Civil and Structural 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 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 partner institutions overseas.

If you choose the MEng, BEng course, you’ll have an even wider selection of specialist optional modules, which are taught at Masters level and allow you to focus on topics that suit your interests and career plans. A final-year research project will allow you work on a specific area in depth under the guidance of your supervisor.

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, 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
• 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

• Sustainable Engineering Solutions 10 credits
• 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
• Structural Analysis 2 10 credits
• Water Engineering 10 credits
• Foundation Engineering Fundamentals 10 credits ...