Civil and Environmental Engineering

All degree courses within the School share a common first year of six compulsory modules. These expose you to the diversity within civil engineering and provide a firm basis on which to specialise in later years – as well as giving you the flexibility to switch between these courses.

In the first two years you’ll gain a thorough understanding of the fundamental subjects that underpin civil engineering and the materials and methods available to civil engineers in different contexts. You’ll build skills in structural design and analysis as well as engineering mathematics and modelling techniques, learn about the properties of a wide range of materials and put your knowledge in the context of architectural theory and history. You’ll also choose optional modules in Year 2 to explore your interests and help you decide what you might choose to focus on in later years.

You’ll benefit from a greater variety of optional modules in Year 3, allowing you to focus on topics such as building physics, transport, railway or public health engineering. Core modules will help you to enhance and refine your skills in structural analysis and design, as well as building your knowledge of key topics like water engineering and foundation engineering and allowing you to complete a substantial research project. You may also choose to spend this year studying at one of our many partner institutions in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA.

If you choose the MEng and continue into Year 4, you’ll have greater freedom in your choice of modules. You could focus on water resource management or the role of civil engineering in responding to major emergencies like natural disasters. You’ll also work alongside your supervisor on an individual research project, allowing you to focus on an engineering problem in depth and apply the skills you’ve gained.

The in depth final-year research project will allow you work on a specific area of your choice , under the guidance of your supervisor, where you’ll contribute to the body of knowledge in your chosen field and have the opportunity to make a real impact.

Integrated Design Projects

Civil engineers work on projects that combine skills and knowledge to deliver a solution to a client, so we place a strong emphasis on project work throughout the degree. This gives you the opportunity to explore your subject further as well as developing valuable skills in problem solving, design, project management, communication and teamwork.

Find out more about our Projects

Engineering ethics

You’ll study engineering ethics as part of your course, with lectures and/or seminars in each year of your study. Visit our engineering ethics webpage to find out more.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Architecture and Environment 20 credits
• Engineering Surveying and Construction Technology 20 credits
• Structural Design and Analysis 20 credits
• Properties of Materials: Water, Soil, Steel and Timber 20 credits
• Engineering Mathematics and Modelling 1 20 credits
• Integrated Design Project 1 (inc Design Studio 1) 20 credits

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Structural Design 1 20 credits
• Sustainable Engineering Solutions 10 credits
• Civil Engineering Materials II 10 credits
• Structural Analysis 1 10 credits
• Water Engineering and Geotechnics 20 credits
• Engineering Mathematics and Modelling 2 20 credits
• Integrated Design Project 2 20 credits

Optional modules

• Architectural History and Theory 2 10 credits
• Highway Engineering 10 credits
• Building Physics 1: Fundamental Principles 10 credits
• Introduction to Project Management 10 credits
• Transport Planning and Modelling 10 credits

Year 3

Compulsory modules

• Structural Design 2 20 credits
• Water Engineering 10 credits
• Wastewater Engineering 10 credits
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