Undergraduate study
     

Engineering

BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering

  • UCAS code: H200 BEng/CEn
  • Length: 3 years full-time study or 4 years with work placement

2012 entry

 

We can attribute the success of our great civilisations to the innovations of great civil engineers who shape society's infrastructure. From Stonehenge to the Severn Bridge, the Panama Canal to the Channel Tunnel, the world simply wouldn’t work without civil engineers.

According to information provided by www.prospects.ac.uk in July 2011 the average civil engineering graduate starting salary is £24,000. Those with five years' experience earn an average of £31,000. The average income of Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) members is £47,000 but members receiving the London weighting receive an average income of £58,000. The average salary of fellowship ICE members is £78,000 (ICE salary survey 2009).

This course incorporates key aspects of civil engineering such as structural design, geotechnical design, fluid mechanics and major project management. You benefit from the invaluable support of an industrial mentor who stays with you throughout your degree. You can also gain the real-life experience all employers are looking for through your optional industry placement.

What you study

In Year 1 you're introduced to building technology, methods and materials. You gain experience in field surveying on a three-day field course and by study throughout the year. In Year 2 you progress to more advanced building technology, structural, geotechnical and hydraulic design, and the concept of failure-by-design. Your final year allows you to develop your skills set at a high and more specialist level.

How you learn

You are expected to attend a range of lectures, tutorials, group work, hands-on practical sessions, field courses and site visits. Part of your course also involves a substantial research-based project.

The course has been designed to provide a number of contact teaching and assessment hours (lectures, tutorials, laboratory work, projects, examinations etc), but you are also expected to spend time on your own, called ‘self-study’ time, to review lecture notes, prepare coursework assignments, work on projects and revise for assessments.

Each year of full-time study consists of modules totalling 120 credits and each unit of credit corresponds to ten hours of learning and assessment (contact hours plus self-study hours). So, during one year of full-time study you can expect to have 1,200 hours of learning and assessment. A residential field course in the first year is focused around a civil engineering project and involves using many of the skills developed in the earlier part of the year. It allows you to work in a group to solve a civil engineering problem in a staged manner. A contribution of £30 towards the cost of the field course is required.

Some of the modules involve compulsory one-week block delivery periods (Mon-Fri: 9-5), two separate weeks in stage 2 and two separate weeks in the final stage. These are designed to be intensive problem solving weeks, to enhance team-working and provide the students with an opportunity to focus their attention on particular problems.

How you are assessed

Your course involves a range of types of assessment including coursework assignments and examinations.

Professional placements

We recommend that you take the four-year sandwich course, with your third year spent on placement in the construction industry. This provides the opportunity to gain relevant professional experience to enhance your technical knowledge and can improve employment prospects. Some find employment with their placement company after graduating.

Professional accreditation

Engineering Council accredited degree This programme is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (representing the four professional bodies: Institution of Civil Engineering, Institution of Structural Engineering, Institute of Highway Engineers and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation) as fully satisfying the educational base for an Incorporated Engineer (IEng). See www.jbm.org.uk for further information.

Further learning in addition to this programme with a strong technical focus is required to fully meet the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

Career opportunities

Typical roles include construction project management, building/civil engineering for contractors or consultants, architectural practices, local authorities or government agencies.

Entry requirements

To enter Year 1, you're expected to have GCSE English (grade C or above) and good grades in maths at Level 3 (for example A level, BTEC ND, ACCESS, IB). We consider advanced entry directly into Year 2 if you have good grades in a Level 4 or 5 qualification (for example HNC, HND) in a related subject.

You're normally invited for an interview, when you can also see our excellent facilities and meet staff and students. You then receive an individual offer. If you can't come for an interview, a typical offer might be 280 tariff points including at least grade C or Merit in Level 3 mathematics.

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Modules

Civil Engineering

Year 1 core modules

Year 2 core modules

Final-year core modules

Non-credit bearing optional modules

  • A foreign language: German, French, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin)
  • In-sessional Academic English (for international students)
  • Professional Mentoring

You may select one or more of these modules.

Modules offered may vary.