminssion form

(ii) The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

Guideline for visiting student (http://www.hku.hk/admission/visiting.htm)

Department of Mechanical Engineering (www.hku.hk/mech)

Program: MSc in Mechanical Engineering (http://www.hku.hk/rss/pp2009/engineering.html#mscengieim)

(see MECH6017 Noise and Vibration)

Administrative contact: Ms Mei Mei Lam (2859 2635)

 Download the visiting student form

(iii) Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education.

Department of Engineering, IVE(Tsing Yi) (http://eng.vtc.edu.hk/)

Department of Construction, IVE(Tsing Yi) (http://www.vtc.edu.hk/ive/ty/cn/ty-cn.htm)

Administrative Contact: Miss Amy Tang (2836-1932, amytang@vtc.edu.hk)

II. List of currently approved subjects for the module of Fundamentals of Acoustics.

 (i) MECH 6017 Noise and Vibration (HKU, MSc in Mechanical Engineering)

        Semester 1, 1 Sept-December 14 weeks, Friday evening 7:00-9:30pm

         MECH3001 Acoustics (HKU, BEng in Mechanical Engineering, day-time class only)

 (ii) ME4407 Principles of Sound and Vibration (PolyU, BEng in Mechanical Engineering)

        ME534: Engineering Acoustics (PolyU, MSc in Mechanical Engineering)

         Contact: Ms Lily Wan (2766 7812) for timetable and availability

III. List of currently approved subjects for the elective modules

 (i) BSE4411: Acoustics Control Engineering

PolyU Dept of Building Services Engineering

 (ii) PolyU Dept of Mechanical Engineering

 BEng in Mechanical Engineering

 ME4405: Environmental Noise

ME4406: Noise Abatement and Control

ME4408: Sound and Vibration in Products

 MSc in Mechanical Engineering

 ME536 Vibrations and Structure-borne Noise

ME559 Advanced Environmental and Transportation Noise Control

ME574 Product Noise Control

 
IV. List of potential supervisors of projects

 University supervisors whose students have won Meyer Poon Memorial Awards (to be added in 2010)

 Other supervisors who might take students (to be added in 2010)

 
V. Diploma Course Committee (2009)

 Dr L Huang (chairman), Dr R.C.K. Leung (deputy), Mr Wilson Ho, Dr Albert Li, Dr K.W. Cheng (hon. secretary)

Contact: diploma@hkioa.org